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.
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.
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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
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