Children’s Church at Église évangélique libre de Yaoundé

My Cameroonian friend and English conversation partner, Dr. Joelle Sobngwi, invited me to bring puppets to her church, Église évangélique libre de Yaoundé (Free Evangelical Church of Yaounde) January 25 and assist her with the children’s ministry. 

The lesson for the day was “Jesus Chooses His Disciples” with the memory verse: Matthew 4:19, “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men. ”

I was delighted that the children already knew the song I grew up on:

“Fishers of Men”

I will make you fishers of men, fishers of men, fishers of men.

I will make you fishers of men, If you follow me.

Chorus: If you follow me! If you follow me!

I will make you fishers of men If you follow me!

Paper cutting stories captivate children in churches,    schools, and libraries. I was to glad to find our Bible story in a book I brought, Clip & Tell Bible Stories by Lois Keffler. Only need a plain sheet of paper and scissors.	I folded the computer paper twice vertically and cut in from both sides as I told the story, aided by the children’s ministry assistant who translated. What is it going to be?	My translator helped me stretch the paper out…to be a fishing net. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John left their fishing net to follow Jesus and become “fishers of men.”
Jesus wants us to also follow Him, and be fishers of people. I asked the children if that meant we are to carry around nets to catch people…as I demonstrated with Joelle’s son Mathis. In unison the children shouted “No!”	Of course not! We are to catch people by demonstrating God’s love for them. I folded a 9x12 piece of red construction paper into quarters, then in half to cut out a ring of 8 hearts.	What a joy to discover that children on the other side of the world could join “David” and I singing “Fishers of Men” that I learned well  over half a century ago. The children are becoming bi-lingual.
Youngsters were invited to help Polly Parrot squawk –to help laying an egg easier.	Yah! There’s the egg. Inside was the memory verse written on paper.	Suzy Sunflower, with Joelle’s help, encouraged children keep their face turned to the Son of God, as sunflowers follow the sun in the sky.