Why don’t you do a story about a boy who is blind?”
Eleven-year-old Matthew Dierkens asked this question of Barb Brouwer, the project manager for “Kids Corner,” the Back to God Hour’s radio program for children.
Matthew’s mom, Patty, had called Brouwer to order CDs of the program. When Matthew realized who his mom was talking to, he got on the phone and said, “I have an idea for a script!”
His suggestion inspired a story about a young lizard who is blind, an episode that will air this fall on stations in Canada and the United States.
Matthew, who has been blind since birth, is an avid listener to “Kids Corner”. “Without this show, I’d go crazy!” he declares. “I listen to it a lot. You could say I eat, sleep, and breathe it!”
Matthew lives in Wheatley, Ontario. He stumbled onto “Kids Corner” while searching the radio dial and has been hooked ever since.
Mike and Patty Dierkens say the stories help their son deal with situations related to his disability. “There was a time when Matthew didn’t want to go to Sunday school,” Mike says, “but he’s more willing to go now because the characters on “Kids Corner” go to church school.”
The show’s main characters are Liz and Lucille, lizard kids who are much like kids today, explains Brouwer. “The stories are entertaining adventures that address issues kids encounter.”
Brouwer said the program helps parents too. “Parents need to teach their children about Jesus when they are young. Our website provides resources for parents to reinforce what we are doing through the radio programs.”
For a schedule and list of radio stations that carry the broadcast and to order CDs of “Kids Corner” programs, see the “Kids Corner” website at www.kids-corner.org.
