All in a RAP song...

I just got done cooking lunch for the guys. For the past two months I have been grilling outside on my porch. Grilling has allowed me to connect more with the guys because I am outside cooking instead of inside. Outside is where they hang the majority of the time, so grilling has put me more into their world. Over the past three weeks the guys have been hanging longer, coming a little earlier and staying a little bit later. Because of this "hang time" several conversations with them have opened up. Last week one of the guys shared something tragic that happened to his baby, but thankfully it was fixed within a few hours. Today was a breakthrough day. I have been praying that God would let me see into their lives... the way they live, their hurts and how they feel. Today this happened! There is a guy who I will call Shavon. He is always joking around but is always very kind to me. In the past I have wondered if his "joy" was a cover up for pain, but I really didn't know. I have known him for a few years, but getting these guys to open up in any way has been impossible, so I really don't know a whole lot about his life. He raps and makes up his own RAP songs. When he came on my porch he said, "Do you wanna hear my latest song Rachel?" I was shocked and of course said yes, trying not to act too excited. After I showed interest in that one song, he rapped about 5 more songs that he had written as I was grilling and putting the plates together. I began asking him questions about his life, but instead of answering me in a sentence, he answered me in a RAP song that he had written. Through these songs he was sharing his life with me. And what I saw in these songs was pain and a rough childhood. My eyes were opened and a greater connection was made between the two of us. I believe there was a breakthrough today... all in a RAP song.