The Reading Post
A story of partnership involvement
The following report conveys how instrumental short-term teams can be when a church or group of churches invests in a community for an extended period of time.
The team member who wrote the following report works with nationals to set up reading programs in local communities—reading programs that meet both felt-needs and spiritual needs.
An emotional experience
"Ten of us drove to the village where the first reading post opened the last time I was here. This time, I watched as national workers did a trial run of the new reading program.
It was very emotional for me to see Alvina, the key person working on the program, explaining, modeling and having the mothers practice reading a book to their children. There were nine mothers there with their children all sitting in a small room with many more at the door. These mothers all said they had taught their children at home but none had read a story to them.
Alvina had a child come sit on her lap and read the little book with expression pointing to the words and pictures and enjoying the experience together. I didn’t understand a word but knew exactly what was happening because she was doing a lesson from the Family Reading Program. She then passed out books to all the mothers and they put a child on their lap and read to them just like Alvina had done. They were all totally engrossed in the experience.
Just imagine watching this for the first time. I will never forget it. This little group has become very special to me. There are three young women who are working very hard on the reading program and reading posts. They will take it from here."
Praise and pray
- Praise God for the local communities that are embracing reading posts.
- Pray for the formation of more U.S. church consortia to partner with national workers in order to develop relationships with local communities and incarnate the gospel.
