Hungry Generation

Every Sunday morning when we go out to a village church, Charlotte and I usually pull the children aside to do a mini Sunday school with them. But this Sunday was a little different. It might have looked the same - children gathered under the shade of a tree, colorful mats laid out on the ground for them to sit on. But there was a deeper excitement beneath it all, a higher anticipation. 

Instead of being just another random visit with another one-time Sunday school, this was the kick-off of a village children's ministry. Charlotte and I had selected six villages with the greatest potential for a successful, sustainable children's program. We had organized a tour through these six villages, designed a curriculum, and put a plan into motion to identify and train children's ministers in each of these villages. These six will then become models for other churches in other villages, and we pray it will catch on like wildfire. But then again, this particular Sunday was only the very first visit, the very first step in this great line up of events. But with it came many dreams and hopes for the future. 

In fact, this first step was already the fulfillment of one of my dreams in coming to Burkina - to start a children's ministry in the village churches. On this day, that dream started to come true. 

We didn't even announce that we were coming to this first village until the morning of. This was not because of bad planning, but rather because the place we planned to go cancelled their meeting, so then we picked the second choice and they too cancelled their meeting...so this village was actually our third choice. But it was God's first choice I think. 

Even though our visit was practically unannounced, over 100 children showed up, and I immediately noticed a difference in them. Sometimes the village children are not very responsive; instead of participating or answering questions, they sometimes stare at us like we are totally foreign (well, I am, I guess) to the point that we wonder if they even get a word that we are saying. Not these kids. No, they were engaged from the start as if they were hungry and thirsty for someone to come and share with them from the Word of God. 

After a joyous time of singing, telling the story of creation, discussing lessons and applications, and praying, we made our way to the car to go home, and a throng of children accompanied us. "Come back soon," they said as they waved us goodbye, "and come back quick, quick!" 

The next week when we arrived (we go to the same village church consecutively for several weeks, first to identify the new children's minister and give him an example of conducting a children's service, then to gradually pass the baton to him as he takes more and more of a role each week), we found a gathering of what appeared to be twice the number of children, already singing and worshipping under the direction of their new minister. We found the children incredibly engaged once again, and the children's minister was more engaged, too. We passed out candy at the end and all I know is this: Charlotte had bought six bags of 50 pieces each, and we ran out and had to go buy more. Do the math, people. That's more than 300 kiddos! 

Every once in a while, I have to stop writing and ask myself, "Why am I writing this?" What do I really want people to hear when they read it? I go back to the title of this blog, See Something More, and I try to stay true to it. 

You see, this isn't just a cute story about children. It's not a story to brag about how we are starting a children's ministry or how my dreams are coming true. It's a whole lot more, and so I want people reading to also See Something More. This is a story about how God is raising up a generation that seeks his face. If we are talking about making lasting change for the kingdom of God in Burkina Faso, it is going to have to start with the children. 

A generation who learned from the very beginning how to trust in Jesus instead of idols and fetishes. 

A generation who grew up hearing and reading the Word of God. 

A generation who was raised without the baggage of syncretism but rather a pure faith in Christ alone. 

Would you take a moment right now wherever you are to pray for them? Praise God for them, and then pray for them to hunger and thirst for the a Word of God. Pray for them to be responsive to his truth. Pray for the ministry among the children in the villages to be sustainable and effective. Pray for these little ones to capture the hearts of their parents and adult leaders for God. And pray for this generation to grow up as a generation that knows the Lord.