I will blog about our Thanksgiving more when I get pictures on the computer, but I wanted to get some thoughts down before I lose them!
Tonight Jonathan got the mail and there was a newsletter from Voice of the Martyrs. I glanced over it and laid it down beside me to finish reading later, but Jonathan and Jayla were curious and wanted to know what it was about. So first I just read the captions under the pictures. Jayla especially was very sad to hear about the Christians in India being persecuted and sometimes killed simply for converting to Christianity. Hindu radicals burned many church buildings down and some of them still had people inside. I was hesitant to read it to them, but I want them to have a real world view, especially when it comes to our faith. These people on the other side of the world that we will likely never meet until Heaven someday are our Christian brothers and sisters!
So I read the captions and then laid it back down. Jonathan, who has been reading for nearly 5 years now, picked it up and started reading (to himself) the rest of the stories. He only read the first one where it talked in detail about a man being killed. So then Jayla wanted me to read all the rest of it to her.
It was hard, and I skimmed ahead on parts just in case there was anything really graphic. (The only thing I left out was that a girl got raped....I am NOT ready to have that discussion!) We both cried on the first story that talked about the Christian man dying. It was sad.
Oh, and one thing I pointed out to them was that the date that was mentioned was the 2nd day that we were on the beach on vacation, so that made it more realistic to them.....while we were playing on the beach and in the ocean and visiting the lighthouse, our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world were facing persecution that led some of them to death. Wow. That really puts it into perspective!
I also discussed with them about religious freedom and that we are blessed here in America to have rights to protect us from things like this happening to us. We talked about how many other countries besides India also have persecuted Christians. So we are THANKFUL that we live in a country where we do have religious freedom and can worship God openly without fear of persecution.....although we could lose that someday! But we still have it now, and for that we are so thankful!
After I finished reading the entire newsletter, we prayed for everyone there; the Christians, the radicals who persecuted them and the VOM informers who are living there. Jayla has such a heart for the lost. She said something like, "God, please help the bad guys see that being a Christian is happy, but maybe not too happy sometimes if you get killed, but they can be happy if they become a Christian. Please help the Christians there to not get hurt or killed and to have more bibles to give to the bad guys so they can become Christians and be happy." It was really sweet. Then, when we were all done praying, she told me to remind her to pray for persecuted Christians every night before bed! Then she talked about deciding whether to give money to the Christians there (via VOM) or spending it on toys instead, and she would choose "dying Christians". She had several different scenarios that were all similar, and each time she said she would choose to help her brothers and sisters who were being persecuted and also help get bibles to the anti-Christians there.
I just love how she is so unselfish. She genuinely wants to help others and to tell others about Jesus. She has said several times that she wants to be a doctor. After reading this, she now wants to be a missionary, and then she got very excited when I told her she can do both! :) And it really wouldn't surprise me a bit if she does. We would be proud.
Jonathan during this whole time was in deep thought. He sat on the other side of the room but was still praying with us (not outloud, but head bowed & eyes closed). I could tell he was in deep thought. I may discuss this with him more tomorrow if we get some time alone.
Check out the VOM website, and be sure to support them any way you can!
Tonight Jonathan got the mail and there was a newsletter from Voice of the Martyrs. I glanced over it and laid it down beside me to finish reading later, but Jonathan and Jayla were curious and wanted to know what it was about. So first I just read the captions under the pictures. Jayla especially was very sad to hear about the Christians in India being persecuted and sometimes killed simply for converting to Christianity. Hindu radicals burned many church buildings down and some of them still had people inside. I was hesitant to read it to them, but I want them to have a real world view, especially when it comes to our faith. These people on the other side of the world that we will likely never meet until Heaven someday are our Christian brothers and sisters!
So I read the captions and then laid it back down. Jonathan, who has been reading for nearly 5 years now, picked it up and started reading (to himself) the rest of the stories. He only read the first one where it talked in detail about a man being killed. So then Jayla wanted me to read all the rest of it to her.
It was hard, and I skimmed ahead on parts just in case there was anything really graphic. (The only thing I left out was that a girl got raped....I am NOT ready to have that discussion!) We both cried on the first story that talked about the Christian man dying. It was sad.
Oh, and one thing I pointed out to them was that the date that was mentioned was the 2nd day that we were on the beach on vacation, so that made it more realistic to them.....while we were playing on the beach and in the ocean and visiting the lighthouse, our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world were facing persecution that led some of them to death. Wow. That really puts it into perspective!
I also discussed with them about religious freedom and that we are blessed here in America to have rights to protect us from things like this happening to us. We talked about how many other countries besides India also have persecuted Christians. So we are THANKFUL that we live in a country where we do have religious freedom and can worship God openly without fear of persecution.....although we could lose that someday! But we still have it now, and for that we are so thankful!
After I finished reading the entire newsletter, we prayed for everyone there; the Christians, the radicals who persecuted them and the VOM informers who are living there. Jayla has such a heart for the lost. She said something like, "God, please help the bad guys see that being a Christian is happy, but maybe not too happy sometimes if you get killed, but they can be happy if they become a Christian. Please help the Christians there to not get hurt or killed and to have more bibles to give to the bad guys so they can become Christians and be happy." It was really sweet. Then, when we were all done praying, she told me to remind her to pray for persecuted Christians every night before bed! Then she talked about deciding whether to give money to the Christians there (via VOM) or spending it on toys instead, and she would choose "dying Christians". She had several different scenarios that were all similar, and each time she said she would choose to help her brothers and sisters who were being persecuted and also help get bibles to the anti-Christians there.
I just love how she is so unselfish. She genuinely wants to help others and to tell others about Jesus. She has said several times that she wants to be a doctor. After reading this, she now wants to be a missionary, and then she got very excited when I told her she can do both! :) And it really wouldn't surprise me a bit if she does. We would be proud.
Jonathan during this whole time was in deep thought. He sat on the other side of the room but was still praying with us (not outloud, but head bowed & eyes closed). I could tell he was in deep thought. I may discuss this with him more tomorrow if we get some time alone.
Check out the VOM website, and be sure to support them any way you can!
VOM has a publication called Kids of Courage. It's a great full color magazine with facts about countries, stories of children facing persecution, activities, etc. My kids really like it.
ReplyDeleteAlso Kids of Courage has a curriculum of sorts that I have used for homeschool. Try recipes from other countries, learn geography, learn a little language, stories of the persecuted, tips on how to pray for them, etc.
And there is a website, too.
http://www.kidsofcourage.com/
Oh, I didn't realize that! It's been a while since I've looked at their site. Thanks for letting me know. I'll definitely subscribe!
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing this - it's great you were open with your kiddos! sometimes we feel we can't be completely honest with kids - but there's ways to let them know the truth without causing harm (like leaving out the part you did) ... I'll have to check into the kids of courage for my kids! God bless
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ReplyDeleteI made a typo...that NEVER happens! :o) And since I'm a prfctnst (ha-ha) I couldn't let it go! Glad to see you are all doing so well and can't believe how BIG the kids are getting. This is Misty...your long-lost friend. Gotta get ready for a allergy dr appt for my Kiddo, but hopefully we'll catch up again, soon! :o) Be well!
ReplyDeleteAND I gotta look into the Kids of Courage thing, too! :o)