That's Against The Law

I enjoy teaching at Awana Clubs. I started out unsure about wanting to be involved in Awana three years ago. I was asked to help out because I helped out with the Media side to VBS. So, I was recruited to do media and video/photography for the Awana meetings each Monday night. 

I did not feel like that was a good use of my time. I did not enjoy going there. It felt like a task that I was pressured into and me, being the person who never says NO, said .... you guessed it.... YES!

Then things changed halfway through that first year. My role changed. The Videography/Photography aspect never took off, and I was transitioned into a Listener/Leader role at the T&T1 Level. That is 3rd and 4th graders. I enjoyed getting to know the kids. 

Then by the end, I was asked to upgrade, once again to T&T2. They needed some more volunteers. I, of course, said yes. By the end of the year, I was asked once again to change my role from a Leader role to a Director Role. Also in T&T2. These are 5th and 6th graders, BTW.

Yes, I said Yes. I was, once again unsure how this would go...? 

Would I enjoy being a Director of T&T2? Would I be good at it? It was quite a commitment.

Well, as it happens, surprisingly to me, I WAS enjoying it. and I was offered the position once again this year. I am a little unorthodox when it comes to teaching during these T&T2 Awana times. I don't have the kids sing songs and just give a 20 minute talk. We interact more than that. I had such a great time last year, and really enjoyed and looked forward to Monday nights. Of course, I said YES, YES, to another year of it.

That brings us to tonight. This evening was the first, the Kick Off of the Awana year. We had record number of kids in T&T2 and I can tell it is going to be a great year.

One thing that I do occasionally is read from Jesus Freaks- a book of Martyrs from DC Talk. 

These are very hard stories to hear, but they are very powerful too. I like to start off with the very first story in there- I Believe in God. It is about the young girl who was asked by the Gunman at Columbine if she believed in God, and when she said Yes, He asked why, and then promptly shot her in the head.

This is a hard story to take in. It hits close to home. It hits close to our time and our region. It is not a story from millennia ago. It is not a story from thousands of miles away. It causes us to think, Do I have what it takes to be that courageous for my Faith? I would like to think that I do, but if I am honest and the gun is pointed at my head? What would I do? What would you?

Well, to end on a lighter note, When I read that story to my 5th and 6th graders, one of the kids pipes up..."But that's against the law!??"

I had to say, Yes, but people do things that are against the law, right? He was just commenting on how in some countries people are allowed to shoot or kill because of Religious oppression, and is not sanctioned in the United States, but it just was a fun lighter side. (in perspective)