One of the valuable lesson I’m learning as a volunteer teacher is showing up and making yourself known to your students. I handles children ages 3-6 years old in our church, Victory Greenhills. I make it a point to show up every sunday in their classes even when I’m not teaching. Showing up to see them, speak to them, encourage them or sometimes just smiling at them. I love building relationship with these kids. They are the most genuine people I have known in my lifetime.

When I say BUILDING RELATIONSHIP, I’m saying I love getting involved in them. It’s more than hi’s and hellos. It’s asking and listening how they are, what toys do they play, how they are in school, and how was their week. Children their age responds so honest with what they are facing and how they are facing it. They are not yet in the game of hiding myself to make others think that I am perfectly well. They are real kids who loves to play, to play endlessly, to listen to your stories, to get themselves involve where you direct them like singing, dancing, role-playing and doing crafts.

I am fully aware that each kid have a story to tell in their lives. I appreciate their uniqueness and their different personalities coming in together to learn more about Jesus in Children Church. A number of kids goes through the battle of separation anxiety… being by themselves in class without their parents or caregivers. You will find Dramas, Comedies, a lot of Action and inspiring stories when you look at the picture of our class. Yael, a 4yr old boy recently struggles with separation anxiety. For the past four months that he attends the class, I would talk to him and encourage him to join the other kids. There were a lot of sundays that I find tears in his eyes as he wants to go with her big sis to other class. I will convince and even play with him to the extent that I can, but this boy has his firm decision already. I choose not to give up, understanding that this is just a phase in a boy’s life.

( FAST FORWARD… to the present) For the last 2 months, I was less visible in Kids Ministry. I turned over my position as the Children Church Coordinator to another teacher. I’m not sure if the teachers and volunteers felt my absence, I decided to work behind the scene. To be honest, I miss KIDS MINISTRY. I miss my little friends and students. I miss planning and preparing for classes. I miss discussing with our Pastor about things involving KIDS MINISTRY. I showed up yesterday at Kids Church for it was a Special Sunday Event. I don’t have any role to play but I decided I want to hang out with the kids. Yael came up to me( all by himself), I was not even talking tohim. Dressed in his Pooh Costume, he seriously uttered… ” I MISS YOU ” At that very moment, I felt my heart melted… ^_^ Then I hug him and said oohhh… so sweet. Do you know my name? He answered me directly, NO! After church, I thought about this sweet incident. I felt his sincerity with the 3 words “I MISS YOU” then, I was reminded that I WAS THERE FOR HIM during those times he was facing his fears at church. In my 2 months of less visibility, I’m sure HE WAS THE ONE who felt my absence. He did not even bother to know my name as his teacher, He just recognize me. He approach me. He let me know that what I did for him was something else…

Truly, I am amazed how far we can touch a life of a 4 yr old kid. It’s not something that I planned to do or expect to receive from a kid… the bottomline is, When we do our part as teachers who plant the seeds of faith, who teach kids what Christianity is about, God has his ways of rewarding us back. A pat in the back, a changed life, a relationship with a kid and a glimpse of eternity.