Last February, the Nebraska District shared the story of the little missionaries from Immanuel Lutheran's Preschool in Columbus (see story below).

An update and the following photo were just received from the preschool teacher there. God has truly blessed these little missionaries from Immanuel, Columbus, and He is truly using them to tell other children around the world about Jesus!

When the children in Africa received the picture cards of Jesus, they also formed a cross on the ground with the pictures. See the picture below and the picture of the preschool children in Columbus.

Little Missionaries in Columbus
February 27, 2004

The Immanuel Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Columbus was overrun with little missionaries and their parents Friday evening, February 27.  These preschoolers spent the evening learning about the mission field in Africa and how they are a part of the new Christian schools in Kenya. 

After an opening devotion by Pastor Andy Alberts, the children enjoyed spending money in the special store, then giving the Bible story picture books, puzzles, games, and plastic crosses they purchased to be sent to Africa to help other little girls and boys learn about Jesus.  They also painted banners for the five new schools in Kenya, made an African game of Mancala to take home, looked at pictures and artifacts from Africa, and enjoyed a special banana treat. 

The teachers share how the Lord’s hand has been guiding this entire project.  For example, all three “dollar stores” in Columbus began carrying Bible story puzzles just a short time before this project started allowing the children to send more supplies for their money.

The missionary hearts of these students was evident all night long, and summed up by one little preschooler, who came back in after all the families had left, clutching a $20 bill in her hand.  She showed her teacher the money she found in the street on the way to her car, and she wanted to give the money for postage to help send the books and puzzles to Africa.  The Lord has truly given these children missionary hearts!

This story actually began last fall, when preschool teacher Joyce Kimmel e-mailed her good friends, Jerry and Carol Loewe in Kenya, Africa, and asked if her preschoolers could help them in some way in their mission work.  Following is the account of this missionary journey by Mrs. Kimmel:

An e-mail went off to Africa asking what our little people could do for the little people that were being taught in Africa.  Carol responded that it would be great to have a picture of Jesus/Jesus and the Children to give to each of the children.

The plea went out to the 90 preschoolers, along with a plea for coins to be brought in through the use of film canisters to help pay for the shipping.  By Thanksgiving time the pictures totaled 1715!!!  Carol had e-mailed that someone was coming over to visit them from Michigan.  She gave us the name and e-mail address of this couple.  Eventually phone calls were made and this couple and one of our teachers met in Michigan on Thanksgiving weekend.  Our teacher was visiting her brother in Michigan and this couple was driving the Interstate only about 3 miles from that location.  The pictures were entrusted to her to deliver to Jerry and Carol and Immanuel didn't have to pay shipping.  The Lord's hand was working to inspire these parents and students to bring in so many pictures and again to put the couple from Michigan in our path.

Our local newspaper came to the school the day we spread all 1715 pictures out on the gym floor in the shape of a cross for a blessing.  Pastor came and had a blessing for the givers of the pictures, for the safe travels of the pictures and people and also for the African children and adults that receive the pictures.  The photographer from the newspaper took several pictures on his digital camera.  He had taken a wide-angle view of this huge cross on the floor and some close up pictures of some of the children.  He showed them to one of the teachers.  The teacher said she hoped they would use the overall view of the cross but the photographer said that probably wouldn't happen because they liked to use the close up views. 

Well, guess what?   On Thanksgiving Day there we were--a large article on the front page of the local paper.  JESUS was used in the large heading, quotes, etc. of the teacher interviewed were correct, Pastor's prayer was quoted on the article AND the overall view of the huge cross WAS used, along with a close up of one of the children.   Once again the Lord was guiding the decision-making as to which pictures were to be used.

We decided at Christmastime to collect and send Christian Children's books to these schools in Africa.  154 books were collected, wrapped in Christmas wrap by the children, and sent to our friends in Africa. The money used to send the books did come from those film canisters filled with coins again and again.  All together $755.75 was collected from those 90 students.  Talk about the Spirit moving them to give (and this was all during the Christmas shopping rush).

One last "WOW, can you believe that" is this--the total number of students in these 5 schools totals just a few more than 1700.  THAT'S THE NUMBER OF PICTURES WE COLLECTED!!!  God was blessing this project all along to see to it that each student would have the opportunity to have their very own picture of Jesus.  Now that's amazing!!!!!!  

We are now in the process of collecting Christian puzzles, more children's books and Junior Bible Trivia games to send to Jerry and Carol, who are helping to get 5 schools physically and spiritually self supporting.  These pictures, books, puzzles and Trivia games will be given to the students or to the teachers to help them in their teaching of the saving Gospel.