Originally printed in Down to Earth (May 2019) - Emmanuel International UK What do you do with over 175 children, on a hot, dusty day in January? Lots of games, songs, Bible stories and memory verses! It has been a busy 2019 for the Child Discipleship ministry in Pader, Northern Uganda, starting with organizing “fun days” for all 13 churches we partner with in Sunday School ministry. Over the course of eight days (some churches were combined together) we ministered to more than 1,030 children, sharing about the love of God based on Mark 10:13-16 – the story of Jesus welcoming and blessing the children. It’s not always easy to manage a crowd of 100+ children, especially when there is a language barrier, but one things for certain: the children had a lot of fun! Balloon games, tug of war, parachute, musical chairs, and water games. The sun was hot, but it wasn’t going to stop the children from having fun! In January of 2018 we launched the Child Discipleship ministry, as we recognized the need to help churches reach and disciple their children. Too often children are marginalized in the church, treated less as a blessing and more as a source of distraction during the Sunday service. So we began working with 13 churches across five different denominations to equip their Sunday School teachers with the skills and resources they need to disciple their youngest members. The work went very well in 2018, with 23 Sunday School teachers trained and followed-up by Concy (our tireless Child Discipleship field worker). At the beginning of the year only three of our partner churches had an active Sunday School, but by the end of the year all 13 churches were active and reaching over 900 children! But in a country where half of the population is under the age of 16, there is still a lot more work to do. With all of the work needed, it was a real blessing to have the assistance of Julie, a primary teacher from Canada who volunteered with us for three months at the start of the year. Working as a team, Julie and Concy together with our trained Sunday School teachers, they were able to run the fun days. It was such an encouragement to see what the children have learned over the past year, as they recited memory verses, performed dramas, and presented songs. But it wasn’t only for the children, it was also a chance to meet with the parents and encourage them to take up their role in discipling their children. But the busyness didn’t stop there. This year we expanded our support to eight new churches, but we also began to partner with five primary schools to create “Good News” clubs. Schools provide a unique opportunity, because they provide access to all of the children in the community – even those who are unchurched. They also provide a neutral ground, where we can reach all of the children without issues of denomination. These clubs are currently on hiatus, as we prepare for the second school term, but during the first term they were able to reach 1, 067 children from the nursery level to Primary 6. During this school holiday we’re training teachers from each of these schools, as we start the process of making these clubs independent and self-sustaining. It has been so encouraging to see the change God has created in less than a year and a half. We have seen Sunday School teachers empowered to do their work, and growing in their calling to disciple children. We have seen church leaders understanding the value of children, and the difference that teaching can make in their lives. We have heard from school administrators and parents who have seen a difference in the children, and from children who have brought their parents to church – and to faith. As Jesus said, “let the children come to me.” It is our prayer that children keep coming to church and to the Good News clubs, as they also come to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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