small steps

Wednesday 17 September 2008 at 9:37 pm We have many new refugee families in the neighborhood who speak little to no English.  The kids have all started school and I cannot imagine what this experience is like for them!  3 boys came to Kids Club on Monday and told me their names, but it took several tries to find out their ages.  One boy finally understood my question and interpreted for the others.  Today I saw two of them after school and asked if they had homework.  They smiled and shook their heads no.  I told them they could bring it and we would help them, but they just smiled.  I didn't think they understood what I was saying at all.  A little while later I was walking around and saw a man with the younger boy and he pointed to the older brother who was carrying a homework folder and then to the community center and said, "He wants to go."  A few minutes later he came shyly to the door!  We made it through most of his math homework (minus the word problems!)  I'm thankful he felt safe enough to come by himself and his little brother really had understood what we were doing!

Unnoticed but not Unaware

Friday 12 September 2008 at 11:18 am

Someone recently told me their side of the story about "an incident" they were involved in; what they said, how they said it, why they said it, and then the awful response they got.  They wanted me to understand all of this because it is the reason behind the action they are currently taking (which affects me).

What the person didn't seem to realize is I was present when "the incident" occurred.  

I'm sure this is something mothers experience on a regular basis; kids fight and one runs quickly to mom to explain in order to try to look innocent while tattling on the sibling, not realizing that mom observed the whole thing and knows that both are guilty!  (I know it happened to my mom!)

As I was thinking about this whole situation, it made me think about how many times I try to do the same thing with my Heavenly Father; "Goooood, such and such happened to me and I tried so hard to be faithful and loving in response and things kept escalating no matter how sweet I was and I just don't understand what's happening here!"  As if He wasn't aware the whole time how selfish or lazy or I was behaving...

September

Tuesday 09 September 2008 at 9:03 pm

We had a mission team here for Labor Day weekend.  They spent a day at CP painting and doing some electrical work.  The community center looks like a totally different place!  It's so warm and inviting!  We also have a new light in the bathroom, which is very helpful!

 

 

  

All of this was just in time to kick up a new year of Homework Help! 

 

Please join us in praying for more volunteers to come out on Wednesday afternoons and help students with their assingments.

As more families move in who are just entering the United States, this ministry is needed even more!