Last week Saturday, we had our first ever 2nd Mile Family Picnic at the park by the St. John's River from noon to 3pm. The intention of the event was to get to know the families of our after school program students. We only get to see the parents for maybe 30 seconds each day when they pick their kids up. This allows for maybe a quick, "How are you doing today?" "Just fine, how are you?" "Good. Your kid did this and that today." Basically, the short amount of time we have doesn't exactly allow for much deeper under-the-surface relationship. So we hoped that a cookout at the park with grilled hot dogs and burgers would be an opportunity for us to spend time with them. With 10 students in the program from 6 different families, we hoped for a big turnout considering that everyone expressed some interest in coming. We got there a little before noon to start the grill. 12:30. The 2nd Mile staff hung out playing dominoes, grilling, and playing catch with a football. 12:45. Still no parents, kids, or other family members. We continued to throw the football in the cool windy breeze. A car pulled up. I hope it's our first family! Just another optimistic staff member coming to partake in a hopeful afternoon. Another car pulls up. Probably just another volunteer. "Mr. Marc! Mr. Andrew!" Out hopped Alex, his friend, and his mom and her boyfriend. Excited to see us, Alex immediately jumped in our game of catch. Despite concerns about this event being awkward or a failure, we were reassured by the kids' smiles and laughs. There weren't any scheduled activities for the day. Just food, fun, and fellowship. Luckily, this park had a playground which I definitely utilized. I'd take advantage of anything fun that I might be "too grown" for. My nephew's having a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese? Heck yeah I'll be there. Oh, you wanna play tag on the church playground even though I'm in high school and you're 8 and 9 years old? Of course I'll play with you on the super awesome fun playground. The child part in me is reawakened whenever I am around kids. How great is it to forget all your worries and pains and just enjoy a simple game of SORRY! or do a cheesy magic trick that a kid gets freaked out by. It's amazing to be there when kids discover things for themselves. I wonder how God must have felt when He introduced Adam to His creation. Here are the streams that are full of fish. Here are many different shapes, sizes, and colors of creatures that I will let you name. See how each is so unique and beautiful. Here is the day that provides warmth and light. Here is the night which will keep you cool and in case you need to see, I put the moon and stars in the sky. To see the look on Adam's face when he was seeing all these amazing things for the first time. Oh, the joy these reactions must have brought to the Lord. I hope to be able to see these kids discover the goodness of God and how deeply and passionately He loves them.
Looking back at the event, only Alex, his family, and Tommieyah and her family came. Only 20% of the students came. Event failure? We had so much extra food at the end of the day and these two families both left at about 2:30. Event failure? Tommieyah, Alex, Tommeiyah's two sisters, Alex's friend, and three of us 2nd Mile staff and volunteers played tag on the playground and the parents were echoing the kids joy. Tommieyah's mom even joined the game for a couple moments. Event failure? When we had the after school program on Monday, Tommieyah and Alex talked to the other kids about how much fun they had at the park. Tommieyah, normally kind of shy 3rd grade girl, was very talkative this week. Event failure? I think getting the first family event done will allow us to more comfortably be okay with whoever and how many ever people show up.
This past Thursday, Evanda (my new roommate) and I were invited to chaperone for the 2nd graders' field trip to the Jacksonville Zoo. I've been to the Milwaukee Zoo often and I've seen many animals many times. You kind of get used to seeing elephants and fruit bats and anacondas. It loses its specialness. Anyway, we accepted the invite and attempted to control the distance the kids would run ahead of us being amazed by the crocodiles and kangaroos and tiny bullfrogs. Why am I no longer in awe that these creatures and I have only 20 feet separating us? I should not be standing within arms reach of a giraffe's long and purple tongue. God made these creatures. Why am I not flipping out in love with this creator on a regular basis?
Here's a verse worth telling yourself often, especially if you are around kids a lot.
Matthew 18:1-3, "At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom and heaven."
There's something magical about the story of Peter Pan. "Never grow up," is a resonating theme. I recommend seeing Finding Neverland. In the movie, struggling playwright J.M. Barrie spends time with a mother and four boys and is drawn into their world of make-believe. He begins writing Peter Pan and his funding partner and friend have doubts about this seemingly unsophisticated story of fairies and a flying boy in tights with happy thoughts. For the grand opening of this play, J.M. Barrie, acted by Johnny Depp, wants to reserve 25 scattered seats for children. As the play starts, the fancy-dressed and skeptical adults can only watch as a man dressed as a dog crawls on all fours to fold a child's clothing and make their bed. A few kids laugh, lightening the mood, and as the play progresses, the inner child in everyone enjoys the clock-swallowing crocodile and the pirates and the mermaids.
Spend some time with a some kids that are in your life. Perhaps the dull you see will be brightened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFoP8QKal_g
