Bad Boy
We were outside doing our program when I noticed a little boy terrorizing some of the
girls. They had won some candy in a game, and he was punching them until they gave up
the candy. I picked him up brought him up front with me. He must have been 2 or 3 years
old at the most. He was wiggling and squirming, and trying to grab toys off of the prize
table. I told him to be still and be quiet.

Soon he settled down, and I asked him what his name was. He said, "Bad Boy". My heart
broke. Knowing how negative impressions stick to children's minds, I was angry that he had
been labeled at such a young age.

He really did settle down, and I started telling him that Jesus loved him. I told him that I
was glad that he was my new friend and that I was proud of him because he was being so
good. I said, "As a matter of fact, do you mind if I give you another name?" He agreed.
"I'm going to call you good boy!"

He nodded and smiled. I laid my hand on his head and blessed him.
I was grateful God sent me my new friend. I know what a little love, a little kindness, and
the Holy Spirit can do to change a life. I've seen it many times over the past three years.
Please remember Bad Boy in your prayers. Pray for his protection and pray that the seeds
that were planted, will be watered and grow and he will one day be a child of the King.

                                   Gentle Giant
Joshua Tunsil is a gentle giant. He is only 13, but could pass for 20. Once he went with a
group of children to a church with us to hear Pastor Terry speak. When the people
gathered around to lay hands on us and pray, Josh was there, too. He said, "I was almost
crying, Miss Kathy."

That night the children really misbehaved. We were rebuking them about their behavior on
the way home, and had just announced that there would be no snacks that night. The
rest of the ride home was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Just before we pulled into
the apartment community, Josh, with a quivering voice, said, "Miss Kathy, would you pray
for us?" I did.

Josh was the one that night that begged us not to go into the back of the apartment
community to take them home. He said, "They'll shoot you, Pastor Terry!"
Josh doesn't live in the apartment community anymore. But his mother brings him to the
meetings when she can. He has a small sister that he looks after. He is very sweet and
gentle with her. Josh had an uncle that died of AIDS.

                                      Broomstick
As we were unloading the war wagon, a boy ran home crying, holding his head. I
overheard a girl say that she had hit him, because he had hit her first. A couple of minutes
later I turned around to see the boy holding a broomstick, glaring at the girl with murder in
his eyes.
I immediately went over to him and tried to wrench the broomstick away from him. I was
shocked to find that I couldn't get it away from him. As I was struggling with him, I was
saying, "No, you're not going to do this. In the name of Jesus, you're not going to do
this!" He was just as adamant. He said, "My mama told me to get her back!" Even as I was
struggling with him, I knew that what he said was true. I also knew that if he didn't get
her back, and get her good, he would face a beating when he got home.

Terry yelled at me to let him go. There was nothing we could do to stop it. To my horror,
he ran to the girl and started swinging the broomstick wildly. He hit her several times, then
she grabbed the stick away from him and proceeded to chase and hit him all the way back
to Palm Terrace. They seemed none the worse for wear. Just another day in the projects.
I felt so helpless, so powerless. After all, I'm the adult here. I felt that I should have been
able to get control of the situation. Now I truly know what the verse is referring to when it
says, " in my weakness, He is made strong." I'm going to have to trust God to take care of
the children, and to teach them how to respond to situations. What is so scary is that I
know deep down in my heart that we haven't begun to scratch the surface, of how these
children have to grow up. God help them! I found myself wondering if this was the only
way for them to survive in their present surroundings. But the principles in the Bible hold
true for everyone, in every situation. They have been taught in error and the Holy Spirit is
going to have to re-teach them. Boy, the Holy Spirit has His work cut out for Him. I'm glad
it's not all up to me. All I have to do is show up, and God will do the rest. Do it, God!

                                     Widows Mite
As we pulled into Cleveland Arms, the children came running. We were bombarded with
questions of "Can I hold the flag?" and "Can I do the countdown?" We could barely move
to unload the car for the children pressing against us so tightly. They were grabbing and
yelling and trying to help, and I was just wishing they would go away and leave us alone so
we could get set up. I took the bag of balloons and wearily sat on the sidewalk. As I got
them blown up, I held the balloons between my knees to keep the kids from running off
with them. I had one child behind me giving me a new hair do and about five others
begging for one thing or another. I kept blowing and tying and nodding my answers
between gulps of air. In the midst of this chaos, I felt a wet kiss planted on my left cheek.
I looked up and saw a little three-year-old girl grinning at me. That moment is frozen in my
mind. The frustration and irritation that I was feeling melted away because a little child
wanted to give me something. She gave the only thing she had- a widow's mite, if you will.

God used that incident to remind me of why I was there- to LOVE these children. I was
able to take a deep breath and ask Jesus to let the children see HIM in me.

Lord, help me always to remember that is why I am there.