Tuesday, March 30, 2010

The Passing of a Legend

One of the most intimidating things in my job description, by far, is helping children somehow deal with death. This week has been particularly challenging as we've lost a legend within our Sunday School ministry. The impact Mr. Bob made in his 10+ year tenure as our 3rd - 5th grade boys teachers is immeasurable. However, I found quickly that just his presence on our hallway affected and impacted not just the boys he taught but the girls on the hallway as well.
Maybe it was the creative way he taught. People have joked that Mr. Bob was so old that he used antiquated ways of communicating "but he didn't give up his flannel graph until the end". The truth of the matter is, Bob was far more inclined the have the boys make paper airplanes (really, really good ones) and then challenge them to fly them across the balcony of the Sanctuary. Of course, no matter how good the plane was that is a pretty big distance to cover with a paper airplane. Just when the boys would be worn out and discouraged from running the stairs to retrieve their airplane and start again, Mr. Bob would stop them and say, "Boys, this airplane is like us...we just can't make it the distance to God alone...we needed Jesus." It was this kind of creative thought pattern that kept his 80-something year old brain young enough to communicate deep truths of the Bible with people of all ages.
I was prepared for our children to be devastated. My own son has fervently prayed for Bob every night of his hospital stay. When Bob didn't make it to Jerusalem Noah said, "who was that guy in the Carpenter's Shop and where is Bob". You know us autistics...we like things to stay the same. I know of other boys, too, who were going to grieve terribly over the passing of this great friend. And I wasn't wrong. There are some children whom I will be counseling for weeks to come. What I didn't anticipate was some of the other reactions.
These encounters are why Jesus held up the faith of a child as the gold standard:

"Mom, for Sunday lunch today let's do something special," Noah says. I inwardly groan because I was kind of counting on Easy Mac. "What's the special occasion Noah?" "Oh, I just want to celebrate because Mr. Bob has a new body to tell people about Jesus in. Let's celebrate his new body!" So much for Easy Mac...we had a Cowboy Bob Hot Dog feast and watched The Tales of Desperaux because Noah said it was an adventure tale about courage and "believing things" that made him think about Mr. Bob. Wow.

"Miss Vangie, do you want to know 2 freaky things?!" (These conversations usually never end well but I have no choice but to say yes.) "Well, I can't decide if it is a coincidence that Mr. Bob died on this week of Jerusalem. I don't think so because firstly, now we know what it is like to loose our carpenter too. And second, I just think Jesus wanted to let Mr. Bob be in heaven for Easter Sunday. He is really going to like that!" I kissed her sweet head and thanked her for sharing her freaky thoughts with me.

I've struggled with what to do with our Sunday School program during the weeks following Marketplace in Jerusalem. I've come to the conclusion that there is no one who I can put in that classroom this spring. The boys just won't be ready. So I wrote a Bible Skills unit "Mr. Bob Style". I think it is something he'd be proud to teach. How the Bible works and was put together was very important to Bob. So for April and May, we're going to combine the kids and do it like that.

I’d like to lovingly dedicate this unit to the memory of Bob Hodge whose years of fearless Sunday School teaching will live in the hearts of children forever. Bob was respected by our children, even as an elderly person, as someone who cared enough to share his knowledge of scripture with those not as far along as he. His tireless efforts to make the Bible come alive in the hearts and minds of children will inspire me for the rest of my life.

So Mr. Bob…”sound off…ONE, TWO…sound off…THREE, FOUR…sound off…ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR…” This one is for you:)

2 comments:

  1. I was right, you should write. So well said. We'll miss you Mr. Bob.

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  2. Yes, Duane. I agree. I love that Bob never said, "I've served my time" and stepped down from teaching. He has blessed countless kids. The halls of VBS will be very quiet next summer.

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