Are children meant to be seen but not heard? Are you listening to their needs?
Joanne Liaw and Melissa Raj had the opportunity of interviewing Beth Cheah and Nicholas Roshan Joseph, fresh graduates from St Mary’s Kids’ Church. Beth and Nicholas reflected on memorable times at Kids’ Church, their exciting transition to St Mary’s Youth Fellowship and how the church can be a more loving community to children.
Introduction
“We’re not supposed to take God for granted. There are many people who don’t know the grace of God, so we should teach them about it. We should be ready for opportunities to tell them about God.” – Beth Cheah
The Interview
Can you recall some of the memorable times you had at Kids’ Church?
Nicholas: We met some good friends at Kids’ Church and I enjoyed some of the games.
Beth: Yes, I enjoyed some of the games too.
What was the most interesting game you’ve ever played at Kids’ Church?
Beth: Throwing paper aeroplanes! Nicholas is good at making them!
Nicholas: Yes, that was fun!
That sounds interesting! Is there a lesson behind that game?
Beth: The paper aeroplane represented life. One group of kids represented Christians and the other, non-Christians. We learned that Christians may not necessarily make it further in life than others, but we’ll have an “afterlife” (Heaven) that is even better than the “before-life” (life here on earth).
Nicholas: It’s also the way you make the paper aeroplanes. There’s a science behind making a good paper aeroplane. Some aeroplanes look weird but manage to fly very well.
How has your transition from Kids’ Church to Youth Fellowship been?
Beth: It’s been very good fun at Youth Fellowship! We’ve been going through some of the passages in Matthew. I enjoy singing songs and playing games that reinforce the lessons.
Nicholas: Yes, I enjoy the songs, games, and lessons.
How do you think adults can understand and identify with children better? Because I often notice significant communication gaps between adults and children.
Beth: Adults could ask children questions and really listen to their answers. When children get into fights, they should listen to both sides of the story to find out what actually happened.
Nicholas: Some adults discipline their children the same way that they themselves were disciplined because they think that the road to success is by disciplining them in a similar way. But I think that children also need to be listened to and understood.
Personal Reflection
How can the Church be a more loving community to children? While it is pivotal for God’s Word to be taught to children, the Church needs to show the same love and understanding that God Himself has shown to sinners like us. Children need to be listened to and understood.