Shoe Shinners

Here is an update from Katie Kirkpatrick from the Dominican Republic.  This story touched my heart.  The FYM’s are being used in so many ways and touching so many hearts.

In my last update I said we declared war on San Juan, for the souls of San Juan…well with a war comes a battle and with a battle it is necessary to have an army. Today God gave me an army.

My vision for the shoeshiners (who are now known as “the boys”) has grown and although sometimes it is hard to communicate God’s love for them verbally–due to my lack of Spanish abilities. I decided to show them through my actions (as did some others on this mission). This morning our doorbell rang at 7:30 AM. Katrina (one of the FYMers who has a heart for the boys) told Alex we weren’t ready yet. Now we weren’t expecting Alex so we decided we would simply get ready and go talk to him for a while. Alex is a new shoeshiner to us who we had just met the day before. I assumed he wouldn’t be alone because the boys never come alone, but I wasn’t expecting what I saw. We went out to talk to him and were met by seven other shoeshiners at our steps! We were taken aback. They multiplied overnight. We didn’t know 5 of the 7 that sat anxiously waiting for us to come hang out with them. Knowing we didnt wan’t to just send them away, we told them that later that night we would meet them in the park and play some soccer and domino.

When we arrived at the park that night (Katrina, Sarah and I), not a lot of them were there. I was mildy puzzled because the boys are almost always early and multiplied. Only about half ended up showing up even remotely on time. With 6 of the boys–Ryzon, Ariel, Franklin, Wilkin (also called “little bones”), Wilkin #2, and Michael we played some soccer, football, dominos and taught them how to play UNO. Wow, teaching 6 little boys how to play UNO when you don’t know how to speak spanish is a trip! When it started to get dark we all decided it was time to say bye and as we walked away (with much protest from Ariel and Wilkin), the other half showed up! They told us they got confused and went to a different park and were waiting for us for and hour and a half! We felt so bad and we made another play date schedual for Sunday afternoon at 2.

The shoeshiners didnt take another play date as an answer and started following us (about 13 of them). About half way home I realized I had left my camera at the park! Fortunatly I had 13 little heros eager to help. I myself was panicking due to the fact it was dark and it wasn’t an option for me to go back and look because we needed more people for that time of night. So Ryzon and his friend, Franklin, went off on the bike to go look for my camera. No luck.
Ryzon and Franklin returned to my house only to find me on my front step crying with 13 other shoeshiners staring at me blankly (we had picked up a few people on the way back…there is something about a bunch of Americans walking around being followed by a mob of shoeshiners that attracts attention). The boys started blaming Ariel and Wilkin saying they must have been the ones who took the camera because it wasn’t there. The shoeshiners turn on each other easily. When I asked why they call each other thieves they answered “Because there are thieves among us and we don’t know who they are..so we just call each other thieves.” I didn’t want to believe it because Ariel was a pretty needy kid but he would always remind me if I left my waterbottle laying around. The boys were insistant because they found it peculiar he wasn’t with us. I ended up rounding up some of my roomates so I personally could go look back at the park for my camera. By this time the boys were roaring to go and I saw an opportunity…I had Katrina translate and tell them that we should all pray out loud that my camera would be found,so we did–in the street we all together prayed out loud. It was AWESOME to hear 15 little boys praying in Spanish while I was breaking! While walking to the park Ali asked me what hurt more the fact my new digital camera was missing or that the others were saying Ariel took it.

It honestly hurt to think that Ariel or any of the boys would steal from me. Sarah always tells me what is mine is His and with that I had peace, but was at distress about desiring to trust these boys because no one really has. When you walk down the street with them people accuse them of being thieves and people we know around here also say the same. In fact the other day one of our friends talked to us and said ” You know those boys you walk with will steal your stuff?” Among all the accusations I felt this joy that I had an army of kids walking down the street with a mission. I looked at it and thought THIS IS WHAT IT SHOULD BE LIKE! There is potential for an army here. Ryzon and Franklin took off on their bikes again while the rest of us followed by foot. At every street light they looked at my tearful face blankly but with a certain element of compassion. All of a sudden right before those of us on foot got to the park Ryzon came back victorious with my camera in hand. Everyone gathered anxiously to hear what happened. Ryzon being the critical thinker he is (Ryzon is actually very intellegent. He brings me his school work some nights for me to look at and see how he is doing), had returned to the park and instead of looking soley where I told him to look he rode around the park and found it.

The story has changed each day as to where or who he found it with but nonetheless he found my camera. 15 little boys on a mission–sent out in prayer—and comming back victorious was one of the most inspiring things I have witnessed here yet. What an example of what we need to be in Christ. What an example of what they can do for the next generation here. What an example of answered prayer. Thank you Jesus for these growing warriors!