Girls in the 'hood--- Chandy

Let me start this by saying. I have little experience with girl issues. Althought I am female, I grew up with almost all guy friends. Even to this day I would pick video games over shopping any day. So... at times I feel a little ill equipped with the Rock Island girls.

Last week we started back our Thursday night bible study. We have split once again into guys and girls (less distraction). The boys are studying the gospel of John and the girls have just started reading a book called "Daughters of Heaven".

When I talk about a girls bible study, don't get the wrong impression. It's not a bunch of princesses sitting around sipping tea. The girls study attenders range from suspected prostitutes to non-english speakers and pregnant girls to gang members. Let's put it this way.. the glares that are being passed across the room might make some people cower in fear. I know one thing, I strategically place my chair, so if anything does go down, it's going to have to go down with me in the middle. Needless to say, the girls aren't very chummy with each other. At Rock Island we have 7-8 girls on average and about 40 boys.

At last in our study we had a light bulb moment. I read a quote out of the book, "Just like no two snowflakes follow the same path to the ground, no two people follow the same path to heaven". I then explained that even though we are not all friends, we are all fighting for the same thing.. The girls just kind of looked around at each other and there was a very long ackward pause. That's when I think they realized that they are all different, but have the same goal in mind. They are all just trying to survive, want better lives and want to learn more about Jesus. They have found their common ground, the Lord.

After the study is over on Thursday nights we usually all cook dinner together and hang out at Rock Island til 8. On a normal night the girls scatter to their different territories in the builing the second we say amen. Last night they all sat in the living room and talked for a while. They even all expressed interest in helping throw the baby shower for one of our girls. I'm excited for the future of not playing referree. Who knows... they all might just become friends.