Children’s Message--OGHS—Who is my neighbor?

Well today is the second Sunday in Lent, and at Third Presbyterian Church, there is something that the children always do during Lent. Here is a hint (hold up fish bank). Every year we collect money in our fish banks for the One Great Hour of Sharing offering. This year, the theme is, “Who is my neighbor?” and if you remember some of Jesus’ parables, you might remember that that is the question that was asked of Jesus before he told the parable of the Good Samaritan.

So I have been thinking a lot this week about that question—“who is my neighbor?”.

You may remember hearing about a big trip to Africa that Rod and my husband Robert made almost a month ago. When Robert got home, he was showing us pictures, and a few pictures really stood out to my daughter, Madeline, so I thought I’d show you her two favorites.

This one is of a big truck—isn’t it cool? This truck is used to dig big wells deep into the ground so that people can have clean water to drink. This truck was purchased for the Presbyterian Church of East Africa by the Presbyterian Church (USA) using One Great Hour of Sharing offerings. I love to think that thousands of kids saving their dimes and quarters on one side of the world were able to buy a truck that gave clean water to thousands of kids on the other side of the world!

The second picture is of the children of the pastor of a church in Kenya who Robert and Rod stayed with. The little girl, whose name is “Mercy”, is just a few months older than our daughter Madeline. Since they are the same age, Maddie has pretty much decided that Mercy should be her friend, so whenever we look at the Kenya pictures, we have to find the one of Mercy. Now I love the thought of having friends across the world. Even though Maddie and Mercy haven’t met, they have some things in common—they are both 3 years old and they are both Presbyterian! In the picture with Mercy is her 10 year old brother Solomon. Raise your hand if you are 10 years old. . . you already have some things in common with Solomon.

Who is our neighbor? The person next door? For sure, but perhaps our neighbor is also the person on the next continent.

In the story of the Good Samaritan, which told of people’s reactions to seeing a man who needed help, Jesus said that the neighbor was, “the one who showed him mercy.” In this case our neighbor is Mercy. . .and Solomon. . . and for that matter, boys and girls who get fresh water because of the well digging truck. . . and the thousands of people who are helped by our One Great Hour of Sharing offerings.

When we give to others—whether through OGHS or in other ways, we are being neighbors.

Let’s Pray: Loving God
Thank you for neighbors
The ones who live near us
And the ones across the globe.
Help us to act with generosity and mercy. Amen.