Mothers who disciple
CMS missionary M is serving in the Middle East. One of her joys is meeting with, supporting, and discipling local women in their homes. Here, she shares what it looks like for these women to model Christlikeness and disciple their children amid weariness, fear, and intense persecution.
“We need to be patient, and keep encouraging women like these to teach their children what they have learnt and believe themselves.”
Celebrating Christ’s birth with a party!
There was no mistaking what was in the box. As soon as the door cracked open, squeals erupted. The big reveal was certainly worth the anticipation, as a giant chocolate Nutella cake topped with Maltesers was lifted out of the box.
It was time to celebrate the birthday of Jesus, and that could not be done without a spectacular party cake.
Amid the natural chaos of eight excited children, my co-worker C took the two mothers aside into one room, whilst I took the children into another. We had to prepare for the party. The mothers were coached on how to share the Christmas story, and the children were taught the actions to accompany it.
With the lights dimmed, we gathered into a small room as these two women described the coming of the wise men, the fear of the shepherds, and the awe of a young mother holding her baby. As guests to this party, C and I became part of the audience, sitting between the children, and encouraging them to listen as their mothers took the lead sharing the story of Jesus’ birth. The kids chimed in throughout the story, waiting for the cues to hold up their various props.
Soon, it was time to light the candles and sing Jesus his ‘Happy Birthday’ song. The cheers went up, the cake was cut, and the room soon fell silent as each child ploughed their way through a generous serving of chocolate cake.
A game of Jenga
This is discipleship at its best.
These two mothers are sisters-in-law and raise their children in the same house. Their children often witness them being beaten, but they also know that their mothers secretly follow Jesus. Yet most of the time, these women are too weary to teach their children about Jesus.
We would love to see more parents witnessing to their children, but we know that the road of discipleship with Muslim background believers is long. We need to be patient, and keep encouraging women like these to teach their children what they have learnt and believe themselves.
In the Middle East, a mother’s role is to pass on the foundations of faith to her children. However, when these women come to know Jesus, many won’t pass their newfound faith onto their children. For some, fear not only stifles personal spiritual growth, but also prevents them from modelling Christ-honouring habits to their family.
Yet before we are quick to judge, we must remember that the full flow of culture, society and schooling is towards Islam. It is hard for these fragile followers to stand apart and hold their ground. For them, discipleship feels like an uphill battle. So from the outset, we seek to encourage new believers to share the gospel with their children amid the chaos and the clamour of a normal day.
These days, we take a bag of toys with us on all our visits. We begin our time by playing with the children, encouraging them to take turns, and modelling attentiveness, praise, and consistent boundaries.
Sometimes, discipleship just looks like a game of Jenga whilst sharing a Bible story.
PRAY
Give thanks for M and C’s opportunities to teach these women the gospel story, and pray that women who follow Jesus will capture the vision of discipling their own children.
