Before we got married, I contracted mumps. Although I was cured after a week, the fear of not having children remained. But God wiped all that. When we joined the community, Cherry was pregnant with our first child – a girl. 2 years later, God gifted us with a son and our first household which we lead. Living up to the community’s pro-life stance, 3 baby girls were added to our family in the next 7 years. Service in the community also increased. We were entrusted in serving as unit servants and eventually as chapter servants.
In 2007, our eldest child became an active member of MFC Kids. In each major event that she attended, we made it a point to be there with her and her other siblings in tow. Eventually, they all saw how fun and exciting it was in MFC Kids. So much so, that we did not have to convince them to join.
In 2010, we were offered to serve as MFC Kids cluster coordinator. At first we were hesitant in accepting. For her part, Cherry expressed the drastic change that we will have to adapt to. At that point we were handling a household made up of couples 10 years older than us. Also, the new service meant we’ll be attending service meetings and events in other places. There was also the fear of not having enough time with people we’ve built close ties to in the household and the chapter. But I know God was leading us to a new chapter in our journey of faith.
Our first major event was the World Kids Conference (WKC) 2010 in Blue Rose Batangas. We had 3 of our kids as participants. It was there where we realized how hard it was to handle kids, teenagers and even coordinators. It was a baptism of fire but at the same time God was teaching valuable lessons that will become our guiding light:
1) Children are important to God.
The Bible tells us that kids are a blessing from God. While Jesus was on earth, he made a point to welcome children and to affirm their value. Having 5 kids of our own, we realized how blessed we are.
2) Serving the children is an investment for the future.
Looking at the pictures of our WKC 2010 delegation, most of the kids then are now serving in the youth and singles ministries today. Our eldest is now the Area Servant for MFC Youth Campus-based, our son & 3rd daughter are Chapter 1 Heartchamps and our 2nd daughter is a MFC Youth household servant.
3) Serving the children builds your patience and humility.
Handling kids during assemblies and events can be unpredictable and even the best plans can be torpedoed by a disruptive child. This is a blessing in disguise, working with kids will teach you patience. And too often, those who work hard with the kids are not given credit for this service.
Our family Bible verse is from Joshua 24:15 ‘but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’. We are glad to be part of a humble place to serve.
A Sharing by Rene Alfar
MFC Kids Section Area Coordinator | NCR South
