September 24, 2016

10-Year-Old Boy’s Bible Studies Lead 8 Children to Baptism

, with Adventist Review staff

A fourth-grade boy in the U.S. state of New Jersey has led eight children to baptism through a Bible study group in his home.

Jaffet Vazquez, 10, uses information learned in classes at the local Seventh-day Adventist elementary school to lead the weekly group of 13 children, ages 5 to 10, in his home in Vineland, a city of 61,000 people.Fourth grader Jaffet Vazquez leading a Bible study. (Visitor)

"I am really happy to learn more about Jesus and teach my friends,” Vazquez told the Columbia Union Visitor magazine. “They come over to my house, and we learn more about God together and also get to play.”

When Vazquez first decided that he wanted to share his love for Jesus with the neighborhood children, his mother prayerfully visited every mother on the street to extend an invitation to the Bible studies. Many mothers said their children could attend.

Vazquez shares with his friends what he has learned about God’s love and gift of salvation during classes from teachers Violeta Molina and Raul Rivero at the Vine Haven Adventist School. Rivero is also pastor at the Bridgeton Spanish church, which Vazquez attends with his family, and he helps the boy’s friends prepare for baptism.

When Vazquez started teaching, only one child from his block went to church regularly. Now many of the children attend Sabbath services at the Bridgeton Spanish church, and their parents are more open to Bible studies for themselves, Visitor reported. Eight children have been baptized because of Vazquez’s ministry.

The boy encourages the children to study the Bible for themselves, using his allowance money to buy prizes for those who excel. His mother prepares snacks for the children to eat at the end of their study.

“The children say they are excited to learn new worship songs and learn how to pray,” Visitor said. 

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