"Cynth, I went to go visit the kids yesterday," Clesi was trying to tell me after church. I nodded. All my friends were trying to find rides to go to the ice cream place and I was only half listening.

 

"How are they doing?" I asked, wondering if my dad would lend me some change for the ice cream.

 

"They want to know why you didn't come the twenty-seventh like you promised."

 

Uh oh. Suddenly I was paying attention. Man, how could I have forgotten?!

 

"I told them you probably meant the seventh not the twenty-seventh," she said smiling and waving goodbye.

 

I could have kicked myself!

 

Christmas and New Year's were so packed - that's true! A few teenagers and I had taken the pre-teens to give out cookies and sing in the hospital. Then there was the Sunday School Christmas play with scores of little angels to get into costume.... Oh! And not to mention the guest list for the Day!  Seeing we weren't going to have any relatives over, Mom had invited everyone from an old widower to an ex-druggie to spend Christmas with us. It was a very merry Christmas! Wonderful, but certainly not quiet.

 

Ahhh! But how could I have forgotten to go see the kids?!

 

As we drove to their house that Tuesday I kept thinking about the day I told them who Messiah was:


 

(December 19, 2002)

 

"Ok, guys, what's the matter?"

 

The air was muggy and sleepy. I had never seen the kids so languid before! They were wilting around me, distracted and lifeless. They shrugged. They weren't sure why they couldn't concentrate, and they were sorry. They just couldn't seem to pay attention.

 

"This is a reaalllly important lesson, " I urged them, "remember how we studied about Satan and how much he hates God and does everything to keep us away from Him?" They nodded. "Well, he is going to try to distract you right now, don't let him have victory!" We continued the Bible Study and as I spoke my heart prayed, "Lord, help them see!"

 

When Zechariah received a visit from the angel who promised he would have a son, the kids thought he might be the Messiah. Because, after all, this was the first time they had seen an angel announce someone's birth!  But after realizing that the baby would have a human father they chucked that idea. Their excitement had instantly deflated and they listened solemnly.

 

So when we got to the next few verses and and angel came to tell a girl named Mary that she would have a baby, they weren't too impressed. UNTIL we got to verse thirty-five...

 

    "So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)

 

"He won't have a human father!!! His Father will be God!"

I was ready to burst, "It's HIM! He's talking about the Liberator!" I said.

 

 But there wasn't any reaction... they weren't too sure about this Liberator. They'd waited so long for Him to come. Who was He? What would He be like?  I took them over to the book of Matthew to tell them about Joseph. And we got to verse twenty-one...

 

    "Joseph, she will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,

        because he will saved his people from their sins." (Luke 1:21)

 

Julio's (11) eyes lighted up at the mention of Jesus' name, "I knew it! I knew it! He's the One! Oh, I just knew it! All the pieces are falling into place!" Suddenly it dawned on him that this was the story they had always heard: Mary, Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, BUT they had never really HEARD.... they never knew!! Knew the incredible importance of the story! Oh! God had sent His Son to set man free!!!

 


 

But now, Christmas and New Years had come and gone and they were beginning to get anxious. "Where is Cynthia? Why hasn't she come?" Julio later told me that every night he prayed that God would send me quickly to them so that they could hear the rest of the story.

 

So when I finally showed up after the New Years they were so relieved and impatient to get started again. We've been having a Bible Study every available day of the week except on the weekend.

 

 

It was incredible! Time stood still as we saw the Lamb of God get slaughtered. There was the Messiah that we've been waiting for to come and He's hanging on a cross instead of sitting on a throne! It's almost too much to take in.

 

Julio looked directly into my eyes, "So, it's kinda like the “world” is Isaac and the “lamb” that died instead of Isaac is Jesus, right?" 

You betchya. I can't begin to describe the light poring forth from someone's eyes when all the pieces come into place.

 

 Jesus is the only one who can connect man with God.

 

"Yeah, in the Catholic church we go into this little box and tell the priest all our sins..., but we don't have to - that's ridiculous isn't it?"   Yep. Remember the veil that God ripped up? You have complete access to God.  

 

Heads nod, "Yeah! Jesus is the only door!"  Light bounces off shining faces. My heart sings. 

 

And they're already telling people! Sharing what they are just now seeing! Of course it's in their childish, untactful way:

 

Their mother threw away the house idol. I don't know who told her to. I can only guess.

 

Monica (one of the 9 year old twins) has a best friend named Bia. Bia's mom died last year of cancer. So when Bia was talking about her mom, Monica told her about Heaven and Hell and Eternity. "Unless your mom repented of her sins and trusted in Jesus, she's in Hell." (Boy. Talk about being tactful, eh?) She then went on to explain repentance to her and to Bia's aunt. "I think they understood, Cynth." Monica told me calmly.

 

 

They've got a lot to learn. They only heard the complete story of salvation today! They are sooo excited though. They wanted to study until nighttime today and groaned when my mom's car pulled up and it was time for me to leave.

 

They are devouring the Bible. I write down passages for them to read and they do. They go on to read other passages that I don't tell them to read as well! (Today William (6 yrs) showed me "a whole chapter I read that I thought would never end! It's all about people living and dying." He showed me Genesis chapter five. Check it out.. Not exactly the most exciting reading. But he wanted to read just like the other kids, and that was the passage he had chosen. :)

 

Before I left Julio, the oldest child, told me he had been reading Revelation. "I barely understood anything, but when I came to the part that talked about Jesus and I realized that He would come back someday to earth....I cried!"

 

Because you see... they're in love... and the thought of seeing the One you love,.... well... it's almost more than one can take.

 

When I first told you the story of these four kids: Julio, William, Monica and Miriam,  I began the story with:

 

     "Once Upon a Time... "

 

Now I can finally assure you, that as far as I can see, the story's last line is going to go:

 

     "And they lived happily ever after."

 

Forever and ever with Jesus. The Promised Lamb of God.

 

 

I love you all! Thank you so much for praying! I can't believe God has given me the privilege of being a part of this!

 

Cynthia Armour