International (MNN) — Every child has a unique experience in life that the Gospel finds its gentle way into. And when believers take a personal approach to their communities, more kids learn about the Savior early in life.
Eric Mock from Slavic Gospel Association says that’s the heart behind their Christmas Immanuel’s Child Outreach.
“We’re hoping to be able to help more than 80,000 kids that have never heard the Gospel come to a church and hear the hope that we have in Christ,” says Mock.
(Photo courtesy of SGA)
Mock says these children live across thirteen countries, each with very different cultures and living conditions.
“What the kids get in Central Asia may be different than above the Arctic Circle, where frozen fish is a good thing compared to what it is in Ukraine,” he explains. The kids in Tajikistan will have a celebration involving camels, while the far east of Russia, where kids believe in Father Frost, will have a much different experience.
Many of these kids could not imagine receiving a Christmas gift at all. Since many of their families are making the bare minimum they could not afford to spend extra. Now they receive both the gift and the Christmas message to carry through life!
Local approach
The local Christians know their communities and prayerfully prepare a celebration that will help children understand the love of Christ best. SGA gets to help these churches reach their own by providing the resources collected from the West throughout the months of preparation.
(Photo courtesy of SGA)
“All these different programs are as God has equipped their churches and as God leads them,” says Mock.
Mock explains, “It’s really important that we serve the local church as they reach people in their culture, and they’re purchasing gifts locally, which helps the local economy, which stimulates the relationship of the church in its local village, and then they’re able to multiply to reach even more kids than we sent funds to do.”
Children also receive paper stars with the name of a donor who commits to praying for them for a year. “But a lot of these kids carry around that paper star because they know there’s someone praying for them, and they remember that they matter,” adds Mock.
Pray for this outreach and for many to come to Christ. And if you want to become a part of a child’s Christmas this or next year, visit the Immanuel’s Child Outreach page of SGA.
Mock adds, “Every year, we hear of thousands of children who come to faith, and even thousands of parents who come along with them.”
Header photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association.
