An estimated 5,000 children from congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland will gather today at Gosford Forest Park in Markethill, Co. Armagh. The occasion is the annual Sunday School Fun Day labelled "Making a Difference" (the children are encouraged to rejoice in the acronym MAD day). It is believed to be the biggest event of its kind in the United Kingdom and perhaps one of the biggest in Europe.
Activity comprises bouncy castles, parachute games, face painting and a forest challenge requiring great skill and stamina. Combined with the outrageous fun of the event is the wish to raise as much money as possible for appointed projects. The fun day is the culmination of intense fund-raising. Last year, £85,000 was raised for many-faceted work with children with multiple needs in Sumbaq, Africa.
This year, Sunday School children from all parts North and South hope to raise an even greater sum in aid of such projects as the following in Central Europe.
Funds will be made available to the Klicek Foundation, under whose aegis a children's hospice will be built in the Czech Republic; a grant will be made for the extension of a child-care centre in Zilah, Romania, and to the Scripture Gift Mission for the distribution of Bible leaflets among the street children in that area. This mammoth event at Gosford has been organised by the Rev Ian McKee, the Sunday School organiser, and his associates. "This is an opportunity for the children to let off steam while raising money for those in great need in Central Europe," he says.
It is appropriately remarked here that during long experience, we cannot recall a better introduction to the Bible for young people, for use in the home and in the Sunday School, than the 21st century Children's Bible by Stephanie Jeffs and Derek Williams, illustrated by Tony Morris and Chris Saunderson: Marshall Pickering/ Harper Collins, 189pp, £14.99. Here are 365 familiar Bible stories from the Old and New Testaments with reference material to help the young reader or Sunday School teacher to understand the story, times and culture of the Bible.
The book is beautifully illustrated in full colour. There are special feature pages on family life, food and worship in the Old and New Testament worlds. There are maps and indices making particular references most easy.
The language is "vibrant and understandable". The whole is scholarly.
Responding to a plea from a lady from Coleraine, Mrs Heather Anandial, in the Belfast News Letter, for medical volunteers for Albania, a Presbyterian missionary, Dr Donald Brownlee, left for Durres on coastal Albania on April 22nd.
Dr Brownlee recently retired after serving for 30 years in Malawi with the Presbyterian Church, and in Uganda with the Church Missionary Society.
Mrs Anandial, wife of a pastor in Durres, Albania, works with Operation Mobilisation. With her husband and others she has been helping Kosovan refugees and has recently found accommodation for many in a disused former bread factory. Members of the Crescent Church, Belfast, are supporting her in her work and will soon dispatch several containers of clothing, bedding and a minibus to help with transportation there.
Dr Brownlee has the support of the members of Gilnahirk Presbyterian Church and the Oak-tree Trust, Birmingham. His service can only be short term and a present worry for him and Mrs Anandial is finding a volunteer replacement.
Volunteers could contact Church House, Fisherwick Place, Belfast.