We at Grand Harbour Baptist, Grand Manan, admire the ambition and attitude of our “Kids Church” and Youth Group, under the leadership of Children’s Pastor, Joy Green and Youth Pastor, Brent Green. They decided that this Christmas they could make a difference in our world and set about to prove it. The Kids and Teens on this small rural island set ambitious goals. Using “The Sharing Way” catalog as a guide, the nursery kids wanted to give chickens, the preschoolers decided on pigs, and so on, with the middle school kids freeing children and teens taking on a variety of challenges around the globe.
Instead of spending time memorizing scripts and songs, they spent time raising money for The Sharing Way projects in a variety of ways. Instead of the traditional Christmas Concert, on December 20, 2009, the gifts were presented to Baby Jesus by the Kids and Teens through “Heaven’s Wishbook” written by Marcia Benson. It was a powerful message and an inspiration to the rest of us.
On Sunday morning, December 27, the children and youth brought into the sanctuary and set up on the platform scores of cardboard boxes, each labeled to represent a Sharing Way catalog order item. It was an impressive sight to see how our children and youth really are making a difference in the world.
Together they provided three uniforms and school supplies in Africa, renovated two schools in Rwanda, provided books and resources for a pastor, and access to biblical training in the Middle East. They provided training for a youth leader in Europe, funds to plant a church in Indonesia. To give health to others, they gave access to two for AIDS testing and treatment, health insurance for a vulnerable family in India, and 19 water filters in Kenya. They freed 17 children in Bolivia, India and Rwanda. In gifts of livelihood, they provided 26 gifts to plant three trees each, provided 21 pairs of rabbits or chicks, 8 pigs, cows or goats and provided support for a pastor. The dollar value of what they gave amounted to $2,950.
Excitedly describing how she felt about what they had managed to do, teen Loveica MacKenzie told the church on Sunday morning, “I think it’s way awesome if we give instead of buy.” The teens, led by Youth Pastor Brent Green, are already planning how they can do even better and help even more people next year.
We adults are proud of what these kids have done, and we humbly acknowledge that this younger generation is teaching us all a lot about what it really means to worship Jesus and follow his teaching.
