Let the Little Children Come

I’m sure I won’t have time to blog everyday, but I want to write this story while it is fresh on my mind. Today we went to our church here in the village of Gwembe. Because of our work as church planters, we often find ourselves in a different church each week. However, the Gwembe church has a special place in our hearts because we consider it our “home” church. When we arrived at church, the people were gathering. We went in and took our usual desk in the front of the room off to the side near the door. You might be wondering about the desk—we meet in a school.

A few adults arrived and then in walked the children with their bright cheery faces, some dressed up in their best attire, some in dirty clothes with no shoes. They are all special, from the cleanest to the dirtiest.

Some of the children are afraid of us with our white skin; others are intrigued and want to touch us to see if the paint will come off. Two little girls, Kabunda and Machila actually fight over who is going to sit next to us. At first it was just Kabunda sitting between Wes and me. Then in came Machila and squeezed in between us as well. Then came Machila’s cousin; Wes lifted her up on his lap. Next came Maxwell, also wanting to sit on Wes’ lap. Church began and it was obvious there was not room for two adults and three children on the bench. Wes picked up Maxwell and moved over one row to sit next to a man and his son, leaving the little girls to sit with me.

We stood to sing a song and Wes put Maxwell down. As Wes sat back down, the little girls noticed that Wes’ lap was free. First Machila climbed off the bench and went to sit with Wes. Then Kabunda, being the jealous type, climbed up on his other knee. Machila’s cousin held up her arms pleading with her eyes, “Me too!” Wes picked her up as best he could and she sort of just dangled in between the two lying on her back looking up into his eyes. I could not help but get tickled. Maxwell came to stand at his feet with another little boy, both looking up at Wes with pleading eyes. Maxwell started crying. By now everyone is looking at the situation and smiling. Oh, how I wished I had my camera.

After church Wes told me he knew the situation was distracting, but what could he do? All He could think of were the words of Jesus, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16.

Who knows, someday one of these children may look back and remember climbing onto the lap of the missionary, and as a result commit their life to following Jesus.