Before I began working with the poor in the Philippines, I used to work with Youth in Singapore. I taught catechism to youth preparing for confirmation and journeyed with a group of older youth. In these years of being in Youth ministry, I became familiar with their needs and issues,what teaching method to use. In some ways I have also grown comfortable journeying with youth as it was a 'forte' I had acquired.
Thus, when I joined the ICPE mission in the Philippines, my natural preferred choice of ministry would be young adults or older youth. I was happy when I was assigned to join the team ministering to youth in the first year of my formation. In the second year of my formation, however, we were asked to joined the children’s ministry, to reach out to them and to impart faith to the younger children in our children’s ministry. Initially I had felt very helpless, because at that time, my impression of the children was – rowdy and difficult to manage. I had no prior experience teaching kids, and did not know how to discipline them or what teaching method to use. I wondered if I would be patient enough for the children. I felt inadequate and had a lot of fears and reservations. However, I still decided to give it a try because in the Philippines , there are many children in need of pastoring.
“ Salamat Po Paginoon para sa Pamilya ko” (Thank you Lord for my family), says one of the children at one of our weekly session. Since March, a new initiative to disciple children who has potential to be future youth leaders was started. Part of this new weekly session is a time of thanking God for the blessings received for the week.
To meet the different developmental needs of the children, the ministry now has two separate sessions for older and younger children.
Since my Yes, God had been faithful. He has continuously provided gifts and anointing to help these children. I have also learnt some facts about children of different ages and methods of motivating them from different 'experts'. I am still learning ,but now with a little less reservations. This journey of learning and stepping beyond my comfort zone has been an exciting one.
Each week, the children bring joy to my heart. Their child-like faith and trust in me reminded me of God’s compassionate and all-accepting love. Although the kids are still rowdy and noisy, I am now able to accept them and also patiently love them for who they are. I believe that God when he calls us to a certain ministry or vocation, He will provide when we respond out of love.
In April, our theme was God’s creation. In the first session : ‘God creates me’ Children were made to repeat: “Ako ay espeycal” (I am special). This message served as a reminder that each of us is created unique by God.It was also enlightening see the delightful creativity of children as they put together different symbols of nature in the third session: ’God creates nature’.
Michael plucking up the courage to share from the front.
