Persecution

[Andrew Wabomba]

A child in North Korea explains to her

teacher that she did well on a test "by

God's grace." Later, she arrives home

to find her parents have disappeared.

Such stories in a new Vacation Bible

School curriculum from persecution

ministry Voice of the Martyrs have

some children's spirituality experts

questioning whether it encourages

children's faith or burdens them with

inappropriate information.

Launched last year, the ministry's Kids

of Courage curriculum "came about

as a result of churches' desire and

[our] desire to tell the story of

persecuted Christians in an age-

appropriate way," said media director

Todd Nettleton.

Church for the Harvest in Alexandria,

two hours northwest of Minneapolis,

used the curriculum last summer.

Children's director Katy Kiger is a

former missionary to South Africa and

liked that Kids of Courage includes

stories from China, Egypt, India,

Nigeria, and North Korea.

For example, stories from Nigeria talk

about Muslims converting to

Christianity as well as terrorists

attacking churches.

Many of the children in Kiger's

program attend public schools where

they face a milder form of

antagonism. Still, she said, "It was

awesome to hear how kids talk about

their own struggles."

"The kids here need to know what is

up in the world today," said Jalil

Dawood, pastor of the Arab Church of

Dallas, whose members and their

families have faced death and severe

persecution in their home countries.

His church hasn't used the program,

but Dawood says it is important for

American children to learn about the

challenges of being a Christian in

other parts of the world.

It is important for children to confront

difficult or challenging topics, says

Scottie May, professor of Christian

spirituality at Wheaton College and co-

author of Listening to Children on the

Spiritual Journey . However, she said,

"I have concerns about materials that

might introduce pain, torture, and

death to a young child without a

context for them."

Ginny Olson, director of youth ministry

for the Covenant Church's Northwest

Conference, agrees. She said, "There

is no way a teacher can be attuned to

the differing levels of sensitivity of a

group of children. Little kids need to

experience scary stories in the

presence of a parent who can protect

them."

Still, telling stories of God's presence

with his people who suffer on his

behalf has a long history. "Jewish

children heard the stories of Daniel

and Shadrach, Meshach, and

Abednego," said Holly Allen, professor

of Christian ministries at John Brown

University and author of Nurturing

Children's Spirituality . Stories of

suffering in the mission field have

been told to children in recent

centuries.

"Six- or seven-year-olds can hear and

process these stories," Allen said. "We

have mis-represented God's work in

the world when we avoid telling

stories where God does not save. The

deeper, more foundational truth

must be told: God will not abandon

us, even in our death."