People often ask me why I teach kids at such a young age to stay away from guns. Is it really necessary, they ask?
Returning home from Bible college, I heard of a small boy in our neighborhood named AJ, he was 4 years old and was shot in the head while playing with a gun he found in his own back yard with his 2 year old brother. I never got to meet AJ but the loss of his life drove me to the area where he once lived. We got a small team and set up tarps in a grass area down the road from his home.
The kids from the neighborhood started coming to church in a van, from a partnership church! Terrance was one of them, he came every week to the tarps and on the van. One week his siblings came without him, reporting to me – Terrance is gone. As I stood in front of his mom, while she delivered the news, a tear I failed to hold back rolled down my face. She said, “Pooh, I’m going to tell you what Terrance told me the night before going to bed. He said, I feel like I’m going to die but don’t worry Mom, I’m going to see Jesus, don’t worry about me.” The next morning, Terrance did not wake up. His Mom said, don’t worry about me Pooh Bear, Terrance, who long suffered from asthma, is in a better place. Terrance was 12 years old when I spoke at his funeral. I did not get to AJ or his 17-year brother in time. AJ’s brother running drugs, stashed a gun his back yard and was charged in AJ’s murder.
The reaction of AJs story got me to Terrance in time to bring him hope – hope to the neighborhood and hope to his family. So yes, I will teach kids to stay away from guns and yes, I will continue to bring hope through the lessons Jesus left us in the Bible. He who has ears, let him hear.
