Charity Aton – Director of Preschool Programs
I grew up knowing Jesus loved me. My momma made sure of that. We sang the lyrics “Spirit in the Sky” and “Jesus is just alright with me” as she drove her Volkswagon Bug with me in the back. We grew up loving nature and all the beautiful things God created. Our home was in the woods with a creek and we camped in the Smoky Mountains every summer.
The church bus would pick me up every Sunday and I can still hear the lady who invited me sing “Do Lord” all the way to church. We would sing at the top of our lungs. Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and church camp are fun memories and I am thankful for them. I believe my mom still has a craft made of walnut shells that says “nobody is perfect” made during VBS. I also remember asking Jesus into my heart at church camp.
As life continued, there were times God felt far away. In my heart, “This Little Light of Mine” was barely shining any light. I would pray and wonder, “God, where are you?” Thank God for the adults in my life who taught me I had a light, God, inside me.
Life’s pages turn, and at one point I was working part-time in childcare to socialize my son. I learned quickly I had specific values and expectations about the care my child received – and the care of other children, too. I decided I wanted to run a program that offered more than the basics of child care.
That took me to Cloverdale UMC where I opened Train Up A Child with God’s guidance. It was and remains important to me children know they are loved by God all the time, no matter what. I pray for children no matter where I am working. It would make me so sad to think there are so many children who have never heard of God. In my small-town mind everybody believed or had heard of God, right? Thirty miles down the road there are many kids who have not. Ours and many other ministry-based child care providers are necessary. I cannot imagine going through dark times without the little light I learned I had inside of me at a young age.
I am so thankful to be here at KIDS@PUMC where prayer is a part of the day. This ministry is my life calling. Our pastors make time to spend with our littles during chapel time and in the hallways. Children have attended VBS in our care. PUMC offers a safe place to play, learn and worship. There are times when kids cry or are just LOUD and that is OK – they are here in this place, and that is a gift, a sign of God’s call to each of us to love children and prioritize families and young people everywhere. When you see a stain on the carpet, a ding in the wall, handprints on windows or messes and glitter on tables and floors, will you join me in praising God we have children in our midst? God has brought them to us! I invite you to be part of the beautiful gift and opportunity we have to help fill them so full of God’s love and kindness they have no doubt how loved they are when they leave this place!
I invite you to be that adult who invites and brings a child or young person to church, makes the craft at VBS or teaches a Sunday school class. Be passionate about teaching children Jesus loves them. Point out the trees, the sky and the crawling ladybugs or an earthworm named Bob and tell them God created the heavens and the earth. Tell them they have God’s light inside and that they will shine light unto others. At any stage in life, we have an opportunity to influence a child.
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