[{"id":2958,"order":0,"imagePath":"https://admin.ezystream.com/static/images/article/4cbf9aae-e9ca-4199-86e4-2d159d9ef284.png","type":"image","content":"https://admin.ezystream.com/static/images/article/4cbf9aae-e9ca-4199-86e4-2d159d9ef284.png"},{"id":2959,"order":1,"contentText":"Franklin Community Toy Library has been serving the Pukekohe, South Auckland, community for more than 20 years. Toy Librarian Amanda Bailey shares how this neighbourhood initiative provides plenty of opportunities for listeningu2014to people and to God.
Like most toy libraries, the one tucked behind Franklin Baptist Church in their former prayer room has a simple operational structure. Families have a choice of being u2018activeu2019 or u2018non-activeu2019 members. The former is cheaper and entails helping out in the library for one session each term. All member families benefit from the wide assortment of toys suitable for children from birth to early primary age. In the case of Franklin Community Toy Library (FCTL), thatu2019s around 900 toys, all documented in a database down to individual parts.
Meeting needs
When the cost of membership could be the equivalent of one good quality toy alone, the advantages of belonging to a toy library become clear, especially when children donu2019t always take a fancy to what their parents think they will.
u201cSometimes you buy a toy for a child that they really donu2019t like and then you are stuck with it,u201d says Amanda, who has been FTCLu2019s librarian since 2015.
u201cHere, if they donu2019t like it, you just swap it for a different one. Parents are often surprised what their child does like out of their selection of toys. It gives them the option of being able to pick things they would not normally have chosen at a toy shop or thought about before.u201d
Building relationships
FCTL has almost 90 members and 114 children on their books. Most of the members are community families. The toy library is an important way of connecting them with the church. One approach is through encouraging people to attend church events like the annual Pumpkin Partyor Flourish womenu2019s events. The other, more effective, way is through building relationships.
u201cItu2019s a bit like being a hairdresser,u201d says Amanda. u201cPeople tell you things and then you pick up from where you left off two weeks ago. Sometimes I forget what people have had going on because there are so many people that come through. You just say, u2018How has your week been?u2019 and that usually starts it off. When people go through hard things, they share and I can pray for them.
u201cIf someone has had a real hard week and they come in here crying, just giving a hug or a cup of tea, and getting them to sit down and having a chat is really good. The other members that help me are a really good support as well. Itu2019s not just about me.u201d
Two years on, Amanda says she now has enough of a relationship with several of the regulars that she has been able to invite them to church services.
u201cJust listening to what God is saying, and timing, is important. There are lots of people that come to the toy library, but God will give me a bit of a heart for one or two that I feel he really wants me to pursue more than just the connection at the library. So, I will give them a ring, or weu2019ll have a coffee, or try and do something outside of that time, to really cement that relationship. Then I am able to speak from the position of a friend who loves Jesus and wants to see Jesus in their lives.u201d
Godu2019s perfect timing
Sometimes that prompting from God takes a fair amount of courage to follow through on. Amanda recounts one such case.*
u201cThere was a particular lady that came in over a series of months. She was clear she was an atheist, even though she had had a Christian background. I knew God was stirring my heart for her, to build a relationship with her. One night she was on duty with me as an active member and knew God wanted me to give her this verse.
u201cShe had brought her daughter along that night. I thought, u2018Oh man, Iu2019m probably not going to get the right chance.u2019 Her husband came to pick her up. My heart was beating but I knew, no, I need to share this word with her. I blurted out, u2018I just need to share something with you Godu2019s been speaking to me about.u2019 And she was like, u2018Oh yeah, whatu2019s that?u2019 I had a Word for Today and in it was a picture that looked so much like her. So, every time I opened my Word for Today, God was prompting me to pray for her. On that picture were the steps on how to become a Christian.
u201cI asked, u2018Does this picture look like you?u2019 She replied, u2018Oh yeah, it kind of looks like me.u2019 I said, u2018I believe God wants you to have this book in a minute, but I have this verse for you.u2019 Now this lady is dyslexic so she asked me to read it out. It was in Deuteronomy 30:19 about choosing life or death, blessing or cursingu2014making a choice for life, pretty much. She asked me to read it again. Then she said, u2018I canu2019t believe that. Two weeks ago I tried to commit suicide. And youu2019re telling me that Godu2019s wanting me to choose life?u2019 I said, u2018Yeah. God has told me this is for you.u2019
u201cShe was really touched. I got to pray for her as well. That was kind of the turning point for her. She decided to do Alpha and is getting baptised soon.
u201cThatu2019s what I pray for more ofu2014those times when God is showing me. He doesnu2019t show me for everybody, but those times where Godu2019s timing is perfect. That was the right time to share that, and imagine if I hadnu2019t... Sometimes we need to get over ourselves and just do it!u201d
Story: Amanda Bailey, with Linda Grigg
Amanda is a former school teacher, Christian camp holiday programmes organiser, and YWAM-er. She and husband Daniel have four children. The family attends Franklin Baptist Church.
* The woman mentioned in Amandau2019s story gave Amanda permission to share her testimony. We have chosen not to publish her name.
Read more about Franklin Community Toy Library.
Ruby Duncan, National Team Leader for Neighbourhood & Justice Initiatives, adds her perspective...
Listening to our neighbours
Neighbourhoods are changing their shape, and never has it been more important for us to be moving beyond our assumptions of who lives next door and what they might need and want. As neighbourhoods become more diverse, and as families change the traditional shape of working father and stay-at-home mother, and as u2018worku2019 becomes flexible or non-existent, we must take more time to pay attention to who is my neighbour and what do they want and need. We must be listening.
For as long as there have been gospel communities living within neighbourhoods, we have asked ourselves how we can best respond to the needs of our local community, as Christ would have us do. So often we have run ahead and assumed what our neighbours needed. Often we did this based on our perception of what their deficits and problems were, and not on what they would most want us to do and be.
We have a greater understanding these days that God has a desire for everyone to live in a place where they feel connected, supported and understood. A place where each person and group can flourish and become all they were created to be.
The beginning point for this to happen must be our capacity to listen to our neighbours, to understand who they are and their deepest longings and daily struggles. For this we must be great listeners. Activities that bring us into contact with our neighbourhood in fun and natural ways (rather than activities based on peopleu2019s problems) are a great way to create a context for this listening. When people are relaxed and there is an environment being built of trust and honesty, then we will truly hear what people have to say.
Toy library and other models
For many years models like the toy library have been a great way of doing this listening. I love this story, which highlights how this has happened at Franklin. These days, churches are experimenting with new ways of doing this. One of the activities Iu2019ve been excited about is the veggie hubs. Just like the toy library they are based on creating a place where people come for something that is an everyday need, and find a place where they can also hang out, maybe have a coffee with others and make new friends, and where churches can be listening and finding out more about their neighbours.
The people hanging around at home during the day are no longer just mothers and the elderly. We have stay-at-home dads, people working flexible hours, more unemployed youth, and young parents.
What I also love about these models is that they create places where our neighbours can also be volunteers. Everyone loves to be helpful, and those outside our churches may have the most time on their hands! Instead of wringing volunteer hours out of our attendees, our neighbours may love to get involved themselves in making things happen. In this context, as we work side by side, we can really get to know each other. Listening goes to another level.
Scripture: Unless otherwise specified, Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright u00a9 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
","type":"text"}] 
