Cambodia Youth Ministry Appeal
"If you want to shape a person's life - whether you are most concerned about his or her moral, spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional or economic development - it is during these crucial eight years [from 5 to 12 years old] that lifelong habits, values, beliefs and attitudes are formed."
George Barna, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions.
Can you think of those individuals who helped shape your faith, or the faith of your children or grandchildren, during childhood?
Perhaps you can still remember the songs you sung, or the Bible verses you learnt, or pictures from the Bible stories you read?
These early years are such a valuable time for a child to start learning about Jesus.
In Cambodia children under the age of 15 make up over 32% of the entire population. Although the rule of the Khmer Rouge may be more than thirty years ago, the consequences of such a harrowing period of history continue to affect the generations of today.
These younger generations have been deeply impacted by poverty, lack of education and the loss of family members. Children are being brought up largely ignored by adults who are not able to spend time with them and can’t afford to send them to school. Instead, children stay at home taking care of siblings and doing housework. This lack of education deprives the children of not just guidance and teaching, but also of hope for their future.
TWR-Cambodia has been responding to this desperate need through its weekly programme Happy Children’s Garden (HCG). This area of ministry goes far beyond that of a simple radio show; God’s Word is being proclaimed to the young in a way they can understand.
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