Going into English Camp I didn’t really have too many expectations. I mean, sure…I thought we would teach some English and love on kids, but I had no idea what that would look like. The first week went well, perhaps a little more rambunctious than I had hoped, (look at me saying I didn’t have any expectations and then that statement…just go with it.) but the hardest part was the language barrier. The kids didn’t understand us and we didn’t understand them. (Thank goodness for our translators these weeks, William and Jhosue were complete life savers.) I really think the first week was spent getting used to that aspect alone.
Week two came along, a couple new trouble makers come. Tuesday we gave warnings and Wednesday we had to send some of them home. There were fists being thrown and so much anger. Angel was one of the kids sent home but after class we brought him back to talk to him about his anger issues, we told him that we loved him and wanted him in class but he needed to control his temper. We prayed over him and asked him to come back Thursday refreshed and with a better attitude. Thursday he came back refreshed, I watched him most of the class. His attitude started happy and loving on people, but something happened part way through the class…he was influenced by the rest of the bad kids and ended up getting sent home. During class I asked God to give me his heart for Angel, my heart started to break, I immediately wondered what he went home to and what his home life was like if he was constantly angry. Even if his home life isn’t bad, what must be going on in his mind to make him act like that. He clearly needs to be prayed over and ask to be freed of anger. Thursday after class Jhosue brought Angel back and I just wanted to tell him how much I noticed his good behavior at the beginning of class but that as the day went on I noticed his anger get worse. We prayed for him again and I told him to pray if he noticed himself feeling angry, to ask God to take away those feelings so that he could have a good day at class. He came to us sad and after pouring into him for 5 minutes, praying for him he left a little lighter with a smile and a hug. Friday was the last day of English Camp. He came back refreshed with a smile on his face. He had pockets of time where he became angry but when I noticed I asked him to pray and he didn’t sit in the anger for long. After watching him closely for 4 days I noticed he really is a follower. He is attracted to the bad kids but he rarely initiated a fight. I’m not saying he is perfect but my prayer for him is that the desire of his heart changes. That the desire to be happy and joyful, would be stronger than the desire to constantly fight. I pray that as the days go on he’ll realize who he is in the Lord and that he is accepted just as he is. He doesn’t need to do anything to be accepted, he’s already accepted. Even with the little tiny bit Jhosue and I poured into him, there was a noticeable change in attitude. I pray that it was only a seed of hope and that it continues to grow, that more people come into his life and see him through God’s eyes. If you’re reading this, take a minute to pray that over him. Pray freedom over him, pray joy and love over him.
