Stacey in her art classroom
GRAFFITI 101
Today I went with Stacey where she teaches art and Spanish to emotionally and behaviorally disturbed teenagers in a residential treatment facility. These are kids from all over America who have been in much trouble with the law. I visited last year and we sang Christmas songs, but today I taught them how to draw bubble letter art. Stacey and I jokingly called the class, “Graffiti 101” – they liked that! Overall, it was a great day but quite exhausting. These teens are what I call "diamonds in the rough" - rough on the outside but with great potential once they put their lives into the hands of THE Diamond Cutter - JESUS! Some are Christians and others are open. Hers is a very demanding job and I am amazed how Stacey is able to do this everyday with only 2 weeks vacation a year. She says, “It’s Jesus and His grace!” These kids have been through A LOT with many painful stories - one 14-year-old boy is getting out in 3 days but will live with his grandfather because his mother who just got out of prison, is going into the hospital for cancer. He was upset and worried, so we asked if I could pray for him and he said yes. As he wiped his eyes, we told him that the Lord hadn’t forgotten him even though sometimes it felt like it and that God was with Him every step of the way. BLESS THESE KIDS WE ASK, FATHER, AND SHOW THEM MORE AND MORE EACH DAY OF YOUR LOVINGKINDNESS, HEALING THEIR HEARTS AND SAVING THEIR SOULS!