Californian Church Members in STEM Fields Mentor Kids in Coding Club

Noticing a need for computer education during the difficult and exhausting times of isolation and school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ttokamsa Mission Church in Monterey Park, Calif., is hosting a computer coding and robotic class as part of its Cooperation Mission Lab, an interactive experience where children’s ministry and adult mentors can grow together in cooperative leadership. 

Ttokamsa Mission Church is a Christian Reformed congregation with services in Korean and English. Its “Kids Robot + Coding Class” is for students interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and will run in three sessions each year. Participants in the first five-week session are using Rokit Smart kits to create a robot and practice with a coding language called Python. 

Pastor Kimberly Kim said, “This is an opportunity to experience the overall overview (of coding) in a fun way.” Experts in this field among the church members have volunteered for the program. Pastor Kim said the Cooperation Mission Lab is an example of “Ecclesiastes 4:9—‘Two are better than one because they get a good reward for their hard work.’ And also it has become a good tool for evangelism.” Kim said there have been many registration requests from children outside the church, and the next set of classes is already full.

The church also has launched a Beach Clean-Up Volunteer Mission as part of its Back to Genesis Family Mission Lab. “We started cleaning the beach once a month,” said Kim. “We expect our children to experience and nurture the beauty of the world God has created and to participate in the ministry of cherishing and serving that world.”