(This has been slightly edited to remove names): Oh, brothers, what a glorious night we had in our new class for the Community Kids' mothers last night. It was a dream come true after all the work, sweat, tears and prayer that have gone into this ministry for so long. Last night, all the patience and longsuffering, produced what I know all involved have prayed for...parents on the road to becoming Christians for these beautiful children that we love, warts and all.
We had 4 ladies in class. These women soaked up all the love and care we gave them. We included them in the planning and goal setting for their class. We asked what they were looking for in this class. Here are their goals: "Learn how to not let everything get to me." "Learn how to treat people better." "Learn how to put Jesus in all my life because I know that's the only way my life will get better." "Learn how to live my daily life better." (Robyn) We teachers, added this: "Learn how to love myself like God wants me to" and "Learn how to take care of my body like God wants me to."
Aretha led this week with the intro in "Getting to Know You." She told them that we will get into more and more scripture as the weeks go by, but that we were first going to spend valuable time getting to know each other. She talked about God's wisdom in creating the church as people who loved God, each other and others. She talked about how we care for one another like God wants us to. She did an excellent job of drawing the students into her discussion. They soaked it up like dry sponges. When we asked them what about their life now made them happy. This were their answers: One said, "I'm happy I'm alive. She recently had a life threatening ashma attack. Another said, "When all my family gets together." Another said, "Being with my family makes me happy. We laugh and play and eat together and,' she said, 'sometimes we cry together." Another was the sad one, she said, "Don't nothing make me happy in my life but my two kids, nothing else is happy." She is expecting another baby in October. We got all of their birthdays down, their favorite colors, hobbies, etc. It was good, it was very good!
Next week, I will lead with "How I learned to Love Myself through God's Eyes." Our teaching will involve lots of interaction from each of them, not lecture type stuff. We told them we want to come to really know them as we help them learn about God's love for them and how to live their lives like Jesus.
I could keep writing and I am glad to share any of this with you all and our plans for the future for this class. Aretha, Beverly and I are three instruments God has placed in these women's paths after all the work you all have done. We see this as the gateway to many areas for the women, which can only better the lives for their children and their hope for eternal life.
Thanks be to God and to all of you who work so diligently in bringing these prescious souls to come to know Christ. May God wrap His loving arms around each of you individually and all of you as a great big group hug from HIM!
