When I first heard the name of the drop-in, The Kairos Centre, I wanted to know what it meant, but with all the hustle and bustle 2 years ago until 2 Sundays ago I hadn't given it another thought because Kairos was Kairos and it represented a number of things to me. However, I found it very interesting the other day while in a church service when the preacher began talking about the word Kairos and what it means. It means "time", but not just as in a moment in time, a date, or what would be represented on a clock or watch, but instead a "time of fulfillment".
Anyone that has spent time at the Kairos Centre whether in leadership capacity or not will know that the Kairos Centre is about "time", it's what all its programs are formed around. However, the most intriguing part of that to me is that the time spent in the Kairos Centre is a "time of fulfillment" of what Christ called us to in Matthew 28:19ff. We are making disciples, telling people about Christ, loving on people by means of spending time with them, forming deep relationships that have eternal ramifications. The Kairos Centre is very strategic in how it uses its facilities and time because time is of the essence and intentionality key.
Today I helped out for the first time with something the Kairos Centre calls Holy Club. Despite what you may think of the name given to this ministry, it is quite impressive what happens here, although it may not sound so because you, the reader, cannot be in the environment and know the students we are working with. For those of you in America, many of the students I work with come from broken homes (usually single mum homes in the government issued housing area of the Burrendale Estates) and the students have not grown up in the church, do not know many Bible stories, even the basics we take for granted, and are on many lists of juvenile offenders to some degree or another.
With that in mind, today we had Holy Club, which basically consists of a few of the older guys (high schoolers) that have been coming to drop-in for quite some time. Some of them were in my small group 2 years ago during a youth program so I have some history with them and a connection through the loss of a parent. These are some of the toughest young people in the area, but despite their thick skin they are beginning to show soft hearts, open to the Gospel and its message that a fellow missionary Ben has been speaking into their lives for several years. We talked about the parable of the sower sowing seeds among different soils. We then had a discussion, asking them which soil they believed themselves to be. It was uplifting to hear them say how they desire to be the good soil, but find themselves among the thorns. This shows that they are aware of what is going on around them and what they are surrounding themselves with. Also, they began instructing each other in certain areas of each others' lives and becoming aware of where they could make changes in their lives as well. Ben has done a wonderful job in how he has conducted Holy Club because the young men were not hesitant whatsoever to ask questions to us as leaders. This says a lot, especially in this culture where people are usually very closed off and don't let people in very far into their personal lives. It is a monumental step to break down those barriers. These young people are becoming very transparent, but it is because they know that they are in a safe and loving environment. God is moving, He is among us, the Light shines in the darkness. I wish I could go into massive detail, but it would be tedious and probably boring to you, the reader, because reading about it is nothing compared with experiencing it and being here among the ministry and outreach that is the Kairos Centre.
Blessings
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