For Lack of a Better Male

Last week was quite the shift in routine. We began bringing in groups instead of running the daily programs ourselves. This gave me the opportunity to talk to some of the kids a little bit more than I was the week prior. One of the things that I found out was that a very large majority, like all the kids I talked to except one, do not have a father figure in their home and also do not have the opportunity to see him outside of the home. I believe this father figure issue is whats contributing to a lot of behavior problems we experience at Urban, as well as some pre-cursor behaviors to unhealthy lifestyles. I am realizing that it is important that I role model character and integrity for the children, especially the boys, and address situations when there might be a lack of either. The kids will most likely not have them modeled on MTV. I wish I could say more about this subject but I am still getting a grasp on the effects that a father has on his children, good or bad, and how I can substitute some of the essential vitamins of guidance that the children here at Urban are lacking. God Bless.

The Swing Set

The shade of a few oak trees is a beautiful thing when you’ve been outside in the Texas heat trying to keep up with all the curious actions and minds of children. I caught myself in this glorious oasis today with my heart melting from something different than the 100+ degree weather. It was in this shade that I found myself pushing 4 children on the swings from our youngest age group at Urban Connection. Their soft, sweet voices, one after another, kept saying, “Higher Mr. James, higher,” as they would begin to slow down having not yet learned how to tuck their feet and kick them forward to keep themselves going. Their giggles and laughs could only make me smile as I breathed like a horse trying to match their insistent pleas of my master pushing skills. As I repeated this new laborious activity, a lofty thought passed through my mind, “This might be some of the only positive attention these children will get today. So many of the children in this city don’t have a male figure to even push one of them on the swings. And here I am, a 21-year-old college student, getting the opportunity to have just a little moment in their lives, even if it is just pushing them on the swings. Wow!” My eyes, admittedly, were a little watery as time wrapped up and they hopped off the swings and raced to grab my hand to be lead off the playground and to their next to activity. My heart was full of joy and a humbled gratefulness as their little arms were almost fully extended just to reach my hand. You see, I too was the child that wanted to be pushed on the swing set but this was the oh-so-common swing set of life. I once was sitting on a cold swing with no direction or force to change my static life, feeling all alone on a cruel playground with countless bullies to tell me of my worthlessness. This is when Jesus came up and with the slightest, softest pushes began giving me an excitement and direction to a once purposeless life. He Himself took the burden of the weight that the chains held and gave motion to my once motionless life, while at the same time reassuring me of my new found worth in Him. Where would I be without Him? I too, at times, find myself saying, “Higher Jesus, higher” when I might try to take credit for my newly transformed kinetic energy that is slowly dissipating from my inability to be the force that sustains it. He always faithfully responds though with the familiar soft pushes and smiles the warmest of smiles, as he knows that someday I will leave this playground too, holding His hand and ranting on and on about how great He is and how I can’t wait for what’s next. Thank you Jesus!

“…I have come that the may have life, and have it more abundantly.” – John 10:10

First Week at Urban

It has been an amazing first week serving at Urban Connection - San Antonio. I am having a blast and I am so grateful for the chance to be a part of whats happening here. We kicked-off last Thursday with Americorps training in Dallas where the whole team (8 girls and 2 guys) stayed at a hotel together. The hotel graciously upgraded Josh and I to a suite on the club members floor with free breakfast and appetizers at no cost. What a blessing! I didn't expect much from the training but it was very informative and stoked a fire in me to set my face towards neighborhoods often overlooked, in order that a few might be saved. One of the crazy things that I found out was that Texas has the highest child hunger problem with at least 2.2 million children going hungry every year. These are children that can't perform well in school because they're hungry and given no positive attention at home. Even more amazing is that this is happening on the Church's watch. How can you say you love Jesus but knowingly allow little children go without food in their stomach. The book of James in the Bible lands so much harder for me now. While at the training, I had the opportunity to lead one of four groups, composed of other Americorps members stationed at other non-profits in Dallas, in a trash pick up. The location we were at was one of the worst places in Dallas. I haven't seen so much drug paraphernalia in my life! We picked up crack bags, blown out cocaine balloons, and alcohol bottles of all kinds. I had to run between streets and through alley ways to manage four different sub-groups that had been split up through the neighborhood but God's peace was with me. It was a great opportunity to serve others and get my hands dirty! I couldn't have been happier with the chance to lead. On Monday, we were back at Urban in San Antonio and started our specific organizational training and planning. Josh, Julia, and I will be in charge of outdoor activities all next week. Each day, the activities will have something to do with a popular kids movie, such as Kung Fu Panda, Happy Feet, Planet 51, The Incredibles, and Madagascar. We have planned games like Asteroid toss, a penguin slip and slide, and super hero relays. Josh and I will also be doing a sports oriented, urban after hours (UAH pronounced oooahhh by Ms. Randi) program for only boys. We didn't want to exclude the girls but we figured that it might be some of the only intentional time we have with just the boys. Oh man! I almost forgot! Yesterday, we went to the San Antonio Food Bank to load up food into a big U-Haul truck for the Urban Resource Center. When we were unloading it at Urban, we found a live rat chilling in one of the boxes. I heroically went after him with just a broom to which he responded by jumping out of the truck and passing right between Josh's legs. The kids, the Spanish speaking women, and I were all chasing him down the street yelling "MATALE!", which means "kill him". It must have been a funny site. Luckily for him though, once he was trapped between one of the boys feet, one of the ladies picked him up by his tale and tossed him in the dumpster. I'm sure he was in heaven. Other than that we have been playing some super competitive games of kickball and dodge ball, and training for the many perceived situations that await us. I am confident the team can handle it though. We are each very different but every one of them is an amazing person! I really like the individuals I am serving along side and I couldn't say enough about them. Some thoughts that I will leave you with were given to us today by Pastor Craig, Director of Kingdom Relations, and are continuing to motivate me to give my all in the upcoming summer. The first one went something like this,"These kids that we are working with only know a life of survival, which is different from living. We are getting the opportunity to teach them how to LIVE!" and the next,"We love these children the same way God loves us, unconditionally. That means that our love has nothing to do with whether they are loveable or not. We love them either way." Thanks for reading!