Diamonds, Diamonds everywhere

Most everyone knows at this point that I am taking a class on prayer counseling training.  We are learning all sorts of interesting things.  One of the things we were talking about last week was the fact that we, as human beings, are the only things with a heartbeat that needs to be trained to be who we are.  Think about it.  If you raise a puppy with a bunch of cats does he meow?  Nope.  If you raise a pig with cows will it then moo?  Nope.  They innately do what they are created to do.  Not so with us.  If as infants we are not taught how to talk, we don't talk.  If as infants and/or young children we are not taught the basics of life, such as, how to trust, love, forgive, share, be compassionate, we will likely always struggle with those things later on in life.  As an example, our book told of the 19 year old boy who was found in India in 1976 who was raised by wolves.  He ran on all fours, barked like a dog and ate raw meat like the wolves.  The boy was taught to wear clothes, walk upright, and bathe, but he was never able to adapt and never learned to talk and died at the age of a typical adult wolf.   As human beings were are so dependent.  If, as parents, we were to sit and think about the awesome responsibility that is before us, the task could easily be daunting.  


Yesterday was another difficult day "at the office".  We have a group of children right now that can be...hmmm....shall we say, quite a challenge?  Some of them simply do not listen, some of them are flat out defiant, and some of the fun ones are a mixture of all that and a bag of chips.  I constantly struggle with the fact that so much of my energy goes into controlling the difficult ones that the well behaved ones get what's left of me, which is often not much.  It doesn't seem fair.  I so want to love on these children and get to know them and find out who they are, but on some days I'm just running from fire to fire putting out the sparks.  


Later in the day I was talking with my boss about the difficulties of the day.  I was not very optimistic about the future of one particular boy in our program.  Admittedly, yesterday was an especially rough day for him.  He can always be challenging, but most days he is manageable.  Yesterday I did not consider him manageable.  My boss is an amazing woman with a heart so big I really don't know how she fits through the doors.  She has a capacity to love like no other person I have ever met and her desire to give of herself has no end.  She is aware of the difficulties that the teachers face with children that are extra needy.  She is also well aware that we cannot save the world.  I learned yesterday that she's not trying to save the world, she's teaching basics to children one at a time.  


The home life of "yesterday's challenge" leaves MUCH to be desired.  His life is in constant upheaval.  I'm sure his short four years on this earth have been much like one tornado after another.  This little guy has not been taught the basics of life.  He probably doesn't get much affection at home, (which is a shame because he gives the best hugs), he probably doesn't get much attention at home, and I have a feeling he's shipped off here and there with little consistency in any part of his life.  My boss was sharing with me that this little guy has had a really rough 2 weeks.  It's no wonder he was acting out.  He hasn't been taught how to deal with the emotions that are raging through his body.  He's getting attention the only way he knows how.  Until he is taught a better and more effective way, that will most likely not change.  


It would be great if every child had parents with the ability to give them all the attention, affection, love and nurturing they need.  There are no perfect parents out there, but unfortunately there are many parents that just can't give their children what they need to thrive. Our little program can't change the world, but our little program CAN change the world of a little child for a few hours.  WE can love them, teach them, train them and equip them the best we can with the time that we have been entrusted with them.  Isn't that exactly what God expects of us?  After all, it's not us that causes change in a child or anyone, it's God.  He has the power, not us.  We simply have to do our part.  Oh the things that God can do with the faith of a mustard seed.  We can't see the plans God has for our children, but rest assured, there IS a plan.  No one is here that doesn't have a divine purpose.  I've been reminded that my job is to do my part, no matter how insignificant it may seem, and the rest I'll leave to the Master.  We're all diamonds to Him.