Even just one of these children

CAIF (Chungli Association of Immigrants and Families) Children during our first Lenten drama presentation, “Jesus’ Big Love Story,” 29 March 2026. Photo: Joan Yap

“Even just one of these children.” This is the theme of this year’s World Migrants and Refugees Sunday, on 27 September 2026. It brings me back to the words of Scripture: “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children…”

For many years, I have accompanied migrant families in Taiwan. Many are Filipino mothers married to Taiwanese men, or Filipino families who came to Taiwan for work. Through accompanying these families, I have also grown closer to their children, especially through our catechism ministry. What began with only eleven children has gradually grown. Along the way, I have discovered that accompanying children is not simply about teaching them about God. It is also about learning to see God already at work in their lives.

Behind every child is a family with its own story, struggles, and cultural differences, all of which can make teaching and sharing faith challenging. Yet despite these difficulties, I see in many parents a sincere desire to bring their children to church, guide them, and help them grow closer to God. That desire, even when expressed imperfectly, touches me. In their own way, they are trying to pass on to their children the faith that has been important in their own lives.

Many of these children are growing up between cultures and, at times, between two languages. Some have Filipino mothers and Taiwanese fathers, while others have Filipino parents but are growing up and studying in Taiwan. They carry different cultural backgrounds, expectations, and ways of communicating. At the same time, there is a generation gap—the world their parents grew up in is very different from the one these young people experience today.

And then there is technology! Sometimes it is difficult to encourage them to put down their phones, listen, and participate in Mass. I have also learned that children come to church for many reasons. Some come because their parents ask them to, some because they want to see their friends, and others simply because they are curious or have nothing else to do. There are even times when parents offer them a reward for coming. There are moments when I simply sit beside them, almost like their “police,” to keep them attentive.

But these moments also prompt me to ask: How can I help introduce God to the world where these children are growing up? How can I help them discover that God is already present in their lives?

This question also brings me back to my childhood. I did not fully understand God at Mass, and my faith was imperfect. But that was where my journey began. Faith grew slowly through people, experiences, and community. Perhaps it is the same for these children. Perhaps what seems small today can become meaningful in their journey of faith later in life.

Over the years, I have seen some of these children become more involved in the Church. They sing in the choir, play guitar, proclaim the responsorial psalm, serve at the altar, and bring up the offertory. They join in Christmas plays, Lenten dramas, All Saints’ Day activities, and other celebrations. These may seem like small things, but for me they are precious moments. I feel joy when I see them participate, because through it they may be discovering a community where they belong and where they have something meaningful to offer.

Beyond liturgical celebrations, I also treasure the simple moments of sharing faith with them through Bible reflections and conversations. Their honest questions and stories often surprise me, reminding me that while I am accompanying them, they are also teaching me and that God is already at work in their lives.

Because of this, I see catechism as more than teaching prayers and Bible stories. It is about creating a space where they feel welcome, loved, and free to ask questions, while patiently walking with them and trusting that God is working in ways we may not always see. It is also about helping them discover faith in a way that speaks to the world they live in—a world shaped by diverse cultures, languages, technology, and new ways of seeing life.

As a missionary, I continue to learn this: they may forget our lessons, prayers, or activities, and we may not see the fruits of our accompaniment. But perhaps they will remember that someone welcomed them, listened to them, and made them feel they belonged. Perhaps they will remember that the Church was a place where they could ask questions, discover who they are, and encounter God.

The words of Scripture, “Recite them to your children,” remind me that faith is always something we receive and something we are invited to pass on. Yet, in accompanying these children, I have also learned that passing on faith is not simply about giving them answers. It is about walking with them patiently, listening to their questions, entering their world, and trusting God to work in their lives.

And perhaps this is where “Even just one of these children” becomes more than a theme. It becomes a call: to care for, accompany, and help each child discover that, wherever they come from and whatever culture they are growing up in, God is already calling them by name.

And perhaps, by welcoming even one of these children, we are welcoming Christ Himself.

Joan Yap, Columban Lay Missionary, Taiwan.