"Mr. Needle"

Three weeks ago Neil and I prayerfully answered the call to help teach 4-year-old Mission Friends at our church. Another couple that we know, Jeb and Lacy Jones, had signed up to teach the class and discovered they were going to need extra help when 24 kids showed up on the first night. We've been working with them ever since. (Anyone that has ever been outnumbered by preschoolers knows what an impossible job this would have been. Our presence has cut the ratio to approximately 6:1 so it is somewhat manageable. Still, each week Neil says he feels like Gulliver being overrun by Lilliputians!)

We have a lot of fun and are really enjoying getting to know all the little ones. Our first night teaching, "Mrs. Lacy" (as the kids call her) played a little game to help the kids learn all of our names: Mrs. Lacy, Mrs. Katie, Mr. Jeb and Mr. Neil. In my opinion, these are four relatively easy names to pronounce but for some reason, these little southern children like to draw Neil's name out into two syllables with a strong emphasis on the long "e" sound. (Mr. Neeeee-uhl) I have been surprised how well they have remembered our names from week to week. (It is taking us a little longer, however, to remember all of their names!) Tonight at Mission Friends each of us was manning a table during craft time and assisting with their projects when suddenly I heard a little guy at Neil's table say something about "Mr. Needle." I had no idea what he was talking about and then I realized he was referring to Neil! "Can you help me Mr. Needle?" "Can you tape this for me Mr. Needle?" "I don't know how to do this Mr. Needle!" It was such a hoot and Lacy and I started chuckling. But Neil didn't miss a beat -- he kept right on coloring and taping and cutting. So next time you see Neil, ask him how Mr. Needle is doing!