365 Days Of Love. Day 25

Sweet Jesus

I’ve fallen wildly in love with my students. Even as I scornfully correct them or re-direct their behavior, I love them. Both last year and this year, though, certain students have stuck out, pulled at my heartstrings a little harder than the others, sneaking into a place within me that I didn’t know existed.

This year, that student is Jesus. Although I know his named is pronounced HEY-sus, I frequently find my mind referring to him as Jesus, like the savior. Bizarrely, I’ve been able to easily adapt the Spanish pronunciations of everyone’s else’s name, but neither my mind nor my lips want to refer to Hey-sus as anything but Jesus. Until recently, this misspeak has been an enigma to me.

The puzzle started piecing together on Thursday. Jesus sauntered into my room before my first period and excitedly asked me if I’d seen the KONY 2012 video. Ashamed, I told him I saw it all over my Facebook Newsfeed, but I hadn’t viewed the video yet. Within the confines of our school’s shoddy phone service, Jesus and I tried, unsuccessfully, to watch the video. As we waited for the short 30-minute film to load, Jesus excitedly told me he wants to donate, he wants to do something, he wants the action kit and the bracelet,

he wants to help.

Whether looked at through a religious lens or not, Jesus (the savior) helped people. He clothed the homeless, nurtured the orphans, empowered the prostitutes,

he helped.

Sitting next to my sweet Jesus, I realized, this 14 year-old boy has the heart of Jesus. He lives in one of the poorest counties in the United States, his parents work tirelessly in their family’s restaurant across the border in Mexico, while supporting Jesus, his brother, and sister here in the States. He’s growing up in an educational system that produces students who are years and years behind academically. Despite realities that most people would use as leverage to be helped,

Jesus wants to help.

This morning, Jesus and I sat down together and made a rough action plan. He’s cultivating a group of kids and I’m gathering the list of important politicians to call in reference to the KONY 2012 campaign. After Spring break, we’re having a call-a-thon of sorts, where we’ll flood the phone lines of politicians and “annoy them like the bankers do us” (Jesus’s words) so they are compelled to act, compelled to capture Joseph Kony.

Jesus could easily be apathetic, defending himself with a plethora of hurdles. Instead, sweet Jesus wants to help. Like Jesus, Jesus has taught me that loving is helping, despite hurdles and setbacks. He’s taught me that loving is believing in the power of one and then two and three and four and many.