Our Leafy Kindergarten Ebenezer

So this quarter at church, I am back to teaching Kindergarten Sabbath School. To be honest, I was hesitant at first. I mean, it's been four years! But now I thank God for the privilege.

We started a little late this quarter, but we're definitely making up for it through our study of the Beatitudes. This particular subject is perfect since the adults are also studying EGW's Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing.

So what we're doing is going through the Beatitudes one by one, focusing on "Be-Attitudes" as opposed to "Me-Attitudes". Our learning device is a beehive with bees labeled according to the beatitudes. I am going to share the materials that we use for class on this blog in future posts. For now, allow me to share with you what really made me happy today.

The bigger girls (who had already moved on to a different class) excitedly met up with me after lunch to help decorate the tree branch from which our beehive hung.

We cut leaves from japanese tissue paper to stick on the branch made from felt paper. These are not ordinary leaves, mind you. On each leaf, the kids wrote or drew the things they were thankful for, like family, food, rain, sunshine, and the privilege of prayer. Even the smaller kids pitched in. While we worked, we talked about our blessings and how the trees around us should always remind us of our faithful Provider and Friend. As many leaves there are on trees are the blessings we receive from God, probably even more! We must remember to develop an attitude of gratitude.

I was truly touched when one of the students drew a girl and wrote "Thank you for our teacher who teaches us about Jesus."

That prompted another leaf from me.

This tree will be our ebenezer for the quarter. Needless to say, I had a happy Sabbath. =)

January 28, 2017

Kindergarten: Greedy Gehazi

I’ve been teaching the Kindergarten class at my church for a year now, and I’m only beginning to know the ropes of teaching little kids. During that year, I had 19 students in all, with about 12 present each Sabbath. The eldest was seven years old and the youngest was barely one. We had to put them together in the same class because we didn’t have teachers. This quarter, however, a sister volunteered to teach the older kids, leaving me with 13 children.

Each Sabbath, for about forty-five minutes, we sings songs, learn a Bible story, learn a new memory verse, and make a craft.

The other Sabbath, the story was about Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, who got greedy and decided to lie his way into getting garments and gold from Captain Naaman.

Every week, I give them a sticker with our new memory verse so they could review it at home. The following Sabbath, those who can recite the verse from memory get a butterfly sticker to stick on their paper gardens.
Our memory verse last week was from 1 Timothy 6:6, which I think was perfect for the story.



For our craft activity, I had the kids make a wall décor based on their memory verse. I got this idea from Hands On Bible Teacher, which I think is a marvelous blog about a marvelous Children’s ministry by a very dedicated teacher.

The kids enjoy being in class, and I’ve grown to really love making learning about Jesus fun for the little members of God’s family.

		Contentment Wall Decor VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I’m still looking for ways to improve my teaching and programming. Learning about other teachers who share my love for ministering to children inspire me to work harder and pray more for this branch of the ministry.

In my next Kindergarten post, I’ll be sharing how our Baby Moses class well. see you.

Kindergarten: Monggo Project

Last Sabbath, I had the kids start on a project and object lesson rolled into one: planting mung beans.

They were absolutely excited about it and couldn't help but jump and run around with their plastic cups.

First, I made holes in used plastic cups, and had them fill it with soil that I readied in advance. They were then given five mung beans each to plant in their cups. I also made them water the beans. They wrote their names in the cups and we set them aside.

They were so excited about the beans that they were really hesitant to just leave them there. As we carried on with the class, one of the kids interrupted me and exclaimed, "Teacher! The beans are about to grow, I can feel it!"

And teacher couldn't help but laugh and get excited with them.

This post will be updated on a regular basis, probably daily, with pictures of the growing mung beans.

DAY 1 (Planting Day)

Karl Nathan Gogo

Sheim Aidrion

Ashley Mhae

Ayn Angela

Harlie

Precious Joy

Shane Matthew

And we have a special guest participant: Ryna, from the Juniors Class.

I forgot to take pictures for Day 2. *face meets palm*

DAY 3

Ashley Mhae

Ayn Angela

Harlie

Karl Nathan

Precious Joy

Ser Ryna

Sheim Aidrion

Shane Matthew

I can't wait for Sabbath, when the kids get to see their mung beans again. Check back tomorrow for updates! :)

Visiting Mountain Heights Missionary Training School in Valencia

I rarely get the chance to travel. Most of my experience as a missionary consisted of typing away at a laptop computer a few steps away from bed.

So when I got invited to see the Mountain Heights Missionary Training School in Tongantongan, Valencia, Bukidnon, I was more than eager to go.

My friend, Brother Bruce, is one of the supporters of the school while another friend that I met through him, Sister Juliet, was volunteering as a teacher.

The three of us left Davao by bus around three o'clock in the morning and arrived in Valencia five hours later. From there, we took a tricycle (locally called a rela) to the home of Bro. Bruce's uncle where we will be staying for the night.

Bro. Bruce and the motorcycle we borrowed.

In the afternoon, we hopped onto a motorcycle and drove to the foot of the hill where the school is located. The uphill hike took a very exhausting (or was it only me?) fifteen minutes. I thought my heart was going to burst in my ears. haha.

Near the top was the school, itself a simple building which housed fourteen eager and aspiring Bible students.

The school was established a couple of years ago and has grown as far as getting their own electricity, improving the curriculum, establishing farms/gardens, and gaining volunteer teachers.

Sis. Juliet and the school that will be her home for the next four months.

The other side of the school and a view of the vegetable gardens.

Sis. Juliet currently teaches the students Health and English.The students also have classes on the Bible and trade skills like baking and agriculture.

Even without the support of parents and relatives, the students here are determined to continue with their education. Currently, they make bread that they sell to the neighboring village below. The school is also surrounded by vegetable gardens cared for by the students as a source of food and possible income.

Since the arrival of Sis. Juliet, work on installing a better kitchen has been started, an enclosed bath area put up, and students' work schedules implemented. Specific dates have also been set apart for student recreation and for visiting nearby churches on Sabbaths.

Other projects the staff and students will be undertaking include a kiln for better and easier baking, a separate staff house, kitchen sinks and cupboards, writing desks, and improved dormitories. There is also a need for learning materials (textbooks, workbooks, visual aides, etc.) and school supplies. The students do need all the help they can get.

Away from the hustle of the city and immersed in the scenes of nature and in the responsibilities that accompany self-support, the students have come to learn and understand that they need just this experience in order to be drawn closer to God and to be prepared for the ministry that is to be their life-work.

As it began to get dark, we decided to head back down, but took a few moments to marvel at the wonderful extra gift that graces the school at the end of each day - an awe-inspiring sunset.

Leaving Sis. Juliet behind, Bro. Bruce and I traveled back to Davao at two in the morning the following day. It was a physically exhausting trip, but on the inside I felt all light and happy.

Thoughts of eager Bible students and devoted Bible workers all over the world never fail to inspire me to constantly look to God to make me a more efficient worker for Him.

Who knows, He just might ask me to volunteer at Mountain Heights Missionary Training School someday. Just in case, I already got an answer ready. ;-)

Bro. Bruce, myself, and Sis. Juliet

Coming up soon on this blog: my recent trip to a hilltop church in Davao del Sur and our Fourth Anniversary of ministry at the Davao City Jail.

Teaching Reminder #1

You need to learn right methods and acquire tact for the training of your little ones, that they may keep the way of the Lord. You need to seek constantly the highest culture of mind and soul, that you may bring to the education and training of your children a restful spirit, a loving heart; that you may imbue them with pure aspirations, and cultivate in them a love for things honest and pure and holy. As a humble child of God, learn in the school of Christ; seek constantly to improve your powers, that you may do the most perfect, thorough work at home [and school], by both precept and example.

Ellen G. White
Child Guidance