A Child’s Prayer

By Julie Stutler, serving in Dominican Republic

“Tia* Julia, Tia Julia, I have to tell you something.” The enthusiastic words of Jorge,** the usually quiet boy who attends Alianza Kids, got my attention.

Jorge told the whole class, in the graphic detail of a nine-year-old, how he had been sick for a few days with stomach problems. “Tia Julia, I talked to God about it, and now I can eat everything I want,” he said, smiling radiantly. “Papa Dios [a loving term that children use for their Heavenly Father] made me all better. I am fine!”

Kids photoThe previous day had been Father’s Day in the Dominican Republic. I asked the class to say a simple prayer, filling in the blank: “God, I thank you for my dad because . . .”

My eyes filled with tears as I listened to the children’s detailed prayers, thanking God for their dads and all that they do for them. This precious nine-year-old thanked God that his dad takes him to church so he can learn about Jesus.

New Beginnings

A year ago, Jorge didn’t attend church. A few days before our children’s Bible camp (VBS) last year, his family experienced a tragic loss. They found a flier for the camp on their door and enrolled their son, hoping that the week’s activities would bring joy to his pain.

During that week, the big smile on Jorge’s face was amazing; God was beginning an awesome work in the boy’s life. The next Sunday, Jorge came to a church service for the first time, proudly carrying the New Testament he had received at camp, which he had already begun reading.

Now members of Jorge’s family are among our most faithful attendees, growing closer to their Heavenly Father. All of this started because a young boy attended a children’s Bible camp last summer.

Children are precious in the eyes of the Lord. Our Heavenly Father longs to see them come into a relationship with His Son and become people of faith, like Jorge. Many children have led their families to God.

Amazing Bible Adventures

A team of eight people from Pine Knolls Alliance Church in South Glenns Falls, New York, is here to help us with another children’s Bible camp, August 6-10. Alianza’s Ministry Center is filled with excited children for a week of “Asombrosas Aventuras Biblicas” (Amazing Bible Adventures).

The camp features a superhero theme with an emphasis on God’s powerful promises. Through drama, crafts, music, stories, games, and a variety of other creative activities, the children are learning about heroes of the faith and being challenged to follow Jesus, the greatest hero of all time.

We know that God wants to do amazing things during these “adventures.” Will you join us? We need you to be part of this camp through your prayers.

Pray that Jesus will shine through each person involved in this adventure and that the children would truly see Jesus in us. Pray that God will use this camp in ways that will impact the children and their families for eternity.

We are also in hurricane season; please pray for good weather.

Your gifts to the Great Commission Fund, the Punta Cana Project Funds, and our Work Special Fund make it possible for this camp to occur. Your partnership is bearing fruit for eternity.

You are heroes, too. We thank God for you!

*Aunt; **name changed

What You Can Do

Pray

Give

  • Make a donation to the Great Commission Fund and partner with Alliance workers, such as those in Dominican Republic, in bringing the good news to families who are hungry for God.
  • Give now

Learn More

  • Check out the G.C. Kidz Club! With online games, stories, Bible studies, and more, it is a place where you and the kids in your life can learn more about Alliance missions. Also, kids will be challenged to live out Jesus’ Great Commission in their own lives.
  • Read another story by Julie Stutler about a Dominican national youth camp.
  • Read more about Alliance children’s ministries in the following stories: “Madame Bible,”; “Alliance Youth Honors Teachers”; and “Soccer, of Course!”
  • The 4/14 Window is a time during which most children develop their spiritual foundations. Read about it in the January 15, 2012, issue of Alliance Life.

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