Gangs?

Pentecost Greetings,

Lately I am consumed by the pain and the hard times children have to go through.  Directing Our Redeemer’s Jump Start After School Program has been the hardest job I’ve ever had.  Yet, it is the most necessary job I’ve ever had.  I turned it down a time or two when it was offered to me, because I did not believe I could do it; however, Pastor Keith and the Executive Director Linda kept believing in my abilities.  It has totally opened my eyes and heart to inner city children. 

I call them inner city “children”, but they are far from acting like children although they may only be 6 or 7 or 11 years old.  They carry adult responsibilities on their shoulders.  They walk the streets together as safety comes in numbers.  Calling a group of kids a gang doesn’t fit any longer.  They are simply working at being a family.  A support system for each other.  For protection.  For love.  They care for each other.  Children parenting children. 

Our Redeemer opens their doors to let them in each day for homework help, dinner, and relationship building with caring adults and a caring congregation.  It’s a time when they can be children.  It’s a time when they can be safe.  Discipline is important to maintain that safe atmosphere.

Thursdays they shop in the incentive store where they can buy books, crayons, puzzles, and items for themselves based upon the monetary reward system we use during the week.  Yesterday, the toughest girl, the one I saw lying on the ground and handcuffed by police on Tuesday for fighting, was so caring and loving in the store.  She spent all her money on her 3 year old brother asking me if I thought each item was age appropriate for him.  I commended her on her choices.  She said he had no toys, and she would like to see him playing with toys.  She said they could play together.  I pray that she does get the time to play with him.  She needs to play as well as he does. 

Philippians 2: 14 - 16 states:  
“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.”

We complain and argue over so much that may seem important for the moment - the hot button of sexuality  where hours are spent discussing it,
arguing over it,
dividing churches over it. 

Could that be considered laboring for nothing? 

How many hours are we spending to help the children to “shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of life to them?”
How many?  
How many?

How are we helping them to stay the blameless and pure children of God that God intended them to be even in this crooked and depraved generation? 
How are we helping? 
How?

God help us to help!

Hope