F.R.O.G. …Fully rely on God…does that sound familiar? If it does, you’re probably in your early 20s…a slogan chanted across many Sunday schools and youth programmes in the 90s! Many of those that sang (or danced) to this ditty are involved in missions today.
At that time, I was working in an inner-city Christian school in Tower Hamlets, preparing to go on the mission field. I had my sights set on the golden African sun, but God had me do a small detour that still affects my life and ministry today. I saw how keen many youngsters are to learn God’s word and apply it to life, and how many are called to ministry between the ages of 7 and 11! Many children who attended that particular school are now involved in mission.
During the summer, I was privileged to be a part of Powerpack, a children’s worship team. This opened my eyes to how God just loves to answer childrens’ prayers and use them in ministry, something I had never really thought of before.
When I finally got to the mission field in 1998, Mozambique was recovering from civil war. Most adults were highly suspicious of us coming to tell them the Good News. My husband, John, taught at a local primary school, whilst I started a children’s club. It’s wonderful to hear stories about the children we taught. Dilinda & Helena are now married with their own families, working in an unreached people group (UPG). Emmanuel has become a teacher, influencing a future generation for the Gospel and Helio distributes the newly translated Mwani Bible.
I was recently teaching children of mission partners in Kenya and asked them what their favourite part of the day was. They answered, “When we pray for children who have never heard about Jesus!” We would spend half an hour each morning chatting about a particular UPG, imagining what it’s like to be a young person in that context and then three or four children would pray. (Taking turns as they were all clamouring to pray!)
Children are vitally important in God’s Kingdom work. Jesus said, “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father”. Matthew 18:10
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