Each month at Growing Kids for the Kingdom, we will be highlighting a family and how they share God’s love with others in different ways. I hope this will be both inspiring and encouraging, giving us ideas of how we can be intentional about teaching our children how to share God’s love with others.
The first family we will highlight is the Jack Family. I know the Jack family and their heart both for their own children and for children in need around the world. They have made sponsoring children part of their family ministry, and they have involved their young children in this process as well! Let’s see how they do this as I ask them some questions!
GKFTK: What do you do with your kids to serve God together?
Jack Family: One way we serve God as a family is to sponsor children in need in other countries (Columbia, Ecuador, and Haiti) through Compassion International and World Vision.
GKFTK: How is serving like this fun for your kids and the whole family?
Jack Family: The kids have enjoyed learning about the children, finding their countries on the map, and learning about the cultural and geographical differences. It has also been fun to find out all the common interests they share as well!
GKFTK: How have you involved your kids in tangible ways?
Jack Family: We have prayed for these children and tried to imagine what day-to-day life is like for them, so the highlight of this experience was getting to travel to Ecuador to meet Fernanda, one of our sponsored children. We faced many obstacles and were in fear of the visit falling through at the last minute, but God redeemed it all and used it all for His glory!
GKFTK: How have you and your kids made an impact on Fernanda by praying for her and going to visit her?
Jack Family: During our time together, our children learned to overcome their shyness, play side by side, exchanging smiles and laughter with someone they hardly knew but loved just the same. They had grown attached to Fernanda through praying for her and growing in God’s love for her! While the kids played together, something beautiful happened in the hearts of Fernanda’s mother and older brother. They shared how their hurts and disappointments in this life had left them feeling far from God. When presented with the gospel and Christ’s sacrifice to close that gap between them and God, they gave their lives to Christ! Our hearts were overjoyed and we will forever be impacted as a family with what God did that day. We pray that they are growing in Christ’s love and bringing that hope back to their village!
GKFTK: What have your kids learned from this experience?
Jack Family: God is powerful and hears our prayers! Despite many miles between us, language barriers, unspoken fears, and all other obstacles, our families were able to meet, and we were able to share the love and hope we have in Christ with Fernanda’s family!
GKFTK: Any other benefits from serving with your kids?
Jack Family: Sponsoring a child as a family not only taught our children to meet the physical needs of others, as Christ did, but also opened their hearts to loving someone who is a world away. It changed their perspective and taught them how their prayers impacted a family eternally.
What a great way to share God’s love with those in need as a family! There are many great organizations that allow you to sponsor a child around the world. World Vision and Compassion are two of the most common, but there are also some amazing smaller organizations that allow you an even more personal touch in connecting with the children you sponsor. To find out more about some of these reputable ministries, click here.
