Samaritan's Purse teams are leading Bible classes for boys and girls in several migrant communities to remind them that God loves them and has not forgotten them.
Four brothers migrated from Venezuela to Colombia with their mother three years ago in search of better living conditions. They were among many Venezuelans fleeing their homeland as it experienced an economic crisis, making food and medicine hard to come by.
The family settled in Bucaramanga, located in northern Colombia, where migrants have built makeshift structures out of wood and plastic, making rainy days particularly challenging. Since the brothers’ home isn’t waterproof, what belongings they have frequently get wet.
Despite these challenges, the brothers–Solmary, 13; Alejandro, 8; Uriel, 5; Babi, 3–haven’t missed a class in the Samaritan’s Purse children’s education program because they want to learn more about God.
Boys and girls in Cúcuta hear the Gospel at a class held at a local church.
Teams teach Bible lessons to Venezuelan migrant children, ages 4-17, three times a week. The children learn about Biblical topics, such as God’s character, salvation, prayer, and worship, as well as how to demonstrate kindness, respect, and a spirit of generosity toward others. We also provide human trafficking prevention guidance.
Many of the older children attend school in the area, but our teachers are helping some of the younger ones learn how to read and write as they study the Bible.
It isn’t unusual for children to arrive to class sad and withdrawn, downtrodden by the daily struggles their families may be experiencing. They may be hungry from not having enough food to eat, said Diego Paez, a Samaritan’s Purse ministry coordinator in Bucaramanga.
To combat this, we provide a snack at each class, give them a hug, and tell them how much God loves them. By the end of class, their outlook often has transformed, he said. They are smiling, singing songs, and doing crafts–enjoying time set aside to just be a kid.
Several of the children have prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior, Paez said.
Samaritan’s Purse team members help the children understand Bible lessons and how to apply them to their lives.
Singing a New Song to the Lord
In Cucuta, Colombia, near the border with Venezuela, Samaritan’s Purse is developing a similar children’s ministry in three communities.
Ruben, 10, and his brother attend the class at a local church. As an aspiring musician, Ruben loves to watch his teacher play the guitar during worship songs. The lessons about God have inspired him to put Psalm 104:24 to song: “O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all.”
“I feel a connection to God when I am here,” Ruben said about the classes.
Some of the students have written letters of appreciation to their teachers, expressing how much the classes have meant to them.
Children in Bucaramanga participate in arts and crafts as part of the ministry program.
“It is amazing to see the children’s enthusiasm to participate in each activity–they really enjoy the singing, the games, and the teachings,” said Martha Chinchilla, a staff member who serves in our Christian education ministry program. “They are also encouraged to learn Bible verses and recite them the following week.”
“The children express a new desire to pray and sing to God,” she said. “They also express more interest in knowing the Word of God. They ask to be given Bibles, and they receive them with great joy.”
