In January, councilor Victor and I started a Bible study with the older boys.  Every Wednesday we gather the boys 13 and above and head to our usual meeting place--the Children of Hope School library.  We started by looking at men in the Bible and how God used them and worked through them.

There is a fine line for teen boys between having fun learning, joking, being engaged in the topic and complete chaos.  It is great when the group can walk that line.  Victor and I want the boys to be comfortable and relaxed so discussions can be candid and open.  The silliness and comfort levels seem be settling in at a good balance.  The boys are opening up more, asking more questions, offering more ideas.  When it comes time to close in prayer, all the boys shout out prayer requests from thanking supporters to new construction, healing sick kids to asking for adoptive parents.  However, it is hard to get the boys to volunteer to offer up the requests in the group.  Over the past months, Joevanie and Christian have stepped forward to pray almost each night.  Joevanie has since left for adoption, but Christian is picking up the slack.  The moments of openness and volunteering to pray are encouragements for me. 

Something in Boys' Club must be fun. 

• The 12 year old boys count down the days until the first night they can join. 
• Throughout the day on Wednesdays, I am asked several times, "We have boys' club tonight?" 
  
• Joemar calls Boys' Club "church."  Monday mornings Joemar is already asking me when we have "church" next. (Joemar is a 33 year old guy with mental limitations.  He can hold three or four thoughts at a time.) 
• The girls keep asking to join.  However, the criteria for attending Boys' Club is strict: 1) You must be a male.  2) You must be 13 years or older.