ATLANTA (ABP) — Elaine Childs, one of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s field personnel in Cakovec, Croatia, likes to think of her work in Roma villages as analogous to lace making, a well-known Croatian trade since the 15th century.
“Most of life’s achievements come about because we make one tiny stitch at a time, and eventually something complete comes out of it,” Childs said.
Childs is in Croatia representing her home church, First Baptist Church of Knoxville, Tenn., which has a strategic partnership with the Croatian Baptist Union to support the work of the pastoral center in Cakovec. The center provides seminary extension textbooks and classes for Baptist pastors and church members enrolled at the Baptist Institute of Croatia.
 Elaine Childs conducts Bible clubs for children in Roma villages. (CBF photo) |
During the two-hour clubs, children sing songs, hear a Bible story, play a quiz or game, watch a puppet show and learn a scripture verse.
Sometimes, adults attend the clubs and stand in the back of the host home, listening to the Bible stories. At one of the sessions just prior to Christmas, an uncle of one of the children stayed around to hear Childs tell of the journey of the wise men to see Jesus.
“[After I told] the story, he [said] that he used to be afraid to go out alone at night, but isn’t anymore,” Childs said. “He said, ‘Now I just remember that God is with me.’ I think he’s wonderful evidence of how God works miracles in peoples’ lives one step at a time.”
When Childs first arrived in Croatia last July, the children’s clubs were held twice a day for five days in seven different locations. In the fall, Childs and Horvat resumed clubs in four villages — Kursanec, Pribislavec, Sitnice and Orehovica — and are currently holding sessions about once weekly in each location. Continuing the clubs is important, Childs said, especially for the 27 children who made a profession of faith during the summer.
“These kids choose to use their free time on the weekends to listen to Bible stories. They have such a desire for the word of God,” said Childs. “Looking into their faces, I [am] amazed by how much they want to know.”
According to Childs, there is a real need for continued Christian education and discipleship for young people once they are too old to attend the children’s clubs.
“The church teenagers don’t have what we would think of as a youth group where they can discuss issues with each other,” she said.
In November, Childs began hosting a Bible study for young people in her flat. She is leading a small group of girls through Old Testament wisdom literature, beginning with the book of Job. She hopes that out of this small group study, she will be able to identify a core group of youth who would be interested in regular Sunday worship services.
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Laurie Entrekin writes for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship communications.