Editor,

In the mid 1980's, I was teaching in a very old building in a school in Willacy County. I had the habit of staying late after school to grade my students' work, not paying attention to the warnings of one of my colleagues that this was very dangerous. At the same time, I had heard that there were some teenagers who had broken into the building to get free snacks from the vending machines. On that winter day, I looked out the window to check how dark it was already.

Clearly, I saw three teenagers approaching the building. One of them was wearing a shirt with a last name printed in large letters. Immediately, I wrote a note in huge letters of who I had seen, the last name of the shirt, the date, the time, and my signature. I placed the note inside my desk. I knew that if something happened to me, the police would be checking for evidence. (I had seen too many Kojak episodes not to know that).

Finally, I asked God, "Lord, please tell me what I am supposed to do now?" He gave me the answer instantly. I went to the nearest door in the hall and lay down on the floor. (The door was 1/2 glass and 1/2 wood). When I heard the teenagers trying to open the door, I made the scarriest "monster" noises I could think of. When I heard the boys running as fast as they could, I knew they had "taken the bait." Later, the custodian explained to me, "Mrs. Suarez, I don't know what happened to those boys, but no one has ever tried to break into this building again." Oh! The power of prayer!

Maricela Suarez