Riding bicycles with our "grandsons"
The commandment
“…watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Deuteronomy 4:9, NIV).
Since March, it has been our joy to be honorary grandparents for three African boys: Tana, 8; Kuku, 4; and Anesuishe, 4 months old, whose name means Immanuel in the Shona language of their native Zimbabwe. “Our grandsons” are the sons of Gibson and Moline Chamboko, whose work brought them to Tokyo shortly after we moved here in 2004. (We got to know them through an English-language small group we attend weekly on Thursdays.)
Here’s how the “adoption” happened—our true confessions, if you please. One evening after supper, we realized that we desperately needed to make some lifestyle changes. After work, work, and more work (even mission work), we were tired, physically out of shape, bored, and surely boring, too. Visiting the Chambokos at Anesuishe’s birth gave us the idea of becoming adoptive grandparents—although we’re called uncle and aunt. We’ve enjoyed riding bicycles, throwing rocks in the river, kicking a soccer ball, playing on playground equipment, baking together, and more. Between loving and playing with these active boys and our joining a health club in May, we’re seeing positive results from these lifestyle changes. And, as Gibson once reminded us, we’re also partnering with them in raising their sons to love and obey God.
Kid’s Place
We’re also impacting the lives of other children through Cheryl’s work with Kid’s Place, a missions education program for preschoolers through elementary age children. Here’s an edited version of our blog report last week:
“No sirens were wailing, but it was an emergency anyway. With the infection spreading, Julian’s only hope was an operation. Preparing the toilet paper bandages and her plastic knife scalpel, the doctor prayed and the operation began on the young patient, one of 200 children who joined the Kid’s Place 2007 World Tour on the Anderson University campus during North American Convention, June 22-27, 2007, in Anderson, Indiana.
“…watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Deuteronomy 4:9, NIV).
Since March, it has been our joy to be honorary grandparents for three African boys: Tana, 8; Kuku, 4; and Anesuishe, 4 months old, whose name means Immanuel in the Shona language of their native Zimbabwe. “Our grandsons” are the sons of Gibson and Moline Chamboko, whose work brought them to Tokyo shortly after we moved here in 2004. (We got to know them through an English-language small group we attend weekly on Thursdays.)
Here’s how the “adoption” happened—our true confessions, if you please. One evening after supper, we realized that we desperately needed to make some lifestyle changes. After work, work, and more work (even mission work), we were tired, physically out of shape, bored, and surely boring, too. Visiting the Chambokos at Anesuishe’s birth gave us the idea of becoming adoptive grandparents—although we’re called uncle and aunt. We’ve enjoyed riding bicycles, throwing rocks in the river, kicking a soccer ball, playing on playground equipment, baking together, and more. Between loving and playing with these active boys and our joining a health club in May, we’re seeing positive results from these lifestyle changes. And, as Gibson once reminded us, we’re also partnering with them in raising their sons to love and obey God.
Kid’s Place
We’re also impacting the lives of other children through Cheryl’s work with Kid’s Place, a missions education program for preschoolers through elementary age children. Here’s an edited version of our blog report last week:
“No sirens were wailing, but it was an emergency anyway. With the infection spreading, Julian’s only hope was an operation. Preparing the toilet paper bandages and her plastic knife scalpel, the doctor prayed and the operation began on the young patient, one of 200 children who joined the Kid’s Place 2007 World Tour on the Anderson University campus during North American Convention, June 22-27, 2007, in Anderson, Indiana.
On the whirlwind three-day adventure, elementary kids wrote in hieroglyphics and joined in an archaeological dig in Egypt, learned origami paper folding and ate rice with chopsticks in Japan, experienced the challenges of living below the poverty line in the United States, met “real live” missionaries from Africa, fashioned kangaroo-like pouches for prayers and threw boomerangs in Australia, and prayed for persecuted Christians in Egypt, among other activities. At the same time, preschoolers traveled to India in Little Kid’s Place, meeting in Park Place Church of God, adjacent to the university campus.
While opening kids’ eyes to the mission field around the world, Kid’s Place is committed to challenging them to answering God’s call today in preparation for the time he may tap them to become pastors and missionaries in the future. Please pray with us for the nurturing of the next generation of missionaries, pastors, and church leaders.
By the way, Julian survived the imaginary operation in a medical clinic in Haiti, another destination on the World Tour. As a result, kids saw how missionaries share God’s love through preaching, teaching, and even medicine.
Looking ahead, Kid’s Place will travel to China for the Olympics in 2008. (Curriculum available by spring, 2008.) Additionally, curricula of past programs written and/or edited by Cheryl are available at minimal cost through CHOG Ministries (call 800-848-2464 and ask for Vivian Atkins, or e-mail Vatkins@chog.org). Easily adaptable for VBS, children’s church, or other kids programming, these curricula include studies of the 10/40 Window; Japan; Costa Rica; the southern cone of South America; Australia/New Zealand; the Micronesian, Caribbean/Atlantic, and Hawaiian islands; and more. A historical look at the Church of God also helped kids celebrate the 100th convention in 2006 through drama and interviews with church pioneers from bygone days.”
Tarumi Church, Kobe
Since March, we have visited Tarumi Church for a weekend (or more) each month. While we are happy to serve in this way, this added schedule is straining both physically and emotionally. (There is much discouragement as the congregation approaches the start of five years of seeking a Japanese pastor. Last month, a leading layperson also left the church rather unhappily, and this has resulted in division within the congregation.)
Since March, we have visited Tarumi Church for a weekend (or more) each month. While we are happy to serve in this way, this added schedule is straining both physically and emotionally. (There is much discouragement as the congregation approaches the start of five years of seeking a Japanese pastor. Last month, a leading layperson also left the church rather unhappily, and this has resulted in division within the congregation.)
Please pray for us as we spend three weeks in Kobe from August 10, that we may both encourage and help with healing that needs to take place there.
