christianparenting

Thankfully, this is not my dilemma but I would like to share a quote with you from the book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. 

“Sometimes I think, “If I die, I won’t have to see my children suffering as they are.” Sometimes I even think of killing myself. So often I see them crying, hungry and there I am, without a cent to buy them some bread. ‘My God, I can’t face it! I’ll end my life. I don’t want to look anymore.” - Iracema da Silva, resident of a slum in Brazil

Wow

Here I am worrying because my family doesn’t have everything we are ”supposed to” have, and yet, tonight my children will eat.

I just started this book and am so challenged and grateful at the same time. I am first grateful that my family and I have a roof over our heads, though it may not be what I think it should, and that we have food to eat. I am challenged because while we live in meager comfort, others starve.

Once again, we need to be acting and we need to educate our children about the world around them.

I wish I could raise my children in a bubble where everything is hunky dory and they need never be concerned with things such as poverty (not just poverty by our standards, people in the US would be considered rich in too many nations).

However, to truly raise my children as Christians, they need to be aware of the brokenness of the world (at age appropriate levels, of course, but it needs to be introduced, not ignored). Without a knowledge of this how will they understand God’s gracious gifts?

Plus, who knows what God’s plans to use my child or my family are. Might one of my sons grow to help fight this hunger or my daughter bring healing to those in pain?

It might not even be when they’re grown. I believe God can use them now as well. They diligently save their change for causes now, and as they see needs they want to do more.

I pray that we can make a difference, that we can all step up and make a difference.

Ever feel like someone is trying to tell you something? Just this morning, in three different unrelated instances “somebody” was definately trying to get my attention.

First, it started with my husband putting on one of the music video channels and they were airing Coldplay’s fair trade playlist. Although I’m not sure what “patrone on ice” and buying “whatever you like” has to do with Fair Trade. Anyway, they had all the celebrities encouraging everyone to work together and get involved to make a difference in poverty.

Next, in my devotions, I was reading in Ecclesiastes how it’s not good to work alone and a chord of three strands cannot be broken.

Then I was reading in “Shaped By God’s Heart; The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches” by Milfred Minatrea a quote by Bob Roberts. He said, “My passion is to be a part of a movement in the Kingdom of God that is powerful that when historians study it - unlike past movements, no single individual will emerge. Instead, after study and evaluation, they will say  that what took place was not because  of any one of them, but because of all of them.”

It’s truly time for that “sleeping giant” (thank you Rick Warren and Isoroku Yamamoto for the term)  who is the church to move. Let’s not wait for the celebrities and the politicians and jump on the bandwagon. Let’s do what we’re commanded, care for the downtrodden, the widows and orphans, bring healing to God’s children.

How does this effect us as Christian Parents (or any type of parent for that matter)? Get your kids and get involved.

You can start as simply as buying fair trade food and items, but let your children in on why you are doing so.

Last Wednesday night at church we presented to the children a mission called Eagles’s Wings from EPC World Outreach. It’s a home for girls in Albania who have grown out of the orphanages and are at risk for becoming victims of prostitution or human trafficking. Each child went home with a bucket, to collect change in, to help build the home and provide the things these girls will need. I’m so proud to see my kids put their money in their buckets.

Another mission we support that has no national recognition and ministers to children in Kwabeng, Ghana where there is no help from major relief organizations is African Book Challenge. We’ve saved our change, donated supplies and helped to make small changes in that town, starting with a couple schools. The kids of our church helped to raise money, so far, for new bathrooms (they are currently sharing 2 outhouses for 250 preschool and kindergartners), a new playground set to replace the broken and dangerous one they had, and to run electricity to a classroom for evening study (for older children) since most have no electricity in their homes.

It’s really not that hard for you and your children to make a difference. Whether it be large or small, God wants to use us, use his churches, use his children to accomplish his plans. We just need to be willing to get up and do it.

I want a shirt that says “I survived VBS” on the front and “VBS Rocks” on the back. I just survived another week as VBS director and lived to tell the story. The awesome part is it’s a good story.

Thought I’d reflect a bit on my week before it leaves my brain.

First off - my kids and many of the children who’s parents were volunteers learned a valuable lesson on service. They got a look at VBS not just from the perspective of a child having an awesome time but of the work and mission of it.

They got to paint, decorate, color. They were there early and late and brought work home to do. They invited their friends, catching on to the mission of sharing the gospel.

So not only did they have a fun time, they had an opportunity to serve and be a part of it in another way as well. Hopefully as they grow they will learn the importance of serving God and not just coming to church to be catered to.

I pray this will be a lesson learned early because I know I have followed my own parents and grandparents example in this and now I’m passing on the torch and praying they run with it!

How can we help our children to turn from selfish motivations to selfless ones? I believe one thing we can do as parents is encourage them to serve. I have been amazed at the hearts of my children and our kids at church as they’ve seen and met the needs of others.

Above is a picture of my son making an ABC Bible book for ABC,  ABC (African Book Challenge) (a mission that is particularly close to my heart), an outreach ministry to children in Kwabeng, Ghana, starting with the Presby preachool and kindergarten. You can check the site for more details and pictures and you can even make donations if you wish.

So far we’ve been able to send over tons of school supplies, books, sports equipment and computers. Our kids have also made ABC Bible books for the kids their and save their spare change for much needed improvements on the school.

We are currently shipping over school supplies, toilets, sinks and bathroom hardware for new bathrooms (they currently share two outhouses for about 250 kids plus staff) and a new playset for their playground (their current one was falling apart and unsafe so it had to be removed).

With the cost of shipping we decided to concentrate our efforts and funds on special projects (such as the bathroom and playground and there are many more!!!).

If you’d like your family, or even your church to get involved you can save your spare change, or your kids can run a lemonade sale or yard sale to raise funds, then donate online. Check out the site with your kids and get them excited about stepping out of their world and serving others. It has made a tremendous impact on my kids and I hope it will do the same for yours.

Our church had our last Wednesday night meeting for the kids this school year. For the Spring  session we’ve been talking about different missionaries we support (some have even come in to speak to the kids which is exciting). After they learn about each missionary we’ve done a service project to serve them or those they serve.

Last night we heard from someone from the Girls Brigade in Singapore. They’re doing a tremendous amount of ministry in their local schools and the larger girls brigade has a mission to women and girls in the slums of Cambodia.

To end off our time we recapped our missionaries and then the children made prayer pillows (an idea we found in a service project book). We gave each child a pillow case and they used permanent markers and fabric paint to decorate one side with drawings or names of all the different missions we’ve heard from.

The idea is for the kids to put it on their pillow and be reminded to pray for these missions before they go to bed. This could also be used in your own family to remind them to pray for family members, neighbors, or even the things that they are thankful. I do recommend just painting one side so they can sleep on the side without painting, which may be softer.

I’ve been truly encouraged by both my own children and our kids at church, including the neighborhood and school friends who join us, as they fervently pray for the needs of the missionaries and those they serve. Once again I belive that you can never be too young for God to use you.

This morning I went to my son’s first grade class to help with their reading tests. After a child reads a book they can take a test for reading comprehension (do they remember what they read) and earn points which gets them prizes and also a lot of pride (in the good sense). 

Afterwards I was talking to my mother who is now going back to school for teaching. She said how in her reading she learned that schools with high parental involvement tend to do better. 

I was thinking of the implications of showing the importance of something by the time we give it. This goes for church and Christianity as well. If we show our kids that something is important by being involved in it I’m sure it makes a much larger impact then just giving it lip service. It puts actions and an example to our words.  

Life is busy, but there are still ways to be involved and if it’s something that affects our children it gives us even more reason to.  

So how do we go about this? Volunteer, most schools and churches are looking for parents to get involved and will gladly let you know how you can help. Actually, physically having a presence there means a lot to your child.  

If your schedule prevents you from volunteering then find other ways to get involved. Let’s not make our only contact with the school getting them there in one piece and picking them up. We can go over their homework or Sunday School papers, help them with it, ask about their day, read their school books with them, read the Bible and pray with them, if there is an evening event that you can make, be there.  

We can show our kids what is important by our actions. I know I want to try and be more involved myself and demonstrate the importance of these things to my children.  

It is National Volunteer Week (April 27 – May 3, 2008)!  I’d like to encourage anyone who is not volunteering to get involved somewhere. Check out your church or local community outreaches and schools. Give up some of your time to make a difference in someone’s life. There is NOTHING more rewarding. 

As Christian parents we should be modeling a life of faith and that includes serving others. You can even bring your kids along with you and serve side by side. Last Saturday we had volunteers from preschool to retirees come out and serve by planting a community vegetable garden. What a wonderful sight! 

At my church we’ve also had our kids make teddy bears for foster kids, bracelets for children in an orphanage in India and APC Bible books for children in a school in Kwabeng, Ghana. Your kids are never too young to serve.

Here are some easy projects you and your child can do together.

- Get a trash bag and clean up a local woods or park close to you.   

- Help an elderly neighbor with yardwork

- Make soup or bake cookies for someone who’s not feeling so well.

- Make a card for a soldier

Look at what James has to say about faith and our deeds…

James 2:16-18 (New International Version)

16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
      Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. Check out what Lyfe Jennings (hiphop artist, I will post more about him later) has to say in his song “Made up My Mind” “But if you speak about it, you should be about it. Not just preachin’ about it all day.” 

How can you help others and volunteer? How can your family serve together? Any ideas to share?