Chosen In Christ, Moving in Mission

Editor’s Note: Hear how CFNA’s recent move led Community and Engagement Coordinator, Amy Zeigler, to share the truth and love of Christ with a young refugee boy.

This past year has been one of intentional change and diligent focus on the identity of CFNA: Who are we as a Christ serving organization? How do our neighbors perceive our engagement? When do we act or refrain? Where would we be best placed to do ministry?

This past week answered several of these questions for me as I spoke with a seven year old boy from Afghanistan. I met him two years ago when I first began working for CFNA. A coworker introduced me to his mom and we were enjoying a hot cup of tea in the living room when I heard a series of expletives being spoken in the hallway by a loud, even tempered voice. Seeing my eyes grow large from shock, my coworker placed her hand on my arm and said, “Oh yeah, their son watches a lot of YouTube when his mom nurses the new baby. Since no one knows English, they don’t realize what the son is saying…. We’re working on that.”

That fall, the boy started coming with his sister to After School Tutoring (AST). They lived across the street from the old Peace Center, and when the sister went to classes, he would dash across the street to join. Since he had just turned five, we allowed him to come. Often, he would need to be taken home early due to behavior issues. Yet each week, he wanted to come back and promised to behave. For his sake, and for his mom’s, we would give him another chance.

This last year, the boy was in first grade and didn’t miss a single night of AST. A seminarian tutored him and the two worked wonderfully together - the night was a highlight for each of them. In fact, the boy was supposed to come only once a week like everyone else, but would dash across the street on the night he wasn’t assigned - reminding me if anyone was absent, he would take their spot.

Whenever we have an activity or he sees my car pull up to the Peace Center, he runs out and asks what we are doing and if he can come. This happened recently when I came to the old building to pack up AST books for our upcoming move. The boy graciously helped me pack boxes for an hour while we talked about the move and how the new building would have more space for youth and tutors and books.

One afternoon, I was getting into my car when the boy asked me where I was going. I told him we had a team leading a Lego Camp and asked if he wanted to join. He dashed off to get permission and his shoes. He came back and asked if his sister could come. Unfortunately, I only had one space left in my car for him to join.

When we arrived at the new building, he was amazed by the amount of space and the number of legos. Halfway through camp that day, he came up to me very somber. “Miss Amy, now that we have this new building, I can’t come over whenever I want to. I will have to be chosen.” 

On the final day of Lego Camp, I was oscillating between three volunteer work groups servíng in the greater part of the new building. I received a text from the Lego camp leader saying they needed help with a rambunctious boy. As I approached the boy standing alone with balled up fists and a downcast face, I told him there was a special job that needed to be done in another room and asked if he could help. Only a boy with his strength and size could complete the task. He kept his fists tight - so I told him to find me when he was ready. As I walked away, I heard his feet dashing behind me. We entered a room where volunteers were moving boxes, tables, and chairs to their new stations. Drills, hammers and paint brushes were all in motion. He looked around in wonder and then froze in his tracks and pointed. “Miss Amy, that’s our painting from the Peace Center.”

Hung on the wall only two minutes before was the giant painting of the glorious fishing scene on the Lake of Gennesaret, nets exceedingly filled with fish.

I asked, “Who is in that picture?”

“Jesus,” the boy answered.

“Who is with Jesus?”

“I don’t remember all their names.,” he says, almost laughing.

“Ok, but who are they?” I ask.

“Jesus’s friends,” he says, smiling.

“You’re right. And you know that you are Jesus’s friend, too. You’ve been chosen.” 

By Amy Zeigler
Community and Engagement Coordinator

  Luke 5

 1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.