Day 7

Today the girls here at My Refuge House watched the first 8 chapters of the movie "The Gospel of John." If you have never seen this movie, you must - the script is word for word from the book of John set against motion picture. Prior to the movie, I gave each of the girls a simple drawing with two people standing on separate hills/mountains separated by a deep valley of who-knows-what. Each girl was asked to draw anything that would connect the two people. The girls were then asked to describe who the two individuals were and what they drew. Some of what they shared:

- Mary & Joseph - connected by a bamboo and iron bridge.
- Romeo & Juliet - connected by a green pathway
- My papa (who passed away 6 years ago) and mama - connected by a bridge
- My mother and I - with two ladders going down into the valley

We read the first chapter of John and the girls were reminded that God became flesh and became our bridge to the father - we were able to touch him, hug him, feel him - because of this crazy act. I think they got the idea.

We then saw the first portion of the movie. We stopped to discuss the Samaritan women and then afterwards. Each girl was asked what story in the first 8 chapters struck them most. Their responses:

- the miracle at the wedding feast. "Why did he call his mother, 'woman?'
- the healing of the paralytic man at the pool - I can't believe he just got up and walked.
- the statement of Jesus telling the people "I am who I am" and the confusion this caused people

Their simple insights were amazing. The girls were reminded again that many religiously smart people didn't get Jesus. It was the people that needed him the most - the sick, lame, broken, the sinner - that got him. The girls were also reminded that in many ways, they "get Jesus" more than many theologians today, because Jesus as a Savior is "real."