The Puppeteers

In the Bible the Apostle Paul wrote to his young friend Timothy, telling him to never let anyone say that he was too young to tell others about Jesus.

In the Bible the Apostle Paul wrote to his young friend Timothy, telling him to never let anyone say that he was too young to tell others about Jesus (1 Timothy 4:12). Two young children in California have found a fun way to share God’s love with children and adults.

Puppet Ministry

“Music ready . . . Arms up . . . Listen for the cue!” Every week at puppet practice, Austin and Faith listen for these commands as they learn how to make puppets seem alive during their puppet presentations. Austin and Faith are puppeteers with a puppet team in their hometown in California.

Austin used to go with his grandfather to puppet practice. “When I saw that it was a fun way to tell others about Jesus, I wanted to do it too,” he said. Faith, a friend of Austin’s, wanted to become a puppeteer after going to practice with her father and sister.

Before Austin and Faith could work with puppets, they joined Puppeteers in Training. They learned how to hold props such as butterflies and fish in the background while the main puppeteers presented the skit. It looks easy enough to hold up a prop, but Austin and Faith learned that it takes lots of practice to get it just right.

And it takes muscles, too. “We had to do special exercises called puppet aerobics to strengthen our arms,” Austin explained. “It can be hard to hold your arm up high enough for the audience to see for an entire skit.”

Puppeteer Graduation

Austin and Faith learned well and were promoted to working with real puppets. “My first puppet was named Dude,” says Austin. “Dude plays the guitar and sings songs.” The puppets are heavier than the props, so the children continue to do their puppet aerobics to strengthen their muscles. “Sometimes our arms get tired, but with practice we can do it,” Faith said.

Puppeteers don’t move just the puppet’s mouth; they also move the puppet’s arms and legs with special rods. This makes the puppets’ actions look more natural, but it takes lots of practice to know when and how to move the rods just right. And if the puppeteer speaks their own puppet’s parts, they must learn how to use a microphone headset. It’s hard work being a good puppeteer!

Sharing God’s Love

The puppet troupe performs short skits in schools, churches, and even in city parks. Sometimes when children come up to talk to the puppeteers after the performance, Austin and Faith tell them how much Jesus loves them. When they can, they pray with the children.

Austin likes to use puppets to tell others how much Jesus means to him. Faith adds that while puppets may not be for everyone, she hopes every child will find a way to share God’s love with others. “There are lots of ways to witness,” she says. “Find something you enjoy and use it to tell others about Jesus.”

We all can find ways to share God’s love with others. And one great way to tell others about Jesus is to bring your mission offering to Sabbath School every week.