Humbled

My dear wife teaches Math "alternative" Christian High School called Pikes Peak Academy.

These are the "refuse" kids of the public school system. Bad family situations, abuse, neglect, absentee and/or ridiculously permissive parents have produced...hmmm, what do you expect? Teens addicted to drugs, alcohol, partying, everything the world has to offer - especially anything that pleases them. What else? A virtual bottomless pit of excuses and reasons why nothing is ever their fault, why they can't do schoolwork...etc, etc.

So...time after time, they get kicked out of and shuffled around the public school system until they end up at pretty much their last resort; Pikes Peak Academy. All staff are Christians, it's not a secret with a hidden agenda, nor is it pushed down their throats. The kids have one 20 minute "bible study" each day in addition to classes. The rubber really hits the road when it comes to ministering to the kids anytime of the day as they learn..

Each teacher gets to advocate several of the students...an advocate meets with the kids, gets to know them on a deeper level, checks in on their school work, home life, heart matters...encourages, reproaches...kind of a surrogate parent/counselor/friend/mentor.

I've been hanging around the school to get to know some of the kids better, they asked me to advocate a few boys - so I have 5 of them under my wing now. Every Friday they have a brunch, I've been hanging around the kids there. These kids get under your skin quick, you can see right through their tough exteriors...and they really respond to love. There are two more boys that have been hanging around the school waiting for rides when I go pick up Dany to head home.

"M" and "J". 14 and 17 year old boys. Broken homes and messed up histories. Outcasts just like the rest of the kids, but I've gotten to know them a little more. They found out that our little Subaru is a 5 speed. They started asking me if I'd teach them how to drive it.

I told them...the next time we have a little extra time when I pick Dany up...we'll spend some time in the parking lot working on it. I really didn't make that much of it.

So the next day...Dany was talking to "M" and he tells her "Mr D is going to teach me how to drive a stick!" He was very excited. He then said "You know...that will make him kinda like my dad."

Dany says "Oh, how's that?"

"M" says..."Well, no guy has ever taught me anything like that, so that will make Mr D kinda like my dad."

Wow. I'm humbled and in tears. What a responsibility, what an honor. Pray for me.