First United Methodist Church (Walters, Oklahoma)

Transcription

We don't realize what a child goes through. Some of them are not at home, some of them are in foster care, some of them are, you know, being molested, some of them are just in all types of situations. Then they come to our schools...substitute teachers, no books, the food is horrible. And then you say, "Do well." You know, but where is the support? I'm going from bad to worse, and you want me to thrive, you want me to have this positive attitude, how? I don't see any hope. And I can remember growing up and I could say I want do something. I want to make a difference. And I would throw it in the back of my mind. Then Zenae was born. Zenae was born and I can remember saying, okay, I'm going to be your godmother. And, I took this young lady under my wing and I just really nurtured her and loved her with travel and she was like my best little friend. And so then, she's like, "Godmommy, my friend wants to go". And I'm thinking, okay, they can go. And, here it is, I'm taking a carload of youth with me on weekend trips. And then it went from weekend trips to week trips. And I said, this is what I want to do. God has given me a gift to go into these neighborhoods or go into these schools and just love on them, accept them for who they are and just really love them. And that's what Godparents is about. >> ZENAE: It's a traveling mentor program, and what it does it kind of opens the child's mind to the world around them. And I like how it's affecting not just our family and friends, how it's affecting the community because that's what we need now. >> TANYA: I go after the C's and the D's students. I go after the ones people tell them they can't amount to anything. I go after the ones that lost all hope, and give them the strength and the self-motivation to know that as long as your relationship with Christ is straight, and you focus on that, that's all you need and you can excel and keep going. So, it's a life-changing experience. >> ASHLEE: At the time I was doing bad in school and I was doing what I wanted to do, and I wasn't on the right track. She thought that is wasn't too late to turn my life around and turn it around. And she knew I wasn't a bad person or a bad kid. I went from, my auntie says, a bad egg to a good egg, I guess. And I'm more positive, more smiley, I'm more, you know. >> TANYA: And then I started seeing how the trip was really changing them. And then God gave me the opportunity again in 2006. He said "You're going across country and I want you to give this time." He said, "Utilize all your resources." And I'm thinking, how do you do that? He said, "Start talking." And so I'm sitting here and I get on the phone and I call Arizona, I call New Orleans, I call Dallas. I said "I want to come to your city and give. I don't want anything. I just want to find the kids in need and I want to give to them." December comes along and it was like, keep going, don't stop. Although you don't have the money, keep going. Prepare as if you had it. And LA Times came out. She said, "You have the front page of the weekend edition. People will see your article all over the world." Not knowing marketing, I'm thinking, "Oh okay, that's wonderful." Still didn't have the money. I laid down on Saturday and I said, "Lord, you said in your timing. I have less than 24 hours." I said, "Let your will be done." Six o'clock that morning, a phone call came in and the lady said, "I am reading your article. Where can I send you some money?" LA TImes called, they said, "We have never received a response like you. We are getting emails from all over the united states." The people couldn't email fast enough, they start calling. The people that couldn't reach us on the phone started coming to my door. God was so good, I started crying, my aunt ran in there and she was like, "Tanya, what?" I said, "It's happening. He's blessing me." By the end of that night I had forty thousand dollars. And at that point, God said, "Money is not your issue. It's trust and faith. And I need people to see. I need a soldier out there so people can see if you do and be obedient, I'm going to bless you. But you got to sacrifice, you got to line your life up with me. You've got to put me in front." And Biola taught me that. The Bold Program gave me an experience that I now filter into the community. And I use some of the strategies that were brought to us. You don't need a whole lot of time to do a lot. You need to make up in your mind whether you're going to do it or not. And when we are obedient, then God can use us. And it's not always in that little box that you're in. Sometimes He has to train you, school you and move you outside. But you have to be willing to travel light and move fast.