I had one of those unexpected heartwarming moments this week. A few days ago my friend Leslee, our Children’s Ministry Associate, stopped by my office to share something that happened during our Vacation Bible School in June. Every year we select one of our international partners to be the recipient of our VBS offering. This year we chose the Imparting Smiles orphanage in Cambodia. My key responsibility during VBS is to share a daily word about the recipient of our offering in order to motivate our kids to give to the cause. Because I knew that I would be away on sabbatical during VBS, I had pre-taped my daily talks while I was in Cambodia late last year. These short videos were a great way to help our kids understand what life is like for kids at the Imparting Smiles orphanage.
Charlize Reyes, one of the younger grade school kids in attendance at VBS, became especially concerned that kids in Cambodia do not have Bibles. So, she decided to do something practical in order to help. Charlize decided to write a Bible story every day and put it in the offering plate as her special offering to God. These stories ended up in Leslee’s office and when I returned home from India, Leslee brought the stories to me. To say that I was impressed would be an understatement. In simple (and phonetically-spelled) words, Charlize had paraphrased six of her favorite Bible stories in the hope that they would make their way to the kids in Cambodia who do not have a Bible. Here is just one of her stories told in the language of a child entering third grade:
Jonah was a profit of God. A profit is something that helps pepole learn about God. Well God wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah disobeyed God so he ran away on a boat. When Jonah got on that boat he was sleeping. While the storm was going on the captain said “Wack up Jonah.” And Jonah said back “If you throw me outside the sea the storm will stop.” They said “ok” so they throw him out into the sea then a few seconds “Gulp!” A big fish swolld him then Jonah prayed inside of the fish and God anserw the prayer so it threw up. Then Jonah went to Nineveh then he told about God. This is about you can run but can’t hide. Please Lord let us follow God.
I am so proud of Charlize. She learned about a need and found a way to do something to help meet that need. She did not tell her parents what she was doing, she just quietly wrote out her Bible stories (some with illustrations) and quietly placed them in the offering plate in the hope that they would help kids in Cambodia who do not have Bibles. I am headed to Cambodia in September and I am going to deliver Charlize’s stories to the kids at the Imparting Smiles orphanage. I know that the kids there will be encouraged to know that a child their age who lives in America cared enough to do something to help them.
What Charlize did reminds me of one of my favorite Mother Teresa quotes, “In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.” It’s so easy for us to tune out or to overlook the need around us or to talk ourselves out of doing anything to meet the needs of others or to give a dollar and walk away. Charlize did not do any of that. Instead, she chose to quietly do something to help — something that required a thoughtful investment of time. She never questioned whether her handwritten Bible stories would reach the kids in Cambodia. With the confidence of a child mailing a letter to the North Pole, Charlize placed her stories in the offering plate and, by so doing, unwittingly gave a precious gift to the kids in Cambodia. Thank you, Charlize, for your thoughtful and special offering.
Go Beyond 
Omar, this was very touching and what made it more special was that I know Charlize, she was in a 3-4 year old class that I was one of the teachers for. It is so good to get followups.
By: Gilpen Gray on July 20, 2012
at 7:33 AM
It’s great to see how our parents and teachers are working together to fulfill our purpose statement of “Loving God, Loving people, and equipping the generations one home at a time.” Thanks for investing in Charlize’s life as one of her teachers.
By: Omar C. Garcia on July 20, 2012
at 7:51 AM
Love to see the wisdom of children. I long for the day we all have such childlike faith. I praise God for the warriors He is raising in our world.
By: Sharon Albritton on July 20, 2012
at 8:08 AM
Amen. Good word.
By: Omar C. Garcia on July 20, 2012
at 8:13 AM
LOVE it! 🙂
I wonder if one of her story’s happens to be on the list we are teaching in Cambodia?
By: Mary Quin on July 20, 2012
at 8:29 AM
Yes, I believe that one or two of her stories are on our list for Cambodia.
By: Omar C. Garcia on July 20, 2012
at 9:08 AM
aww… so sweet. I love her heart!!!
By: Tracey Simmons on July 20, 2012
at 10:53 AM
Indeed a sweet little girl.
By: Omar C. Garcia on July 20, 2012
at 11:20 AM
Thanks for sharing that. She will touch many adult hearts as well as those children she wrote them for in Cambodia.
By: Carla Redhair on July 20, 2012
at 11:36 AM
Amen. Her sweet act of kindness will surely have a far reach.
By: Omar C. Garcia on July 20, 2012
at 12:43 PM
A child with great faith. We can all use and learn from her simple quiet faith in our everyday adult life. Thank you for sharing this one story with us.
By: Sterling888@aol.com on July 20, 2012
at 8:44 PM
Amen, Sterling. Even as adults we can indeed learn from the good example set by a child like Charlize.
By: Omar C. Garcia on July 20, 2012
at 10:07 PM
Thank you Omar for your kind words and sharing Charlize’s simple act of obedience to a stirring in her heart. As her parents it brings tears of JOY to know she is following her GOD and owning her own faith. Thank you Kingsland for helping us teach her the good news, and may she continue to do what Alex prayed over her on her baby dedication, “May she be a courageous and God fearing woman to her generation!”
By: elias reyes on July 21, 2012
at 9:49 PM
You’re welcome. Her story really touched and encouraged my heart. I truly believe that God is going to do great things through her life. You have every reason to be both proud of Charlize and encouraged by her tender heart for the purposes of God.
By: Omar C. Garcia on July 21, 2012
at 9:58 PM
Thank you for sharing my niece’s efforts; she has inspired her cousin to write stories also. I have shared this post with my blog readers, so even more people can learn from a child’s example. You can see my post at http://tercets.blogspot.com/2012/07/children-with-faith.html
By: Elisa on July 22, 2012
at 9:38 PM
Thanks for passing the link along to your readers, Elisa. Hopefully others will be inspired by Charlize’s story.
By: Omar C. Garcia on July 22, 2012
at 9:46 PM
What a beautiful little girl! Making such a huge impact at such an early age. Excited to see what she has in store for later in life! With a heart like hers I have the feeling it will be amazing!
By: Valerie Wallace on August 2, 2012
at 7:28 AM
Amen, Valerie. I agree that this young lady will have an impact for the kingdom in years to come.
By: Omar C. Garcia on August 2, 2012
at 8:46 AM