I wave goodbye to my coworkers and check my phone.
Nancy should be stopping by in a few minutes. She said she’d swing by the school after helping the Cuatro Kids with their homework. She wants to talk to me about something.
And I have a feeling what’s on her mind.
Sometimes it’s heartbreaking working with them, kids taken out of an abusive and abandoned situation, trying to help them adapt to a new normal. But I’m proud of Nancy.
She was in my very first Basico class when I began teaching in Chivoc six years ago. A shy girl, full of doubts. Now she is a woman of God, helping me in a great ministry of loving on these kids.
I cross the schoolyard and wait for her on the side of the road.
A young man emerges from the woods, walking up from the mountain path.
Chris.
My mouth drops open. “Well, what miracle is this?”
“Hi, Miss.” Chris blushes and crosses the street. “How long has it been? Three years?”
“Four. You graduated in 2018.” I grip his hand and shake. “What are you doing here?”
He motions across the soccer field. “I’m going to the Internet Café to do homework.”
“Oh? You’ve kept studying? Congratulations!”
Chris fidgets with the strings of his backpack. “Yes, miss. I had to stop during the pandemic, but I’ve started up again.”
“English?”
His grin widens. “Yes. It’s still my goal.”
“And you’re still pursuing it after all these years.” I shake my head in wonder. “Man, it’s great to see you. How old are you now?”
“Gonna turn 21 soon.”
I’d only seen Chris once or twice since he’d graduated four years prior, but he’d always been in my prayers.
He was the first student who’d ever prayed with me to accept Christ. And even though we’d lost contact after he graduated and started working full time, I’d never forgotten the many conversations we’d had about God while he was my student.
We continue to chat about his English classes and his goals.
Nancy walks up the road and waves. “Keep talking, you two. I’ll wait.” She smiles and pulls out her phone, sitting on a park bench on the other side of the road.
“Oh, maybe you should go, Miss,” Chris says.
I shake my head. “I need to know how you’re doing first.”
“I told you how I’m doing.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Oh, that.” He shrugs. “Well, I haven’t fallen off the deep end like my other classmates have. You remember them? Most of them are drunks or drug addicts. Many have families now, kids. But I’m doing fine. I haven’t done the same as them, you know? Don’t know how, but I’ve been able to avoid all that.”
I nod towards the school balcony. “Do you remember when we prayed there together?”
His eyes widened. “Oh, man, I totally forgot about that until just now.”
“Yeah.” I glance at Nancy. She’s still on her phone, waiting patiently. Bless her.
I turn back to Chris. “I told my grandma about you, about when we prayed together all those years ago. And every time I go visit her, she asks about you.”
“She does?” He drags a hand down his face. “Really?”
“Yes. She asks about you and still prays for you. I still pray for you every single Monday. You’re on my list.”
Christ sighs, his gaze fixed on the school balcony. Is he remembering being a broken teenager, lost and hurting, who had cried out for God to save him? “Maybe that’s why I haven’t gotten lost all these years.”
“There’s a difference between just being a good person and actually seeking after God,” I say, gently. “Don’t forget that.”
He shakes his head. “No, but Miss, I promise, even though you may not believe me every single night before I go to bed, I always pray. I always remember God.”
“I hope so.” I grin. “And I hope you come to church sometime with me.”
He nods. “Maybe next year. I’ve been working really hard these few years. But I’ve earned enough money. Now I can focus on studying English and maybe I’ll have time to go to church.”
My phone buzzes.
We can chat later. Keep talking to your student. –Nancy
Nancy stands and starts walking down the street.
I look back at Chris. “I should go. Nancy’s been so patient.”
“That’s fine, Miss.”
I take a step but stop. I turn back to him. “I’ll keep praying for you. I’m praying for you that God will send you a godly man to be able to talk to and learn more about God. Who knows, maybe next year when you have more time you can come to youth group.”
He nods. “That’d be great.”
I shake his hand. “All right, go on now. Go do your homework.” I rush to my car and drive after Nancy. Maybe I shouldn’t have left her sitting there for so long.
I pull over to the side of the road and roll down the window. “Need a ride?”
Nancy giggles. “You should have stayed talking to your student.”
“Nah. He’s fine. He had to go do his homework.”
“But you’re having such a good conversation.”
I wave my hand. “I’ve told that guy about Jesus so many times, he knows what I’m going to say.”
Nancy laughs again and hops into my car.
I pull away from the side of the road and start winding up the hills. “Seriously though, thank you for waiting.”
Nancy nods. “What you were doing was ministry.”
“It is.” I look over at her. “And so is helping the kids with homework. You’re doing ministry too.”
Nancy’s smile fades. “Is it always this hard? I want to do more. I want to help them more but I feel like I can’t.”
Her words echo the cry of my own heart. As I drive Nancy home and we discuss how to better love these kids and serve them. We discuss God’s power over everything, every single difficult situation.
“You know,” I say as we pull up to her house. “Loving on these kids during this difficult time can be hard on you as well. Make sure you’re searching after God, that you’re clinging to him, and that you’re trusting him in the middle of all of this.”
She nods. “I appreciate it. I really do. I love these kids and I’m glad I’m able to help them. Even a little.”
Nancy and I hug. She hops out of the car and goes into her home.
I drive back down the village as the children play in the street. They wave at me and shout my name.
I give my signature two honks and wave back.
I was 21, Chris’ age, when I started teaching in Chivoc.
Now, after six years, I’m able to see Chris, the young man who I prayed for so many years ago, continue to strive after his goals. I pray he will strive after Jesus as well.
I’m able to see Nancy, one of my very first students, put her faith into action and struggle with many of the hard emotions that I have felt while ministering in the village.
I love Chivoc, and I love seeing what God is doing throughout all these years of ministry.
He’s in control of Chris.
He’s in control of Nancy.
And He’s in control of my Cuatro kids.
He has the power over everything. He knows what He’s doing. To Him be the glory.
