WHAT IS THE POINT OF LIFE?

Life often offers great opportunities for those participating in the game.  Going on trips, eating fancy meals, going to the beach, having a loving family, having things come natural to you, and living in a community where going to college is the "natural" thing to do after graduation.  Being surrounded by great things like this makes us take these things for granted.  However, when life is going great for you, such as when you are living in a place like Miami, enjoying the city life, local beaches, extreme diversity, and other things it can offer, you must remember.  Life is not always fun and games for everyone else around you.

Today I experienced something I never thought of, never dreamt of, never imagined, (catch the drift?)  Something that never I received instruction on in any of my education courses in college.  Something that is not included when your parents talk about the "birds and the bees."  Something that only happens to other people.  While I am still on cloud nine, (whatever that really means) I soon fell off as it was revealed to me that the very students I cater to were on the opposite.  Maybe cloud negative nine.  

As I assigned the boys to write a letter to someone of their choice, they all complained a bit, yet, got to work on it.  I was doing my prep for tomorrow when I saw one boy fold the letter up, put it in his pocket and sit there.  I asked if he was finished and he said, "yeah" but that was it.  He didn't move.  I asked for it, but he would not give it to me for some reason.  I told him to start one that he could turn in and I left the room to take care of some other things.  When I returned, he was still sitting there, however, had the letter out and gave it to me.  As I opened it, I could believe the first thing I read.

Dear myself, it started.  I do not wunt to lev inimor.  I sat there as my stomach just sank straight to the bottom of my body and felt like it fell out onto the floor and was being kicked around.  When I looked at him, he showed a very depressed face that showed this letter was not a joke but a serious thing.  "Come with me outside, Jude.  I want to talk with you about this letter."  We walk out and sit in the lunchroom as I discuss what I had just read.

I pull out the letter and continue on to finish it.  He states that he just wants to be done.  Supposedly, his father told him that if the teacher called him again he would ship him off.  He didn't want this boy in his life anymore.  As I turned to look at him, the tears were just pouring out of his eyes as his shirt was also soaked from wiping them up.  For the next 30 minutes I sat with him, explaining the reality of this letter.  As I asked if he really wanted to die, mixed with seeing him falling apart, the tears started coming out of my eyes as well.  Details of the conversation are not pertinent to this blog, but I just let God speak to him through me as I just kept letting the words roll out uncontrollably.  After 30 minutes, I got it out of him that his dream is to go to college (not sell drugs as a living like he told me most the men in Little Haiti do) and come back to teach at Yvonne Learning Center, as he loves kids and making a difference with them.  What a complete change!

Just rethinking the occurrence of the events that happened in an hour, it was devastating for me to hear that he thought I was the reason for these feelings of being lost.  Had I not have cared for him and called his dad to meet with me, he would not have heard his father say he wasn't wanted.  Then after talking, he admitted he wanted to come back and teach because he loves coming to my class and hanging out with me through the day, and he wants to have that relationship and impact on students in the future.  What a trophy that is, that I can take with me.  

Did I keep this kid from doing something wrong?  No.  I don't think he would have done anything bad, but it is always scary to receive a letter from one of your favorite students, saying they no longer want to be a part of this life.  Please keep this young man in your prayers as he is struggling to see if there is a point for this life.  Why was he placed in this situation of life when he hears about my story of growing up in a farming community?  Well, God knows I wouldn't make it in his situation, but this guys heart is big enough to take these situations and make the best of them.

As for the rest of the day, it flew by fairly uneventful.  Well, when I say that, I mean new events.  Of course homework wasn't finished, punishments were placed, fists were thrown, children came crying, objects were air-born, cuss words were yelled, children were escorted to the office, parents were called, milk was spilled, a sixth grader tried to mug me, he lost, later apologized, and tempers continued to flair.  But, I won't bore you with those stories as they are daily occurrences that just blend in to the woodwork now.