They Keep Coming

"They Keep Coming" 

By Kara Akins

One of the greatest joys of WOW Kids is working with a variety of churches, organizations and volunteers. God has been faithful to keep a steady stream of people coming to the projects. It is nothing short of a miracle.

When we first began WOW Kids we knew our family alone couldn't feed and care for so many people. The first person I spoke to about church groups sending out crews from their own congregation told me that he doubted we could get one church to commit, much less several churches on a rotating basis. He could have been completely right. It's hard for someone with as little influence as I have to get anyone to do anything. But God. Only God has the ability to stir people's hearts. And He did!

God loves these children. He is father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5). If we are willing to be used to meet real needs in their lives, then He is willing to use us. Any of us. 

And the thing is the children recognize His love. The love that compels us to go to where these children are, is the very love they feel when we are near them.

I was with some boys from our after school program the other day. They were brothers. I knew the younger one but not the older one. While we were waiting to go on our field trip I was allowing them to play with my phone. I know some adults don't like to see children with cell phones but I don't mind IF they are willing to practice sharing and it's not during class time, etc. But any strife means I take the phone away until they fix the problem.

Strife happened so I reached to retrieve the phone. The boy who didn't know me had a very negative reaction. He didn't understand that all he had to do was muster up some self-control, say some right words and the phone would be returned. So he started throwing around a very bad attitude. 

But it was what his younger brother said that touched my heart and completely changed the entire situation.

"She's not mean. She's different. She really does loves us. All you have to do is the right thing. She'll help you. When you do the right thing you get the phone back," were his words.

But all I heard was, "She really does love us."

Oh, I would give hundreds of iPhones for them to know it. But it wasn't the phone that made him believe I loved him. It was the love that made me want to share my phone, share my food, share my smiles, share my Bible verses and whatever else I could. That's what love tends to do.

"For God so loved the world that He gave..." (John 3:16)

God has placed people on my path that share a love for these children. Like magnets we come together at the most unlikely places: Chick-fil-A, Walmart, Fall-festivals, schools, FaceBook, churches. And we begin to talk about the children in the projects and in unison our hearts burn to show them that love. 

Because "the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. 13:13)

With so much coming against these children, nothing less could ever do. Love, after all, is the only thing that never fails (1 Cor. 13:8). When so many things tend to fail isn't it nice to bring these children something that won't?

And do you know why love won't fail? Because God is love (1 John 4:8). Not our twisted version of love. He is the real thing. And kids discern the difference. 

Kara Akins married Mr. Jack Stephen Akins III at age 18.  She is now the mother of six children, ages 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.  Her "7th child" is her niece, Cecily, who also lives with the family.  She has one boy in the bunch who is spoiled rotten.  Along with being a mom, she also volunteers extensively with Young America Ministries and is a speaker for the Be Still, Get Real team.