Introducing: Denise van Dorp

Hi everyone, I’m Denise and I’ve just come on board to help oversee kids work at Redeemer International Church.

I’d like to start by saying that I love Redeemer because it reflects the things I value most. It is a group of people who love God, love each other and have gathered from all over the world.

I was born in a tiny little village in central Thailand and have ended up living in The Hague. I grew up speaking Thai, English and Dutch, having elephants pop round the front yard for a banana snack, and preferring to be barefoot than to be constricted by shoes.
Now, I still speak Dutch, English and Thai (albeit less Thai than before), the most exotic animal that pops by is a fruit fly, and I have sensibly learned to wear any shoes that will keep my toes warm in the chilly Dutch weather.

I’ve been helping with kids work at Redeemer for about 5 years and it has been incredible to see the number of children grow from around 10 to over 100. It is amazing to work with kids and see them grow in their understanding of who God is. There is something so joyful and uninhibited about the way children ask questions about who God is and how their prayers are small and yet full of faith. And of course, nothing beats the fun and games that children enjoy together.

As part of the Redeemer staff, I will be overseeing the various teams that run kids work for children ages 0-12. This includes anything from supporting the team leaders to helping provide training and tooling, as we look to what God has planned for kids work at Redeemer in the coming seasons. In September, the children who have outgrown their age group will be heading into the next groups, our rather large toddler’s group will be splitting into two groups, and we are pleased to have new team members and leaders joining our kids teams.

With any of the next steps we take, we would love your help. Pray for the children and kids teams in our church, and if you are interested in joining a team, let us know!
I am looking forward to the day when children not only love taking part in their kids programs but also actively participate in the Sunday services, representing God’s family in full.