A teacher in the Philippines shares her testimony of how our partners’ support helped her dream of ministry come true.
In 2018, God took me to Children of the King’s Haven Learning Academy as a preschool teacher where I first taught children not just in academics but also in their spiritual life. I saw that God is alive and doing great things in the lives of children. I was so blessed to be a part of a ministry where kids could worship and learn about God in a private school setting. Each week, I would watch children come in with smiles and excitement to hear a new Bible story.
In 2020, I was just accepted as a public school teacher at a nearby school when we received the news. that there would be no more classes because of the pandemic. The schools were closed for a long time. I could feel the emptiness. I missed the children.
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3, ESV).
At the beginning of 2021, I began to dream of having a Bible class with the kids in my neighborhood. It took a lot of prayers. I praise the Lord that April 3, 2022, our prayers were answered. It was made possible through a partnership with Maria Luz Mapait [one of World Challenge’s partners]. She is a churchmate whom God is using profoundly for the advancement of his kingdom. My husband and I were able to conduct the first Bible class with 33 kids in attendance. They could hardly all fit in our hut.
I am certain that a child understands God's love and presence better than we do. They do not need to see nails or thorn crowns to believe. All children require is a story. All they require is that you read to them and tell them about God.
Being able to teach and watch God work in the hearts and lives of children is one of the most fantastic benefits of being a Christian. After their Bible lesson in one of our classes, I gave the children the opportunity to discuss what they had learned with me further. A three-year-old girl told me how happy she is to know that God loves her.
“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100:5).
Children account for over one-third of the world's population, and roughly half of them live in areas where they may never have heard the gospel. This creates an ideal environment for evangelism. Their hearts are yearning for the truth, and we have the answer. God desires that all generations hear about him and the good news of Jesus Christ. Obviously, evangelism begins at home. Teaching our children or grandchildren about God is the most basic kind of evangelism.
It's wonderful to explain to kids how God created everything, the sunsets, mountains, clouds, flowers, birds of the air, sea animals and puppies. The whole world is demonstrating the majesty of God's creation. Then he revealed his Word, the Bible, through singing, reading and storytelling. Many verses inspire me to constantly tell others about God's ways. It is both a pleasure and a responsibility.
“You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth” (Deuteronomy 11:19-21).
I love to share own family's testimonies of God’s faithfulness with the children. They will understand why we desire to tell others about God if they first understand who he is. Sadly, many children are deprived of hearing the truth from their own families who do not themselves know about God’s law and his gospel.
God desires that all people come to Him and fellowship with Him. Children are inquisitive and full of questions; there will always be opportunities to point them to their Creator and teach them about his love for them. They must understand that they were created with a purpose and that their lives are important to God.
In our Bible classes with the children, we incorporate songs because they are another good way to share the love of Christ. In Christian or gospel songs, the words speak life. It is always encouraging to see the children learning about the love of Jesus through words in a song. We explain the lyrics of each song so that they fully understand and apply it to their lives.
In addition to learning the gospel, the children also learn practical skills for living healthier lives in our classes. It’s little things like properly brushing teeth and being mindful of the foods they eat. I want them to be strong in the bodies and spirits too.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).
Watching the children growing in the Lord and hearing them share about Jesus is my greatest reward. They love to recite scriptures, sing, share and learn Bible verses. They enjoy inviting their friends to hear about Jesus. They are always looking forward for our next Bible class. My heart is happy. Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow. Praise and glory to God alone!