A 21-year teaching veteran, Drake witnessed 14 students wade into the water for baptism during the spring quarter of 2021. Two young pupils received a prayer of blessing over their lives, as well. Families and neighbors watched as 80% of the student body—kids, some challenging kids—decided they wanted a change.
Drake moved from her home in St. Louis, Missouri, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. She landed in New Orleans, where the principal had left in the middle of the school year, and the school board shuttered the place. Come September, however, Drake was moved to open the school, knowing her students lacked the devices and internet connection to complete their work at home. She shared teaching duties with a pre-K-through fourth grade teacher, and the two created their own “bubble,” closely monitoring students’ temperatures each day. All the parents agreed that their students could, and should stay an extra hour each day in order to catch up.
“This language is so bad. Can we use other words?” she encouraged. “Everybody has a name here,” she admonished, pushing back on the standard use of the N-word. “Can we call them by their names?” Weeks later, when her students started helping each other and volunteering to pray for stray dogs, Drake observed to herself, “I think it’s sticking.”
By Christmas, the Baby Jesus had sparked questions, not just about Him, but about war in heaven, the Creation, and Noah. In February, Drake surprised the student body when she marched them upstairs to the old, unused, music room (queue the movie, “Sister Act”). She sat down at the piano to play and sing. Her raspy voice and skill at the keys caught their ear, but, they insisted they never had sung and wouldn’t start. By the end of the month, however, their repertoire went from zero to a concert program of 13 gospel songs and spirituals. When new Pastor Timothy Lee listened in amazement, he couldn’t help but preach and make an appeal for interested Bible students.
Lee says people ask him what did he do to effect this result in the students. The Spirit of God, of course, worked among them that day. But, he adds, never underestimate the power of a direct appeal, even for little kids. Many of them have adult-sized challenges, after all.
“They enjoy learning things about God and when they catch me slipping,” said Jamyra O’Quinn, they remind me of certain things.” O’Quinn sent her four sons to the little school, and marvels at the change in them. “I just sit back and observe and listen to them. It’s to the point where now they talk to their cousins about God and what’s right and what’s not. I love it!”
Fast forward to a tumultuous final day of Bible studies. Commitment Day. What-are-you-going-to-do day. To Drake’s frustration, more than half of the students were stuck in standardized testing online, and couldn’t get to the Bible class. Drake fretted while heating oatmeal for a student in the microwave, just as strong winds blew through the area, knocking the power out. Now, all of the students were suddenly free to participate, which they did, under a strangely beautiful golden glow from outside.
Drake marveled at the change in her students, and the providential blessings.
“God, you are really doing this.”
