Creek Kids

 July 15, 2023

Before the government recklessly closed down society in the pandemic, there was a gaggle of teenagers who hung out down at the village park. When that became off-limits, they migrated to our yard and the village swimming hole. Linda and I took it as a sign: we didn’t need to travel to the mission field; God brought it to us. We went down, introduced ourselves, and set the boundaries for behavior on our property. It was pretty apparent that one of the kids had leadership potential, so we said, “Dominic, you are in charge. Make sure everyone follows the rules.” He agreed, and took the job seriously. When he was there, we never had any trouble.

On hot days, we would go down with popsicles and talk with them, trying to learn their names. Then last summer, an incident blew the group apart and we didn’t see them for a long time. But a few weeks ago, I ran into one of them at the gas station. We talked, and I told him we missed seeing them, and last week when I was in Cuba, I got a call from Linda. She was so excited! Hearing voices at the end of our yard, she went down to the creek and heard, “Hi, Mrs. Bailey!” It was Alex. 

“Where’s Dominic?” she asked.

“Right down there,” Alex responded, pointing to the creek. Just then, she heard another “Hello, Mrs. Bailey!” It was Dominic. She talked with them for awhile, got a phone number, and later called to invite them to dinner.

This past Wednesday, they came; Dominic, his girlfriend Madi, and brother Alex. We had a wonderful time around the table, talking about life, about hopes and dreams. Before they left, we prayed with them. “That was a great prayer, Mr. Bailey,” Alex chimed after the amen. I’m not sure what he had to compare it with, but it was good to hear. To put things in perspective, these kids were not the favorites of their teachers when in school, but they’ve always been respectful of us. I think the reason may lie in what one of them said at dinner: we weren’t angry that they were on our property, and treated them with respect.

These kids have known more than their share of trouble, but God has answered our prayers and allowed us to share our life with them. It amazes me that they are willing to spend time with two old folks like us, but maybe we are filling an empty place that no one else is willing to fill. We are praying for more opportunities to welcome them into our home and lives, and to share the Gospel with them. The mission field is not only in Cuba; it is right here at our doorstep, and it would be a sin if we neglected it. We are so excited, and ask for your prayers for wisdom, boldness, and just the right timing. We don’t want to pick the fruit before it’s ready, but we also don’t want to let it just fall to the ground. God is so good, and we are so grateful!