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Over the 5.5 years of KFCUSA Bob Heath has been asked how effective he thought they had been. Bob has often responded with the same answer, "Only time will tell, but the Word of God says that His word will not return void. So, I believe time will prove that we have been 'very effective". The story below is written by a soon to be Sophmore who appeared to many to be one of the kids who had it together. She was instrumental in launching KFCUSA associated clubs in two school she attended, yet as you'll read her life wasn't as "peachy" as it appeared. This story is still a work in progress as is the life of any student. We are priviledged to share "Suzie's" (Not her real name.) story with you.
When I was little, after my parents divorced, but before my dad started taking 7 day shifts, I use to go to church. I would get up early on Sunday morning and attend everything from bible school to the services later. Well, once my dad started working 7 days a week, it was practically impossible for me to go to church on Sundays anymore because my mother never went and she refused to “waste her gas” taking me. So, I stopped going to church for several years. I completely forgot about how much fun church could be and how having an active relationship with God was.
When I hit the 5th grade my dad told me about this new after school club called Kids for Christ. I decided to check it out. It turned out to be really fun, we sang songs, played games, (learned valuable life lessons through those games), and worshiped God. I also met Mr. Bob, he was basically the lead minister for Kids for Christ, he came up with the funny games and led the prayers.
I left that school district after 5th grade, went to another one in the same city. Once again forgot about how wonderful God was. During that year, my home life started to spin out of control. My mother got sick, and had 4 surgeries. We argued constantly and a lot of the arguments ended with her leaving the house or throwing things across the room. My mom would take me to the grocery store and send me in with money and a list while she sat in the car smoking or talking on the phone. Things just weren’t very good.
The next year, when I was in the 7th grade, a friend and I sponsored Kids for Christ at the our middle school. I started attending once again. I still enjoyed the games and the singing, but when it came time to pray, Mr. Bob would ask if anyone needed prayer, I would jam my hands down into my pockets as hard as I could. I didn’t want anyone to find out that I needed prayer. I didn’t want help, I didn’t need it, I was just fine on my own. Not really. At home, privately I would pray alone, where no one would see or hear, I would pray for help. Well, for about half that school year, I couldn’t figure out why God wasn’t helping me. But it occurred to me that he was, and I just wasn’t accepting it.
I actually figured it out when my dad was telling me a story he read or saw some where. One day, somewhere, there was a flood and a man got stranded on his roof with the water rising higher every minute. He got down on his knees and prayed, he sad “Lord, please help me I do not want to die.” A few minutes later a man on a motor boat pulled up and said “Hey you, you need help, there is room here for two.” The man stuck on the roof said “No, I am waiting for God to save me.” So the man in the motor boat drove off. The man on the roof started to pray again and he said “Oh Lord, The water is knee high, please PLEASE help me, save me, I do not want to die.” Minutes later a second man in a motor boat came up and said “I can fit you in my boat if you need help.” But the man on the roof said “My Lord is going to save me.” So the second man in the motor boat drove off. The water is now elbow high and the man prays one last time. He says “Lord, I am going to die, why wont you save me, Please Please, please save me.” With that a third man in a motor boat comes up and says “I have room in my boat for you, come with me to safety, if not, you will die.” The man said “No, I am waiting for God to save me.” The third man in a motor boat drove off. The man on the roof died, and went to heaven. When he got there he asked God, “Why did you not save me, I prayed to you and asked for your help, why did you not rescue me?” and God said, “I sent you 3 motor boats, what more did you want?”
I figured that God was doing all he could to help me, he was sending so many people and things my way, Kids for Christ and Mr. Bob were two of the main ones. So, I sent Mr. Bob an e-mail telling him how I jammed my hands in my pockets and later I sent him an e-mail about my mother and our problems. He prayed with me. It felt really good not to have that big burden on my chest.
Things got better, but not much. It was in the end of the 7th grade and the beginning of the 8th I began to “cut”. At first it wasn’t deep or hard, and the cuts went away in a couple of days. Then it got harder, and deeper, and it took a week or two or more for them to go away. I once again sponsored KFC in the 8th grade like I did at the my middle school. It was harder getting kids to go, and very few did. Mr. Bob had this guest speaker one day, Eddy. He talked to us about SI or Self Injuring. (By this time, I had gone to wearing long sleeve shirts all of the time). I sort of just buttoned up and listened to all he had to say, even though he wasn’t talking to me individually, It sure felt like he was. Right then and there I had the biggest urge to tell Mr. Bob about my cutting, but I didn’t. I decided to keep my mouth shut.
In the 9th grade, I did tell him. Though there wasn’t KFC at the Intermediate High School I attend, I kept in contact with him and told him in an e-mail about my cutting. He and Eddy came to my school and ate lunch with me. We talked about it and Eddy gave me a rubber band. He said that it hurt just as much as cutting, but wasn’t near as dangerous. All I had to do was wear it around my wrist and slap it against my wrist if I had the urge to cut. I haven’t cut since that very day.
I have been cut free for about 8 months. I still get the horrible urge every so often to put a knife or something to my arm, but I call a friend instead. I was able to go to the Sophomore formal in a strapless dress, there were no scars or cuts to hide. Life at home has gotten better too…there is still a lot of work to do.
Sometimes I almost gave up completely on God, but he never gave up on me. God sent me KFC and Mr. Bob. He was always there and he always will be.
WOW!! Suzie also recently won the highest honor available at her band camp this summer and as a result will be attending the same camp next year free of charge. This young lady is proof that God's Word won't return void and it will accomplish He sent it out to acheive.
If you're not a partner with KFCUSA, we hope that this story shows you the importance of joining us in reaching a new generation of Kids for Christ. |
