I Am a Missionary to Mars: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Silent at School

“But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil.” Romans 16:9

Dear Journal,

Let me quickly wrap up that last entry. The girl’s name was Zoe, which means “life” in Greek. Pretty cool. Her parents threw a party on board to honor my “heroic actions” and “quick-thinking efforts” to protect Zoe. At the party I got the microphone and shared about God who has delivered me from darkness and transferred me into the kingdom his beloved son in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 3).  I think that even my parents were not expecting that. After a few minutes of talking I gave the pinmicrophone back to Zoe’s dad and he smiled and said, “Now we know what fuels his courage!” He winked at my dad. That was an awesome experience and it’s glorious for me to remember that on a day like today. Today was hard.

It started when I first sat down in my new classroom.

“Where’s your tablet?” the teacher asked.

“I don’t have one because the content is mostly inappropriate.” I  explained.

It seemed like the teacher was laughing at me.

“I assure you they’re perfectly appropriate for my class!” Then he mentioned some strange things about especially enjoying shows about (the Lord’s enemy and other highly inappropriate subjects).

That was how it began.

It didn’t get better.

The others used tablets to take notes but I used an old fashioned lap board and dry erase marker. But I didn’t take notes.

The teacher-I don’t even want to mention his name-spoke for a very long time jumping from one topic to the next. He spoke about horrible things and wickedpeople-Darwin, Marx, Freud, and more. It took every ounce of self-restraint I had not to speak up. That would be arguing, which would be bad. I also felt the impulse to jump out of my seat and out the door. Perspiration trickled down the sides of my face. Finally I had an idea.

I started using my lapboard. At first I drew a shepherd and sheep. Then I wrote out Bible verses, like all of Psalm 23…”The Lord is my shepherd…” At last I wrote fragments of verses that I remembered that directly addressed the lies and confusion the teacher was teaching those poor kids. Every inch of the lapboard was covered.  

When the teacher was finished, I was the first one to leave the room and go to the dining area. I didn’t feel hungry at all nor did I really want to sit and talk with my classmates. I was silently praying and asking the Lord what He wanted me to do. Then I saw Zoe. A boy from my class was bothering her hair and upsetting her. Sitting down next to her, I looked up at him. He backed away without a word.

“My mom says that you’re my guardian angel.” Zoe said.

“I’m just a kid like you,” I replied.

She actually needed a lot of help eating because she had trouble opening food containers and maneuvering her spork. I cut her broccoli up into smaller bits too.

I turned to Zoe and said things that I had been thinking during my horrible time at school.

“Zoe, the point of life is to know God and glorify him. We are all sinners and we will all die someday. We must ask Jesus to save us. He is the only one who can save us. Jesus is fully God and fully man…”

“Are you mad at me?” Zoe asked.

“Oh no, Zoe. I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. I’m just excited. And maybe a little mad- but not at you.”

“Bye bye,” she said as she went to her Mom. She smiled at me.

“Thank you so much for helping her. This is the first time we’ve brought her with us on our shuttle missions. Usually we leave her with other family but we’re thinking of bringing her again in a couple of weeks so you might be seeing her around. Tonight we’ll be flying back to earth. Thanks again, Simon!” She gave my hand a little squeeze and took Zoe through the exit tunnel.

Somehow all of that helped me calm down a little. (Thank you, dear Lord, for Zoe and her mom. Please help Zoe to believe in you and so be saved.)

After everyone was done eating it seemed like we were supposed to go back to the classroom to collect our belongings before returning to our living quarters.

I was the last person to enter the classroom and I’m thankful for that. My entire body felt cold and numb when I saw the teacher holding up my lapboard and laughing with the other students. “It looks like someone has been busy making pictures for babies in Sunday School, hmm?” That smile was the most evil smile I have ever seen in my whole life.

Dear Lord, please bless the teacher and help him know your goodness and love. Help him know your forgiveness because he definitely needs it…

I’ve been thinking about those Psalms called “imprecatory” Psalms-the ones that are about cursing God’s enemies. Of course, we’re supposed to bless our enemies and pray for them. The teacher is probably an extremely unhappy person.

How can I tell the truth about Jesus in a classroom that’s so full or darkness?

Dear Journal,

Today was, in some ways, like yesterday, but a little better. On the one hand, the kids are mean now too. On the other hand, I’m more bold about proclaiming truth to them-during lunch and even in the classroom.

When I walked into class the first thing that happened was that the teacher- I will just tell you now that his name is Dr. Duke- asked me if I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

“Yes,” I said.

He spent the rest of the day teaching us about Science and occasionally poked fun at me and “others like” me.

It all spilled into the eating area too.

“Don’t eat that chicken-it was fathered by God!”  Julius said.

Amber added, “It’s a sacrifice!”

I thought about the verse that says that man’s anger doesn’t make the righteousness that God wants. But I was still eating angrily, if you know what I mean. Chewing and chewing, biting off hunks of chicken…I think that being furious made me less able to salivate or something because I started choking on the chicken.

I prayed earnestly, “Dear God, I’m so sorry for being angry. Please oh please don’t let me choke in front of these kids.”

God, in his mercy, heard my prayer and the chicken slid right down after that.

“God bless you,” I murmured to Amber.

“What?” Julius asked.

I cleared my throat.

“May the Lord bless you,” I said clearly to Julius.

“He made you and, and he loves you-enough to send Jesus.”

Amber and Julius looked at each other but didn’t say anything.

When I went into the classroom for my lapboard, Dr. Duke announced that we’re going to “shadow” our parents at work tomorrow. May God be praised that I won’t be in the shadows of Dr. Duke’s darkness.