Sometimes it can feel like a hassle to raise kids while trying to do mission work. But the two things aren’t mutually exclusive. Kids on location create opportunities to witness Christ’s love to other children and to other children’s parents. Checkpoint asked CMS missionary kids (and their parents) about opportunities they have to share with their friends about Jesus.

Obi (4)—Japan

“Being foreigners with children has benefits,” share Matt and Jen Lim, Obi’s parents. “There’s the novelty factor. Shortly after he started at youchien, we used Obi’s 4th birthday as a chance to invite friends to our local park for an ‘Australian birthday party’. It was a great opportunity for our Christian and non-Christian friends to meet and mix together. We’ve invited friends over to our house for a meal or coffee, and play dates. Many people don’t do this in Japan as apartments are small. They can feel embarrassed if things aren’t tidy. But our friends have really appreciated it, and have even reciprocated! We’re planning on giving Christmas presents to some of our closest youchien friends—a small Australian gift plus The Jesus Storybook Bible (in Japanese).”

Julien Puffet (5)—France

Catherine Puffet: So Julien, do you tell your friends about Jesus?

Julien: Yes.

C: And what do you say when you tell your friends about Jesus?

J: Hmm… I don’t know what I say. I just do different things every time.

C: Okay. What opportunities do you have to talk about Jesus with your friends?

J : Not too many and not too few.

C: Okay I just have one more question. Yesterday I saw you talking with Zach about Jesus, because Zach asked you a question. Do you remember what he asked you about God?

J: Yeah. Zach said that God was dead and then I told him that God was dead and now alive.

C: And can we ask you how you knew that?

J: Because I read the Bible and I know the Bible is true.

Anna Pearson (6)—Northern Territory

“We often see Anna praying with kids at Sunday School,” says Lisa Pearson, Anna’s mother. “She often invites other kids to Sunday School too. One boy she was particularly concerned about kept saying ‘No I can’t, I’m not allowed’—we believe his family does not allow him to come.”

“Anna said, ‘That’s okay, I can tell you about Jesus myself.’”

Lisa also spoke about a time when Anna went on a school field trip.

“When they returned to school the teacher asked them what they had learned, and they were all shouting ‘Jesus! Jesus!’. They had seen water lilies, and we had taught them at Sunday School that when the water lilies close that symbolises Jesus’s death, and then when they open again that represents Jesus coming back to life.”

“We definitely see that God has given her a heart for the lost, and God is equipping her to tell others about Jesus. But we also see God equipping the other children with the ability to hear about Jesus and understand who he is.”

Sam Webster (8)—Namibia

Olivia Webster shares: “Our local dentist has a blackboard, and sometimes there are Bible verse references about treating people well and people being valuable. But last week I looked over and Sam had written this memory verse (Romans 6:23) on the board!”

Joshua (10), and Caleb (6)—Philippines

Howard and Michelle share: “Both of us try to be there when dropping Joshua and Caleb at school at 7 am every morning and then also when picking them up at 4:30 pm. People are naturally curious as to why we have our kids in a local government school, why we don’t drive a big 4WD like other foreigners, and why Howard starts a conversation in Tagalog. Our kids give us opportunity to speak.”

Even when they’re just focusing on growing up, God uses the lives of children to further his kingdom. See two other reflections on this topic from older MKs—Rebekah Beer (16) in the Northern Territory, and Noah Gillham (21),  who returned several years ago from Namibia.