Today was a normal Sunday. Sunday school, children's church, choir practice, and then evening service. Frank and I had nursery tonight.
Last week at church, I learned that Raheem, a boy who's been in our children's church program longer than I have, probably started going to the church before our family have, is going to graduate college. I was quite shocked really. I couldn't believe that he was going to be graduating. He wanted to go to Concord and get a degree to be a pharmacists. I commend him for that. I am quite proud of him. He is such a good boy, never any trouble during church and always looks out for his sisters, just a very sweet boy. It got me thinking though, we don't have many kids in the bus program that stay until they go off to college. Usually when they reach their teen years, maybe not even their teen years, they stop coming. Raheem is my first bus kid that I know of that's going off to college. It felt bittersweet. He's been coming to church for so long yet I don't feel that he's very connected to this church, which he should be because he's been coming for longer than I have! I told Candice that sometimes I feel as if Children's church is such an afterthought and the bus kids are so disconnected to the church, which it shouldn't be like that at all. We have this program for a purpose. To teach these kids the gospel, make sure that they are saved, and to guide them the best we can. I know their circumstance aren't always the best, I want to make sure that we impact their lives so that when they leave us, when they go off into the real world, they'll take a piece of us with them, know that they at least been thought some important life lessons. I want them to leave knowing that they have a church home, know that they have church family that love them and would support them. I want Raheem to know that. I hate that I am only thinking about this now that he's getting ready to leave. Candice has taken the initiative to talk to Pastor and Beth about hopefully doing something for Raheem from the church. It would be nice if we could take up an offering and also ask families to come together and get him some supplies that he would need for his dorm. We asked him today how much more money he would need and he said about $10,000. He is trying to get as much financial help that he can so that he wouldn't have to worry about loans. I can tell he is a smart boy so hopefully he can get the scholarships that he would need. Candice also asked him if he had anything he needed for his dorm an he said he had nothing. Im sure he hasn't started buying things yet but I think it would be nice we could do something nice for him as a church. Let him know that he's loved and he's got a church family that will support him. Hopefully all goes well and we can help him. I'm also wanting to throw him a little going away party at church one day. This situation with him has really got me thinking. I want to be a better children's church leader. I want to be able to make an impact in these kids' lives. I want to make sure that they know that no matter what their lives are like at home, there will always be people that care for them. I also want to teach them the of the Lord. With the Lord, anything is possible and they'll always have a future.
I should probably go back to the movie. I can't wait for it to end so I can go to bed. I am SLEEEEEPY! Busy week this week. Kids have their testing all week, we need to finish the yearbook in a couple days, and also full schedule of baseball practices and games.
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