The curriculum behind J127 Clubs and the Children at Risk program is finished, even as millions of children around the world are shepherded through this unique whole life discipleship program.
Careful planning, prayer and research went into the process of meeting the needs of kids who’ve face extreme trauma or who are at risk of harm or exploitation. Lives are impacted daily—from 5-plus million in Uganda to 30 kids in a J127 Club in Bihar, India. Special teacher training is held the world over as mostly lay leaders shepherd children through this three-year process.
For more than two years, Kerry Krycho—a member of the David C Cook Global Mission team—ensured that every lesson was researched, edited, and written. Research included connecting with leaders and in-country program directors to address their greatest needs, to uncovering the latest research on helping traumatized children heal.
Kerry spent time in prayer over every topic. She wanted to make certain that each topic would have the right spiritual foundation so that the children would always be pointed to the one true God. Kerry wrote and edited lessons ranging from basic first aid to staying safe from trafficking, from how God uses women to lessons from Proverbs, from truth telling to perseverance. Every lesson had to meet baseline questions:
What skills do these children need to grow into healthy adults? How can their emotional wounds find healing? What will best enable these children to know the love of the Father?
Kerry says that when she joined this project, the needs of the children were overwhelming and she felt inadequate. Because she could not rely on herself, she leaned into God and found His heart for the children. She says,
In every lesson, I found myself mothering from afar to children who have not know a mother’s care. I found that while I was lacking in understanding and knowledge of what these wounded children needed, God knew what it would take to mend hearts. He has used this material in mighty ways and will continue to do so because it is His work.
The children who have completed the three-year scope of lessons will revisit them again. This time, hopefully, going a little deeper in the healing. Older children who have finished the course of lessons will be trained as mentors to younger and newer children. As they lead others to know God’s power, His work will solidify in them too.
Won’t you join us in praying for the work that the Holy Spirit is doing in these children’s lives? Click here to learn more about the work at David C Global.
Update: In 2018, David C Cook transferred oversight of the J127 clubs to an in-country partner which continues to shepherd and grow this program. By supporting David C Cook’s Life on Life curriculum, you will be helping support this program as well.
