Compassion's South Korea director, Dr. Justin Suh, and members of his board of directors were visiting our work in Ecuador and arrived at a certain project one evening. They were scheduled to see the program the next morning.
"We are so grateful for your visit to us," the pastor said when they climbed out of the minibus. "But I'm so very sorry to inform you that tomorrow will not be a typical day at our project. I know you want to meet the children and see what we are trying to do for them in this desperate community, but..." At this, the man's throat began to tighten. "The children will not be gathering as usual tomorrow. Instead, we will have a funeral."
He took a deep breath before continuing. "Two of our little boys, brothers, were crossing the busy street to come to the project yesterday and were struck by a huge truck. The eight-year-old was severely injured and is in intensive care at the city hospital. But the little six-year-old was crushed and died in the dirty street. He was a wonderful little boy. We are all brokenhearted."
Justin Suh replied, "Oh, my brother, we are so very sorry."
The pastor wiped a tear and continued, "In our culture, children do not generally attend funerals, especially tragic ones like this. So I'm afraid you will not see among us what you came so far to see."
The South Korean leaders conferred and then offered, "Would it be all right if we came anyway, sat with your congregation, and just grieved with our Ecuadorian brothers and sisters in their great loss? We know something of such great sorrow in our own land."
The next morning when the Korean delegation arrived at the little church, the sanctuary was filled to capacity. To their surprise, some sixty of the mourners sitting on the coarse wooden benches were children. The pastor met visitors at the door and just shrugged his shoulders; he had no explanation for why so many children had shown up for a funeral.
While waiting for the service to begin, our national staff members began to move among the children, quietly talking with them in Spanish. Eventually Justin and his group heard the report. Child after child had said, "He was my friend. He is the one who told me of Jesus' love. He helped me invite Jesus into my heart. I'm sad, but I've come today to send him to his heavenly home."
This little Ecuadorian child had led over fifty of his friends to Jesus! His life's work was gloriously accomplished by the tender age of six. God needed a great evangelist for that village. He needed a child.
I have been so incredibly touched by this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in going into ministry, even if you don't think you want to serve children. This book will change your outlook on how children can be a part of the church TODAY.
