Sunday School

I have been taking Eve to Sunday School since the beginning of the year. Simon and Benjy have never wanted to go. It is all in Monkolé, which they don't understand, and despite being assured that their friends could translate for them, they are on the shy side and don't want to stand out. So they stay for the sermon in church, which they can at least understand since there is an interpreter translating into French.

Eve, however, understands a bit more Monkolé than them, and is incapable of sitting through a sermon without distracting me so much that I can't concentrate on it. She won't go to Sunday School on her own, but if I go with her then she will.

I just sit at the side and watch, and Eve will now go and sit with the other children. The Sunday School desperately needs help - there is just one leader for the 40-50 children between the ages of 2 and 10 ... but that is precisely what puts me off! At the moment I find the idea of trying to teach that many children (or even half of that) in Monkolé with no materials very daunting!

It seems that traditionally it has been the youth who teach the kids - except for the church elder who heads up the work - and that no one has thought that parents could also get stuck in. Maybe with time I'll feel I could offer some suggestions and help out, but at the moment I just observe (and have taught them one action song in English for fun).

It's hard to take photos, as it is so dark inside the room where they meet in contrast to the sunlight outside, but here is one:



Please do pray for these children, and for their Sunday School teachers.