Getting our Kids Involved in Ministry (part 2)

Written by Melody DietrichNovember 18, 2024

Dear friends and family,

Another thing that our kids have really enjoyed recently is giving away clothes in the village. I asked Beni (the same local man that really cares about people and their needs) if he could please go with me and our kids into the village to give away clothes. I don’t know who needs the clothes the most. Who are the people who are suffering and in greatest need of clothes? Beni knows, and he said he could go with us and show us. So now we have made a weekly plan to go out into the village every Monday whenever possible. Gideon, Liliana, and Eliora go with us and enjoy this very much. When we arrive at a home Beni tells us which children need clothes. Then if it’s a boy I usually ask Gideon if he can try to find clothes that fit the boy. If it’s a girl Liliana and Eliora search for clothes that will fit in the sacks of girl clothes. I help our kids some, but after we have found something that we think will fit, our kids usually are the ones to actually give the clothes to the children. This is a very rewarding work and it helps the villagers understand that we care. We hope that they will see and experience a little bit of Jesus’ love and what He is really like.  

There are so many sad cases in the village. One family that we visited consisted of only the children. They had lost their dad to death several years ago and recently their mom had decided to leave her children and live with another man. How very sad! This left 5 orphans at home to fend for themselves, to get the food and clothes they need. Thankfully the oldest in probably around 15 and there is a big girl too, maybe around 13 or 14. This helps. But the other kids are younger. One boy is close to Gideon’s size and another boy is a little smaller. The youngest is a little girl probably about 6 years old. We were able to give all the kids some clothes except the biggest boy. These are clothes that our kids have outgrown and it’s sometimes it is a little hard for our kids to give these things away (some clothes are sentimental), but over all they are very happy and are learning the joy of giving! Gideon gave the two boys each a pair of his pants and a shirt. Liliana also gave a dress and a pair of her shoes to the little girl who didn’t have any shoes at all.  

As we walked through the village leaving clothes with the needy, many people were happy. One lady I remember was especially happy. As we arrived at her home she came out of her compound to greet us. She had a smile on her face but immediately I could tell that she was suffering because she was malnourished. Even though she was a young mother her face had many wrinkles around her mouth, when she smiled, showing a lack of healthy tone. There was her little girl, about 2 or 3 years old, close beside her. She was naked with nothing on at all. Eliora pulled out a beautiful little shirt (that fit the girl perfectly like a dress) and gave it to the girl. This was something Eliora used to wear and so she was excited to be able to give it away to this little girl. Beni helped the girl put it on over her naked body and the little girl’s mom could hardly contain herself with joy and let out a little squeal of delight! She was so happy that her little girl had a beautiful dress to wear. Liliana enjoyed giving the girl a second dress that also fit her very well. We found some pants and a long sleeve something for her to where when it’s cold too. Beni told me later that this mom had told him that she didn’t have any money to buy any clothes for her little girl. I am sure she was having a hard time because she obviously wasn’t getting enough to eat. It made us happy to help!  

There are many stories I could tell but there isn’t time to write them all. But here is one more. We visited a mother with several children. Her husband had left to Ndjemena and wasn’t around any more. She was a sad mother because one of her children had just died two weeks before. Now she had 5 children. Beni told me the littlest one had died from lack of food. She is struggling and working so very hard just to find enough food for her kids. As far as I understand it, she goes to the bush everyday to collect fire wood, then she brings it to the market and sells it, and with this money she buys food for her kids. The day that we visited, Beni showed me what she was planning on preparing for her kids, and herself, to eat that evening. It look like large avacatoes but really they were little green gourds or squash or something like that. We gave her 5 kids clothes and a few days later I sent a little bit of money with Beni to give to the lady to help her with food.  

There is so much need here and we can’t take care of everyone but Jonathan and I are very happy that our kids are able to help give away clothes. Gideon, Liliana, and Eliora are also enjoying giving away tracts at a lot of the homes we visit. And before we leave we pray with the family too. Usually Beni prays because he knows the local dialect language but Gideon and Liliana have also had the opportunity to pray.  

"It’s nice to be able to give clothes and tracks to other people. This is a very fun activity! I hope that some day I will meet these people in heaven!"

"One time when we were giving away clothes I gave away some shoes that were getting a little small on me. That girl had no shoes at all! And they fit her very well. I gave a dress away to her also. I really like giving away tracks too!"

"I like giving out clothes and tracts! It’s fun to make other people happy!"

May this news letter encourage you to get your kids involved in ministry too! It’s so rewarding! God can use our young people and even small children to do a wonderful work for Him and this will bring rewards in eternity!  

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In His service,
Jonathan, Melody, Gideon, Liliana, and Eliora Dietrich