The Missionary Attitude of Children Evangelizes, Testimonies from Kenyan Animators

EMMOCT2019 had two objectives, to make Christians more aware of the state of evangelizing; and for Christians to feel encouraged to bear witness to the person of Jesus Christ with courage.

Recalling some missionary activities, which Catholic children in Kenya have undertaken in recent times, Sr. Esther Kimani who coordinates PMC nationally said, “When there was the earthquake in Haiti, we spoke about the suffering of the people of Haiti; children came together (and) they were able to collect almost one million shillings (about USD.10,000.00); (we) sent it to the people of Haiti.”

Sr. Kimani continued, “Recently, the children of Embu (were addressed) about the suffering situation of (people in) Lodwar; they (children) collected half a million shillings (about USD.5,000.00) and we were able to send to the children of Lodwar. That is the proper evangelization.”

A member of to the Congregation of the Franciscan Elizabethan Sisters based in Nairobi, Sr. Kimani recounted how children have helped bring their families to Church saying, “Sometimes, parents are brought into the Church by these children.”

She explained, “If the child has to be baptized and the priest says come with your parents, the parent feels shy and when they step into the Church they will not go back.” 

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“Children nurture each other and it is very helpful because you find that if there is a child with a certain problem, the children themselves have their own rules and children help each other, the vulnerable especially,” said the PMC coordinator in the Archdiocese of Mombasa who identified herself as Sr. Jecinter.

A member of the congregation of Mary Mother of God, Sr. Jecinter disclosed that children have been engaged in collecting funds to help those in need.

“If you give a child money to buy a snack, you find that child sacrificing part of it to put in the tin,” she said in reference to the collection tin given to children and added, “there is a time we collect that money, and from that it we can help the children who are vulnerable.”

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.