Jesus is my friend!

Every Saturday our church takes a team to the Hollywood area of Memphis to clean up yards, pick up trash, and connect with and love on the people there. As you step out of your car in this area, you can just feel the need for Christ's love.
Last Saturday, our team went out to be God's hands and feet, doing something as simple as cleaning up an overgrown empty lot. It was difficult to see cars coming due to the brush that hung over the road. We cut down trees and bushes, providing a clear view. Further into the lot sits a large, beautiful tree supporting 2 tire swings. Unfortunately, below the tire swings, broken beer bottles littered the ground. I swept up the broken glass while a 7 year old boy named Quantrel played on the swings.
"Can you push me really high?" he asked me.
"Sure," I said.
As I pushed him, I asked him questions about school, his family and friends. He told me his brother and sister are mean to him but his mom and dad are nice. It was encouraging to hear his mom and dad are together. As he continued though, I learned more about how tough his life is.
He told me a story about a time he got caught in the line of fire and got shot in the back and how his cousin is always drinking around him. This really broke my heart. After talking and playing on the swings for a while, I asked, "Do you go to church?"
"Yeah, I just go to church when there's a funeral. My uncle got shot so I went to his funeral. My mom and dad won't take me to church. I know about God and Jesus though. Jesus is cool."
"That's great. Do you know what Jesus did for you?"
"For me? No."
"You told me earlier about how much your mom and dad love you. Well God loves his son Jesus very much too. But He was willing sacrifice his only son, let him die, for us.
"God killed Jesus?! Why'd he do that? Oh I know how he died. Someone stabbed in the back with a knife!"
"Actually, Jesus died on a cross. That's how they executed people back then. Jesus died for all the bad things we've done, but the story doesn't end there. Jesus rose from the dead so now we can go to heaven!"
"Jesus is alive?! Can you see him? Is Martin Luther King alive too?"
"No Martin Luther King isn't alive but I'm sure he's in heaven. Jesus is right here with us even if you can't see him. And you know what? He wants to be your friend. When you choose to be his friend, you receive His free gift of forgiveness and eternity, forever, in heaven! We call this salvation. It's as easy as admitting you've done bad things because we all do, saying you believe He died and rose from the dead, and choosing to follow Him. Do you want to say that prayer with me and make Jesus your friend?"
"Yeah! Is this how you pray?" He kneels down, eyes closed, with prayer hands.
"You can but you don't have to pray like that. You can pray anytime, anywhere."
"How about like this, like Martin Luther King." Puts one knee up, hands on his elbows and forehead resting on his forearms.
"Sure now just repeat after me...Dear Jesus, thank you for loving me. I admit that I've done wrong things. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and rose again so I can have life. I choose to make you my friend today and live for you the rest of my life. Amen. Awesome, great job!"
After encouraging him to tell his family all about what he did today, read his Bible which he said he has at home, pray, and ask his parents to take him to church, he left saying, "Jesus is cool. He's my friend!"