TheBellSite

Children’s Day is celebrated throughout China and Mongolia on June 1, in Japan and Korea on May 5 and in Taiwan and Hong Kong on April 4. The annual celebrations attest to the value that East Asians place on their young — at least publicly — on whom are pinned many hopes and dreams. Jesus places an even greater value on the little ones, beckoning them to Himself and longing to give them eternal life. Yet the vast majority of East Asian children are growing up in homes where His name is not spoken, His love not yet known. Pray that every East Asian child will have the chance to hear of the Savior’s love.

Making Him known

Having grown up in Japan, Hannah Seelen, 13, and Collin Seelen, 16, were eager to join their missionary parents, Charlie and Teresa, in ministry to tsunami survivors in Tohoku, Japan. Their family motto is “Knowing God; making Him known.” Go to http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/making-him-known/ ‎ to see them put feet to their faith.

Time is short

The seven-year-old blonde-haired daughter of missionaries in Taiwan had an urgent request for her mom early one school morning. “Mom, I need to know how to tell people to accept Jesus,” she said. When the mother told her that she would explain the process later that afternoon, the little girl said, “No, I need to do it now. Time is short. I want to tell my classmates.” So her mom sat down and with the few minutes remaining before it was time for school, told her daughter how to share the plan of salvation using a simple ABC approach (Admit you are a sinner, Believe in Jesus, Commit your heart). When the little girl returned home that afternoon, the mother asked how the sharing had gone. “Two of them accepted Jesus!” she replied. As they continued to talk, the little girl said, “Imagine how many more I could tell if I could do it in Chinese.”

None of them believe

One day, I took the kids out to the playground. After running around in the grass, four-year-old Mason* said to me, “I’m going to tell these people about Jesus!” Approximately five adults plus numerous children stood nearby. I told Mason that he could most definitely tell them about Jesus. … Mason then pointed to one elderly lady and said he wanted to tell her. So he walked up to her. “Nai Nai (respected elder woman, or grandmother), I want to tell you the Good News of Jesus. I believe in Jesus. Jesus is God. Do you believe in Jesus?” he asked. The elderly lady replied that she did not believe in Jesus. Everyone was listening and they all told Mason, “None of us believe in Jesus.” In shock, Mason turned to me. “None of them believe!” he said. I looked him directly in the eye. “This is why we live here. So that they may come to know Jesus,” I said. Read the rest of Kayla Shapiro’s story at http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/none-of-them-believe/.

For many pastors and missionaries, the journey to ministry begins with missions education in childhood. These resources can help you assist children in the journey.

Websites:

• www.caravanfriends.org
• http://kidsonmission.org/

Free “Go and Tell” booklets:

• Download at http://caravanfriends.org/live-it/go-and-tell/.
• Order at http://imbresources.org/(shipping charges apply)
  Product codes: teacher book: EAS-GOTELLTEACH, student book: EAS-GOTELLKIDS

• 58 million — children in China’s countryside abandoned by parents working in cities
• 13 million — abortions performed in China each year, largely due to its one-child policy
• 1,500 — children who lost one or both parents in Japan’s 2011 tsunami