Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a conference hosted by Bible Educational Services (BES) in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. It was tremendously encouraging and energizing to connect with people from all over the world who are involved in similar ministries.
Perhaps one of the most impactful things was meeting the woman who started it all! To think that it started with one woman posting lessons to one student and now today the curriculum is being used in over 80 countries and in 45 languages! Wendy Gray and her husband, Bert, and another older couple who have been involved in children’s work for decades, Stephen and Jean Gillham were both an inspiration and a challenge to me. Results are not often seen immediately in children’s work, but these couples reminded me that preserving and trusting the Lord to bless will result in fruit for His glory!
Results are not often seen immediately in children’s work, but these couples reminded me that preserving and trusting the Lord to bless will result in fruit for His glory!
I was also encouraged by the testimony of several of the delegates who were saved as children. One was taught the word of God while he was a child at a Sunday school. Though not from a Christian background, what he had learned as a child stuck with him and was used to bring him to salvation as a young adult. Another woman, also not from a Christian background, came to know about the Lord through children’s work, eventually accepting Christ at a Bible camp. These testimonies were a reminder of the importance of sharing the gospel with children and have bolstered my faith as I pray for God’s word to do a work in the hearts of the children we have come to know and love here in Malawi. Let us pray that this will indeed be the case!
Another takeaway was the importance of working with others. This is not a work that can be done single-handedly! Sessions on cooperation with coworkers got me thinking about how we can partner well with others to reach as many children as possible. It is something that needs much prayer and consideration. We want the work to be sustainable, i.e. not dependent on us. Please pray that the Lord will give clear direction from the start as to how we can best partner with others in a way that encourages this.
…more than ever we need to be in prayer for the Lord’s direction and blessing.
Overall, I was inspired and revitalized by spending a week in the presence of so many men and women who are giving their lives for the sake of sharing the gospel with children. What a privilege we have to tell the next generation about our God and Savior! What a responsibility! As we anticipate the launch of Bibletime in Malawi and look forward to training and distributing to others – more than ever we need to be in prayer for the Lord’s direction and blessing. It is, after all, His work, and He knows best how it should be done. Please pray with us that we will have a clear sense of His purposes for us and this resource in the coming months, so it can be used to reach thousands – perhaps millions – of children in this country who desperately need a Savior.
