The SG Notebook

It seems that this is the month to talk about China. China is the featured country in the VOM magazine and at the VOM children’s website. So my hero post for this week was chosen with that in mind.

Gladys Aylward. Read her story to your children from the online Glimpses for Kids. Ask your young ones to tell you how feet and walking fit into her story. Ask them to remember what she did for almost 100 orphaned children. Ask them why they think she was a heroine.

Don’t forget about our “Child of Courage” page in our Speakables section. This month we’ve been focusing on the children in the Chinese schools. If you print out that article and let your kids read and write about it, maybe God will put a love for China into their hearts. Perhaps they’ll want to pray for that land and who knows, by God’s grace, they might want to go there someday, as Gladys Aylward did.

Maxine (a/k/a Nanna)

What do your children know about Adoniram Judson? Do they know that he could read books at the age of three and read and write Latin and Greek at age nine? He was often called “Virgil”, which was a nickname for “bookworm.” Let your sons and daughters read about this hero of our faith who rightfully considered education a good thing, but by and by found a better treasure, which became the impetus that sent him and his faithful wife to a country where they endured many hardships. Why do such a thing? Why go to such a place? For the love of Christ—what else? Go to Glimpses for Kids at CHI and encourage your children with a hero unlike those they will see on any TV show or movie. Let them hear or read how this man used his intellectual abilities and love of language for the kingdom of God.

Yesterday, an old friend forwarded a photo to some folks, including our family. This photo tore my heart to pieces. Some of you may have seen this Pulitzer Prize winning picture before, as it was taken during the Sudan famine in 1994. It was heart wrenching. Extremely so. A child struggling, literally crawling, across the terrain trying to get to a United Nations station where there was help. In the background was a vulture, waiting. Dear friends, I couldn’t stand looking at this picture. Actually, I couldn’t eat for a while. But, of course, I did eat eventually and will eat again. And again.

It’s not known if this child made it to his destination. It’s not known if the vulture had the meal he was hoping for. Please folks, I implore you, let’s never forget the hungry and starving. They’ll always be, I am sad to say. If we can find any way to get nourishment to them, please let’s do our best to help. Maybe we could do with a little less for ourselves. Maybe not buy that new couch or DVD player this year. I don’t mean to preach to you—I’m speaking to myself too.

Long ago, someone did help—with his whole life. Most of us have heard of this particular hero: David Livingstone, missionary to Africa. He healed many who were sick and told many of Christ. Go to Glimpses for Kids to read his story to your children. And when you do, speak to them about the hungry–the hungry in body and hungry in soul. Then, help your dear little ones to pray for the starving wherever they may be and for those who give their all to help them. Ah, that some of our children would do the same!

Have you ever heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer? I’m sorry to admit that I knew little of his life before today and may I say, his life is well worth reading about. Mr. Bonhoeffer was a German during the worst time in that nation’s history. He was a theologian and a pastor who cared about the persecuted people of his day. Though he was a pacifist, he became part of a plot to kill Adolf Hitler in the hope of saving the further extermination of Jewish people. The plot failed and Mr. Bonhoeffer landed in prison for that and for helping Jews escape the country. He spent his last days in prison, but remained useful even there. He pastored other Christians there and even authored writings for the glory of God while there. He was executed on April 9, 1945, having been seen minutes before in his cell, kneeling in fervent prayer.

To read more about this remarkable man who “knew and lived the cost of discipleship,” click here to the CHI website. He is well worth your children knowing about.

I love children and little girls in particular. God was kind enough to bless my husband and me with two little girls to raise. And now, He’s even blessed us with a granddaughter, who has been born to loving parents and a loving extended family. But there have been times and places (and still are) where it was dangerous to be born a female baby. Evil things could happen to her and evil people could harm her.

It was this way for many little girls in India. These children knew hardship and fear. But there were some, not a few, who found a sweet rescuer. They called her “Amma”, which means that she was a mother to them. Many of you have heard of the “Amma” of many little Indian children. Her name was Amy Carmichael and her story is exciting. Read the article about her in Glimpses for Kids, viewable online at CHI. Let your daughter read it too. No matter how old she is, she’ll remember Preena, and she’ll remember the woman who rescued her.

Ask your daughter to remember, too, the life changing events in Amy’s life that guided her to extraordinary years of service. Who knows what God may bring in your child’s experience that will lead her to do great things for Jesus? He did it for Amy, so isn’t it possible He could do it for her?

Maxine (a/k/a Nanna)