Religious Education

Last week was AMAZING. I got to experience something like nothing else. Something that challenged me, and re-affirmed my presence here.

I went into the classroom.

The West Bridgford School is a secondary school in the area that has opened its doors to the Fittros (CMF missionaries I'm working with) since they moved here about 5 years ago. WBS is where we host our after-school club on Thursdays, and where we will soon be hosting a lunch-time club once every other week. But this last week, my teammates and I were invited into their Religious Education classes.

Religious Education (known simply as "R.E.") is a standard course taken by all students in the public system which stresses knowledge about major world religions. They teach different aspects of religion (existence of God, forgiveness, life-after-death...) during different years of school. The section they were on this week was prayer. My team was invited into the class to give the Christian perspective. It was sort of strange at first, feeling like a caged animal at a zoo having people watch me carefully, poking around to study my reactions. I eventually got used to the stares, and tried to forget the knot of nerves welling up in my stomach, praying that I wouldn't be asked any question too difficult...or that I would answer a question in the wrong way!

Overall, the experience was wonderful. In one class, I was placed alone in a small group of about 11 13-year old students. They were told to interview me, and ask questions pertaining to reasons why many people don't believe in prayer. The kids were great - I got a few questions like "How amazing is it to live in Florida?" Then they asked the usual questions like: "How do you pray?" "Why do you pray?" "What can you pray for?" "How long do you pray?" "Where do you pray?" and then got into more difficult questions such as: "What if God doesn't answer your prayer?" and "Do you ever talk to God out of anger?" I was honored and delighted to answer all of their questions! As per my teammate David Fittro's advice, I tried to keep my answers as real, open, and honest as possible. I wanted to show those kids that God is a personal God. He isn't only my Creator, but He is also my friend, and having the chance to talk to Him is a HUGE part of my daily life. The kids in my group were literally shocked when I explained to them that prayer doesn't have to be this huge formal event (hands folded, head bowed, eyes closed, while reciting a memorized incantation), but that prayer can be anywhere, anytime, and about anything. I tried to compare prayer to the way we get to know our best friends, and how we learn more about people and grow closer to them the more we keep our communication lines open.

The kids in this culture are so far removed from Christianity. Most of the kids I've met in the schools don't just NOT go to church themselves, but they literally don't know anyone who does. Anyone they may come across in life that does go to church doesn't take it so seriously to the point that it effects the way they live their lives. When the Religious Education teacher asked the kids "Do you think prayer is important in the lives of Christians?" one kid raised his hand and said "I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't such a big deal to them."

I'm so glad to be a part of something that can help change the perception of Christians in the lives of some pretty amazing kids. Please pray for the team here as we continue to venture into places far removed from the empty Church buildings to be a light.