God's Transforming Work: A Reflection from Dave Clark, After-School Program Director

Over the course of the past fall semester I have had the privilege of observing God’s transforming work in the lives of our young people. It has been especially exciting to see God move in the life of one of our 4th grade students, a young man who participates in our tutoring program, which we’ll call “D.”. D. began coming around the Sunshine building last spring. Initially, it was to stop in and see Ms. Christensen (one of our former staff members, who volunteered in his classroom). In time D. occasionally would stop in to see me and ask me if there was anything he could help with. I didn’t know his name at the time, but I’d noticed his persistence and I recognized his face.

When our summer Vacation Bible School (VBS) began, I started to see D. more frequently, eagerly waiting outside for activities to begin and enthusiastically asking about the day’s snack.

One evening during the VBS program, D. got sent home for fighting. He never returned to our VBS, but continued to frequently visit our office and to stand on the sidewalk outside our building, peering in through the shades to get a glimpse of our evening’s activities. During the warm summer months, when idles hours increase, I would often see D. walking around with his group of friends (10, 11, and 12 year olds) bored and looking for something to do.

Our tutoring program began at the end of September and D. stopped in to inquire about how he could get into the program. I delivered the unfortunate news that our program was full, but assured him that I would put him on our waiting list. Again, with great persistence, D. stopped by our office virtually everyday after that to see if anyone had dropped out, thus opening a spot for him in the program. A couple of weeks into our tutoring program, a spot became available and, as you can imagine, he was more than ready to take up its place.
D.’s enthusiasm to attend our programs remains undiminished. In fact, often times he comes early to work on homework, to help set up, and to pray with me and the other staff members over the night’s activities. He always prays for two things: 1) that the tutors would arrive safely and 2) that everyone would get “PBs” (that’s personal bests) at their tutoring stations.

Perhaps most exciting of all was the opportunity I had at the end of this past fall semester to share the gospel with him using the Evangicube – a small picture cube that walks the basics of the Gospel message. D. was fascinated by the Evangicube, and equally as fascinated with the story of Jesus Christ. In follow-up to D.’s interest in the Gospel, I asked him if he would like to come to church with me. He told me that he would like to attend and that he and his friends would meet me at the office that Sunday morning at 10 a.m. sharp! When Sunday rolled around, I made it to the office in a rush, and was disappointed to find D. wasn’t there and neither were his friends. I called both numbers I had for him. I reached him. His groggy voice on the end of the line confirmed I’d woken him up. D. reassured me that he still wanted to go to church and that “he would be down in a few minutes, after he had ironed his clothes”.

He sat next to me throughout the service and seemed to be engaged, taking it all in. During the ride home he didn’t say much (I’m sure this is partly due to the three teenage boys, also in the van, dominating the conversation). D. was my second to last drop off, and during a brief lull he spoke up.

“Dave,” he said, “I need a Bible.”

His request caught me off guard! I wasn’t surprised at what he wanted, but rather I was by the unexpected timing of his request. I told him I had an extra Bible I would gladly give him if he came by after school on Monday. With the earnestness so characteristic of him, D. came by right after the school day had ended.

Just as D. was about to walk out our doors with his new Bible, he turned to Pete, our youth pastor, and with a look in his eyes of great attention to detail, he told Pete he would be at Bible study that week. He then turned to me, and he said he would be coming back to church next Sunday.

In the life of an organization with staff who has conversations with many neighbors in one day, events like these can seem small and get pushed aside, grouped with the mundane. But, I am confident in my reflection that the Holy Spirit brings about big things through small steps. Honestly, I believe God began to work in this young man’s life way before Sunshine occupied 500 E. 61st St. I also believe that in the months and years ahead, the Word of God will continue to be sown in this D.’s life and will bear fruit – fruit capable of enduring even the ups and downs of his coming adolescence.

I’m reminded of Paul’s words in Philippians 1:6. Paul states, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” God has begun a transformational work in D.’s life as well as others in our community, and surely He will continue to be made manifest. I simply look forward to watching it come about!