My middle school juggling ministry left school at 1:30 this afternoon to travel to Lewiston, Maine's second largest city, in order to perform their program at the Root Cellar.  The Root Cellar is an inner city mission, in one of Lewiston's poorest neighborhoods.  It provides meals, homework help, and a variety of other services to the families in the neighborhood, many of whom are African refugees.  We were doing our show for their after school care program and any family members who could attend.  This was a particularly special road trip for me, as my 20 year old daughter, Naomi, came as one of the chaperones.  As a youth ministries major at Nyack College in New York, she jumped at the idea to not only go to the Root Cellar, but to spend the day with a group of 12 - 15 year olds.  I love those times when I can still work side by side with my two college aged girls.

We did our show with three students missing due to illness.  We were scrambling right up to starting time replacing performers, as Meira got sick on the van ride to Lewiston.  Some performers had to fill in roles that they had never even rehearsed, only seen their classmates perform.  Emily did an especially good job filling in for Meira in "I Want to Know What Love Is" as one more girl to reject Nick's character.  My youngest daughter, Rose, filled in for Amanda in "Beautiful, Scandalous Night", and was flawless in her juggling.

For me, though, the highlight was after the show was over.  As we were interacting with the audience, both children and their parents and grandparents, letting them visit the rabbit and the doves, I looked up toward the stage area, and Nick was patiently teaching a young Muslim girl how to juggle a diabolo.  Though separated by about six years of age, race, gender and religion, they were like a loving big brother and an adoring little sister having a sweet moment together.  If that's not sharing the love of Jesus nothing is.  I was so proud!