Dodge Ball and Micky

Bom Dia Família! 

I experienced my closest moment to death yesterday at the Kid's Place. It involved playing dodge ball with the other kids. This children seem all sweet and innocent when we sing Praise and Worship songs but when the dodge ball rolls out and the group splits up into boys and girls, a new side to these children comes out. It is all out war and these kids are ruthless. I, of course, played with the girls team. What I liked about these kids is that it wasn't about their individual victories, they cared about a win for the entire team. If an older kid got hit a younger one would take their out so that the team would have a better chance of winning. I pretended to be a younger kid and took the out for an older better girl because I wasn't bringing much to the team and the boys throw hard. Other than that it was a lot of fun and I enjoyed seeing the kids work together as a team. So I've told you my closest moment to death and with that I think I should also tell you my closest moment to Christ yesterday. It involved a little boy named Mikelangelo, Micky for short. Micky has a lot of behavioral problems. He just doesn't stay focused well or listen to directions. He is always in his own little world. Eliane says he is very aggressive with the other kids and teachers. I would find out later that his father was murdered just 15 days ago because of drug problems and ever since then his behavior has gotten worse. But just like how I saw a new side of the children when the dodge ball came out, I also saw a new side to Micky yesterday. Almost every time he sees me he comes up to me and puts his hand on my head. I usually do the same to him and then we laugh and hug. It is our little greeting. After playing outside with the kids we came in for art time. Micky came up to me as usual and put his little hand on my head. I guess I was hot because when he did it, he got this worried look on his face and then disappeared. I didn't really think much of it until he came back a few minutes later with a glass of water. It was the sweetest moment. I drank it with a lot of enthusiasm to show him just how much I appreciated it. These kids show me so much love with the little things they do and I can see God working in them through these little acts. Here is a boy who has just had his father taken from him and he still went out of his way to make sure I had a glass of water. My prayer is that he and the rest of the children will continue to grow in Christ and break the cycle of bad decisions and tragedies of their families. Please pray this prayer with me. I love you guys!