In my last blog post, I gave you look at the daily operations of Kedesh. That blog was fairly easy to write. This one won't be as simple. I'm going to try to convey to you just how amazing I think this place is. Kedesh is one of the places you just have see and experience for yourself in order to truly grasp what's going here.
Living at Kedesh for the last month has been like living with the Lost Boys from the movie "Hook". The boys create and cultivate their own gardens, there are games being played, power tools being used to create whatever the boys can imagine (they made a wooden baseball bat yesterday), and there are chickens, ducks, cats, and dogs running around. However, in contrast to the Lost Boys, the boys of Kedesh are far from lost. They are educated, loved, and cared for by John Whickes and Heather Pritchard.
One of my favorite aspects of Kedesh is the family structure. There are several sets of blood brothers here, but the boys all act as though they are all brothers. The boys ages range from about 10 to 18. The younger boys are paired with the older boys who look out for the younger ones. The older boys are the ones that ensure that the younger boys are behaving and completing their chores. This is a great system because it gives the older boys a responsibility to mentor the younger boys and it ensures that someone is always looking out for the younger boys and making sure that they do not slip through the cracks. John acts as the father figure at Kedesh. He takes responsibility for teaching the boys valuable skills, such as plumbing, electrical work, construction, gardening, and sports. He also heads up the spiritual formation of the boys by giving them a devotional every morning and a teaching on Friday nights before the Sabbath. John also is a great role model for the boys, as he is a hard worker, fair (the punishment always fits the crime), and loving. His vision in starting Kedesh was that he wanted to provide a sanctuary for boys who may be left to wander the streets and be overlooked by society. Heather acts as the wiser older sister/aunt. She teaches the boys how to cook, works on the boys English, does crafts with them, and even joins in on their competitions. Both John and Heather strive to ensure that while at Kedesh the boys will learn the skills needed to be successful in the "real world".
Thats the other reason I like Kedesh. The boys are taught so many skills and entrusted with many different responsibilities. Depending on the boys ages, the boys are taught use of certain power tools. Once they have been trained on a certain tool the boys have unhindered access to the tools. When our team came there was a shortage of chairs, so what did the boys do? They got into the wood, grabbed the tools they needed and they made half a dozen wooden chairs. Since John has a background in construction he has passed his skills on the boys and lets them choose what they want to be trained in, whether electrical, plumbing, or wood work. You can see a certain pride in the boys as they tackle different projects throughout the day. John has made it clear to them that he believes they are all capable and given them the skills they need in order to be successful. Now this doesn't mean that nothing ever breaks or the faucet on a sink blows off and we lose a bunch of water. John also gives the boys freedom to be boys. They are free to run, play, learn, and make mistakes.
John lets the boys be boys. He gives them the space they need to try new things, succeed or fail, and then try again. It's amazing the confidence that these orphan boys exude. It's a confidence that comes from John and Heather believing in them. Believing that they are capable of imagining, creating, and succeeding. I believe this is the same way that God views us. As we were all once orphans in the spiritual sense, God came along, and invited into His family through his son Jesus. But more than just inviting us to be apart of a family God has told us that we are capable of imagining, creating, and succeeding at great things. And this is why as Christians, as long as we remember our identity, we can walk around with air confidence that is odd for a bunch of men and women who were once orphans.
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