The Lessons

In preparing to go to Zambia, I was given material from which to get the Bible lessons that I would teach. This material suggested 5 lessons about what Jesus called Himself – the Bread of Life; the Good Shepherd; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the Light of the World; and the Resurrection and the Life. I taught these lessons to the children in Livingstone, in Mazabuka, and at the orphanage.

I loved teaching these children because I learned so much myself – from the children, from preparing to teach, and from the Bible.

Some challenges I faced in preparing for and teaching the lessons were that…

> I had to teach children of a totally different culture. I had to find ways to connect with them. I wanted to use examples and illustrations that they would understand.

> I had to keep the lesson pretty short. When you are teaching with and interpreter, everything takes twice as long.

> I had to get basic – I couldn’t try to explain everything.

The lesson that stood out the most comes from John 6 when Jesus said “Ndime insima yabuumi” (“I am the bread of life"). The lesson was about Jesus feeding the 5,000. After Jesus fed the multitude of people, that night He crossed the sea over to Capernaum. The next morning the people realized Jesus was gone and followed Him across the sea. When they found Jesus, He told them that they followed Him just because they wanted to get fed again. I thought of the children I was teaching. We were asked by them if we would give them something. And these children were hungry. But we were there to share the Bread of Life with them. And while we need to help meet physical needs, we need to remember what will truly satisfy their spiritual needs – Jesus Christ. That’s why Jesus came – to give spiritual nourishment. He is the Bread of Life.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal.” Then they said to Him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom he has sent."

John 6:26-29

 Please pray that these children would find satisfaction in the Bread of Life.