Go Tell it on a . . . . Walkie-Talkie?

Go Tell it on a Mountain Walkie-Talkie!

DAY ONE

The teenager was a little bit fearful.  I could see it in his eyes as the boy hesitated at the entrance to the chapel.  He started to back up.  This was his first time at the Saturday Worship-for-All service.  I don't blame him.  It's not easy to visit new places and meet new people especially if you are a person of Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, Asperger syndrome, Bi-Polar disorder or other intellectual disabilities.

I was losing him!  If I didn't act fast, my first time visitor would finalize and lock-in his decision to not participate in our chapel service.   I walked over near to him but not next to him.  I said "Hi, I'm Mr. Brad.  I'm so glad you are here today!  Don't be worried.  We sing songs in chapel.  We sing them quietly.  Would you like to hear one?"  I immediately started singing the "Hello" song to him.  To children with disabilities, this is a captivating and calming song.  The tune and the word gently connects with their souls in an amazing way.

The worry on the boy's face lessened.  He stopped backing up.  His expert caregiver went to work and  helped him think through his decision.  He agreed to attend!  In the chapel, his face was still worried as we sang the "Hello" song.  By the song's end, however, he was timidly making the song's hand motions.  He was unsure, but he was with us!

DAY TWO

Just before the start of one of Sunday's chapel services, I saw my timid friend talking to another boy out side of the chapel entrance.  He was trying to coax his friend into attending the worship service.  That was so cool!  His friend wanted to stay in the lobby with his weekend caregiver.  The timid teenager walked into chapel.  Everyone looked content so I went in to start the Worship-for-All service.

We sang the "Hello" song and I said a prayer for everyone.  As we sang the next song, I looked over to my teenage friend.  I was  stunned to see him using a walkie-talkie!  After the song, I was told that he was broadcasting the service "live" to his friend who didn't want to come into chapel but had another walkie-talkie!  How cool is that?  We were at that part of the service where we read a prayer and say it together.  I asked the boy if he would say the prayer over the walkie-talkie so his friend outside could hear it.  He agreed and here is the prayer that he broadcast:

Now I wake from peaceful . . . . . REST.

To love this day and be my . . . . BEST.

            

 Guide me, Jesus, through the . . . DAY.

                        

 Help me as I work and  . . . . . . . . PLAY.

                                                        AMEN.

We sing "Go tell in on a mountain" after each children's chapel message.  I always suggest to the children that it is important to tell everyone we know about Jesus. The song variation we use is "Go tell it on a mountain that Jesus Christ is Lord!  In just two days my not-so-timid friend demonstrated that Jesus is Lord over friendships, Lord over worship services and Lord over the airwaves!  Let's go tell the world that Jesus Christ is Lord!

This is the Worship For All blog.  It has a heavenly ending.

Next Up:  "The Loud Hands Project - Celebrating People of Autism"