Flora in the Philippines

We can learn to use our gifts to help others

Ask:

What cheers you up when you are feeling sad?
What is the best video or movie you’ve seen lately? Have you learned something by watching one before?

Sometimes, we feel sad or a little lonely. To help, some people talk to a friend, hug a family member, listen to a favourite song or ask for a cookie when they feel that way. People all around the world feel this way sometimes. Today, we’ll meet an amazing young woman named Flora from the Philippines who did something about her sad and lonely feeling that helped many other people to feel happy!

The Philippines is a country in Asia made up of many islands. There are over 7,000 islands! There are also mountains, waterfalls, underground rivers, and even some of the world’s biggest shopping malls.

When Flora feels lonely or sad, she reaches for her ukulele (it’s like a small guitar!) and plays songs about God’s love for her. Sometimes she sings to God, which helps her to smile again. Flora has a heart condition, which means she needs regular doctor checkups and sometimes must stay home and rest instead of doing fun things with her friends. But she is happy because her church helps her! At her church’s Compassion centre, she learned to play the ukulele and sing. They also help by paying for her doctor's visits. She knows God has been helping her.

That’s what gave her the idea to help other people. One day, when she reached for her ukulele and her phone, she thought she could take a video and post it on social media, to share the song she learned with others. Many people listened and loved her song!

While Flora is very shy in person, she wants to help others learn to play worship songs, so she keeps posting songs. She gets messages worldwide saying how her music has encouraged people and helped them remember God’s love!

God wants us to share the gifts we’ve been given with others. If something brings us joy, it may bring joy to others, too!

Read the Bible verses for today together.

Ask and Discuss:

What can you do to bring joy to others and remind them of God’s love for them?
What would you want to say or teach people about if you could post a video on the internet?
What do you think God thinks of how Flora has used her musical talents?

Pray:

Dear God, thank You for giving talents and gifts to people —talents in music, sports, science, writing, and all kinds of different things! Help us to use whatever gifts we have to bring joy to others and point people to You. Thank You, God, that You love us, and when we are sad or discouraged, we can remember that Your love never stops and that You are with us. Amen.