Dear friends:

Every Tuesday afternoon I climb on our Aslan school bus and begin making the rounds to pick up 40 kids.  Tuesdays are a good reminder for me of just how much this ministry means to each of the children we serve.  As they bound onto the bus with smiles and laughter,  the first thing some of the kids do is give me a big hug.  In the midst of their uncertain and chaotic lives, it's their way of saying, "Thanks, Aslan.  I'm glad you're here for me!  I'm glad the next two hours will be lots of fun and filled with some peace."

Every time we pray at the end of class, one or another of the boys will thank God for Aslan and all the fun things we do as a part of it.  Usually "Speedy" is the one who speaks up first.  You can easily imagine why one of our volunteer mentors nicknamed this extremely active eleven-year-old, Speedy.  It's almost impossible to ever get him to quiet down and be still!  A few months ago, my class was having a spirited discussion - about biking, field trips, winter ski trips, summer camps, back-to-school clothing, Christmas gifts and on and on - when Speedy sat bolt upright and shot out a question.  "How old do you have to be before you can't come back to Aslan anymore?"  As with most of our Aslan kids, Speedy has been let down by almost everyone during the short span of his lifetime.  Experience has taught him not to get his hopes up too high about anything.  Chances are, disappointment is waiting just around the corner. Suddenly it dawned on him that there might be an end to this thing that means so much to him.

Although I kept a serious look on my face, I couldn't help smiling inside.  "Speedy," I said, "You can come to Aslan as long as you want to."  Even that response did not satisfy him.  He was still worried.  "But Craig, when I'm out of high school that will be the end, right?"  "No." I said.  "Some of our Aslan 'kids' from way back are still involved in Aslan.  In fact, some of them are only 12 years younger than I am, and you know I'm ancient!"  Melanie, for example, is one of the key volunteers for our Haiti Project, and Sonny is the head of our men's basketball league.  I wish each one of you could have been with me in our classroom that day.  All Speedy's hopes and dreams of a lifetime were hanging on my answer.  He got a dreamy, faraway look in his eye, smiled and said, "Then I'm going to be in Aslan 'til I'm real old!"

Although kids like Speedy are not always jumping at the chance to tell Aslan thanks for being here for them, we know that their little worlds revolve around the time they spend with us.  Thanks for demonstrating your compassion for the children of Aslan through your gifts and prayers.  With your help and with God's wonderful grace, Aslan will carry the dreams of thousands of kids far into the next millennium.

God bless,

 Craig Bogard