Service

I was assigned to share our CCD Sunday school experiences at a General Assembly over the weekend. I wish to share the joy of serving, even in our own little ways, so I have decided to post my speech here.

As I continue to reflect on "service", I am reminded of a faraway friend who I find very gifted in public speaking. I hope and pray that you utilize this God-given gift more to help and inspire those who seek or need words of wisdom. I have been a witness to your effectiveness. May God guide you always as He reveals your purpose.

Intro

We, a household comprised of 5 members, committed ourselves to teaching the Pre-K class in CCD at Ruamrudee Church. We held class every Sunday, from 10.00 to 10.30am, from September 2007 to April 2008 -- a span of 8 months.


Values Developed

Commitment, Trust, Endurance, Responsibility, Selflessness, Humility, Faith, Accountability, Patience


The Sign

It was in July or August when all the households were trying to find a charitable institution where we can render service. Our household started with the same objective, which is simply to serve. We didn’t know then that we would be led to teaching Sunday school. There were various options like the orphanage, homes for the aged, and medical outreach programs, and we were considering anything that might come up.

Then one day, we bumped into Ate Aliw. She was just telling us that she came from her CCD class and didn’t know what to do with the extra snacks she was carrying in a huge plastic bag. I don’t remember if she even gave us some, but anyway, we came to know that there was a shortage in the teaching staff. That she was handling the K3 class of 30 all by herself. We thought that might be a sign, that we ought to offer our services to CCD. We didn’t ask for it, but it became clear that it was what God intended for us to do. We got the details right away and planned, even when none of us had any experience in teaching 3-4 year-old kids. I guess we can testify that God truly equips people for His purpose.


Angels in Disguise

It took some time to adjust since we were all inexperienced, but we knew God was watching over us the whole time. We had all the help that we needed. Teaching materials were made available by parents, other teachers and of course, the internet. Parents were always willing to assist. Snacks for kids came every meeting. He even sent other people who gave us tips on how to get the kids to interact with each other.

There were times when we had problems of our own, making us unavailable physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. But that didn’t cause us to give up our service. Someone in the group always came to cover for the whole team. We were humbled and inspired by each other’s level of commitment. God always made a way to get us through.

The household meetings became more interactive and goal-oriented. Our prayers and sharing became more meaningful because they involve the service that we actually do together. Our household became a haven for openness and creativity.


Counting Our Blessings

We were fortunate enough to have good kids in class. God made it easy for us, despite the fact that 3-4 year-old kids have very short attention span. There were only few of them crying, refusing to be left by their parents; kids who couldn’t stay in their seats; kids that hit; and so on. With God’s help and guidance, we were able to practice endurance, patience and appreciation for kids more. We also learned to adapt ourselves, teaching the way they learn and not the other way around, to instill the values in the level of their understanding.

We couldn’t thank and praise God enough for giving us the opportunity to serve Him in a new and fun way. It had been a great honor to serve as God’s instrument to deliver His message to the young ones. We also learned more about ourselves – our hidden talents, our strengths and weaknesses. We learned that by just being there, we were allowing ourselves to practice selflessness, when before we only dedicated Sundays all to ourselves. We also learned that it is important to focus our goals on Jesus Christ alone because He will surely give us the wisdom, strength and courage to deliver His message.

Kids are always the easiest to teach. And amazingly, kids have taught us many things in return. Sometimes, when we think we are doing something for others, they end up doing more for us.