Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
God’s Word teaches us that children are a gift from heaven (Psalm 127:3). As such, we have a solemn responsibility to train them in the way of the Lord. In Jamaica, our partners take this directive very seriously. Feed the Hunger is feeding about 900 children every day in Jamaica, and a great majority of them are three to six years old.
There is a surprising and perhaps startling fact you probably didn’t know about this Caribbean island: Jamaica has more churches per square kilometer than any other nation in the world. Yet, nine out of ten children are born into fatherless homes.
Our partners there have come to the conclusion that the Jamaican church has failed to properly train the youth under their care. So to remedy this, every church within this indigenous denomination has a “basic” school as part of their ministry. (A basic school is one that educates children ages three to six.) While some of the partnering churches provide schooling for children older than six, all have this basic component.
So beginning at the tender age of three, these children are given a structured environment where they can learn the fundamentals of mathematics, English, and history, as well as receive a daily dose of teaching from God’s Word on issues of faith, morality, responsibility, character, and so much more!
Visiting these programs is so much fun, as these children barely come up above our knees in height, but they seem like giants when they are reciting Scriptures like these:
- Psalm 118:24—This is the day that the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
- Colossians 3:20—Children, obey your parents in all things.
- Romans 10:13—Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
- Philippians 4:13—I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
How exciting it will be as this generation of biblically grounded children become the leaders of a future Jamaica! Whether they become leaders in industry, education, government, or the church, these “trained-up” children will make an impact—an eternal impact—on the future of Jamaica.
Note: This coming Wednesday, a group of seven from the US will be traveling to Jamaica to visit the schools and interact with the children there. We will take part in classroom activities and help serve food while we’re there. We hope to be found faithful in encouraging the teachers we meet, to be a reflection of Jesus to all those we encounter, and we hope that His Spirit speaks to us through the children. Most of all, may His name be glorified in the process! Please pray for this mission experience and follow along with us through updates on Feed the Hunger’s Facebook page.
Jim Gurley | Director of Development
