Thursday, April 28, 2011

A Very Unusual School Show

In Hampton, VA, we went to a school where they had never before allowed anyone like us to come. However, the principal was only going to send about 100 of the students to the assembly. That was fine with us. It was going to feel small considering we were in the auditorium that seated 850. We were okay with it though. Right before we began, one of the youth pastors said that it was an even smaller crowd. When Brock walked out onstage for his first illusion, he noticed that only the first 2 rows of the middle section were taken...35 people in that big auditorium.

Then, as Brock was onstage doing his first effect, one of the youth pastors came running up to me backstage. He nervously began, "I don't know what is up with this principal..." "What is it?" I interrupted. "Every single person in the audience is special needs and he needs to know that!" The guy said pointing his finger back at Brock onstage. "Yes, he does," I replied.

I went out onstage and informed Brock. He took it like a champ. He seemed to know exactly what to do. He could not change any of the show since he was already onstage and could not set up anything new. However, he adapted a few things. For example, he had me turn the music down. He did not touch the students that came onstage as volunteers even to put them in the right spot as he usually did. He allowed them to stand wherever they wished. The only thing that he did not know how to adapt was the envelops trick. This is where he gives three students an opportunity to choose an envelop. One has $100 in it. In the end, Brock always wins the $100. Of course, he gives them a consolation prize, and then he talks about making the right choices. He did not see how to do this with special needs students, so he gave one of them the money. They all ended up loving it and the principal was very pleased. She said to call her whenever they were offering another school assembly. In the future, she would let her whole school attend!

After it was over, I asked how Brock seemed to know what to do. We had never done a show exclusively for special needs people. He said that on the way to the school that day, he was reading his Magic magazine. He happened to be reading an article about how to do a magic show for special needs people. Wow! That was totally God!

1 comments:

Michawn said...

i almost never read blogs anymore...as you can tell. hardly post any on my own blog either. but...i just read this. love it. y'all are so great and God really does just meet your very specific and individual needs...as seen here...every time. how are you? i won't come back and check this, but email me. praying for you and brock. love y'all!