We begin our night setting up dinner at 5:30, and I have started to let the children help in preparing the meals. We pray outside together and eat dinner from 6-6:30. At 6:30, we return inside for singing and worship. My Aunt Recia donated instruments and so song time is becoming more interactive and engaging. It blesses my heart to hear these children, many of which do not come from church attending family's, singing and belting out the words. I love how my own children are growing from CAN as I hear Hannah singing these songs at home while playing.
At around 6:45 we split our growing group (more and more attend as the night progresses) into two age groups. Ages 3-6 stay with me for the Bible Story and ages 7-12 go outside to run off energy and play games with Miss Julie. At 7:05 we switch. And at 7:30 our newest faithful volunteer Miss Myra leads craft time. We finish around 7:45 whereupon the children help clean up and tell me their bible verse (currently Galatians 5:22-23) and receive a prize from the treasure chest.
By 8:00 my own children are exhausted, Tabbers is having a meltdown in the nursery while I finish cleaning up. I shoo the remaining children home to their nearby apartments and go home for the bedtime routine.
Every week new children attend. More and more of my CAN clubbers are appearing on Sunday mornings for Sunday school. We had one little girl ask, and sing a solo for Mother's Day whereupon her own mother did not come to hear her but her great grandmother did and is starting to become a regular attendee.
My troublesome 7 year old, (A), and I got into it heavy one night when he mistakenly thought someone drank some of his soda; got made and poured the rest of it on the church floor and then proceeded to lift chairs over his head and throw them. After I interviewed I am ashamed to admit I dragged him out of the church and took his hat off his head. He swore at me and then swore "on Jesus" that he would never come back to church. I sincerely stated that he should never swear on Jesus and that I would miss him if he did not come back. He demanded that I give him back his hat, I told him I would not, until he apologized. 2 1/2 weeks later I caved, returned his hat and prayed.
My heart grieves for him. I knew he did not come from a good home, and I felt as though I had failed him. Each time I went to church the other children would tell me-"Miss Shelley (A) says he hates you." OR "Miss Shelley (A) called you a bad word." And I would always reply, "Everytime (A) says something mean about me, just respond: Miss Shelley Loves you." I felt The Lord tell me to bring him chocolate ice cream, to pray over him and love on him ceaselessly. And so I did. The next timeI saw him walking home from school, pulled over and apologized to him for getting mad and loosing my temper. He too apologized and ran into me for a hug. The next day I brought 16 chocolate ice cream bars, all of which were consumed by children.
That following week Julie's husband, Kiel, came to volunteer and (A) on as his "project ." Many of these kiddos have no father figure and it was wonderful to watch them interact with Kiel.
Now (A) sits with either me or Julie on Sunday mornings, he is quick to hug and quick to apologize-to me- when he cusses or makes a mistake. I even got a compliment from the Sunday school teacher about him last week as he recited ALL of the fruits of the spirit to the class. Last week I witnessed him put a dollar in the offering envelope and place it in the usher's basket, which almost moved me to tears.
These children need Jesus! And God taught me that we are to be diligent in, not just teaching them with our words and bible stories, but by genuinely loving them and showing them Christ with our Love through our actions.
God recently convicted me one step further. Many of these children are home all summer long, which means that they are running around unattended. So I have decided to do summer activities with them on occasion- last Friday we had a movie night. They were so excited!!! My little singing girl hand- made "entry tickets" for all the kids. Brandon and I brought our fire pit and made s'mores with the kids, some of which roasted their very first marshmallows. One boy made one to take home to his brother. Then we air popped popcorn with them and one little girl asked if she could take a bowl of popcorn to her neighbor, I jokingly said "no, make her come here and get it." The little girl replied, "she can't, she's very old and can't walk this far. But she has been saying she wants some popcorn." I sent her off with a bag of it!
It was wonderful watching the kids play blocks in the sanctuary with one another while the movie played. Don't get me wrong, it was chaotic and there was popcorn EVERYWHERE but they had fun!!! And all the kids helped clean up, some picking up popcorn by hand, others vacuuming . The little girl who brought the movie gave me a great big hug and thanked me making it all worth it. My family did not get home that until 10:00 pm.
I love them, each of them dearly. I am so greatful to those who have volunteered to come alongside in helping to love on the kiddos... God is moving!
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