ministering in
italy

what is...

Next Gen Ministry

This ministry focuses on reaching the next generation for Christ, and we do so in a variety of ways:

• Summer Camps – where children can come and sing, dance, participate in fun and engaging Bible lessons and activities, and share a meal together

• Park Outreaches – where we join with the local church and go out into the parks in the community and share a Bible lesson, games, songs, and stories with children and their mothers every month

• Church Outreach Opportunities – held during different seasons of the year. Some of these have included Back to School, Halloween, and Christmas time. We see girls of all ages and their mothers (who do not attend a local church) join us for these events. Many of them are immigrants, many struggle with poverty, and many families are living paycheck to paycheck.

lives changed

During one of the Halloween outreach events, we were sharing about how Jesus is the light of the world. We had played games, shared a snack, sang some fun songs and we invited the kids and their parents to sit down for the lesson time.

We shared the Bible story and taught about how Jesus came to save us all and how he loves us. We turned the lights off and gave each child a clear container with a flower and lights inside. During this time we asked them to sit quietly and listen.

One little girl started to cry. When we sat by her and asked if she was OK, she shared that she didn't know why she was crying. She said that she knew Jesus loves her and that she was happy but felt something in her heart.

We were able to sit with her, pray with her, and share that the Holy Spirit was speaking to her heart. It was such a wonderful moment! Seeing the joy in her eyes and hearing her little voice share about how she was experiencing Jesus was such a special moment.

Story by Kimberlea Grey