God desires His children to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Yet many children around the world still lack access to education. And even when schooling is available, the “ABCs” need to be taught in playful, personal ways that fit each child’s context.

During this day, people are encouraged to take part in “a Minute of Loudness” to highlight what matters most to kids. For TeachBeyond, that focus is education.

Children play (Photo courtesy of Burcu via Unsplash)

David Durance explains, “If we have God’s ear for His world, we’re going to hear the cry of those that are being ignored by the rest of society.”

Children who are often ignored are those born into war, poverty, crisis, or asylum. Many of them cannot keep up with regular school. Stress and the constant struggle for family survival leave them unable to focus. Survival — and sometimes the need to find work — becomes their priority instead of personal growth.

Durance adds, “There are tens and even hundreds of millions of children that live in very hard situations.”

Without education, many remain trapped in generational poverty. The Great Commission calls believers to step in and help break this cycle with Christ’s healing and hope.

“We have to intervene and be a part of that solution in those kinds of communities,” encourages Durance.

Malnourished children in Idlib, Syria.
(Photo courtesy of Ahmed Akacha/Pexels)

One solution is trauma-informed education. Durance explains, “We really want to address the issues they faced in childhood and be part of the solution that brings long-term healing for these kids.”

Another key aspect highlighted by World Children’s Day is every child’s right to play. Durance recalls seeing how play strengthens the learning process:

“Play, interestingly enough, helps us not only enjoy the moment but also process the things that have been difficult. It’s amazing how God uses play to do that.”

TeachBeyond uses strategies like Open Schools Worldwide and Beyond Borders. These programs are designed for children who have no access to schooling.

Pray that transformative education will accomplish God’s will around the world. See how God is changing lives through transformative learning at TeachBeyond.

“We are providing education that introduces, ultimately, the hope of the Gospel,” says Durance.

Header photo: Children playing in the old tank, Kabul (photo courtesy of M.A Sarwari via Unplash).

(Photo by SOAR International)

Russia (MNN) — The Christmas season isn’t quite over yet, at least not in Russia. The traditional Christmas in Russia takes place tomorrow, January 7.

SOAR International will be there to distribute stockings to orphans and at-risk children. If you missed the news about Stuff a Stocking, read up about it here and plan for next year. It’s an opportunity to provide children with necessities and the very necessary message of Jesus Christ.

The SOAR team is about to land in Moscow and begin distribution with their ministry partners in Russia.

One of their main partners who will host them during this trip addresses a wide range of needs in a region southeast of Moscow.

Greg Mangione of SOAR International says, “Along with visiting all the orphanages and ministering to them in their area, they also have a transition home where they have graduates from the orphanage come through.”

The home provides important guidance to children who have aged out of an orphanage. Mangione says, “At any given time, they probably have 8-12 16-18-year-olds that they’re working with, to help them reintegrate into society, mentoring them, discipling them, helping them get training.”

Some things the home needs to stay in operation are beds, kitchen equipment, and food.

We’ve all gone through stages where we don’t know what to do next with our life. Often, all we need is a little encouragement and a nudge to make good decisions, and someone to guide us away from bad ones. It’s the very same for these orphans as they leave the orphanages.

“The statistics for children, especially those that have been in the orphanage system in Russia, are pretty bleak,” says Mangione. “And so it’s encouraging to us to see and to partner with churches that are trying to address the needs of at-risk children and children in the orphanage system in Russia–trying to turn those statistics around.”

He continues, “Transition Homes, for instance, are doing just that. Their statistics are 180 degrees opposite. The kids are accepting the Lord and becoming disciples, believers, building families, getting good jobs.”

SOAR hopes to be an encouragement and support while they stay with this ministry.

Still seeing God’s hand in Sochi

During the second half of the trip, a small group from SOAR will travel to Sochi. Last February during the Winter Olympics, SOAR established relationships with several churches in the area. When they visited them this past August, SOAR was pleased to hear that their enthusiasm to reach the community was still intact and encouraged. Their passion for building relationships with children and families nearby was obvious.

One church connects with their community by letting children play on their trampoline. Simple activities like this keep children from getting into trouble on the streets and provide an opportunity to teach them about Jesus.

This trampoline is now unusable. Can you help them get a new one? (Photo courtesy of SOAR International via Facebook)

However, this trampoline has been damaged beyond repair, and they are in need of a new one. The church would also like to purchase an Xbox.  want to bring kids from the community into a healthy, nurturing environment.

Mangione says it’s encouraging to see the children’s parents allow their kids to hang out at the church–a place where they are loved and accepted.

He says, “The broader consequences of this ministry are that more than just these kids, but those that are working with these kids–providing them homes, whether it’s their parents or other family members–are seeing that the church is reaching out to these kids and loving them. That is a pretty big testimony in and of itself.”

If you would like to contribute to provide any of the items listed above, there is still time for them to be purchased in Russia while the SOAR team is there on the ground.

You can view their Christmas catalog here and see the items mentioned under “Donate towards Ministry Partner Needs!” Or click here and designate a monetary gift for any of the projects you feel called to help with.

Mangione asks for prayer for safety and effective, encouraging ministry. Please pray that God would meet the needs of SOAR and their partners.

Even though those passions aren't as commonly linked to missions as church planters or translators, there's still a need for you on the field.

"All of us are gifted uniquely and we all have a responsibility–an opportunity but also a responsibility–to play a part in a bigger picture," states Ashley Fryar with The Mission Society.

Missionaries can't be all things to all the people they serve. When missionaries are sent to the field, they often encounter overwhelming community-wide needs like clean water, education, or employment.

"It's also quite common that we see a real spiritual darkness that kind of plagues these communities," Fryar says.

While missionaries might be comfortable tackling the spiritual needs of a community, "It would be really difficult for anybody to be an expert in all of those areas."

That's where The Mission Society Global Resource Team (GRT) comes in.

"When we can all come together with our different area of expertise, and make more core, foundational changes that empower communities and empower families…we've actually done a much greater service," Fryar says.

Her specialty with the GRT is at-risk children and orphans. Fryar developed a passion for this vulnerable people group while working in Africa and South America for other mission organizations.

In 2009, Fryar felt God leading her to focus specifically on the orphan crisis in Kenya, where she co-founded and served as executive director for the Project 82 orphan ministry. She particularly saw the need for a holistic approach to missions during her time here.

A decade ago, she says, there were about 300 orphanages and children's homes in Kenya. Today, there are over 1,000 registered orphanages and children's homes.

"Statistics are showing that four out of five of those children actually have either a mother or a father living, or they have a close family member who could care for them," Fryar adds.

She says Kenyan parents send kids to the orphanage believing that the facility can provide better care for their children.

"There's a different way to do this that's really better long-term for the children," Fryar says. "But it takes all of us coming together to make those solutions reality."

Along with educating local churches and families about the benefits of permanent family care, Fryar says political leaders have to buy in, too.

"Permanent family care solutions are going to require social welfare networks, which many of these countries don't have existing today," she explains.

Pray that as GRT teams work with local believers and governmental leaders, sustainable long-term solutions would be found.

Ask the Lord how you can take part in the Great Commission.

"I would ask for prayer for people to really catch the vision, to ask themselves, 'How can they play a part, how can they contribute to that?' Then [pray for] the courage to stay in it for the long term," requests Fryar.

To learn more about how you can get involved, contact Fryar through The Mission Society.

"I'd love nothing more than to sit down and have a conversation with someone, and just hear about what they like to do, what they're good at, and help them figure out a way that they can get connected," Fryar says.

Street kids are vulnerable. Many suffer from drug addiction, hunger, lack of medical care, depression, suicidal desires, post-traumatic stress syndrome, mental illnesses, and abuse. It's for that reason that At Risk No More exists.

Their teams work to form relationships with street kids by providing a community filled with unconditional love and forgiveness. The ministry is centered on rescue, refuge, and release-based care. But there are thousands of children who need help.

At the other end of the spectrum is AMG International. Their Guatemala team works with thousands of kids, says AMG Guatemala's national director, Chad Smith. "We serve about 8000 children that live in very impoverished slum-like communities in the cities as well as in the rural areas…kids that are just chronically malnourished."

What's the difference? Experience and resources. Smith describes AMG's strengths. "The 36-year [history] –and the infrastructure and financial accountability that AMG offers working with at-risk kids in Guatemala–is a huge strength, along with our church connections. We partner with over 20 churches. We see that as an ability to offer both infrastructure and organization."

However, the staff could see they weren't reaching some of the kids who most needed their help. That's where At Risk No More came in. Smith explains, "AMG has been specifically focusing on just our population of at-risk kids. We haven't identified the street children. We haven‘t been able to develop a very robust program going out into the community and connecting with the churches."

The two ministries could see how working together would help both of them, which led to merger talks, says Smith. "The street child focus that At Risk No More has, and then as we focus in the communities where we're already at, using their strengths to identify street kids that aren't in schools, kids that are being exploited and abused, bringing them into our network of schools and programs."

That finally came into being this month, when At Risk No More and AMG International officially became part of AMG International's ministry in Guatemala.

AMG International operates in 40 countries, is EFCA-approved with proven financial excellence, and is dedicated to making disciples. AMG is a results-based ministry strategically planning, monitoring, evaluating, and learning from their work. With their focus on developing national leaders (currently over 550 in Guatemala), the two groups believe this will only strengthen their current initiatives in communities where they work.

Actually, says Smith, the idea is to work themselves out of a job. "Our long-term vision is that AMG wouldn't have to exist because the church would step up to its role in offering relationships to these children, showing them a way out of this brokenness that they have right now. "

AMG also brings 28 Christian schools, a hospital, medical & dental clinics, scholarship programs, and vocational preparation to the mix. At Risk No More's personnel bring their passion and experience serving the forgotten children of Guatemala. It's a model that can be replicated elsewhere, too. "Our vision for At Risk No More would be to eventually take this worldwide," Smith notes. "There are so many countries and so many children that are at risk. So as we develop this program, we see a day when we can bring restoration to many children and bring the hope of Jesus Christ."

If you want more details and links on AMG's work in Guatemala, check our Featured Links Section.