GOD GIVES TOYS THROUGH CHURCH TO SYRIAN KIDS
Learning to trust in God’s provision helps children in war-ravaged Syria to grow strong in faith despite the suffering around them. A special SAT-7 ARABIC report showed how one Syrian Sunday School is helping children to depend on God – even when it comes to the toys they dearly cherish.
Syrian children often miss out on childhood’s simple joys because their families are struggling just to survive. In an interview with Presenter Dr Yvette Elbayadi Isaac, a Sunday school teacher from the Presbyterian Evangelical Church in Aleppo shared how the conflict has affected the children in her church. She said:
“Many of the children lost their toys when their homes were destroyed. Their parents are most concerned with providing their children with food and clothing, and toys are not on their list of essentials. But we know how much toys matter to children and bring joy to their hearts more than anything else. These kids haven’t had toys for six years now – since the war began.”
BRINGING THEIR REQUESTS TO GOD
Amal, another Sunday school teacher, explained that the little ones were encouraged to bring their desires to God and taught Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.”
“I told them, ‘If you want a toy, then ask Jesus,’” Amal said. “We held our hands together, and each one of us asked the Lord for toys.” She explained that this lesson was inspired by an episode from her own childhood, saying:
“When I was nine years old, I had an old toy. I wanted a new one, but I couldn’t ask my father because he provided us with basics like food and clothing. I prayed to the Lord during Sunday school, asking for a toy. We had relatives coming over from Russia for a visit, and they brought me a toy. I felt it was the toy that Jesus sent me. The Lord not only provides children with essentials but also sends them toys to make them happy.”
PROVISION BEYOND EXPECTATION
“The children had specific toys in their minds that they requested from the Lord,” said Amal.
“Three months later, the Lord sent them the toys.”
God’s amazing provision through donations surprised even the teachers. They were able to bring the children their toys more quickly than they expected, and also to buy more toys than they had imagined. They bought so many that the owner of the toy shop was amazed, thinking that the teachers must be planning to sell the toys on.
Receiving their longed-for new toys, the Sunday school children recognised God’s goodness. “I asked the Lord for a train, and He sent me one!” said one child. Another said, “I asked the Lord for a baby doll, and I got it.”
God provided enough toys that there were even some left over. One of the teachers explained:
“We will give the rest of the toys to needy children because we want to give them the message that even during war, the Lord is with His children.”