LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN

In October, there were still quite a few children. Compared to September, you can feel that they have already gotten used to us and consider us “their own.” For example, a girl named Varya joyfully hugs me every time the children greet us, and a girl named Alice said goodbye in a way that made it clear she is already looking forward to our next visit. The little ones eagerly come to us for hugs. During one of our visits, a girl named Kira, who is 5 years old, tightly hugged me as soon as we arrived and didn’t want to let go, not allowing me to greet or hug the other children. There are kids whose parents visit them periodically, and there are those who are hardly visited at all. At times, they have shared that what they want most is to return to their families. But during the time they are there, we try to make the most of it, helping them understand the Gospel more and more, as well as who God is, what He is like, and how this relates to their lives.

This month was dedicated to the parables of Jesus, including the parable of the wedding feast, the parable of the good shepherd, and the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee. We dedicated our first meeting in October to studying what the Bible is, why this book is so special, and why it is the most important for us among many other books. While discussing the topic, we strive to explain it as clearly as possible, also using visual aids. For instance, while studying the parable of the wedding feast, we acted out the parable with the older children as we told the story.

During the sessions, the children periodically ask questions related to God and faith. Prayer holds a special place in our visits, and we also set aside time for it, including showing the children that they can pray on their own without anyone’s help. The older children even tried praying out loud, and they did so quite willingly. Besides the educational part, we sing Christian songs with movements that they have already grown to love at each meeting, and we also play fun games with them to help establish a connection and create a friendly atmosphere. We hope to further build friendships with the kids and continue to help them come to know God.