Johnny was with us for almost a year. He somewhat haphazardly joined our under 15 soccer team in 2008. He was an amazing player, the kind that would score one or two goals a game without trying very hard.
Unfortunately, that was his downfall. Most of our players work very hard, focus on their skill level and strive to improve. Most become very good as a result of the effort they put in. However, every once in a while we see a player with natural ability, coordination and great athletic skill. Johnny fell into that category. One would assume that Johnny had a typical story of the athlete that everyone loved and was kind of passed through school and sports because everyone wanted him to play for their team. Believe it or not, this happens even before high school.
Johnny played almost the full fall season and then began not to show up for practices. Despite the coaches calling, reaching out, visiting the home, Johnny was soon hard to find.
I remember going to Johnny's house, talking to his mom trying to convince them that it was important for Johnny to learn commitment and come to practice and games. I explained that we weren’t just about soccer, that we also focused on grades, responsibility and leadership development. His mom couldn't have been more enthusiastic she agreed with all that I said and told Johnny he had to participate with us every practice and game. I offered to personally be involved in helping with tutoring and assisting them in anything I could do.
Things got better, for about a week. Then I didn't see Johnny for several months. One day as I was walking through our local Target, I saw him walking alone through the store. As we started talking, it was obvious he was very high. I've seen this before. When our kids start messing with drugs, you learn that things have changed. Now everything becomes much more difficult for them and for anyone helping them to get back on the right track.
One of the most significant lessons we have learned is that you cannot want change more for people than they do for themselves.
Fast forward a year and a half the coordinator of the Compton Initiative work days knocked on a door of a Compton house to gauge interest in having their house painted. A high school boy answered. In the conversation, she asked why he wasn’t in school. He said that his mom hadn't completed the paperwork yet. Obviously concerned she began to ask more questions. A few hours later she called me to see if I knew a “Johnny” that used to play for Compton United. God was not done chasing Johnny. This initiated a meeting between Alma the coordinator, Johnny, his parents and I, where we all let Johnny have it! We (Alma especially) scolded the parents and explained to them the importance of Johnny being in school. Johnny was supposed to go back to school and come practice with our under 16 team again. He wouldn't be able to play in games yet but he could work his way back in.
In the next couple of days Alma registered him at the local high school. Johnny and his dad were at practice. The teams practice schedule does overlap with the after school programs Johnny is required to attend but it looks like he will be at practice when he can. Through this God showed me once again that He does not give up on us. A boy in Compton that practically everyone gave up on, including his parents do not fall through God's cracks.
Please pray for Johnny, Compton United, the Compton Initiative, and all of us that we can be faithful and God's representatives to the youth and families in our city of Compton.
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