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.
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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?
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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.”
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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!”
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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.
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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.
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Youngsters
were invited to help Polly Parrot squawk –to help laying an egg easier.
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Yah!
There’s the egg. Inside was the memory verse written on paper.
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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.
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is now posted 
