While worship gatherings, delegate meetings and seminars are taking place each morning, about 300 children in the upper C-section of the convention center are drawing from the Bible in their own way.

The children’s convention is divided into “family groups,” using names from the Bible such as “John” or  “Rhoda.” Members of the fourth and fifth grade group, “Silas,” enjoy interactive mornings, shaped by the convention focus on the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

The children travel to the lower convention floor with clipboards, asking adults specific questions and recording the answers. On Friday the children approached adults and said, “We are talking about the fruits of the Spirit. Which of the fruits are the hardest for you?”

The nine fruits of the Spirit are self-control, peace, kindness, joy, love, goodness, patience, faithfulness and gentleness. Of the more than 25 adults questioned, 14 said that patience was the most difficult fruit to share.

The following are a few of the responses from adult convention attendees.

Micah Martin, Ethan Lapp and Ethan Setiauan asked….
Juanita Shenk – “Self-control: I say what I think too quickly.”
Rachel Kauffman – “Gentleness: I need to look through the other person’s eyes.”
Martha Yoder Maust – “Patience: I want changes to happen fast.”

Justin Burkholder and Jamie Stoltzfus asked…
Michael Grieser – “Love: People are so different, which can cause conflict.”
Sarah Schloneger – “Patience: If I have a bad day, it’s hard to stay patient.”

Justen Burkholder and Ian Bomberger asked…
Nevin Ball – “Gentleness: Using kindness and not being too forceful.”
Jane Eanes - “Patience: Staying on God’s time and waiting.”

Emily Roth, Leah Wenger, and Olivia Ruth asked…
Tim Moyer – “Faithfulness: We must give up all of ourselves.”
Janet Ruth - “Patience: You want to be quick, but sometimes that is not the way to go.”
E. Kyle - “Faithfulness: I’m so busy, it’s hard to remember who the foundation is.”
Geneva Smucker - “Patience: My natural temperament is to be more impatient.”