Kids' Club

We call it kids' club. It starts at 3:00 pm every Thursday afternoon and takes place on the property right next to ours where there is a a big open space, a hangar for shade, and some chalkboards. Think VBS. Africa style.

Three weeks ago, the day before our first planned kids' club, I drove my car around town with our interns, and we invited our neighbors and friends to come to our property for an activity for children. I honestly didn't know how to advertise and how effective it would be to just try to spread the invitation by word of mouth. That's why I was so excited when 31 kids showed up the next day for the first Thursday kids' club. 

We started with a game to help everyone learn each other's names. The children stood in a circle and threw the ball to one other. Each time someone caught the ball, they had to say their name. After a few minutes, we switched the rules so that when someone caught the ball, everyone else had to call out their name. I never knew such a simple game could produce so many smiles and so much fun. That's when I realized that none of these kids have ever been a part of something like this ever before. 

Next, we pulled out a colorful parachute (which, having never seen one before, they call a giant umbrella) and let them shake it and bounce balls in it and dance under it. We were all smiling until our faces hurt, and I think they could have played with that parachute all day long, but it was soon time to begin the Bible story. 

We gathered under the hangar and started with a few songs. We taught them "Who's The King Of The Jungle" in French as well as a song called "Jesus Is My Friend". Then, we entertained them by singing some songs in English like "If You're Happy And You Know It" and "The Hippo Song". Of course they did the motions with us! 

Then, we presented the story of Noah from the Bible. In preparation, we had cut out a pair of animals that they would be familiar with - sheep, goats, cows, crocodiles, etc. At the beginning of the story time, we gave each child one of those animals. As we told the story, one of the interns drew it on the chalkboard - Noah, his wife and children, and the ark. When God brought the animals to the ark, we called for the animals to come, and the children who had those animals in their hands brought them to the chalkboard two by two, where we taped them to the ark. We drew the rain, then the dry ground, and finally the rainbow in the sky. 

In Burkina, parents sometimes tell their children that the rainbow is a knife in the sky that will come and cut them if they misbehave. Children grow up in fear of their parents, misbehaving, and the knife in the sky. This particular Thursday, we got to tell them that the rainbow is actually a promise from God that he loves us and will always take care of us and never, ever abandon us. 

To finish, we helped each child make a simple rainbow bracelet with a pipe cleaner and two beads of each color of the rainbow. They are still wearing them, and this was three weeks ago. 

The next Thursday, we forgot to do our run through the neighborhood to remind everyone to come again. I was afraid that no one would show up. Not so. We had 58 kids, almost double! 

We told the story of David and Goliath, assuring all the children that even though they are small, God can use them in big ways when they trust in him. "Nothing is impossible with God," we said over and over again. 

This week was our third week, and one of the parents said the children have been counting down the days so that they don't miss Thursday. We had over 50 kids again, and this time they heard the story of Jesus as the good shepherd. Each child left with a simple craft, their handprint turned into a little sheep. On the back was written, "Jesus est le bon berger," meaning, "Jesus is the good shepherd." 

It's so simple, you know. We just have some construction paper, glue, cotton, and googly eyes. And they love it. These kids don't take much to be entertained, and they listen to the Bible stories like it's the first time they have heard it. Maybe it is. 

As one little girl waits in line to glue her cotton on her sheep, I hear her singing to herself, "Jesus is my friend, my friend, my friend...", and my heart melts. She's getting it, and it's sticking to her heart and coming out her lips. 

"Well, once we get our church in our city, I think we have an excellent start to our children's ministry!" Geoffrey said. 

And then it dawned on me. When I came to Burkina Faso, one of the things I wanted to do was help start a children's ministry in the church. Our churches are strong, but they don't have a program for children. Since children are the future of our churches, I felt that it was very important for the children of Burkina to have a Bible program that is relevant to them. I didn't know exactly what they would look like or how I could possibly help get it started, but now I think I know. 

It looks like driving around the neighborhood and inviting everyone you see. It looks like playing games and singing songs and acting out Bible stories. It looks like helping a child glue cotton on their handprint and tell them that Jesus is their good shepherd. 

And so God has already helped me start a ministry for children, and I didn't even recognize it. That's what I literally mean when I say, "God did it, not me." 

Will you pray for these kiddos? Pray for the 50 plus that have been coming, and pray that we will double again into 100 by next week. Pray for a church in our city by the end of 2015, and pray that our kids' club will bloom and blossom into a thriving ministry for children. 

May we continue to connect the Word of God with the souls of people, and may his Word sink down deep into the hearts of these little ones. May they feel our love and know it comes from the Lord. May God keep using us to bring his kingdom on earth, and may we continually recognize that it comes from him and not us.