“A Fresh Breeze in Our Church: The After-School Program”
Recently, our church has been energized by a new program – our afterschool program. Every day, from Monday to Friday, for two hours, the church becomes a lively, bustling place. Of course, it’s not an easy task. We read storybooks, sing songs, and do choreographed movements. We prepare snacks and play with the children in the gym. But the most challenging part is dealing with the children themselves. There are children who are noisy, sad, angry, and some who just want to be left alone. Each moment presents a variety of personalities, and the responsibility of caring for them falls entirely on our volunteers. I truly admire and feel thankful for our volunteers who commit to this program every day. They are remarkable, and I believe they are true disciples of Jesus, embodying God’s love by extending it to their neighbors.
Now, as we reach the halfway point of this year’s after-school program and begin the second half, I’ve realized how much we can learn from the children with whom we spend so much time. Adults, when they fight or disagree, often find it hard to become friends again. But children are different. They might argue over who gets to play with a ball first, but soon after, they’re friends again, as if nothing ever happened. How is this possible? From my observation, it’s because children don’t overthink things. As long as they have a friend to play with, everything is okay. They aren’t weighed down by the past, nor do they calculate the pros and cons of every situation. They simply enjoy the moment. Children are pure and uncomplicated like this. Perhaps that’s why Jesus enjoyed spending time with them. Sometimes, we too need to become simple, like children. In the complexities of life, where we stress over every little detail, we often lose sight of what truly matters. Let’s be like children, knowing what is important in this moment and enjoying it. Jesus said that it is such people who will enter the Kingdom of God.
“Let the children come to me; do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” – Mark 10:14-15
Pastor Jinha Choi
First & Wesley United Methodist Church