When 10-year-old Alisha’s friend was spreading rumors about her, Alisha wrote to ask advice from Lucille, her radio friend from Kids Corner, a media ministry of Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI).
BTGMI’s Lucille, a character on Kids Corner.
With financial support from the Christian Reformed Church’s Ministry Shares program, ReFrame Media, the English outreach of BTGMI, produces the weekly Kids Corner audio program. It also makes web space available so kids like Alisha can get answers to their questions.
Lucille—with help from Kids Corner producer Barb Brouwer—suggested to Alisha that she first pray and talk to her mother about the problem and then tell her friend how spreading rumors made her feel.
A few weeks later Alisha reported: "You got me and my friend to be friends again. Thank you.”
Besides being a character on Kids Corner, Lucille also hosts a web program called “What’s Bothering You?”
Young people listen to Kids Corner on the website KidsCorner.net and then ask questions, explains Brouwer. “We regularly get questions for Lucille and other characters on the program to answer.”
Responses are given in one-minute audio spots. “Kids go to a special page on our website (lizradio.net) to hear the answers to their questions,” says Brouwer.
Friendship is a frequent topic.
“Sometimes my friends do stuff without inviting me, and I feel left out,” wrote one young listener. Another wrote, “How can I make a new friend?” Still another, “How can I tell my friend not to talk on her cell phone the whole time we are together?”
Family relationships are also an issue: “My little brother is bugging me; what can I do?” and “My cousin is a tattletale about things that aren’t even true. How can I get her to stop?”
Answering these questions is important, Brouwer says. At the same time, “We love the opportunity to address their questions on spiritual topics: What’s heaven like; is there stuff to do?” “Can you tell me how to pray?” “My sister says she doesn’t know if she believes in Jesus. What do I say to her?” “What's so special about the Bible?” “How can I tell my friends about Jesus?”
About the Author
Nancy Vander Meer is a staff writer with Back to God Ministries International in Grand Rapids, Mich.
