THE fundamental role of parents and Sunday School Teachers in ensuring that no child should perish and be eternally separated from God was underscored at the three-day Assembly of God (AOG) Malaita Region Sunday School Rally at the Unity Christian Life Center at Bibisu Village.
The rally, which concluded yesterday, was held over three-consecutive days and brought together Sunday School Teachers and Students from the four AOG regions in Malaita as well as a group of seven caregivers from New Plymouth’s West City AOG Church in New Zealand, concluded yesterday. Guests at the occasion included representatives of Save the Children and Red Cross.
The four AOG zones in the Malaita Region are North Malaita (Zone One), West Kwara’ae-Auki (Zone 2), West Kwaio (Zone 3) and East Malaita (Zone 4). Bibisu Village is located in Zone 2.
The rally themed ‘None Should Perish’ commenced with a parade by the different Sunday School Ministries from the host village’s sports field to the AOG Church compound where the opening ceremony was held.
In his remarks to declare the event open, the Guest of Honor Jack Solomon from Safe the Children Office in Auki highlighted that parents and Sunday School Teachers play the most crucial role of laying the foundation for children to grow in Christ.
“In order for children to become smarter and stronger over worldly influence, parents and Sunday School Teachers must properly lay the foundation in them to be able to resist Satan who roams like a roaring lion in search for someone to destroy.
“If we want to save children, we parents and [Sunday School] teachers have to invest our time, resources in developing the talents in our children to build stronger churches and families. If we invest in our children, then we will save a whole generation from destruction,” he added.
Mr Solomon also took the opportunity to share the vision of Save the Children, which is ‘A World Where Every Child Attains the Right to Survival, Protection, Development and Participation.’
Mr Solomon said the mission of the Save the Children is to inspire breakthrough in every child, adding that while some children in the world are privileged to enjoy a good life with their parents and families, others do not have such privilege and therefore the mission of the organization is to reach out to these underprivileged children.
He said Save the Children is a faith-based organization founded in England by an English woman named Eglantyne Jebb in 1919 and she was commissioned in a Church to save children during World War I.
Mr Solomon also touched on the national population 2019 census data, which then stood at 720,956.
He said children in Malaita alone constitute 68,968 of this population statistic and on that note, co-related the theme of the Sunday School rally ‘None Should Perish’, to the importance of parents and Sunday School Teachers playing their role of saving children from the path of eternal death or destruction.
Mr Solomon said since Save the Children, the Red Cross and other faith-based organizations were there at the rally, everyone should have one common goal and that is ensuring that children are well cared for and raised properly to live up to their full potential in life.
“The theme ‘None should perish’ which is taken from the Book of Mathew Chapter 18, Verses 14 points to the spiritual aspect of our lives. So, in order for us to fulfill this scripture, we must ensure that our spiritual foundation is properly laid and so this weekend is a special weekend for you children to lay a proper foundation in your spiritual life.”
He likened children to a building of which Parents and Sunday Teachers are the builders and Christ is a crucial building partner.
“Children are the building and (Sunday School] teachers are the builders and so when we partner with Christ, he will supervise us to build properly.
“If we want our children to become smarter and stronger than the influence of the world. Let’s lay the foundation properly so they can be able to resist Satan who roams around like a roaring lion in search for someone to destroy.”
In his remarks, AOG Northern Region Superintendent Eric Lamani said looking at Solomon Islands today, a lot of problems have happened to youths and if these problems are to be tackled, Sunday Schools are the right place to start at by nurturing children to grow up in Christ and become good citizens.
Mr Lamani added that parents and leaders would not have to struggle with so many youth problems when children are well nurtured at the home and Sunday School stages.
He said the rally theme urged churches to prioritize children in order to make a good happy Solomon Islands.
“We must reach out to all our children and nurture them and then, we will have happy families, communities, province and nation. We will have a better place where all children, youths, men and women can enjoy a good environment.
Mr Lamani said he wants the government to continue supporting churches in terms of resources to help them nurture children because the churches have a greater responsibility to help parents groom children to become good citizens.
“If we want good Prime Ministers, we must groom them at Sunday School, if we want good Police Officers and good teachers, we have to groom them at Sunday School and if we want Solomon Islands to be a happy nation, we must groom our children at Sunday School. So, we must not overlook Sunday Schools as just a small ministry. We must see them as a top priority of the nation and have them included in government plans,” he added.
Meanwhile, the team leader of the New Zealand delegation, Ms Emma shared her thoughts about the event with Solomon Star.
She said it was wonderful for her delegation to be welcomed in the village and they really enjoyed their time.
“We were so excited about the rally, meeting with the children and seeing what God was doing in their hearts during the time.
“The gathering of children was really fantastic and important for the future of the Solomon Islands.
“It is important to invest in children and to see them actively use the gifts that God blessed them with. They are the ones who will be leading Solomon Islands in the future,” Ms Emma said.
Ms Emma said her message to Solomon Islands is to keep gathering children for God, keep praying for them and keep investing in them as the future leaders of the nation.
The AOG Malaita Region Sunday School Rally is held every two years. The host of the 2026 rally is North Malaita Zone 1.
By IAN LADDS OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
