This month the Childero bible club focused on identity. In order to understand our identity we must first know the identity of our creator.
We looked at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…”
The scripture, a favorite for many believers, provides outstanding examples of love. Examples of what love is or is not. What love does or does not do. The verses help us to understand love but I fell into a deeper search for a specific definition, not just examples.
(Example: Love is sharing your sugar cane.)
1 John 4:16 is where I fell. Love defined: “God is love.” That is it, the definition I’ve been searching for. Love is God and God is love. They were never two separate entities. One is not defined without the other because they are one whole, they are one in the same. God is love, he is the very being and source of love. Love is God, love comes straight from the maker.
(Part of the God is love demonstration)
Here is an exercise, where you see God replace his name with the word love:
So when I tell the students, “God loves you” I really means, “Love loves you”.
Or, “Let’s give thanks to God for our new mosquito nets” I could say, “Let’s thank Love for our new nets”.
Once a month the students are sent home with food, “Let’s thank God for giving us food” but really, “Let’s thank Love for giving us food.”
“Jesus died for you” … “Love died for you”.
“Jesus loves you” … “Love loves you”.
“Jesus forgives you” … “Love forgives you”.
Are you with me? God is the source of love, he IS love. Love loves you, Love gives to you, Love is your father, Love is your creator, and Love makes good things.
Before we teach the children about their identity we only saw it fitting to dive into God’s identity. We’ve defined love and truth is we are able to personally know Love because Love created us and we are products (children) of Love.
(Click to enlarge: Example 1: Love is giving a hug, errr uh .. heimlich maneuver?
Example 2: Love is your sank … snake?)
So far in October Childero has enrolled 40 students into the program, sent them home with mosquito nets, 10 kilos of flour, and witnessed to a total of 250 children on a weekly basis. We’ve partnered with seven pastors and churches, we’ve fought for equality of our students, we’ve fought for opportunity, we’ve fought for dreams, empowerment, and love to build them back up.
So far in the month of October Love has provided. Love has given. Love has loved. Love has created good. And Love has not failed us, Love is here with us fighting on the frontline for Childero and our little shining lights.
Love is not a subject or concept.
Love is not a mindset or sonnet.
Don’t you see? Love is a source,
He is the primitive force.
Truly I tell you
Love is real, Love is alive,
You simply need to abide.
Cara Starns,
Coordinator.
Prayer Requests:
- We hope to accept a few more children into the program in November.
- Two visitors are coming in December to serve Childero and build us a wonderful storage cabinet for the office! Pray for safe journey, good health, and fruitful shared time together.
- Pray our Gulu advisory board continues to flourish in learning and growing into their role.
- Pray God has his way with our partnership in the communities.
(The following lesson was God is good.
He creates good things like the good sun, the good earth, and the good us.)