Let the Children Come
30/08/2008 9:00 am <>
If I could choose the most delightful from among many joyful experiences of our years in Taiwan, it would be children’s ministry at the local elementary school.
I feel deep joy when I watch the faces of a hundred little people, mostly from homes where Jesus is not known, singing praises to Him and listening attentively to His Word. The story of the cross touches their hearts with sorrow, bringing sadness to their precious little faces. Then the wonderful story of Jesus’ resurrection transforms their sad expressions into big smiles. Can anything be more joyful than watching a child respond to the love of Jesus?
Sometimes we are encouraged to hear the children talking about their conversations with God. A survey conducted at our school showed that the children from our classes (held over lunch hours on Mondays and Tuesdays) knew that they had a Father in heaven to whom they could talk about anything at any time. By contrast, the others didn’t know to whom to talk in times of need.
Last year a junior high boy who had been in our class as a sixth-grader begged his mother to let him become a baptized believer. She refused with the retort, “If you can pass your math test, I will let you.” That was a near impossibility for this child, who seldom could pass his tests. But he began to pray and work on his math. He was the only one in his class to pass the next test. His mother was totally amazed, and not only allowed him to be baptized, but joined him in his faith.
The kinds of hindrances faced over these ten years in the school have taken on incredible variety. We thank God for the miracle that a succession of principals has supported what we are doing. But at the same time a few teachers opposed to our work have found creative ways to keep their classroom children from attending. Many times we have to pray over equipment that for some “unknown” reason suddenly refuses to work. Sometimes we need to switch to other classrooms where our children’s behavior is much more difficult to control. (A hundred little "popcorn" kids can make teaching very difficult under the best conditions.) And of course there are needy children who act out to get attention.
Often the mothers on our team face personal or health concerns that make it difficult for them to help with the program. We praise God that recently our leader has had increasing opportunities for ministry in the school to children, parents, and teachers. Yet she does all this with a very painful back condition.
Jesus who said, “Let the little children come to me,” is prepared to bless them. Please use your imagination as you pray for us and the children we teach now, and for those we have taught over the last ten years. How will the Good Shepherd lead them on? Your prayers can follow and support these children although you don’t know their names. Your prayers can help to keep us in the school, joyfully sharing God’s Word.
Judy Newquist - Taichung
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