by Linnea, YWAM Madison staff
“Lying is wrong because it is a sin,” little Yuhui (pronounced “yah-way”) said. “It makes God sad.”
Yuhui is a young girl from China who lives at a University of Wisconsin community for international scholars and their families. Her parents are not believers, but she has been coming to our international children’s ministry for the last four weeks and is growing in her understanding of God.
The nations are coming to us here in Madison! I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to share God’s love with them. This fall’s Discipleship Training School presented the perfect opportunity to do just that. With 23 students, we have plenty of people to continue our regular local outreaches and begin a new one.
Since beginning this outreach, we’ve met more than 55 kids from at least 18 nations. We communicate Christian values to them through puppets, crafts, and activities. In small groups, we talk with the kids about the implications and origins of these values.
A few weeks ago, we made balloon animals with them. One of the Muslim moms asked me to make her daughter a crown. I did my best, and even though her crown looked more like a fish hat, the little girl was delighted. She painted it and gave it to her mom, who put it on, right over her traditional head covering. I smiled, feeling privileged to her gain friendship and trust. At that moment, we weren’t just strangers from different cultures who had little in common. We were both moms having fun with our kids!
I love that I can reach kids from all over the world without even leaving the city I call home!