The first day I met Bernard was memorable. It was a chaotic day in the after-school program at Pearl Lane. He was the only African-American among a sea of latino kids. He was full of energy and motion with a quick smile.
A few minutes later I heard a loud exclamation from one of the volunteers. I looked into the hallway to see her leaning over a small boy yelling incredulously at another. Turns out that the smaller boy, Kevin, was in Bernard’s way. So Bernard reached down, grabbed Kevin around the waist, picked him up, and threw him up and over his (Bernard’s) head onto the tile floor behind him (Bernard) right on Kevin’s head.
If it is possible for chaos to get more chaotic it happened.
We gathered the kids and talked about violence and the ministry center being a safe place. As everyone was leaving a couple of kids squared off with Bernard. The “n” word came out, and I had to pull kids apart (Bernard doesn’t back down from anyone). We had talks about racism, threats about being prohibited from the ministry center. What a day!
If you look back to to the May 30, 2007 post “Imprinting on Cheryl” you can the read the details of how Bernard was falsely accused by Cheryl of stealing, and how she went to him in humility to ask his forgiveness. It is a tremendous story.
The story gets even better.
Cheryl began a relationship with Bernard’s mother Gloria. They were both cancer survivors who went out of remission at the same time. They talked alot. Cheryl prayed with Gloria in response to the gospel a few months back. On Sunday, January 6, so did Bernard!!
God is so good!
Bernard was removed from home because of Gloria’s terminal cancer, and has gone to live with one of his older brothers. He starts a new school today, as a matter of fact. Anyway, Cheryl felt like she might never see Bernard again. So she went to see him earlier in the weekend, but he wasn’t home. On Sunday, on the way home she called Gloria again and it turned out that Bernard was there. They turned the truck around and headed to Pearl Lane.
There are so many things to learn from this, but foremost is the tenacity of love. A love that calls and visits and calls. That turns around on the way home in the hope of seeing someone one more time. A love which loves so much that it has to share love. Cherly didn’t go on a whim. She thought about Bernard and what would communicate to him. She prayed and took her color beaded braclet to communicate the gospel in a way he could grasp. So much to learn…
I have to confess that when Cheryl shared last night at prayer that I was first shocked, then skeptical, then overwhelmed. I’m not a big fan of “walking the aisle” or “saying a prayer” as indicative of anything. I prefer to see a life lived afterward. But then the tapes started playing of what little I know of Bernard’s life. From figthts, to laughing, to carrying him around on my back when we went Caroling around the complex this last Christmas. I thought of all the pain and loss in his young life. Of the great investment of time and attention from Sandee, from Ralph and Julie taking him to the hocky game.
But now he knows the greatest love of all. He knows the God of love. Not disembodied or abstract, but real, personal, specific. In the shadow of death life pulses and breaks through.
God is so good!
Keep Bernard in your prayers. I am praying for an amazing, powerful conversion with immediate, obvious effects in his heart and mind. I don’t know if I’ll ever see Bernard again. But I rejoice that he is the Lord’s disciple, and I see three dozen more “Bernards” stepping into his place at Pearl Lane.
Thank you, Lord, for letting us serve you and these kids and families at Pearl Lane. It is life and joy even as it is sacrifice and perseverence. I pray that 2008 will be a year of love and service and more introductions to Life.
Amen
