Missionary to the Sandpile Tribe: The Joy of Teaching and Writing Books for Kids

OK, here’s one of the most amazing part of my journey – one I never expected, the part that is pure gift from my Father. When our church decided to create its own school in 1980, I was asked to teach the kindergarten and first graders. As I had only taught middle and upper graders so far, I was a little unsure of myself. I had a Life Teaching Credential for K-9 from the state of California (the month before they stopped giving out life credentials), and had student taught in both first and fourth grade. But to shape the lives of little ones just learning to read and loving to learn? This was a heavy responsibility.

So, yes, I eagerly said YES! Then I began preparing. We were using the A-Beka curriculum for K-1 which was easy to follow. But half way through the year I realized the readers and curriculum touched on “God” almost as an add-on in some stories. I wanted the kids to receive heart training as they read that went beyond the academic and gave them an encounter with the Living God--with words that provided a foundation in Who God is and how He lives life and loves through His people.

So…..I began to write my own stories for the children to read and discuss. As the children read these stories, their hearts were drawn to Him, and I could only give thanks, and write more. All in all, over the next five years, I wrote 8 sets of primers for K-2nd grade and wrote both the phonics and math curriculum to have its focus on relationships and Who God is. Father Alphabet had 26 kids. Bet you can name them all! Can you guess how many were boys and how many were girls?

One of my favorite things I did with the kids was the character quality curriculum. I began to teach the children and write about the character qualities of Jesus, the ones the children could identify with, like neatness, gratefulness, and forgiveness. Claire Sawyer started writing songs that exemplified these character traits and the kids loved singing them!

Every year I also had my classes write a gratefulness journal (OK, the kids started writing early--you who know me know how important writing is!). The kids came to school thinking about something they were grateful for, and then wrote a brief sentence or story with accompanying picture. For Thanksgiving, these journals became gifts of gratefulness for the parents. The first ones were typically, “I am grateful for my mom,” and “I am grateful for my dad.” I treasured reading their thoughts. And you know, they came to school with a positive attitude and complaints were few. Discipline was not difficult. Oh, how I loved these kids. Every year, I was given a new crop or precious lives.

Soon other schools heard about these books and wanted to use them in their schools. So….we began our own publishing company called Burning Bush Publications. That was where God met Moses and I so wanted the kids to meet and know Him too. We had many contributing artists, starting with the very gifted Kim Foster and later including Gracella Cunkle. I’ll post a summary below of the book titles.

Little by little I started getting invitations to go and teach teachers at other schools in different parts of the country, and then England and Canada too. The books were even used in schools in Africa, with some language and picture variations. What a privilege that was. And these schools wanted the curriculum too! I was grateful to be a part of something much bigger than just us. Jesus was making Himself known one school at a time, one child at a time.

Meanwhile, our kids were daily doing their lessons in PACS, but all the kids had lots of extra-curricular things. You can see Jenny in dance, Jonathan at work and the kids in a school performance. Plus I'm the one in the blue school uniform!

Brochure for Burning Bush

Burning Bush Publications, a small, family-run business, was formed in order to allow public distribution of a new set of beginning readers for primary age children. Why a new set of readers? Aren't there plenty of good Christian readers now? There are many good books that can be read to children - but few books for children to read for themselves that are academically sound and which have solid Biblical content.

Academically Sound. The books and other teaching materials were prepared by Dorothy Leal who has a doctorate in reading education from the University of Kentucky. She is a veteran of the classroom who has successfully brought literacy to many young people. The books follow a phonics progression, and gradually introduce more complex grammatical constructions. Each book builds on the ones before until the child attains a fluency in reading. The books are being used by both church schools and home schools in the United States and abroad.

Solid Christian Content. The books were written in the belief that living in the Kingdom of God has practical applications to the daily lifestyle of young children. Each story and activity focuses in on a biblical aspect of life and provides a springboard for discussion and further teaching. Prayerfully used, these books will help change your children's lives.

The books are designed to be used by both parents and regular school teachers. Most books include two pages of Instructions for Parents which provide direction as the parents become involved in the teaching of their children to read.

Burning Bush Offers

(For those unfamiliar with US school levels, K is kindergarten, age 5-6, 1 is first grade, age 6-7, and 2 is second grade, age 7-8.)

The Top Ten: Pre-primers in two books (K)

God Made Life, God Made Dad, God Made Mom, God Made Me, God Made Us: God's purpose in life as expressed in families, in 5 books (K-1)

The Life of Jesus: Jesus as a pattern for life, in 3 books (K-1)

Jesus the Baby, Jesus the Boy, Jesus the Man, in 3 books (1)

God's Plan: God's: Love, Faith, Hope; Work, Rule, Rest; Ask, Seek, Knock, in 3 books (1)

The Work of Jesus: Showing God's Will, Showing God's Power, Showing God's Way, Showing God's Life, in 4 books  (1-2)

The Secret Keys: two kids discover 12 character traits; in three books (1-2)

The Life and Work of God's People: Pioneers on the Move,  and Pioneers Leading the Way: biographies of Godly people, in 2 books (2-3)

Character Quality Curriculum: a detailed discussion of 26 character qualities with a cassette tape and written music (K-2)

Battle for the Heart: a spiritual warfare game with game board and directions (2+)