Check out this guest post from Novo Ministries’ Site Coordinator, Abby Wilson, about a very special night at Novo Bible Club.
Months ago I could not even put into words what I wanted from this position at Novo. I couldn’t express what I wanted to feel… I just knew that it needed to be different than the way that it was. I knew I needed it to feel more like home. To feel more real. To feel less forced. And to know that it was my destiny for this time in my life. It didn’t always feel natural. It didn’t always feel right. It felt like too big of a challenge. Like too much work. Not enough pay. But then I started to feel changes.
Tonight as the kids started filing in I ran to each of them, embraced them, and my heart ACHED with genuine, undignified, unrestrained love for them. I can only be certain that I have never felt so at home than I did right then in that moment.
I was incredibly blessed that one of the older boys came to Club early while the Canvassing teams were out and before anyone had gotten back. We stood just outside of the apartment, in the breeze, talking while we waited for the other kids and teachers to get back. He said, “Miss Abby! I heard that the story today is about Jesus! I am SO pumped to hear about it. Last week I was playing outside and I could just feel something that was telling me ‘go to Bible Club, go to Bible Club’ and so I looked all over to find you guys. I was so glad that I did!” Later in the conversation he told me, which we had started to realize last week, that some of the kids pick on him. I asked him if he knew why and he said that it was because he was annoying, but that he “tried not to be.” I told him that I did not find him annoying and that I loved that I was getting to know him. I asked him if it hurt his feelings that the kids picked on him and he said, “No, because I know that it’s probably because they are going through something hard. And I have been through that before.” Even as I write this I am tearing up. He went on to tell me about his less-than-adequate father who put he and his mom through a lot of pain. He told me about his uncle who has invested in him. His step-dad who loves him. I could not stop smiling because this sweet little boy already knows the redemption of His Creator.
I can’t understand why I would be trusted with the job that I have been given. I can’t understand how such a blessing could have literally fallen into my lap.
Learn how you can make a difference for children like Eathon by volunteering or our child sponsorship program!
