BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)–Meet Molly, a brightly smiling little girl in a yellow shirt and red capri pants ready to help children learn more about what happens on church missions trips.
She is featured in “Molly’s Adventures in Missions” by Joye Smith, national preschool consultant for Woman’s Missionary Union.
Molly can help with any church’s missions trip — from the planning stages to their time on the mission field.
Preschool and children’s leaders as well as parents can use the book beforehand “to help children know about the work of missions teams and how we can help them by praying, collecting items needed or learning about the place where the missions team will serve,” Smith said.
But the book also provides “a way for church missions teams to share their work with preschoolers,” Smith said, explaining: “There is a cut-out of Molly at the back of the book for missions teams to take with them on missions trips. They can take photos of Molly with team members while doing ministry activities.”
Smith’s book has an added “technological twist” — a website where missions teams can upload their photos (www.missionfriends.com/molly).
“This gives the missions team a way of sharing with preschoolers the work they have done on the missions trip … [and] gives an opening for preschoolers to learn of ways their own church shares God’s love in their community and around the world,” Smith said. “[The] children can then make a scrapbook or write stories about Molly’s adventures.”
Smith underscored the benefits of taking time to read with youngsters. “Even though preschoolers and children are becoming more techno-savvy, they still enjoy holding a book to read,” Smith said. “They enjoy having a parent or teacher read to them. Church leaders can use the book with a group of preschoolers or place it in their book area of the classroom.”
Smith has authored two previous books, “How to Involve Preschoolers in Missions” and “What Does It Mean to Be Poor?”
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Stephanie J. Blackmon writes for Woman’s Missionary Union. For more information or to order “Molly’s Adventures in Missions,” visit www.wmustore.com.
