kakaka kids club!!

On an average kids club day I often hear statements like this “Bonnie….

Two Rez dogs are trying to break into the building

Two kids are fighting outside

Two kids are having a rock fight outside

My dad’s going to shoot your head off with his BB gun

My dad’s going to cut you with his knife

She bit and kicked me

That kids running away

Boo has someone tied up outside, she says she’s playing cops and robbers

And the list goes on……………

Sometimes kids club is hard and frustrating and exhausting. There are times when all I want to do is run away and cry. This is very much what my first two weeks of programming looked like. All I did all day was discipline. I questioned if it was going to be like that the rest of the summer. I questioned my purpose of being here, and I questioned my ability to make it through the summer. At the point when I felt that the only option was to throw in the towel God intervened in mighty ways!

My first few weeks of Kids Club were spent trying to implement structure, disciplining, and constantly having hard conversations with kids who just weren’t listening. However, as week three rolled around things drastically changed. Here are just a few stories of the amazing ways that God is working here on the reservation.

Shawna

Shawna is a three-year-old girl who comes to kids club. She often times runs away from her station and wreaks havoc. One day at kids club I chased her around until I could finally catch her. Once I did I wrapped my arms around her tight while she fought out all of her anger. While she was fighting I thought to myself “I’m done, I am so done with this” As soon as I had finished uttering that statement I heard a small voice say, “I will never stop loving you”. It was such a beautiful moment! The moment my flesh failed God stepped in, in mighty ways and loved her through me! Once she was tired of fighting her body relaxed and I gathered her up in a tight embrace. I began praying over her and as I prayed I felt her body relax and something leave her. She then sat down with me for the next half hour as we read different Bible stories. It was during this time I was able to share with her who Jesus was, and what heaven was. When she asked about heaven and I explained that if we accepted Jesus into our hearts we too get to live with him in heaven forever! Her eyes got as large as saucers and she shook her head no in disbelief. She could hardly believe that could be true. What a blessing it is to see a child hear the gospel for the first time! I pray for her and that she may come to know the Lord! 

Dnky

Is the one who voiced the threats read above. He is only three and yet he was telling me his father was going to shoot my head off, and cut me with his knife. As he was talking I could just see something in his eyes, a wild unruly look. After he voiced these threats I picked that small child up and hugged him tight and prayed over him. I continued to pray over him until I felt him relax in my arms. Once I was finished praying I looked down into his deep brown eyes and my heart just broke! He was able to finish out the day at kids club with no further problems. Much of my day is spent hugging and praying for this little boy.

I could tell you a million more stories, and may just write another blog post introducing you to the children of kids club.

Though my job is hard and exhausting I know at the end of the day it’s worth it. It’s in those moments when I’m praying over a child, or enjoying their smiles and laughter that I know I’m right where God wants’ me to be. It’s the moments when I’m praying over a crying teen who has just encountered Christ for the first time, that I know it’s worth it. It’s when I have a kid who was once throwing fireworks at me coming to kids club and handing over their fireworks, that I know their being changed. It’s when a child comes up to me and says “I wuv you” that I know  I’m making a difference. It’s when I get to share the Gospel with a child for the first time that I know It’s all in God’s timing. These are the moments that get me through the day. Each day I surrender myself as a servant to God and pray that He will work entirely through me. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.(1Timothy 1:17)