Thursday, May 23, 2013

My Story 7

Children are gifts from God. This is true for each of us who have children as we realise how precious and wonderful the experiences are despite all the late nights, problems and challenges faced.
I have 2 wonderful children, now adults, who taught my wife and I how much God loves us as a parent. Raising them with each of their personality and gender differences require appropriate styles. Now they are adults, are we done parenting them? No, until we or they leave this earth and be at home with Jesus, they are still our children and we will continue (though in a different capacity and way) to be the parents to them.
My wife and I have been involved in helping other children too especially in the age group of 2 to 6 years. We found it a crucial time for these young ones to know the love of God their creator and redeemer.
I found that most adults who respond later in life, whether in their teens or youth years, to the Gospel are those who have some background in Christian education whether in a church kindergarten or church Sunday school program. Personally, I grew up going to a church kindergarten, singing Gospel songs and hearing about Jesus.
My involvement with children's ministry started when I was a student in England where during the summer vacation, I volunteered to serve in United Beach Missions. This involved going to the beaches, setting up an area where through story, song and skits, the Gospel is shared to children (with their adult parents around).
Then in the 1990's, my wife and I started a program called Toddlers for Christ in the church we were attending. We formulated our own 2-year curriculum with emphasis on saturating the hearts of these young ones with the love of God. We saw that most mothers would sit either at the back of the church or in another room with their toddlers so as not to disturb the congregation during Sunday worship. Hence we incorporated a time called Mothers for Christ where they can learn something while taking care of their young ones. Over a period of two years, another program, Preschoolers for Christ, was added to cater for the older children of 4-6 years.
In my current church, we got involved in the GKidz program, first with the David Club (children under 4 years) then with the Timothy Club (Kindergarten section). Although it is tiring but at the end of the day, we know that the children we taught will in time respond to God's love.
Dear reader, you will never fully know the impact you have when you sow love and truth in a child's life. If you know Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, then your impact will have eternal consequences even as the child receives the truth you speak and the love you show.