Day 8: From the Mouths of Babes!

Today we learned about how to be polite to someone with a visual impairment.  I loved the look of shock and then laughter as I pretended to talk to someone that is blind in a very loud voice.  I told them how funny it is but adults do it all the time!  The kids already knew that you don't need to speak loudly to someone that is blind because they can hear, they just can't see.  We did a number of exaggerated role play exercises and the kids left the day with a new understanding.  

We read the story from John 9:1-12 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

Three of the children in the class have moms that are expecting babies.  They knew the babies cannot sin in the womb.  God would use this to show His power!

We had great discussions during our class time but one of my favorite things happened first thing in the morning.  One of the moms shared a precious story with me.  Her daughter had been playing with her four little mermaids and suddenly ran off to retrieve a mermaid she had bought from a dollar store.  This mermaid was missing an arm.  She brought the mermaid with the missing arm to the other mermaids to play.  She said, "She just has a disability, there is nothing wrong with her."

This story was so powerful to me.  This little girl is only five and she is already beginning to understand what may take a lifetime for the rest of us...everyone is valuable!!  She now sees the mermaid first, not the disability.