By Dorothy Brotherton

BESIDES playing in Okanagan sunshine, visiting the lake and other summer busyness, a few children in Kelowna gathered in back yards – and heard the story of Jesus.      

Alodene Lewis came from roots in Jamaica, to minister to children in Kelowna with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF). Five-day Bible clubs were held at Grace Baptist Church, and in the homes of Gay Corbett and Ray Kennedy in the Black Mountain area. The short-term clubs are a CEF program that seeks to reach children where they live, while they are on school vacation.

Lewis joined Jonathan Torhjelm from Abbotsford to lead the clubs, after training at Sevenoaks Alliance Church in Abbotsford. She will stay in Kelowna following the summer, to look into possibilities of establishing Good News Clubs – a school-year program of CEF that teaches Bible to children in home settings, churches and schools.

“Come this fall, I will be concentrating on building my relationship with the community and building my team,” said Lewis.

She can see how her background has pointed her to this ministry. Lewis was born in the Parish of Saint Andrew in Jamaica, in a family with three brothers and one sister. The family lived there for 12 years, then moved to the Parish of Saint Catherine in the city of Portmore.

“Living in a Christian home for years sometimes seemed easy, because you were prayed for on a regular basis – and we were all taught the good news of Jesus,” said Lewis.

She was the first of her siblings to accept the Lord, and was baptized at age 12; but she noted it wasn’t easy to begin living her new life with Christ, despite having Christian parents.

“My mom is a tower of strength to me and many times she would sit me down to explain the world and the life of a Christian,” she noted.

Continue article >>

Sunday school was a highlight of Lewis’ youth. As she grew in faith, she began volunteering in children’s ministries and Sunday school. She was soon asked to be Sunday school director in her local church. In time, her position evolved to the status of children’s ministry director – which included more interaction with the children and parents.

“We had kiddies’ crusades, programs, vacation Bible schools – and competitions that allowed the children to show their talents and quote scripture,” she recalled. Kids won trophies and prizes for their efforts, and a boy and girl were crowned king and queen. “It was always fun working with the children – and I would do it over and over again.”

Eventually, she became children’s ministry director for her entire parish, and she kept in touch with 30 churches. When new curriculum stocks arrived at the main office, it was her responsibility to contact all the churches, meet and interact with the leaders. All this was volunteer work.

After coming to Canada, in August 2009, Lewis met Agnes Hofmann, a retired CEF teacher. “We shared a lot of our passion, based on ministering to children – and how God uses his people to bring across the message.”

One day at a prayer meeting at Hofmann’s home, she met others who were praying for a CEF director for Kelowna.

In May 2010, Lewis was interviewed by CEF’s B.C. director, Dennis Quin, and his wife Pauline. She was accepted into the ministry, and this began her journey to Kelowna.

CEF has been ministering to children for 70 years, and is established in 155 countries with 2,500 full-time staff.  “The point is to reach boys and girls with the message of Jesus, who otherwise would not be going to church,” said Quin.

This summer saw 25 CEF five-day clubs throughout B.C.

September 2010