By Joy Risonar
EFC- DAVAO Children’s Ministry’s series of summer activities highlights the Bushido Self-Defense for Boys and Creative Craftsmanship Workshop for Girls conducted last May 21, 2016 where a total of 14 boys and 22 girls actively participated. This is one of the various programs of EFC Davao that aim at making children learn how to protect themselves and be creative.
The Bushido Self-Defense Training for boys began with emphasizing to them that the training is not to attack or hurt others but to defend themselves. As a self-defense and exercise, the activity taught boys to take care of their physical bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. The trainers, Jeriel David Jimenez and David Jeiel Jimenez, who are Bushido green belters, lead guitarists of EFC Davao’s Music Ministry, and active members of Hearts on Fire (HOF) Youth Ministry, demonstrated to the boys the basic moves with a shout that they could use to block attackers from hurting them. The accompanying shout is to make the attackers know that the one they want to strike is not somebody to be messed up with. “Madali lang pala mag-defend sa sarili. Thankful ako kay Kuya JD and Kuya DJ na tinuruan nila kami ng block moves (I realized it is easy to defend oneself. I am thankful to Kuya DJ and Kuya JD for teaching us the block moves),” said one of the boys.
The Creative Craftsmanship Workshop for girls, on the other hand, included sewing and decorating a cellphone pouch. It started with stressing that the skills they were about to learn should not just be used on that day of the workshop but also during their vacant times in their own house where they can find materials that are worth saving and transforming into something creative and useful. This workshop was anchored on Exodus 35: 31-32 which says that with the Spirit of God, we are filled “… with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze.” The teacher, Ms. Genji Jimenez, showed to the girls the importance of properly arranging materials and securing tools before doing the project. She also exhibited her sewing techniques that made the girls see a beautiful pouch made by her own hands using simple materials such as buttons and felt papers. In an informal interview, one of the girls said, “Gusto ko pa gumawa ng maraming ganito sa bahay (I want to do more of these in the house).”
The day ended up with a pictorial, giving of special awards, and a sumptuous meal. EFC Davao Children’s Ministry is thankful to all the teachers who helped, to the parents who were supportive, to the staff who assisted, to Pastor Jordan and Pastor Judith, and to Pastor Wee and Pastor Christine.
