Precious Gems

Rob and I watched our daughter Jacqueline receive her blue scarf at the candelight ceremony last night for the new GEMS at our church.  GEMS, short for Girls Everywhere Meeting the Saviour, is a girls' club started by the Christian Reformed Church in 1958.  At that time GEMS were called Calvinettes and all members belonged to the CRC; however, now girls hail from many different Christian denominations.  Each week, over 900 clubs meet across North America, and even in Zambia, where 24,000 girls from Grades 1 to 8 (Hope CRC is Grades 3 to 8) are instructed by 5,300 women to build a living relationship with Jesus Christ.  GEMS learn how to :

1.  apply the Bible to their everyday lives
2.  be activists for God
3.  participate in service projects (ex. Operation Christmas Child boxes)
4.  sing dynamically
5.  cultivate life skills through badge activities (ex. music appreciation)
6.  make crafts
7.  make meaningful friendships 
8.  find answers to everyday challenges

Every Wednesday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 pm our church comes alive with a flurry of activity.  The girls look forward to attending the meetings.  The leaders give of their time and talents.  And the learning doesn't end there:  the girls go home and work on badges for the following week, which will be attached later to their blue scarves.  So, as I ate my cake and drank my juice, chatting with the other Moms, I thought:  I am so glad that my daughter Jacqueline signed up.  She is one of God's precious gems!


Logo courtesy http://gracecrc.giving.officelive.com.