By Michelle Weidman, Christian Educator
It is a privilege to have the opportunity to learn from our children. A couple of Sundays ago, as I readied myself for the lesson I had prepared the children bounded in and changed everything. They were trying to find Ukraine on the globe that is on the table in the ”Hands” room. The children wanted to talk about the war in Ukraine. Because the globe was mine and as a child pointed out there was no Ukraine on the globe. The whole area was the Soviet Union. As I explained the whys and where fore’s of the former Soviet Union and its demise the children had moved on and where were concerned. Would it be that way again, one child wondered? What can we do another asked? We could pray for the Ukrainian people or could paint a giant Ukrainian flag on the side of the church, were two suggestions. We could collect more money was another. My personal favorite came from our youngest class member who thought we should send a Tyrannosaurus Rex to scare the bad guys.
I love that our children brought these concerns into the Sunday School room. We have already taught them that the church is a place for discussion and solutions. It was nice to tell them that the church was concerned and already working with churches in Ukraine to provide comfort for the people there. While searching the internet, I found a small Ukrainian garden flag that reads ,”praying for Ukraine.” While it falls a bit short of a giant flag painted on the side of the church I hope that the little garden flag can remind us of all our many blessings and assure our children that they are heard.