As a six-year-old girl I was known for asking the question, "Have you ever doubted that God answers prayers?" As a twenty-one year old girl I still love seeing how our able God answers our prayers and orchestrates in incredible ways. A recent four-day trip to Ugenya was a very tangible answer to my little six-year-old question.

Sunday School teachers

Many prayed.

God answered.

God spoke to hearts as individuals asked deep, real questions about how to live a life with Christ as your Source. God's presence was strongly felt. He really used these two days to enable the pastors, church leaders, and children's ministry leaders to walk away even more equipped to make a greater Kingdom difference. I will be excited to watch how God uses the leaders of the Ugenya Zone and what He has entrusted them with to spread the flame throughout the Lake Victoria District. 

Four basic questions were asked over the two-day Ugenya Zone event held at the Ulumba Church of the Nazarene.

How can we grow and develop... in compassion and holiness?

Morris Miayi, Lake Victoria NCM Coordinator, led a great lesson on how compassion and holiness go together. He emphasized that "If we are a Christian holiness church, we need to show it." This applies to every one of us because "Everyone has a duty." DS Rev. Okinyo reminded us about the importance of holistic transformation being seen in every aspect of our churches and our lives; "people learn better through our character than our words." He courageously spoke the convicting truth that "A doctrine is only a doctrine if it is applied; if not it is just words." We individually need to play our part because, as Morris Miayi reminded us, "Every journey begins with a step." Pastor Michael Austin Oketch, father of Samuel Oketch who is the East Africa NCM Coordinator, was very direct with us, "People of God, love each other." Compassion and holiness affect not only our lives but our churches through our ministry.

How can we grow and develop... in effective children's ministry?

In the words of Don Gardner, East Africa Field Strategy Coordinator, storytelling is going to sweep across Africa. In the last Out of Africa he told the story of how storytelling brought a breakthrough in children's ministry in Tanzania. Well, we didn't want the Ugenya Zone children's ministry leaders to miss out on this incredibly effectively tool of communicating God's Word. Sarah Reed, East Africa Children's Ministry Coordinator, passionately feels that we in Africa do not need all the fancy tools of the US to do effective children's ministry. God will use us if we let Him. Sarah Reed shared that "The Bible is what you need to teach Sunday School. There is nothing more valuable to believers than God's Word."

Beatrice Obara, Kisumu Zone Children's Ministries Coordinator, did an excellent job teaching us about the developmental stages of children. The effects of an effective children's ministry on a church was communicated many times. One participant, Eunice Oduor said "We must always work on ways to bring children close." Beatrice agreed that "We must love all of our children and show them how to be friends of God."

Editor's note: The Ugenya Zone is on Kenya's Lake Victoria district. The next two questions (How can we grow and develop... in our stewardship of what God has entrusted us with? and How can we grow and develop... at the district level?) will be covered the next Out of Africa. 

Planning a successful children's day is a multi-step process. We will explore them using a Children's Day from the Holiness Church of the Nazarene, Soshanguwe ext. 11, South Africa as an example.

Before the day:

1. Decide what the theme and purpose will be - Because of the high incidence of  rape in the community, the theme will be "Children's rights are human rights." The purpose is to educate, raise awareness, prevent the incidence of rape and emphasize children's obligations and their rights."

2. Set the date and time - During the March school break

3. Reserve the venue - A field near the church

4. Plan activities - Jumping castle, face painting, netball, volleyball, swings, competitions with trophies as prizes, and information sessions about children's rights and obligations

5. Invite special guests - A wide range of people from all the local ethnic groups were included. Also asked to participate were representatives from the South African Police services, ward committee members, local businesses and educators, sports and recreation people, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, and local media.

6. Publicize the event 

On the day:

1. Set up early - Be ready to greet people on arrival. 
2. Follow the plan - Take names and contact information, enjoy the activities
3. Clean up

After:

1. Follow up on new people - To keep children safer, it was decided to begin an after school care program where "children are daily assisted with their homework, taught life skills, play different games and receive some refreshments." 
2. Thank everyone who was involved - local people and special guests
3. Reflect on what went well and what could be improved - 300 children and 100 adults attended the events. "It was a day of joy and celebration."

A day well planned and executed can have an eternal impact on the community as well as individuals. If you conduct a children's day, let Out of Africa know and we will celebrate with you.