Colombia has been absolutely amazing! I’d like to share an experience we had the pleasure of being apart of. There is a public school a few blocks down the street from the ministry we are staying at. Without my knowledge, there was something brewing in the neighborhood. Pastor Douglas, the man who started the ministry, went down to the school and asked to speak to the principal. There was some hesitation from the lady at the front desk and she told him that she was busy. He says something and a few minutes later he is able to speak with the principal. He tells her who he is and what he wants to do, she has some pushback. I don’t know what else he told her but she agrees and he leaves. We get informed that we will be going into the high school and we need to prepare an hour-long lesson, and that we have 3 days to do it. Our leaders came up with game plan to send back to the school’s administration.
We would break up into 5 groups: world race, foundation, power of words, there-here path, and prevention. Then one person from each group would be apart of a group that would go into a classroom. The world race is given, and the foundation person talks about our ministry partner. Power of words talks about names that people have called them or labels people have put on them and how people speaking those words over them has power. They would write those words down on a piece of paper then they would rip them up then we tell them words Jesus calls them. There-here path is something we use to set monthly goals and how to achieve them. Such as organization, spending more time studying, being obedient to God, and how they can get to that goal. And last but not least, my role- prevention. You guessed it, sexo, drogas, y alcohol. I got to talk to the kids about real life struggles of being a high schooler in the world today and tough but real situations that they would face. God has a sense of humor. I never in a million years thought I would be in front of a group of 9th graders talking about the struggles I went through all for the glory of God.
Everyone before me went swimmingly well and without a hitch. I was up. I remember introducing myself, my name is Will and I am 22 years old. I like to go fishing and hunting along with the outdoors. Then I told the kids I wanted to be real with them during our talk, twice(They’re street kids, they’re not sheltered). I started to talk to them about things that can get in the way of goals you have may set for yourself. Things like: relationships, sex, alcohol, substances, and identity. I have never had the chance to talk to high schoolers but I am hoping that this little bit of my story could help them understand what it means for things to cloud your goals and live a free life with Jesus. I grew up going to church with my family: mom, dad, and older sister. I shared with them, my parents divorced when I was in 7th grade and that is where I started to really feel confused and in pain. When I was in High School I played 2 sports and found a lot of my identity in football and lacrosse. But I let the kids know, that I was also introduced to parties, alcohol, and weed came into the picture while in school. I told them that I tried to fill the void of pain by partying. Then I told them when I was 19, after my freshman year of college, God came into my life. I realized that I was looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places. He taught me that I was loved and no earthly thing could fill that hole but Him alone. Now that doesn’t mean I don’t struggle because I still do, I told them. No matter what they are facing God is in control (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus shined light into my darkness and taught me He was my ultimate satisfaction.
So here are some the questions I asked the class:
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When you don’t love yourself, do you go to other people or things for it? (Substances/ alcohol/ relationships)
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What is the consequence for using these to fill a void?
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Just because your friends are doing it, does it mean you have to?
The translator from the foundation didn’t know what she was getting herself into with my talk to the kids! While it was difficult being vulnerable for the sake of being real with these kids, I was not embarrassed. God uses everything in our past for His glory. (Romans 8:28) The fact that we even got into the Colombian school is a miracle. I can’t imagine them letting a group of missionaries talk about Jesus at a public school in the states. Pastor Douglas said he didn’t know if the church would be invited back to the school but if one out of the 350ish student got the message it was all worth it.
If you have further questions I would love for you to reach out.
Thank you for the continued prayers and support!
With Love,
Will
