Two Apples, Eight Kids

“Look! The kids are running!” Sure enough, a string of small figures ran toward the cluster of buildings where we would hold a JA Kids meeting. Each week we see more enthusiasm. During this meeting we taught about good food choices using the plastic fruit Martessa brought as visual aid.

After the meeting, all the kids asked if they could help carry things to the car.  I gave up my load so that each had something to carry. As I stacked the last box in the car, one of the boys asked if they could have the apples. I wondered why he would want our fake apples. I told him he couldn’t have them. He said, “No, the ones in the front seat.” I looked, and sure enough, there were two real apples Martessa and I hadn’t eaten for lunch.  I wondered how two small apples would ever be shared between so many kids.

Not knowing what else to do I waded into the crowd of kids by the car and opened the door just enough so I could grab the apples and a plastic knife. All the while I prayed that there would be enough pieces to go around. I proceeded to cut the apples into eight pieces and hand one to each of the hands reaching up to me.  I didn’t even core them because the kids wanted to plant the seeds.  One boy looked up at me with a big grin and juice running down his chin and said, “This is good!”  

Two apples: just enough for each kid to have a quarter.  They were so excited to have just a quarter of an apple. It fit perfectly with our talk about good food choices.  A girl came down to give us a hug as we left, and she asked, “Can you bring real bananas next time?” I told her I would think about it. These kids are hungry, not only for good food, but for love and attention and for Jesus. And they want the real thing.  No fake apples for them!