John 4:35

"Tough"does not come close to describing these young ladies. They have street smarts a small-town girl like me can't even begin to comprehend. Most of them have lost a family member in a random act of violence. All of them have at least one person they love in prison. The ones who are regulars in my Team Kid class have been walking to church by themselves for years; often with four or five younger siblings in tow. One of my fifth or sixth grade babies pushing another baby in a stroller with toddlers walking behind them- that is a regular scene on Sunday mornings at our church. The construction developers call this area "Midtown," but those who attend services there will all agree- this is as inner-city as it gets!

We've been at Highland Avenue Baptist Church almost four years. Every Wednesday night for the past two years, I've spent with my girls (5th and 6th graders.) They are rude, impatient, greedy, stubborn, and full of anger. They are also innocent, fun-loving, loyal and hungry for Hope.

In the beginning I was hesitant to love them. I really didn't want this job. I was more "told" that I would be teaching them than asked. And, let's face it, they are NOT easy to love...until you get to know them. I spent my first year with them wanting to walk out and never come back. It wasn't until last spring that I was even able to pray for them. This year MY attitude has been better, but theirs got worse!

Most of our meetings this year were spent on keeping things quiet enough to just start the lesson! Add to this noise the occasional fist-fights, curse words and obscene dancing, and anyone would understand why we may have finished only three or four lessons out of the twenty we started!

That is why tonight's Team Kid meeting was so amazing.

The next lesson in our book was on Jeremiah. We studied Isaiah the week before, and everyone just had a horrible time trying to understand what a "prophet" is and how that's any different than the lady down the street who reads tarot cards. So rather than spending another week on a prophet/tarot-card-reader (from their perspective, these people would be one in the same) we skipped ahead to the next story...Daniel and the Lion's Den. Aha! Something concrete! Laws and lions- they'll get that!

The Bible story was read. All the review questions were answered. And we still had twenty minutes on the clock before snack!

*insert brakes squealing here*

Extra minutes! This has NEVER happened before! What now?

ENTER: GOD...

In a moment of Divine Intervention (i.e. God's grand entrance above) I asked my girls if they thought Daniel was afraid; possibly more afraid than he'd ever been before in his life. The majority concurred that the Lion's Den would definitely be frightening in the extreme! Then I asked, "What are you most afraid of?"

Answers varied from violence, death, being robbed, losing a family member...
Then one of my newest students said, "Going to Hell," and several others agreed.

I asked them if anyone could tell the class the only way to avoid going to Hell. I got so many different answers, but none of them said Jesus. (Which, by the way, is a sad commentary on my teaching skills during previous lessons!)

I was praying so hard!!! I looked at Susie (my helper,) and I could tell she was too.

Then I asked all of them to listen harder than they've ever listened to me before. I asked them to keep their mouths closed and not talk to me or their neighbors.

I am still in utter amazement of the stillness and attentiveness that followed.

Not a word was spoken while God gave me the opportunity to share Jesus with them. I got to tell them how much God loved Jesus, and how He was willing to give up His Son for us...how the innocent blood of Christ would cover up the ugliness of our hearts...how we can live righteously through repentance...how God's Power can keep us even if we mess up...Romans 3:23...Romans 5:8...Romans 6:23...Romans 10:10-13.

I got to share my Jesus, my sweet, precious Saviour...the One I love!

I asked them to not only close their eyes but to put one hand completely over their eyes. I summarized briefly all that we'd discussed, and gave them a short time of silence to talk to Jesus is they needed to. Then, before they removed their hands from their eyes, I asked them, if they were brave enough, to raise their other hand if they'd asked Jesus to be their Saviour...

And every hand went up...

All nine...

And nobody was even peeking!!!

I prayed for them. I thanked God for them. I thanked God for HIM, Jesus, who made all of this possible!!!

In the middle of my heart crying out in praise to Him, I am also whispering a "thank You" to Him for one more detail...

Tonight was my last night with them. Steven and I have accepted the call to another church, and this was my last chance to speak about Him to them...my children, whom I love.

I am humbled and honored that God was able to use me for His glory. And I am so grateful that He allowed me to share in the reaping His harvest.

"...open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." - John 4:35