
Imagine spending almost every day with someone for several
years - in class, devotions, lunch, practices, games - all the road trips,
excursions, movie nights, bbq’s and random impromptu moments. In all of that, you get to know these
kids, who are now around 18 years old, at a deep, family-like, father-son-like
level.
Then you say goodbye.
Sure, we’ll continue to see them here and there. But not everyday, not the way we used
to.
That’s the point though. We founded the academy for this very purpose. An attempt to build young boys into
godly men.
We’ve had ample time to prepare them. We’ve discussed in depth the
issues. Living with
integrity. Loving your
neighbor. Sex, drugs, alcohol. Marriage and family. Character, responsibility, and work
ethic. Following Jesus and living
for others.
In theory, they should be ready.
We made it through “graduation night” pretty well, keeping emotions
in check. But the following
Monday, when the boys came to clean out their lockers for the last time, the
moment seemed to overwhelm us.
There, in front of their coaches and teammates, everyone said
their goodbyes. The boys who were
leaving shared. Axel stopped for
complete 1 minute-breaks to compose himself. As he talked about what the academy meant to him, he
broke. He described the moment he
made the team as the “moment that changed his life forever.” We all fought back tears.
The following weekend, 25 boys tried out for 5 open spots. Today, those five 10-11 year olds sat
in front of us with excited and nervous faces. They are the future of Buena Vista.
Because we are a new academy, we only had a couple years
with Axel. With them, God willing,
we’ll have 6 or 7. I cant imagine
how hard it will be to say goodbye after 6-7 years of everyday together.
But I think about how prepared they will be. Young men, stepping into their
community equipped to break the chains of poverty, absence, abuse, and
addiction that has plagued their village for generations.
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