Energized

Yesterday I had a middle school/high school event from 6:45am - 6:45pm. A kind man from our church wanted to bring us to a Christmas pageant in Shipshewana, Indiana for FREE! So, we had almost 20 students load up the coach (which had individual cup holders & foot rests - talk about riding in luxury!) and drive the few hours South. The other 2/3rds of the bus was made of up a handful of Plymouth folks + people who come to our church's mobile food pantry, who also got a FREE invitation.

I focused my energy mostly on some great bus ride conversations with my kids and relationship building during the day. I would go again just for the bus trip! We got to Shipshe & walked around a bit to the different shops and then went to the restaurant for lunch. There was a HUGE banquet room for our bus + about 3 other bus loads of people. I sat with 4 of my students in the middle of a group of strangers. I introduced myself to my neighbor and she said, "I rode the bus with you!". Duh. Kinda felt like an idiot. Anyhow, we converse all throughout lunch and I learn of her children and grandchildren. She learns about my role at PHCRC. She's got 2 grand kids in middle school. We've got our Breakaway Christmas party Sunday night. You can see where this is going, right?

So tonight at Breakaway, in walks my new friend and her two grandkids, S & B. B is a 6th grade girl (as are ALL of my girls in Breakaway) and S is an 8th grade boy (as are a majority of my boys in Breakaway). I meet them, give them the nickle tour of the youth room & start to introduce them around. They seem apprehensive at first. B started to come out of her shell pretty quickly. S got invited into a game of pool with a college leader (awesome work DS). Dinner comes. B sits with all the kids. S sits in the game room against the wall by himself. I invite him to join us, he refused. A few minutes passes & I send guy leader DS in to interact. They talk. I still can't tell if he's forced to be there or has any desire whatsoever.

We played a guessing game - guess how many hershey's kisses are in the cheap dollar store container? 97.
S guesses the closest & WINS! We see how awesome of a smile he's got. He began to engage.

More games, more games, more games. Then, it's time to get serious and focus on why we are even at church in the first place. We watched THIS video to quiet us and focus us. Then I led a lectio devina on Luke 2:1-20. I explained it as best as I could, hoping the newbies wouldn't think we're a weird cult-like place. :) We meditated on the Christmas story. Then I had them journal. B & S journaled right along with the rest of them. They wrote down their prayer requests like the rest of them. They gave me their address so I can send more information about the group. They left with Grandma & I hope to see them again.

They seemed like any other kids who come to a new place for the first time. But here is the coolest part. I don't know if these kids have EVER heard the Christmas story. There mom doesn't believe in church. They're grandma is Catholic and I'm not sure how engaged she is anywhere. They've been evicted from their apartment with their mom and are living with their grandma during the week and with grandpa, mom and others in a 1 bedroom apartment on the weekend. When they see their dad, it's at his fiances parents house where they live. They don't have a church home. They don't have many friends due to too many moves in the last 4 years. Grandma wants to get them plugged in somewhere, and God brought them to the PHCRC family through a series of his Sovereign events.

So, long story for a simple but exciting point that I am energized and thrilled that the Lord has brought them to Breakaway. Please pray for them and Grandma. Please pray for me and the other leaders. Wow. Sharing God's love with people who may or may not already know it is such a privilege. I pray for more opportunities, and for obedience when I'm given them.