RICHIE FERRERA: Welcome back to INC News world.
Time to Draw, a program produced by the Church Of Christ, was created for kids to learn how to draw with professional artist– James Raiz. with over 1.5 million subscribers and over 200 million views on Youtube, also known as The Box Office Artist, he has captured audiences with his eclectic drawings and illustrations. And in Washington, D.C., let’s discover how young audiences drew inspiration through a live event. Lawren Santos has the details.
LAWREN SANTOS: With pencils sharpened and canvases ready, young audiences were eager for a day of drawing and of fun. Gathering from around the ecclesiastical district of Washington, D.C., members of all ages filled the venue to capacity, putting pencil to paper, eager to learn from professional artist, popular YouTuber of over 1.5 million subscribers, and host of Time To Draw– James Raiz.
SAGE RAMIREZ (PARTICIPANT): I enjoyed Time to Draw so much because we saw Sweetie live and we got to draw with James. Here are my drawings: the white house, a bird and a bat! And my favorite part was spending time with my friends.
KARL PESIGAN (PARTICIPANT): I like drawing and I love Sweetie.
RONIN AND RYA TARROMA (PARTICIPANTS): What is your favorite part about Time to Draw? Everything! Pictures!
ELIJAH FABELLORE (PARTICIPANTS): I like Time to Draw because it is so much fun. I got to draw… I drew an eagle and a white house because it’s so much fun!
LAWREN SANTOS: And young artists weren’t the only ones that were in on the fun. Their parents were also there and were able to see how beneficial this event was for everyone to be together.
ALFRED TRINIDAD (PARENT): Brotherhood, we’re not by ourselves and to have fun with other children. He seemed very happy and excited.
CLAUDE HARPER (PARENT): For one, I think she enjoyed it, two, I think it also gave her the ability to understand and learn the logistic nature of drawing and what that brings to the table. She liked it.
LAWREN SANTOS: For Sanderson, a Children’s Worship Service teacher, with a young daughter of his own, this event was truly memorable.
SANDERSON ALIM (CHILDREN’S WORSHIP SERVICE DISTRICT PRESIDENT): Amazing, just seeing the kids, just how happy they were. It’s amazing. James, he does this for a living, but also knowing him as well, he’s also a cws teacher. He poured his heart out to the kids. He loves what he does, just seeing his energy, what he puts into his everyday life, but also translates what he does for the Church he loves what he does. It’s all out of love. We have a nine month old and obviously she can’t draw, but she can see the atmosphere and the camaraderie of everyone. There were kids from all ages and even the parents, you know, just being there with their kids, helping them draw. It just shows the family bond that we have inside the Church. And there’s just something you can’t beat anywhere else. Anywhere you go in this world, you always find home inside the church.
RACHELLE RADOC (PRODUCER, TIME TO DRAW): James is a great host because he gives off this great energy that everybody can feed off of and he’s loud and exciting, but he also, whenever he’s teaching the kids how to draw, he uses very simple terms. He makes it very easy for the kids to understand.
What makes time to draw lives special is that we’re able to take it to different districts around the world. Really, it can go anywhere. It’s been to the Philippines, it’s been to a bunch of places in the United States. But really all the districts need to know is that they can just request it.
BROTHER SIDNEY SANTOS (SUPERVISING MINISTER, ECCLESIASTICAL DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON, D.C.): And to see our young children participate and bring visitors, actually bring visitors and have their parents as well come and join. This all the more showed to them that when it comes to activities inside the Church. So many blessings come into their life. There were children that approached me immediately afterwards and said, “Brother Sidney, I did not know I could draw like this”. And it was like a launching pad, a catalyst to participate in even more activities of the Church. This is the love of the Administration for all of us. There are so many things that strive to pull them away from our faith or even to make us doubt what we believe. And so when they launch activities like this, it strengthens our belief that our Administration truly does love us. And they want these activities to strengthen us, to let us know that inside the Church this is where we can receive God’s blessings.
LAWREN SANTOS: As today’s event gave children and parents lifelong memories, they look forward to what’s to come– more activities to strengthen family bonds and their faith inside the Church Of Christ.
Check out more content like Time to Draw by visiting the INC Kids YouTube channel or incmedia.org/inc-kids. Lawren Santos for the Iglesia Ni Cristo News Network.
RICHIE FERRERA: Have you learned to draw from any of the episodes of ‘Time to Draw’ or experienced any live events from INC Media? Let us know in the comments.
Well, that does it for us on INC News World, tune in every Sunday for new episodes on INCTV and every Saturday on INCMedia.org, our YouTube channel and on streaming platforms. I’m Richie Ferrera. Thank you for joining us. Stay safe and we’ll see you next time. God bless.
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