It Takes a Child to Raise a Village

Yes - you read it correctly. The old cliché, as it is reworked here, bears consideration.

[We’ve been subject to the traditional form of this saying for many a year now. Politicians have used it as a call to action as they address their nation; pastors call congregations to a more complete form of discipleship. Whilst originally attributed as an African proverb, it is not easy to find which African culture birthed the original form.]

Consider Jesus’ life on earth. He lived as part of an itinerant community for the duration of His ministry years. There is scant detail, however, of His earlier years. No doubt He lived under a roof called home for some of His childhood, teenage years and early adult years.  They were preparation for the challenges of life on the road.

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus exhorts his disciples and the crowd “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Jesus said this as part of a lengthy recount of His teaching to those following Him, and looking on, when He was in Capernaum. He was revisiting many of the Old Testament legal frameworks, slowly revealing a much grander and more complete vision of the Kingdom of God and our call to be more like the image bearers of God we were created to be, here and now. 

Jesus was challenging the norms of culture and of the day. He was painting the beautiful picture of God’s plan in all its glory - a release from bondage, a renewal of life itself.

In the 1950s and 1960s, it was the children whose needs were not being met in the new home (Australia) that drove many Dutch immigrants - including Donvale’s founders - to establish the Christian schools we now know as CEN schools. These schools mirrored the schools they had left behind in Holland. 

First and foremost, Christ was the King of these schools, in all its works - operations, teaching, governance and presentation. A Christ-filled curriculum was the goal. The needs of the children - being brought forward to hear Jesus’ teaching - was the driver for the village that was made up of these God-honouring and determined immigrants and their friends who joined them in the enterprises that resulted in our school, MECS, Maranatha, Plenty Valley and another 60 schools around Australia.

They focused on the children and their need to grow in their knowledge of Christ and in awe of the LORD. This focus defined how each of these “villages” - our schools - were raised up. 

“It took the children to raise the villages!”

Oh, and their hard-working parents’, grandparents’ and friends’ faith-filled, faith-fuelled obedience!

Praise God for His wonderful goodness and grace.

Shalom.