Coronavirus: Turning an Obstacle Into an Opportunity

Those of us at Awana HQ have a unique vantage point. While the obstacles that have come from the coronavirus often seem overwhelming, we consistently hear from global church leaders who give us a renewed and resolute faith that God is at work. We all have an opportunity to unify His Church and to be the light of the world during this unprecedented time.

To that end, we have been working tirelessly to adjust to the changing realities of this pandemic, to be the best partner we can to the local church. Likewise, local men and women in the United States and in the 120+ countries we serve have been creating new realities for their ministries, tenaciously committed to the mission of Awana. Like us, they want to shape the church of 2050 and beyond by equipping leaders to reach kids with the Gospel and engage them in lifelong discipleship.

It’s because of leaders like you, and leaders like Carmelle Kay M. Escalante, the children’s head of Living Word I.T. Park ministry in Cebu, Philippines, that we are inspired to trust God in this challenging ministry year. Here is part of a message we recently received from Carmelle:

“After a week of praying, the Lord reminded me of the verses in Deuteronomy 6:6-9. These were God’s commands to Jewish parents to teach the Word of God to their children diligently. Indeed, it is the parents’ primary responsibility to disciple their children to love God with all their heart. So, with our senior pastor’s permission and guidance from our Children’s Ministry Core Group, we created a Facebook Group named LWIT Children’s Discipleship, with the vision ‘to strengthen the discipleship at home,’ in partnership with … parents.”

Carmelle explained that every week, they post on their Facebook group a five-day devotional with a lesson, craft, video clip, and guide to help parents teach their children. She says parents have told them they are grateful for the information.

“In the midst of this great crisis, we are still very much thankful to God for giving us this challenge that led us to ‘think outside the box,’ to serve Him more, and reach His precious little children and their families. We give all the Glory to Him who is the source of everything!”

The accustomed way of life has been shaken, and this shift has not only been felt by adults but also by children. Some children in the Philippines had an abrupt end to classes, some continue classes online, and others worry where their next meal will come from when their parents are out of work. 

We praise God for churches and individuals like Carmelle who are creatively reaching children with God’s Word, and others who are initiating relief efforts to children and families with parents who are not able to work and earn during this time.

We encourage parents and Awana leaders to pray with children and set an example that God is always with them and hears their prayers, to listen to children and ask how they are feeling, to observe their behavior, and try to create a routine to give children structure and expected rhythms throughout the day. 

During challenging times, truly the Lord is never too far from us. The message of hope that Christ gives becomes even more important, especially to children. We thank all those who generously partner, pray, and give during these trying times. May the Lord bless you in return! COVID-19 may be an invisible enemy, but we have a great God who is invincible in showing His grace, love, and compassion through His people.

Invest in this mission of resilient child discipleship and help us turn more obstacles into opportunities.