A pre-school program to benefit the children of Budila, to give education, guidance and hope.
Whenever we would go to the village for various reasons, our cars would be surrounded by children and adults waving, asking for things and longing to be near us. It was obvious that in the village there was a lack of supervision and guidance for the young people there, who literally spend their days roaming the streets. Once we began our Teenage Mentor program it became even more apparent that the children of this community needed to start their education as early as possible; since at home, their family often does not have the knowledge or tools to direct their steps. In order to prepare the children for a better future, this program seeks to be the guidance they are lacking.
The Program
Each week children ages 3 – 7 come for a two hour program at our Schoolhouse in Budila. The curriculum aims to teach the children about the Bible, hygiene, proper manners and behavior. The structure of the day is as follows:
- Playtime
- Mini-lesson on hygiene, manners, etc
- Snack
- Bible Story
- Craft Activity or Game
What one would expect a child to learn at home, the simplest of concepts for children like washing hands, sitting still and listening, or interacting and respecting one another, are mostly all new for these children.
Kids Club
Steffi Vogel
PROJECT COORDINATOR
While working in the hospital, we met a lot of babies and children from Budila and fell in love with them. We were so thrilled to be able to start our first Kids Club group in 2012 as many of the children in the program were the babies we had held in the hospital. Things have progressed over time and we have now seen many of our Kids Club kids graduate into our After School Program, where they are thriving.
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Having a preschool teacher education, I learned all about the importance of early education. It is beautiful to see the children learn basic hygiene skills like ‘using a toilet’ and washing their hands, while also preparing for school by learning how to use a pencil and recite the alphabet. But the most important part of Kids Club is that we are planting the seed of the gospel in their hearts. I often tear up when I watch the kids sing, from the bottom of the hearts, songs like ‘Jesus loves me’ or ‘ I have a small heart and I give it to Jesus’ while I play the guitar. No matter if they truly understand what they are singing or not, it plants a seed and I know these children are loved.
How This Program Makes a Difference.
The beauty of kids however is that their minds are so receptive to learning and experiencing new things. In the short time that we have had this program, beginning in December 2012, we have already seen much growth.