No Experience? | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: No Experience? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Linnie Chancellor
07/09/07
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

The middle-aged woman hesitated just a moment outside the door of the manager’s office. She had applied for a position there only three days ago, and had been called soon after for an interview. She bowed her head quickly. “God, please give me the backbone I need to walk in there,” she whispered. The verse “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” flitted through her head. She raised her chin and knocked determinedly on the door.

“Come in.” The voice was businesslike and Connie took a deep breath as she turned the knob and pushed open the door. “Hi, you must be…” the man took a moment to glance down at her resume in front of him, “Mrs. Chancellor. Have a seat.” She sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, noticing that it coordinated with the other colors in his office perfectly. “Mrs. Chancellor, let me give you a few details about the work we do here. Many of the children who are here during the day come from inner city homes where the parents must work multiple jobs in order to feed their families. It is imperative that the children not be left on the streets while their parents are away, as they will likely join gangs. We are currently understaffed, and are looking for someone to help corral the toddlers and to make them feel loved. I have looked over your resume, and it shows that you have never had any job experience working with children. I am desperate for help however, and since your background is clean, I called you. I believe that I can best assess a person’s capabilities by watching them with children, so I would like that to be our interview.” He stood, and began to walk toward the door. “The classroom that you would be working in is right this way.” Connie followed, doing her best to show the confidence she felt that this was right where God wanted her to be. She knew she could make an impact on these little lives, if only this stressed-looking man would give her a chance.

As they got closer to the room where the children were, she began to wonder what she had gotten herself into. The noise level grew louder, and she could hear the sound of several distraught children. They entered the classroom which seemed to be complete chaos. In the corner, a harried young woman was changing a dirty diaper at the changing table. She turned and smiled, and then swiftly turned back. “No, Joseph, you can’t roll off of the table. We are almost done.” Connie followed the man across the room, where he introduced her to the girl. “Mrs. Chancellor, this is Julie. She is in charge of this classroom right now and obviously needs an assistant. I will leave you with her, and she can show you what she is doing. I must return a phone call, but I will be back shortly.” He strode out of the room, expertly avoiding stepping on the fingers and toes of the babies playing on the floor.

“What can I help with, Julie?” Connie asked.

“Right now, I am trying to get all the babies changed. If you could change those children over there, that would help me tremendously. I assume you have changed diapers before?” Julie asked.
Connie chuckled. “Yes, I have had experience changing diapers. Many, many diapers, in fact.” Julie sent her a questioning glance, but they were both too busy for Connie too explain herself right then.

When the manager returned to the classroom ten minutes later, the toddlers had all been changed, and were sitting down to a lunch of chopped hot dogs and shredded cheese. There was yogurt for dessert and the children were enjoying the meal all down their bibs. Julie and Connie had the youngest children in high chairs around themselves, and were expertly feeding them. He was astounded by the order that had come out of the chaos, and looked at Connie with a smile. “Mrs. Chancellor, you are hired, if you still want the job. I have only one question. With no experience listed on your resume, how did you become so capable with children?”

Connie smiled and kept feeding the children as she spoke. “Sir, the reason I never worked outside my home to get experience on my resume, was because I was too busy raising thirteen children of my own.”

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.