Family Fall Festival!

In less than one week, there could be over 700 people, 50 cars and trunk games, and lots and lots and lots of candy and hot dogs at our 4th Annual Family Fall Festival.  We are hoping to bless the Brentwood neighborhood with a fun, safe, and free day of food, games, and community togetherness.  One thing I love about this time of year is getting the word out.  Many of the 2nd Mile staff and volunteers spent some hours yesterday walking the many networks of streets, putting flyers in mailboxes, door handles, and fences that keep guard dogs in.  I was in Atlanta this weekend attending a wedding so I wasn't able to get back until this afternoon where a few of us who couldn't flyer yesterday, hit to the streets.  As we started off at North Pearl Baptist Church (on 30th St.), one in our group had mentioned, "Oh no, we forgot Challah!"  Challah is in our after school program.  This 3rd grader got permission to come help us flyer.  We walked to their place on 23rd St. and as our group of four got close, Challah's 5th grade brother Diallo came sprinting towards us...well, towards me.  Acting like I didn't see him coming at me, I quickly juked out of the way and he missed me.  Then he jumped on my back and said hello.  I rarely see any of the kids outside of the after school program.  The kids rarely see us outside of our "teacher/mentor" roles.  Both Diallo and Challah came with and we walked for about an hour, probably felt like a day to those of us with short kid legs and small kid patience.  Challah was so excited to hand a flyer to everybody she saw.  She even wanted to give one to the sewer.  Also, to a few dogs bigger than Challah that tried to attack me.  (Don't worry, chains and fences protected me).

What was really cool to hear about was the remembrances of last years festival by the kids who got a flyer this weekend.  Consistency, I've experienced, is one of the best ways to bless someone or some neighborhood and gain a sense of trust.  Some of the ways time and consistency have played themselves out in this ministry are as follows:

1. two:fiftytwo After School Program volunteers agree to commit to a particular day of the week.  This allows the kids to be comfortable with allowing adults to work with them.

2. At North Shore Elementary, our volunteer hours are consistent.  Tuesdays and Thursdays, they can expect me from 9am to 1pm to come in and do any extra work that may need to be finished.

3. Nine years ago, 2nd Mile Ministries began in Brentwood and its presence has, Lord willing, remained while other organizations/outreaches/good tries have failed to gain trust.

4. Three years ago, the Family Fall Festival began.  It has become an event that families can get excited about.

Face painting.  Apple bobbing.  Cake walk.  Kickball.  Costumes.  Candy.  Prizes.

Smiles.  Laughter.  Encouragement.  Relationships.  Serving.  Affirmation.  Joy.

The first list does not create the second.  Please pray that God would prepare the hearts of those working the event to be there to serve and love the community in a selfless way, a way that seeks nothing in return.  May God be glorified, not 2nd Mile Ministries or even the workers.

As we look to build the future leaders of the community at our after school program, it was encouraging today to see a togetherness of some of the students.  As our split-up flyering group joined together again, the other group picked up Ferrell (a 2nd grade boy in the program).  He's a big boy with all the funniest one-liners.  He lives on 27th St. so he must have seen the group walking and decided to join and help.  We stopped by Emery's house (former after school program student) and he was shy but smiled to see some familiar faces.  On our walk back to the car, getting ready to leave, we walked past Tommieyah (tuh-MEE-yuh), a 3rd grader in our program.  It must've been a beautiful day to be outside.  Thank you Lord that we got to see so many faces today when normally when we flyer, we don't get to talk to many people.

I'm pumped for next week.  Please pray!

Check out some pictures from last year's event

  http://www.2ndmile-jax.com/photos/family-fall-festival-2011/