My First Sunday School Teachers' Workshop

Yesterday (Saturday) we finished the first two day Sunday School Teachers' Workshop. There were 22 participants. Half of them were Garo, which is a minority group here in Bangladesh, four were Telagu, another minority group, and one was Santal, also a minority . So only six of the participants were ethnic Bengali. Most of the group was quite young; probably early twenties which made it rather easy to get them to do all the action songs that I taught them!

I shared the basics of Child Development with a particular emphasis on how children experience God. They also learned a new way of telling stories (courtesy of Jana Brasser who helped me with Children's Worship materials), several new craft ideas, making instruments from found objects, many new songs, and the basic of constructing a good lesson (thanks to Jola Howe of Faith Alive for her help with this).

I was impressed with this group. Everyone participated fully, so they all got the maximum benefit from the training. An important, though unexpected result for me was that though several denominations were represented, there was a spirit of sharing and cooperation that was evident. At one point I asked if someone had a song they would like to share with the group. one woman shared a song that no one else knew. I felt this was a very important moment in the training. The attendees were not only learning from me, but, more importantly, from one another. It would be wonderful if this kind of sharing between churches, who sometimes can be at odds with one another, could continue.

Albert was my photographer and helper, and of course, he joined in on everything as well!

Now we off to take the night train to the northern part of Bangladesh where we will see the adolescent programs of the organization called SUPOTH and also do another Sunday School Teachers' Workshop. I am hoping my internet will work there - it is VERY rural. We'll see.....