Butterfly Boy

We had a great trip to Wickenburg this last Saturday. I had no idea how many would come and whether I would have a couple of my younger kids come with mostly teens. We were purposely connecting with a group that had partnered with us last summer. They were having a prayer walk around the High School, Jr. High and Skate Park. My group can at times be whether wild and not feel the most comfortable around all ‘White’ groups.

Sometimes I think my group loves just driving in the van for a couple of hours and the destination doesn’t much matter. As long as we stop at McDonalds or Circle K at least once, coming and going. As we wind our way through the little town of Wickenburg we eventually find the correct road but the name on my Apple map is different from the website? We drive a mile or so and find the little church on top of a clearing that you can see all around the town.

As we get out of the vans and entered the little church it was awesome to have the adult leaders and teens actually remember us. It felt so awesome to sit and listen to a worship band play for about 30 minutes and show their enthusiasm for Jesus. We first started off with some icebreakers that got the teens all mixed up and hanging out together. I had allowed two younger guys to come along, especially Rayshon, my butterfly boy, to trail along. He is special to me and I try to drag him along when it is possible.

We drive first to the High School, which is relatively new. One of our interns, who grew up in Wickenburg, briefly shares about what it was like growing up in a small agricultural town. We listen to one of the key leaders talk about the existing problems at the school, which isn’t that unusual, fights, drugs, racism and clashing of different cultures. We break up into smaller groups and spend about 10 minutes praying.

As we are finishing my two little guys come around and ask if it is ok if they hunt butterflies? I quickly ask, “Are you serious?” Do you really think you can catch a butterfly? Why would you want to do this? My little friend, Rayshon, quickly speaks up because they are so beautiful and I would love to have one as a pet. I want to take it home and show my mom. So I tell them it is ok assuming that they aren’t fast enough to catch one.

It is only a few minutes and my little friend comes rushing back with something in his cupped hands. I say what do you have there in your hands? He opens up his hands a little and I see that he has a butterfly. Yet, as he attempts to let me see it something happens – the butterfly escapes. He and his friend go back to the bushes to start hunting again.

I see my little friend come running back to me. This time he has some type of magical power over the butterfly. He opens his hands and the little creature stays on his hands. He slowly gets his new little friend to open up his wings and I get a couple of pictures. Rayshon is in heaven because he now can see this beautiful creature but gets to show it off. He asks the obvious question, “Can I take it home with me?” I try to explain to him that the little butterfly would probably not survive the 2-hour drive back home and then would die or you might crush it. He then opens his hands and lets the little butterfly take off.

As I gazed at my little friend I realized that his life is at times not the best. His mom and dad are divorced. His older brother decided to go live with his dad in Texas. So even though he has an amazing mom and older sister, life isn’t easy. So I was thrilled that he could come and experience an amazing aspect of God’s creation in his little butterfly friend. I will remember my butterfly boy for a long time!