The Father of the Fatherless
When our God says he is a father of the fatherless, he means it. God cares for these unchurched, under-resourced, fatherless children more than we could ever imagine. This summer, we saw him in action as he fathered one of our little friends. I will call her BA and not use her specific image to protect her privacy. This is her testimony.
Our public school system requires children who have missed too many days or who are failing, to attend summer school to be promoted to the next grade. At the end of the school year, BA’s mother was informed of this policy, but just like BA often missed school, she missed summer school too. Instead, she joined the Shine Summer Reading Program.
BA was an “eager attendee”. She showed up early and helped the interns fill water jugs and make Gatorade, but after a few weeks she stopped coming.
One day BA was up early and saw me collecting kids. She wanted to know why I didn’t knock on her door anymore. I told her, “I knock on your door every day, but no one answers.” I saw the shock on her face as she realized, she had to take responsibility to get herself up in the mornings. She grabbed her swimsuit and jumped back into the program. That day the other kids taught her how to set an alarm on her phone.
By using her alarm, BA once again, faithfully came to the program. One Saturday she even showed up in her pajamas, fearful that she had missed the bus.
In July, Ms. Jeannette, our phonics coach, heard the Lord say, HE would promote BA into the fourth grade where she belonged.
When BA tested out of the Shine Reading Program at a 5th grade level, we all celebrated! She jumped 2 grade levels in 11 weeks! Three days into the new school year, we found out that the public school went against their own policy and promoted BA to the fourth grade!
Great job Coach Jeanette!
God really does father the fatherless. He made sure BA could read, and by reading the Bible she learned to love Him and was exposed to a Biblical worldview. He taught her responsibility, rewarded her for hard work and put us in place to keep her from falling through the cracks.
I just have to throw up a “Praise the Lord!”
Thank You for praying, giving and encouraging us,
Pamela Rose
Executive Director
Shine USA, Inc.
512-216-0854