Fun and Games

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For Children’s Rights Day this year, we wanted to do something that would allow kids of all ages to have fun and practice teamwork. So we invited kids that attend our weekly Children’s Program and daily English classes to an afternoon of sports activities and races, and encouraged them to bring their friends and siblings to sign up as well. They all formed teams in different age categories, and had a lot of fun in the days beforehand recruiting friends to come play, choosing their team names, and practicing sports together.

On Sunday afternoon the air was filled with excitement as kids started arriving. Despite the heat that day, over 100 children packed into the church sanctuary to watch a drama about common family issues, hear an inspiring message from Eric, and cheer loudly as each team was announced and led out to the playing field for sack races, relay races, throwing games, and more!

It was great to see the kids enjoying themselves and working together. Below is a gallery of photos so you can catch a glimpse of the fun. Be sure to click through so you don’t miss any!

Celebrating Children

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In case you didn’t know, June 1st was International Children’s Day. To celebrate, In His Steps held a two-hour Children’s Day program at our Center in Saang and invited all the neighborhood kids to come and join us in a time of fun and learning. Teacher Solomon did a great job preparing children from our Saturday children’s classes for various roles as MCs, dancers, and actors. They were all very dedicated, faithfully attending practices and helping to decorate the grounds and “stage” beforehand! The whole event was truly a group effort, with church members and In His Steps staff pitching in as well.

Over 400 people attended, and for some it was standing room only! We were glad to see not only children but also some parents and local government leaders come and watch the performances. At In His Steps, we believe that building relationships with leaders and families is a key to community transformation.

During the program, Loaves and Fish director Vouen gave a short presentation on children’s rights. For some, the idea that they have to right to be protected from child labor and abuse is a foreign concept that runs contrary to what they see at home every day. Hopefully, hearts and behavior will start to change as people recognize the worth of children as blessings from God.

Despite some backstage jitters, the kids all did a wonderful job in every aspect of the program. Many in the audience stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed as their peers performed fun dances, a comedic drama, and more. What a great opportunity to showcase the talent and enthusiasm of children in Saang! Most importantly, the message that children are valuable and have rights was communicated in a fun and memorable way. Please pray with us that God confirms in each child's heart how much he values and cares about them.