Sunday school began with a song and I told the story of the shoes. I talked about our experience before Max’s first day of kindergarten and gave examples of how a child’s shoes don’t always reveal much about their life at home…about the hardships they may face. For example, I suggested that one five-year-old child who wears two different shoes may find herself caring for her siblings while her father tries to find work. I suggested that another child who has no shoes may put on shiny black ones just before heading off to school following morning tea. I suggested that another child who wears smart-looking sandals may have been beaten until those sandals were perfectly clean. It was sad to watch the children nod as they recognized some of their own truths in these examples.
I challenged these children to walk in the way of love (Ephesians 5:1-2) because they don’t know what life is like for other children behind their closed curtain. The simple message was well received and when shared with the adults during the church service was met with a few very loud “Amens.” Gossip is a real problem here and these people – men and women alike – appreciated the call to love one another rather than judge and gossip about them.
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| The pastor's boys were engrossed in reading (aloud during the sermon) from the English children's Bible. |