East Florence Mission. The End.

So I wrote a blog about this already. Like typed out a whole long thing.
And then deleted it because I decided I really just didn't like it.

So I'm back for round two, which I will hopefully love and keep and post.

You see I'm being really particular about this post. Because this is it.
My final post about my kids.
Well at least my final post about my kids being MY kids.

East Florence Mission Tuesday Night Bible Study is over.
My classroom is empty.
The materials are packed away in boxes.
The papers have all been passed out.
And my time as a teacher is over.

Notice the new carpet and paint.. donated by one church, and installed by another. So grateful.

And it's really really really sad. I've had several people tell me that "oh you must be glad to not have to worry about it anymore". And yes, that's kinda true. I'm thankful to be done with lesson planning, and having to raise my voice, and rushing around Florence to buy things for a craft that I need that day (that part is just my procrastination).
But I wish it wasn't over too.
I already miss the hugs, and the "hellllloooooooo"s, and jumping rope and laughing.

It flew by as I knew it would.

If I'm being honest not even just the past year. The past four years have flown by at East Florence Mission.

It started when we came for summer camp that week in June, when I had just finished eighth grade.
Taiter, one of our First Pres youth staff, took this picture. Neither of us had any idea that I would become so involved over there.

What's funny is that I only recognize like three of those kids now. But anyways. 

So then that fall, I got the opportunity to go work with some families in our church who worked over there. And I never stopped going.

The last week before summer that year, I took this picture with two of my favorite girls. 

Then sophomore year came. I was asked if I wanted to come back, and of course I said yes. I dived in head first, helping to teach, and serve dinner. I really didn't take many pictures that school year. But I did find this one. 

Then towards the end of my sophomore school year, I was asked if I would like to work there that summer for summer camp. By then they already had my heart so of course I said yes. 

And I got to work with two of my best friends, Mac and Palmer. We had so much fun. Between playing games, and helping to control kids in Bible Study, and going to the pool (so chaotic), seriously it was awesome. 

This was one of my favorite pictures I took that summer, of Palmer and Mac and the two sweetest boys.

Then my junior year came. And that was the year that I really really became like teacher mode. The previous main teacher was leaving for the mission field. And it was up to me and another lady. We did lots of rotating that year. First we started out with the seven to ten year olds, boys and girls. It was crazy madness. There wasn't a classroom for us to use so we had them all in the auditorium and they were so loud.

So then we got switched. They split up the boys and girls ages seven to ten, and we received the girls.

That was really fun for me. I enjoyed having that age of middle schoolers, but it was definitely difficult. The seven year olds were at a totally different place in life then the ten year olds. But we made it work. Here's a picture I have of this age doing a craft in the middle of the year. 

THEN, not done yet with Junior year, towards April, the teacher for the little kids class wasn't able to teach anymore due to some family issues. So we switched again, this time to teach the little kids class. We started teaching the five to nine year olds, which by the way, is not easy to do. So we had to do a lot of work. And that was Junior year.

Before I go any further, allow me to explain who "we" is.

"We" refers to myself, and the wonderful, amazing lady who has taught with us for three years. Her name is Mrs. Dee Temple, she is so incredibly sweet and I am so so thankful that the Lord laid it on her heart to work with ME of all people for the past three years. She is so patient and loving, and it has been such a blessing working with her. She has such a heart for these kids and it makes me so so happy. We never took a picture together, but trust me that she has been there for every event, and for most every class and I am so grateful for her. She's been a wonderful teacher not only to the kids, but an true example of a lady serving Christ with her whole joyful heart to me. Mrs. Dee, if you read this, THANK YOU. I love you dearly, and can't wait to come back and see you.

Okay now moving on. 

Senior Year. I started this blog to chronicle life and allow me to share. And it did. And more than anything I was able to share my life with my kids.

I posted, and y'all read. And responded.

Like I never would've imagined.

Every time I posted, I was overwhelmed with messages of encouragement, of "how can I help", of "I'll be praying".. THANK YOU. To those who prayed and said sweet words and so much more, thank you.

Just wanted to mention that.

Senior year at East Florence Mission…. It has been the best one yet. It has been so fulfilling. There has been so much joy and love. There has been so many lessons learned, not just by my kids, but by me. 

I can't put it into words. Really, I can't. 

These kids are some of the poorest in Florence. There's no denying that. They know it, I know it, y'all know it. 

But it doesn't mean that Jesus doesn't love them. It doesn't mean that they don't deserve a wonderful education. It doesn't mean that they can't have a future full of opportunities. 

And that was my goal this year. 

To make them understand that they are loved. 

They are treasured. 

They are respected. 

They are wanted.

All things that they don't learn at home.

I have no idea if I succeeded. I like to think I did. I like to think that these kids will turn into amazing individuals and one day will look back and say "I didn't really start learning about Jesus until I was in Miss Alana's class."

Who knows.

But this year? It has been rewarding. There have been struggles. I had to kick a kid out of class for the first time ever (and the only time ever). The cool thing? The same kid came and hugged me and told me bye last Tuesday and whispered "I'm gonna miss you Miss Alana". 

Jesus did some awesome work in them this year. I saw girls who were so disrespectful the first few months, turn into quiet attentive listeners in the last few. I saw boys who would pick on others, be the first to encourage or help if the need arose. I saw so many kids memorize scripture. I taught them things that THEY ACTUALLY REMEMBERED. (which is not normal around here). It was so neat for me to ask questions about Moses or Joseph and they knew the answers. The Holy Spirit was working in my tiny classroom with all those little bodies. 

Jesus did some awesome work in me, too. I learned patience, which if you know me, you know it's not my strongest character trait. I learned what it meant to do the not so fun work. I don't enjoy turning the jump rope for over an hour. But their smiles made it worth it. I don't enjoy picking up the backs of three thousand foam stickers, but seeing their delight when I hung up their "artwork" made it worth it. I learned that Jesus' love is incredible and it's endless and it reaches from the most expensive home in Florence county to the poorest shack in Florence county. 

This work that I do? It's less than two miles from my house.

Two miles from my house there are kids who get two meals a day during the school year, and possibly one a day in the summer.

Two miles from my house there are gangs trying to recruit my boys, who at eleven years old don't know what else to do. 

Two miles from my house there are kids who think that no one loves them and that they are worthless.

Makes you think, doesn't it?

It blows my mind every time I stop to think about it.

Next year, I won't be with my sweet children. I will miss their smiles and their love. I will miss hearing stories, and getting hugs. 

I will miss opportunities to love on them. 

But I'm thankful for the East Florence Mission and what it does. I'm thankful that it will keep going on. I'm thankful that Jesus laid it on the Key's hearts to start it, and to keep it going. And I am praying that others will step up to help teach. They need more teachers. They need people who will come and hang out. They need teenagers who are willing to come jump rope with kids or push kids on swings. Any age, any one is needed and welcome. 

If I tried to explain all that EFM has done for me, it would be horribly inadequate. Because they have done SO incredibly much. 

Working at the Mission helped make me who I am today. Jesus used these kids to shape me. 

So the classroom is empty. The chairs are stacked. The books are packed away. The walls are blank.

But the hearts of my kids remain. The need for prayer and love remain.

Will you join me in praying for them? 

For Brook-Lynn, for Aaliyah. For Kamyia, Jah'qwari, Tyrone, and Qwalajah. For Jyshawn and Joshua. For Ochyyen and Serahyah and Jada and Dariah. For Camille and AJ. For Latrell and Glenn and Timothy. For Shadevon and Vershawn. For Shyiell and Quavionna and Ny'eas. For Leanissa and Kemani. And for all the others whose names I haven't listed, but who are just as important.

They need your prayers. Prayers that they will know that they are loved and important and treasured but the One who treasures all. Prayers that they will know that Jesus loves them SO SO much.

Thank you all for keeping up with me and my kids for the past year. What an incredible journey I've had with them the past four years. I thank Jesus for them. 

EFM on Tuesday Nights is over for me. 

But those kids grabbed my heart, and took it, and they will forever be mine. 

They will forever be my kids. 

And I love them to the end of the earth.

Thank you Jesus, for them, for East Florence Mission, and for Your incredible everlasting love.

Amen.