By Stephen Smoot
Proverbs advises that one should “train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
AWANA, a worldwide ministry dedicated to fostering Biblically-based faith and understanding of Holy Scripture, exists to serve the purpose of educating children in the fundamentals of Christianity directly from the Word.
The ministry, explains the Moorefield director Kelly Moran, serves “as a children’s Bible club similar to scouting in that there is a uniform, awards that go onto the uniform” based on achieving tasks laid out in a handbook. These can take the form of patches, or pins in which one can place small gemstones to mark various achievements.
Many of these tasks focus on memorizing and understanding Holy Scripture, as well as applying the lessons learned thereof.
Also like traditional scouting, participants divide by age group. Toddlers form the initial group, called Puggles. This group even has its own theme song, which opens with “I like to be where the love of God is taught to me.” After that, a child can age into the Cubbies, which covers the pre-kindergarten ages.
Kindergarten through third grade is called Sparks and third through sixth graders participate in TNT, which stands for Truth in Training. Middle or junior high school children serve in Trek and the oldest in their high school years have Journey.
Middle and high school age children work in depth with first the New Testament, then the old. The entire program and curriculum from start to finish provides a complete and in depth education on the Holy Bible and Christian beliefs based on the Word.
The Duffy Memorial Church offers AWANA from Cubbies through TNT.
For Hardy County area children, AWANA started in the fall of 2005. Moran explained that this particular group had to adapt the recommended schedule. AWANA generally starts and ends at about the same time as the traditional school year, but as Moran says “you have to battle all of the other things that are going on.”
Organizers in Moorefield elected to end the sessions in March, because “with spring softball and baseball, so many kids dropped off.” Although football and winter sports also affect participation, they do not have the same impact as those in the spring.
Moran admitted “I love to see the kids come in late because of practice.” She explained that on one hand, they rush in still wearing their sports practice clothes and that in itself is one of those heartwarming details that mainly parents understand. More importantly, it shows that the children enjoy AWANA and take it seriously enough to still devote time in their packed schedules to do it.
The goal lies in children each year earning their way to being “completers,” finishing their book of tasks. Participants receive their awards in March at a session ending ceremony that recognizes all for what they accomplished. Moran said that they work with children who have to miss to try to catch up and complete. That said, those who cannot be “completers” still receive accolades for what they did accomplish. Even then, Moran said “that’s a seed being planted.”
“They really did so well this year,” described Moran, “It was really wonderful.”
AWANA has proved popular with area children and families. Approximately 70 join the program each year with attendance at each session reaching about 60. Moran remarked that even with such a large number of children, “everything’s calm.” Weekly sessions last 90 minutes, but “that’s a pretty fast hour and a half.”
Moran credits the “very wonderful group of staff” that volunteers for the success of the program. This includes a security team that keeps an eye on safety, an unfortunate facet of the world today.
Emily Morris, principal at East Hardy Elementary School, praised the program, sharing that “my son has been going to AWANA for four years.” She said that, without encouragement, he asked to be baptized, adding that she doubted that he would have requested that without the positive influence of AWANA.
The program started in 2005 in Moorefield and has only missed its yearly sessions during COVID. August 26 is when the next weekly sessions start. While Moran encourages families to sign up children through the Facebook page, she said that they may come the first night and get squared away.
Children may even join after August 26, but it’s best to be there on day one if at all possible.
A parents night will take place on Sept 9.
