The whole shooting-archery-down-the-abandoned-school-hallway ended up evolving into a thing. More fellas began showing up, & before our friend knew it, a ministry was born! Eventually the boys realized that the basketball court provided another area of entertainment, & some of the guys began to play ball while others shot archery. Somewhere along the way, basketball turned into dodgeball, & let me tell ya that gets intense! Our friend roped his wife into helping chaperone, and soon they were also serving snacks. Snack time proved to be the perfect opportunity to share the gospel. The kids would stuff their faces, & our friend used that time to share with them the message of the Cross.
Skip ahead a few years to 2008 when the Lone Ranger & I were expecting our first daughter. Our friend called my husband one day & asked if he might be interested in helping out with Dodgeball Night. John agreed & soon began helping teach during snack time. The next year I joined the crew as a room mom of sorts. For the last 6 years the Lone Ranger and I have been blessed to serve alongside our dear friends. They have been such examples of how to selflessly serve the Lord.
Tonight we begin again another season of Dodgeball/Archery Night. Every Thursday evening from now until April kids will come play dodgeball, shoot bows, & hear about Jesus. Bonds are formed, trust is built, & (it is our prayer) that lives are changed. At a time in life in which most are carefree & flying on the sense of immortality, it is imperative that they grasp their eternal prospects. We LOVE these kids. They have become OUR kids....our hearts break when they suffer, & we rejoice when the light of understanding comes into their eyes. Tonight they will come into a forlorn building with no heat to wage WWIII with dodgeballs. They'll eat nachos & Little Debbie's. They'll drink pink lemonade (and it MUST be pink lemonade)...but beyond that they will hear the Gospel. Our heart is truly that this be about more than a good time. Our goal is not to woo these kids to the Salvation by way of entertainment. We want them to know the magnitude of what Christ has done for us...we want them to come to Him with full sobriety & understanding of the weight our our sin...their sin.
Would you pray with us? Would you pray for their hearts to soften? Would you ask for their salvation? Would you pray for wisdom as we love on them? Would you lift the Lone Ranger up as he takes on the burden & blessing of sharing Christ's love? Would you make our kids your own? It would mean the world to us to encompass this ministry in prayer.
