I was sitting in a huge room across a great hall from the RCA dome in the Indiana Convention Center this evening (less than a week after the Colts won the Super Bowl) listening to a speaker talking to a room full of youth workers and youth pastors when I remembered these 8 year old boys in Hebron. In this room full of flat screen TVs, projectors, high res graphics to impress and reach the Gen X generation of youth workers in the US, I would rather have been back with those boys.
While on the delegation, we often were approached by children who asked for money because we were obviously “rich tourists”. Many times it was a game rather than a real need….and I felt it was a bothersome reminder that I was an outsider. Once we were walking through the market and saw some boys gathered up ahead. One delegate vocalized what I was thinking, “Oh, man, 8 year old boys….” We were still giggling when we got to the boys. They did ask us for money, and as we passed they started chanting: ONE SHEKEL, ONE SHEKEL, ONE SHEKEL. I loved it. Proving that children are creative and create fun out of almost anything – including making a chant to ask for money.
Tonight, amidst the wealth of a youth ministry conference, I prayed for the simple pleasures of kid’s creativity that is free flowing not conformed to TVs, video games, or even a Sunday School lesson. I pray for those boys and all those strengthening them and providing them space to be creative and grow into adults who haven’t lost their creativity or Spirit!
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