Hard Things

Hard Things

About ten years ago our youth group at church did a missions project in Pensacola. Our fearless leaders Dave Paxton and Jeff Fields decided on a neighborhood and I was asked to help. Our daughter Tiffany was in the 9th grade and I thought it would be a great idea to be part of what they were doing. Our neighborhood of ministry was Pensacola Village. For those of you not familiar with that area, it is a housing project that is wrought with the pain of drugs and violence. There is usually a police car on stand by 24 hours a day there. The days are much safer than the nights. It would be a Monday thru Friday five day club type atmosphere with lunch provided.
Our first day there we watched the kids come in from every direction. They loved the attention. Our youth group numbered about 50 or so, so they could have one on one time with each child. There were a group of older kids from the area who were not happy about us being there. The first day in fact, my daughter was hit in the head by a boy with a slingshot who was quite far away from her. Talk about good aim! That is not what went through my head at that moment though. My first thought was “You Nut”. Tiffany’s head began to swell and she had a large goose egg by the end of the day. I told her that we didn’t have to go back the next day. She didn’t want to give up though so we continued on.
The next day I was working with a group of second graders and of course when I’m outside even with sunglasses, it is very obvious that I have an eye problem. One of the children piped up and asked in a way that was just way too cute…”What beeeeeezz WRONG with your eyes?” I told her that I don’t see very well, so of course her next question was “Can you see me?” I told her yes and she wanted me to prove it by me telling her what she had on. After I passed her test, I told the group that we all have problems. Some we can see like my eyes moving and some are hidden on the inside. She answered “Like ME being sad all the time cuz my Mama gets hit by her boyfriend and my Daddy’s in jail” The whole group then began opening up about their sadness and after talking and praying with them, my heart was full. She became my shadow that week and even though Dave and Jeff may have thought at times we had gotten in over our head with that project, I just want to let them know that it was one of those life changing weeks. The hard things in life usually turn out to be the best learning times.