"Seekers"

In the last few weeks I have been working with Andre on a new outreach he has titled "Seekers". It is a weekly meeting for teenagers (12-14) from the neighborhood who want to come and hear stories about Jesus. When we started, we were barely getting anyone to come. Then one week three girls started to come. Soon after, some of the boys from the neighborhood came and now we have around 8 or 9 students who come every week. At first, it was really frustrating. The kids were more interested in yelling at each other than they were in hearing the story or being a part of the activities. However, last night was the first time we made it through the story and the activities rather smoothly, and with minimal yelling (minimal meaning less than normal). Even better, we only had to ask one student to leave the whole time.

It was also the first time in all the craziness that Andre, Sabina, and myself stopped to pray for the kids before they came. God really answered our prayers. He gave us patience, and wisdom, and created an enviornment where the kids actually participated.

Where God really answered prayer was on a personal level. In honesty, for the first few weeks I dreaded going. The kids were really hard for me to love, and I really thought I could be using that time for something "more profitable". This last week, I realized I needed a love for these kids. As we were ending the prayer, I prayed again that God would give me a heart for the kids who came.

As we opened the doors and the kids came screaming in (literally) it hit me that these kids will grow up, live life and die without ever hearing about Jesus Christ. unless...
Unless God has placed the three of us in their path to share with them the great message of Jesus Christ. Maybe the right person for the job is not the next person I can find to fill my place, but me. As the kids sat down, one of the girls (who can be the biggest trouble maker) tugged on my arm, smiled and said, "hallo David." She was actually happy to see me. I knew at that moment that I was the person God has called into their lives at this time.

I never thought I would be a part of a ministry that reaches out to teenage imagrants in an unknown city called Wuppertal, but here I am. God has changed my heart toward these kids, and I look forward to the opportunity to see them again. In hope, I pray these kids will turn to Jesus.

"So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.
Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building." 1 Corinthians 3:7-9