Thank you for being patient with us as we worked on updating you about our latest Children’s Program. It has been a couple weeks since it ended and we are still in the midst of packing away, cleaning up, and organizing all the necessary supplies from the event.
In fact, we have already started our next project - the new ministry building, but more about that in the next blog post.
HBF was once again a great success! If you are on our Facebook page, then you saw pictures each day during the week. The children, as usual, had a fabulous time! We had our regular number of 120 children in attendance, with about 20 volunteers (depending on the day). Our theme this holiday was “Fishers of Men: the 12 disciples of Jesus.” The children spent each day learning about 3-4 of the disciples, their names, who they are, and something significant about them (as much as we can know from Scripture). The children also repetitively learned about what it means to be a fisher of men. On the last day, we primarily focused on what it means to follow Jesus and how to tell others about Him.
Every day, all the children join together to worship through singing, watch a short video (preview of the lesson), share in prayer, introduce the subject for that day, and recap any highlights from the previous day. The children are a little shy the first day, but almost immediately, relax, and get involved before the day is even over. By day two, the children are rambunctious, jovial, and their regular loud and excited selves. Most everyone is eager to answer questions during worship time and demonstrate motions for the songs.
In fact, we have already started our next project - the new ministry building, but more about that in the next blog post.
HBF was once again a great success! If you are on our Facebook page, then you saw pictures each day during the week. The children, as usual, had a fabulous time! We had our regular number of 120 children in attendance, with about 20 volunteers (depending on the day). Our theme this holiday was “Fishers of Men: the 12 disciples of Jesus.” The children spent each day learning about 3-4 of the disciples, their names, who they are, and something significant about them (as much as we can know from Scripture). The children also repetitively learned about what it means to be a fisher of men. On the last day, we primarily focused on what it means to follow Jesus and how to tell others about Him.
Every day, all the children join together to worship through singing, watch a short video (preview of the lesson), share in prayer, introduce the subject for that day, and recap any highlights from the previous day. The children are a little shy the first day, but almost immediately, relax, and get involved before the day is even over. By day two, the children are rambunctious, jovial, and their regular loud and excited selves. Most everyone is eager to answer questions during worship time and demonstrate motions for the songs.
They really got into the motions for all the songs!
Of course, daily at the bus stop, new children anxiously wait in the hopes of being able to join the bus and attend, even though they are not registered, but unfortunately that is just not possible. The women doing registration always feel awful, turning away bawling children who beg and plead to attend. Again, our space, resources, and volunteers are just not enough to host more than 120 children. We do our best to rotate who attends each event, as best we can. The ladies tell us how they have both children and parents visiting their homes as late as Thursday evening, begging to attend, asking why they weren’t asked to register, etc. We share all of this to point out what a good reputation our Children’s Program has built within the community. Everyone wants to attend. There is a great desire to be a part of it and join in on all the learning, fun, and experiences. We have come a long way from those first years, when rumors circulated that we were teaching satanism, and that children’s pictures were being taken merely so we could get rich or that the volunteers were being paid hefty salaries to gather as many kids as possible. Of course none of these awful rumors held the test of time. In fact, some of the people who we know started these rumors requested their children attend the very next event we hosted. We now even have children from cults who attend our events - cults who do not use the Bible, but believe the Spirit informs the “apostles/elders,” cults that don’t believe women should be educated and elders can have 7 wives, etc. We are speaking truth into the lives of these very children, educating them in the Word, and loving them with the love of Jesus. What an awesome opportunity we have. Thank you for helping make this possible.
There were tons of smiles throughout the week!
Every element of each day points back to the lesson they learned. Whether it be the games and activities, the crafts and handouts, the worship songs, the video clips, the memory verses, or object lessons. Everything reiterates the lesson taught, repeating the core truths, so the children can truly not only grasp the meaning, but also retain in their memory. We know that these children are mini-disciples and evangelists, sharing this info with their families, their neighbors, and yes even their churches. We hear story after story of such things happening and taking place. Children who are not registered and do not attend, gather at the bus pickup and recite the memory verse of the previous days - they learn these verses from their friends and siblings who have attended. We see children who attended the week playing the fishing game and disciple game that they made, with others in their community, on the side of the road (sometimes a dozen of kids at a time). Children gather in the evenings at the ladies’ homes to play games they learned at HBF, along with children who haven’t attended - sometimes even parents and other adults join in on the fun.
Everyone had their own fishing game, which they helped make part of it during craft time
They also made a disciples game during craft. It is similar to "Guess Who," but you ask questions related to what the disciples did and who they were, not their appearance, like the original "Guess Who."
We heard how one 10 year old recited all 5 memory verses from the week, to his congregation at church during their Sunday morning service last week. We have heard how church members are in awe and how pastors are asking the ladies (in our Tuesday and Wednesday groups, who volunteer) to help other children memorize these verses. We also have the ladies request copies of any extra handouts, so they can make copies for the children in their Sunday school classes. The ladies ask for the lessons so they can teach them. We are quickly realizing how this Children’s Program far surpasses the 120 children who attend, but in addition it has infiltrated the community in a very exciting way!
Mai Ryan taught the younger age groups' Bible lessons
Mai Whisper taught the older age groups' Bible lessons
One day during the lunch hour, we heard the children singing the worship songs all by themselves. All the children had gathered in a large circle and were singing the songs from memory. When they got through all the songs from this week, they started singing songs from April’s event. Older children took turns leading the group. We have since then found out that the ladies often hear a group of children singing the songs on their way to school or back - children who DID NOT ATTEND the week, which means they are learning it from those who did.
Below is a 20 second clip of them singing in the parking lot. "I have decided to follow Jesus."
Below is a 20 second clip of them singing in the parking lot. "I have decided to follow Jesus."
We also have an awesome opportunity to love on 20-30 orphans who attend the week. At least half of whom have been sexually assaulted and almost all have been physically or verbally abused. The things they have experienced are hard to believe and for this one week, we have the awesome privilege to love on them, lavish them with praise, hug them (appropriate touch that they welcome), tell them over and over that they are valued, wanted, and created in the image of God. We often find these children seem completely different by the end of the week, than they did at the beginning.
Piling into the bus at the end of the day. The bus made 2 trips each morning and 2 trips each afternoon.
During the ceremony on the last day, we had the most guests (parents, grandparents, siblings, guardians) in attendance that we have ever had for a Friday ceremony. More than half the children sat on the floor (70+) and the sanctuary was completely filled with people, more than 200 in attendance (including children). As we showed a video of pictures of the children from the week, everyone oohed and aahed. There were giggles from the kids as they pointed out pictures of themselves or their friends on the big screen. Parents and adults clapped or smiled with pride as they viewed all their kids were a part of throughout the program. We also have adult or late teens who attend in support, who have attended the HBF as children, in the past. It’s always exciting to see these older teens or young adults who are quick to come greet us and thank us for the event and give us an update on their lives. We often feel like celebrities (but in a negative, intrusive kind of way) because everyone wants our photo. Women give us their screaming babies to hold so they can get a photo. People are clamoring to hug and touch us or be super close for a selfie, often taking 15+ photos. We try our best to be kind and accommodating, but it's a very awkward situation. Needless to say our mouths are tired from smiling the whole time. Of course we take advantage, and take some photos too. One main reason for this is because we are white and they rarely, if ever, interact with white people. They may see some white people from afar in town or in a store, but we have certainly never seen any other white people in or around the high density area, where all these children and adults live. And they will certainly not have had a white person take an interest in their lives, so unfortunately, it’s a rare situation and so we are like a novelty.
We have many, many people who come up to thank us for an excellent event, thank us for teaching their child about the Bible, and thank us for feeding their children and hosting something of such a high standard. The adults are especially grateful for parents’ letters (translated in English and Shona) each day that we send home, letting them know what their kids have learned that day and the invitation to attend the ceremony on the last day. This allows them to know exactly what their children are doing and learning throughout the week. It not only involves the parents/guardians, but it makes them feel a part of it all. This has most likely been one of the aspects that have helped us build rapport within the community.
We have many, many people who come up to thank us for an excellent event, thank us for teaching their child about the Bible, and thank us for feeding their children and hosting something of such a high standard. The adults are especially grateful for parents’ letters (translated in English and Shona) each day that we send home, letting them know what their kids have learned that day and the invitation to attend the ceremony on the last day. This allows them to know exactly what their children are doing and learning throughout the week. It not only involves the parents/guardians, but it makes them feel a part of it all. This has most likely been one of the aspects that have helped us build rapport within the community.
The sanctuary was packed on Friday afternoon for the ceremony!
There are so many more stories we could share or information we could give about the week, but space is limited. We look forward to sharing some additional stories in person next year, when we are back stateside. In the meantime, enjoy the brief, 3 minute video below that highlights this exciting week of HBF.
It can’t go without saying, that without YOU, our supporters and faithful partners in ministry, we could not host events such as this one! Thank you for your continued generosity and impacting the lives of not only these children or the women we work with, but also an entire community, with the love of Christ!
If you'd like to see even more pictures, below is a longer video from the week, which includes pictures that go through each day!
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