My babies, or at least thats what i like to call them, are my 3rd,4th and 5th graders that i teach on Wednesday nights at Life Point Church. I became involved with Childrens Church here when i first arrived in GA, and my life has been changed with every beautifully chaotic moment ever since:)
These are my babies, the ones who i sit with in a classroom and hear their hearts and thoughts on life, and on God. I have never heard such child like faith. These kids come from some rough back grounds and yet i hear them say how they trust God for their strength. I have grown to love each one so deeply, they each have found a place in my heart. The first week i was teahcing my wednesday night study with them, and i had two of the little boys come up and ask me if they could have a bible. Me being the bright one, just responded, “you should ask mom and dad to buy you one.” only to have the sobering response, “they don’t have any money to.” Instantly I just felt my heart break for these kids, they wanted to know more…they wanted a bible, i couldn’t think of another child at the age of 8 that i had known who wanted one. when i gave them their bibles they looked at it like i just gave them a prized possesion, which i had, but to see the look and the smile melted my heart.
Well my sweet babies amazed me yet agian. I had been talking to them about the children around the world and how we could help them. How each of us can play a part. I wanted them to be made aware of other children around the world. I talked to them about Swaziland and the children there, and we began to talk about Christmas and how these children don’t get to experience chritsmas like we do. We also talked about how we should be like Christ in everything we do, that God made us to love one another. And how God loved us so much He gave us the ultimate gift, His son. And how we can show others love through the giving of gifts. Well, my kiddos with out missing a beat came up with the idea to allow these Orphans in Africa a chance to know they were loved, and decided they would make them gifts and write them cards.
I was blown away by their ethusiasm, and their desire to make others know Gods love, and how their little hearts wanted to give something thet they had made special. They strung together beautiful beaded bracelets, taking care in the color patterns, the special charms, and the size. Some were for “boys”…some for “girls” and others were for “baby’s”. They wrote the most precious cards. Some were so empathetic, but in a not so tactful way:) One little girl wrote, “i am sorry that you don’t get much food, or water. And you don’t have have gifts, but i made this for you.” love it.:) But one little girl Shanna blew me away by what she wrote,in all her 4th grade wisdom she wrote, “If you believe God everything will come together.Have your life filled with Jesus and he will never leave you!…You rock!” my girl wrote from the bottem of her heart something that not only did these swazi children need to hear but WE need to hear it.
This is why i love working with children. Especially this group, they speak the truth, from the mouth of babes comes His truth and His love. What better way to see Gods heart then to look at a child and listen to the simple words that hold so much. And my babies are reaching out in love to others, sharing their amazing child like faith. If only we all saw the world through the eyes of children, if we only loved as they loved, and spoke with the honesty and truth that they do. Maybe then we would experience the faith they have, and understand why it is by child like faith do you enter the kingdom. Lets face it children know more about love, then we do. And we can learn from these little hearts.
