October 2023 - A chance to grow in faith

We have $160,000 raised for the home campaign! Praise God for how he's provided thus far. There is still $140,000 more to go. In this last week of raising money, I'm trusting God for something beyond my understanding. As I wonder where this amount will come from, I lean into him, holding fast as if to the main mast of a ship in a storm. How did Peter, a fisherman who probably knew what falling overboard a boat would be like, have the kind of faith to step out onto the water where Jesus was? Yes, he saw the incoming waves and began to sink, but at first, steps.

Currently, our incoming wave is this deadline, this $140,000. I'm not oblivious to what a wave can do in the middle of the sea. It's been very tempting to lose heart, to fear, to want control over the situation, to know exactly if and how this home campaign will succeed. But I trust God. How do I get peace in this situation, perfect peace? By keeping my mind stayed on Him, because I trust in Him. (Isaiah 26:3).

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7. In this moment typing, I feel peace.

A couple cool things that have happened in October in 2nd Mile that I want to highlight. First, our middle and high school students planned, designed, built, and ran a Family Fall Festival game this year! With the simple prompt of Turn this disc golf basket into a game, the students all had creative ideas. The eventual winner was a cookie monster game, with discs designed like cookies. After researching and designing, the following week, we all put it together. Below are the creepy before  and the not-so-creepy after pictures. Two of the students sacrificed their Saturdays to volunteer most of the Family Fall Festival, ensuring that families enjoyed playing and received their candy. Second, two of the high school students, who have been in 2nd Mile programs a combined 13 years (!) got the first opportunity to get hired at our after school program to help with the littler ones. Normally shy, they've taken this responsibility to heart and it's been great to see their growth not only over the years, but even recently. Getting to see their faces when they got the first paychecks of their life was awesome.

Just as the sad disc golf basket was given vision and a plan and was built and used...

Just as the two high schoolers have been given vision of their growing responsibilities...

Just as Nehemiah assessed the ruins of his people and made a plan, a request, and did rebuild...

We too put our vision for a permanent home to work, hoping and praying to see God fulfill our request.  

Would you prayerfully consider helping us out? If you've made it this far in the blog and God has prodded your heart to give at all, I pray you consider what you can give in faith. Don't think about the incoming waves of deadline and amount left to raise (obviously there is a deadline though), but be open to if God wants you to partake in building more permanent walls for 2nd Mile.

If interested, click here to go to our giving page on our website. And you have my permission to share this blog. Please do.

Check out block_brentwood on instagram for more

The Beacons are Lit! 2nd Mile calls for aid!

 

In the lifetime of 2nd Mile Ministries, it has never had a permanent home. Ever since 2003, 2nd Mile has been conducted at the park, in the living room of a ministry house, a no-longer-used firehouse, and is currently in the rented basement of another church. Having a specific focus on the Brentwood neighborhood for 20 years, we have seen tremendous growth in relationships with local families, other local organizations, and nearby churches. It is quite humbling to have former students and their families return with fond memories of the ministry and all the love that was shown.

A rare and special opportunity has been dropped in our laps. Just a few blocks from our current operations, and directly across the street from our partner The Ville Church, a building has gone up for sale. The seller is from the neighborhood, actually had memories growing up playing basketball at our current location long before 2nd Mile existed, and is happy and willing to sell the building to an organization that will benefit the neighborhood.

The housing market has been crazy the past few years. Prices have gone up. I get random calls from out of state people trying to buy the house I live in. We are slowly turning into Mr. Potter's world from It's a Wonderful Life where less and less people in our neighborhood own their homes, rent has gone up, and people are forced out, some to the extreme of homelessness. So when we heard that a building of that size was being sold for $300,000, knowing that the seller could get way more from other businesses, we felt we had to at least put it before the Lord and weigh in on if this would/could be our future home. We're not sure when another opportunity like this will come about.

We've had a city inspector, private inspector, general contractor, structural engineer, and roofer all look at the building. The bones are good. Because it's an old building, there will be renovations and some repairs to be made. Right now, we need to raise about $300,000 by November 15th, 2023. Wow, that's a large amount. I'm well aware. That deadline isn't much time. Again, I know. This is the biggest ask in the shortest amount of time in our 20 year history as an organization. In all honesty, the seller has given us a lot of grace and time to have first dibs on the building, as there are others licking their chops, waiting to poach the building. We've raised about $35,000 already. The total estimated price including renovations would be approximately $600,000, but the purchase price is $300,000.

Since I like numbers, that's:

2 gifts at $50,000 = $100,000

2 gifts at $25,000 =   $50,000

3 gifts at $15,000 =   $45,000

3 gifts at $10,000 =   $30,000

3 gifts at   $7,500 =   $22,500

2 gifts at   $5,000 =   $10,000

3 gifts at   $2,500 =     $7,500

18 gifts                 = $265,000 remaining

I know we serve a big God. I know that God will use this building to glorify His name in Brentwood. God has been in the neighborhood before 2nd Mile. God doesn't need us to complete His mission. But time and time again, I've seen Him make such beautiful things in our neighborhood even more beautiful. I've seen Him lead students to want to live lives serving and helping others.

We've already had students tour the building. Regardless of the outcome of raising this money, the future of Brentwood will be influenced by those already here. We did some vision-casting, imagining the endless possibilities for a hollow, cubed-shaped canvas.

Please consider giving. If you don't feel like you fit as one of those 18 people in the numbers above, we will look at any donation with great thankfulness. If you want to hear more about the building, the process, the ministry, future plans, I'd love to tell you more. I'm an open book.

You can either write a check to 2nd Mile Ministries and send to 1650 Margaret St. Suite 302 #339, Jacksonville, FL 32204 or you can go to 2nd Mile Ministries and make a one time donation there.

Vision casting at potential new building, currently being used by a company that makes wooden pallets

August 2023 - His Ways Are Higher

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." -Isaiah 55:8-9

A new school year. A new after school program director. A new normal. Going into mid August, we knew that our after school program director was going to be new, as was the case the previous two years. We hired someone. School was starting in two weeks and things were looking up. She had lots of good ideas, but seemed a little distant, like something was off, like she had one foot in the door and one foot out. She had been contemplating moving back to Georgia. Long story short, she resigned, the after school program was beginning in like 5 days, and we had no new good leads. No former applicants that really fit the position. It's moments of surrender like these where God has been teaching us to rely on him when we can't see five feet in front of us.

In steps hope. I mean, in literally stepped Hope, a now early 20-something who had a couple siblings in our after school program years ago, even volunteered at the program herself for a bit, has lived in Brentwood almost her whole life, literally grew up next door to 2nd Mile, and on top of that, couple her sons in our Summer Day Camp this past summer. And, oh yeah, her dream job is to do something in community development. She inquired about the job after we had already hired the previous director so no application was made by her at the time. We put the job opening back out into the world and I don't know if an application, interview, and hiring has ever happened so quickly in my time at 2nd Mile, not just because we were in a time crunch, but because there was something almost divine in that whole process. We seemed to come out ahead of where we had been before.

two:fiftytwo After School Program - So the school year began, we have 14 amazing students, 9 of whom were either at camp or in the program last year. They all go to the same school. Nine of them have a sibling or uncle in the program. Hope is doing a great job planning lessons, activities, and getting used to the kids. We hope to focus on social and emotional learning, Biblical learning, academic excellence, as well as having fun. Luke 2:52 says, "And Jesus grew in wisdom, and in stature, and in favor with God and men." We pray these students would grow in so many ways. The girl in the picture below is Aminata. She is our first ever bilingual student and is much stronger in French than English currently. Her family doesn't speech English well so it's been very cool seeing her act as a translator for us. Here she started a water color of a sunset which would later show a mosaic of water and a boat. Cool kid. 

BLOCK Middle and High School Program - Since the pandemic began in 2020, we've lost a lot of momentum with this particular age group, and in many ways, has seemed like a restart period in the history of 2nd Mile. We tried a virtual program which had its challenges, we went back in person in 2021 while socially distancing ourselves. Already a month into the school year, I'm excited to see veteran students building on what they've learned as well as five new students who got to know us at summer day camp. It can be difficult for a completely new student to stay committed to coming to these programs that are voluntary. I've been encouraged that these students have the shared experience of camp that made the transition to BLOCK so seamless. My plan with these students is to teach them about Christ, how that applies to their lives, learn life skills that they don't get taught in school, and teach them how to be leaders. Please pray that they would be excited to come each week, that their attendance stays consistent and that I'd be sensitive to what God has for this program. Below are the five new students helping lead Open Court by playing/learning/teaching cornhole. Cool kids.

So if you ever think of us, think about a growing family. Think about a neighborhood making deeper connections with itself. Think about roots growing deeper and wider. Think about God infiltrating these open hearts and minds and creating something beautiful now and in the future. Think about God's perfect timing, God's perfect plan, and God's generosity with his love and grace.

July 2023 - Light of Mine

Summer Day Camp - Another year is in the books of "You ain't hype!" chants, bandages, paint-stained stables, smiles, sticky snack fingers, and all around God glorifying work. When you spend all day every day over six or seven weeks with the same kids, you get attached, and they get attached. I hope and pray that we see many of those kids again in some form, anything from signing up for our two:fiftytwo After School Program to waving to us on the street years in the future remembering fondly this summer they had.

A few highlights for me include:

-the 10-12 year olds removing rotten wood from our picnic tables, screwing in new boards, and painting them to look brand new.

-the joy on Max's face the first time he hit a bowling pin with a football during Challenge Circle (if you know, you know)

-noticing that for independent reading time, some students requested Bibles to read

-teaching so many kids and counselors how to play four square and them taking over the rest of summer.

-Zoo field trip!!!!!

BLOCK Middle and High School Program - Although we haven't been meeting our regular once a week like during the school year, we've gotten together a few times this summer and focused on just having fun. A planned Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp baseball game got rained out, so we went to see the new Spiderverse movie. Our planned beach trip got rained out, so we went to Dave & Busters instead. The past couple years have been a small group of kids, but I'm excited to have more kids signed up this year and I pray that they not only would actually show up in a couple weeks, but that they'd stay and continue to be regulars. Please pray that God would prepared the kids' hearts to learn and grow, and also that He'd provide the program with more adult volunteers. One key volunteer last year became a mom again recently so there is a hole that needs to be filled.

School begins next week, and as a father, I can tell you that I'm a little on edge that Max in changing schools. I hope it's a good fit for him, but more importantly, I hope he adapts quickly and doesn't get traumatized by this big change. Please enjoy the following pictures from the past few weeks.

Bible station, asked kids to draw what they learned this summer

Dave & Busters with BLOCK

Action Day with Mayo Clinic and church members, built a new garden bed

Max feeding Naomi the giraffe

The 5-7 year olds rehearsing This Little Light of Mine

We get to pet sting rays at the Jacksonville Zoo

Fellas working hard at constructing and destructing picnic tables

Train ride at the zoo!

The crew

 

June 2023 - It's Been a Minute

In 2022, I took a sabbatical in the summer and didn't get to see much of summer day camp.

In 2021, we attempted an in person summer day camp while socially distancing, which was...different.

In 2020, the pandemic made us adapt to an online form of camp, which was unfortunate but we made it work.

In 2019, we had no summer camp.

It was back in 2018 when we had a summer day camp that resembled anything to this current summer. We've had between 40 and 50 students come through this summer's seven week long camp already, and we are only half way through. Our camp's theme, Blueprint, tells of how we are created by God, and built for a purpose. Our three age groups, the Builders (5-7 yrs old), the Constructors (8-10 yrs old), and the Engineers (11-12 yrs old) each rotate different stations such as art, Bible, education, dance, music, sports and games, and my personal favorite and brand new station, the garden station!

I have the privilege of leading the garden station once a week and the Bible station twice a week. Being able to share God's love for these kids and be present to answer any ponderings about God that the kids may have is something I do not take for granted.

If you've ever stayed in Florida for the summer months, you might know that the weather is, well, unpredictable. It is very common that each day will have brief moments of downpour and then hot sunny skies minutes later. The weather seems to always be either too hot, too wet, too windy, just too, too something. Week 2 of camp kept us indoors for the whole week due to lots and lots of rain, preventing us from going to the garden. I quite enjoy thinking about the parallels between the unpredictable weather and the behaviors of the students. Their personalities seem so out of our own control, yet beautifully unique nonetheless. The kids have learned the various jobs that one must do to maintain a garden, why flowers are important to a garden, and where certain vegetables were growing in the garden. I had low expectations for how exciting the garden would be for them, but they've loved it. I've never seen a kid so excited to take home some overripe okra to show their parents.

Builders (Max top middle)

Engineers (hopefully some future BLOCK students)

Looking back on those first years that I was at camp is when I see the biggest differences in my current life. Although the job is very similar to all those years ago, I've had some of the coolest life giving experiences this summer. What I mean is, way back in 2010, I met a bunch of kids in the neighborhood, had an amazing summer of camp, and had no understanding of what ripple effects that summer would have for the future. One kid in particular, a six year old girl full of smiles, would years later be the flower girl in my wedding, would this summer come back to camp to help volunteer and help out my son, who is now six years old, at camp. Max absolutely adores her whenever she comes through those church doors and it makes my heart happy.

Me back in 2010

Her 13 years later (top left)

Thank you for your prayers. If you have a minute, could you take a minute to pray for camp? Please pray that God would open hearts and minds to His love and truth. Pray God would raise a generation of students from the Brentwood neighborhood who love God, and love others.  I'll pause for you :)

Thanks!

Enjoy this last picture of Max at our water day covered in shaving cream. Love this kid!

I want an ounce of this kid's happiness

 

May 2023 - Another Year in the Books

I like numbers.

Looking back:

two:fiftytwo After School Program-

    -12th year completed

    -17 students this past year, (12 new students)

    -95 students in all those years

Middle School Programs - 

    -10th year completed

    -134 students total

High School Programs -

    -6th year completed

    -58 students total

This year I've felt old more often than I can remember. Kids that were 5 years old back when I met them in 2010 at camp are now graduating high school. This past month of ministry had some great moments. Probably my favorite time in May was at our Action Day in the garden on a Sunday. We've done this before, had the Ville Church give a quick message amongst the vegetation and then had the congregation pulling weeds, but this time we finally put our grill to good use. The youngens did a scavenger hunt for different plants and items in the garden. The more comfortably dressed adults did some weeding and mulching. Other prepped the food. The block was out and about as well wondering what was going on at their street. Neighbors enjoyed our spare hotdogs and got to have a few conversations with them. I look forward to the next church in the garden where we can potentially bring in the neighbors.

Another highlight for me was our recent trip to St. Augustine with the middle and high school students. We ziplined over some alligators on a ropes course and even though a couple of the students weren't able to finish the course, there was an overwhelming sense of pride in their overcoming their fears. The training was a lot of information, and for students who don't often trust their full body weight to some unfamiliar gear and a 30ft drop over a cement parking, I'd imagine that'd be a huge leap to take. Super proud of them. 

I was reminded the last week of school just how fast the year had gone. I feel like I was just getting to know the kids and now they are out for summer. Luckily I saw that a few of them signed up for camp so the loss will be short-lived. These kids have so much life in them. Everything new to them seems exciting. Every mundane task we do, they are eager to help and participate. Any place we walk, they are close to follow. I don't take this job lightly, as I know that every action, every word, every emotion I show, I want God to use for his glory. Over the years, I've felt more patient, less ticked off by frustrating behavior. Maybe I've seen it all? Maybe I'm too tired to deal with it? Maybe having my own kid forces me to be more slow to anger and quick to listen?

With our 14th year of Summer Day Camp coming up next week, I can't believe the quantity of fun that has been had on our courtyard, the number of cheers, the laughs, the singing, the dancing, the praising God, the playing. I pray that it is a sweet sound in our Lord's ears. Please pray for our campers (excited to include Max this year), our summer staff which will include high school students, and the parents of our kids to feel loved and blessed this summer. If you're interested in contributing to camp in some way, you can sponsor a kid at camp. You can go to 2ndmilejax.com and donate up to $200 for a full sponsorship, $100 for a half sponsorship, or $50 for a quarter sponsorship (or any amount you'd like). And if you're unable to give at the moment, please send God some prayer for us, for strength, for focus, for wisdom, for good teamwork, for God's love to be poured out into our hearts.

Ziplining crew

David and Daliyah building a ball rack

Our last day at the garden for the year

Church in the garden was lit!

Kindergarten graduation is now a thing. Love this boy!

April 2023 - One=A thousand=One

Imagine if your life lasted one thousand years. If you're 35 like me, that's nearly 30 lives of what I've currently lived. If you're 50 years old, 20 lives. Think of all that would happen in your life--all the work, all the laughs, all the people you'd meet and build relationships with. There could be probably hundreds of books written about each person's 1000 year lifespan. In 2 Peter 3:8 it says that, to God, each day is like 1000 years, and also 1000 years is like a day. He sees the intricate details of a child tripping and getting back up just as easily as He sees civilizations rise and fall. Slow motion and time lapse.

If I try to wrap my head around everything that God holds in His hands in a moment, my brain sometimes turns off at the shear scope of it all. However, my desire to see what God sees often gets piqued. First Corinthians 13:12 says, "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." That's crazy to me. Not only are we fully known by God, but one day we will see Him face to face and we will understand fully the wonders and mysteries of Him. Do I strive to know God more and more on earth, or accept that I can't know everything and rest? The times I sit back and rest, God whispers His presence and draws me in more and more.

Ok Andrew, what are you going on about? Well, something's happening with Open Court and I can't explain it. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe it's just a coincidence. I've had visions of people in the neighborhood coming together and having a good time regularly, playing basketball, playing games, just being around each other, living life. But many of the Open Courts this year have seemed lackluster, and low attendance. But since praying back in February for help from God, knowing I'm not good at advertising or recruiting, God sent a group of young guys that same day, as they walked by the church asking if they could play basketball. These same boys have been back each month since, inviting more as they come. Last Friday, we had more people playing basketball than we've ever had. I couldn't just turn my brain off at the strangeness of it. Maybe it was a one-off. Maybe that many won't come again, but for one night, it felt like heaven. Andrew, it's just people playing basketball. Oh it's so much more than that, I can't explain it. Students from the after school program were there, the program director was there, an original 2nd Mile student from 2003, a former intern from 2010, former summer day campers, and that group of new students. It felt similar to my wedding when special people from different moments in my life came together for one event. Do I remember the song playlist from the reception? Not important. Did I play well at Open Court? Honestly I don't remember and I don't care.

What did God see last Friday? I feel like I got a small glimpse. I'll admit, there are many moments at work and at home that get lost on me and I don't see the point in the monotony. Here are a few moments from April that God sees as a thousand years, and I haven't quite seen through His eyes yet. 

 

During trust falls during Talking Circles, all I see are smiles (none forced)

Rod (interned with me in 2010) made a surprise visit to hoop

Destini (4th) and David (3rd) plant peaches and cream corn seeds

Look at the last 24 hours of your life. Where do you see His playing a part?

February and March 2023 - Better Together

 When so much happens, it's difficult to process everything as a succinct whole. But there have been many meaningful moments in the ministry within the past couple months that I refuse to overlook. Forgive me as this may seem like a laundry list of "things" but I'm hoping that in doing so, a glimpse of God's heart will be seen.

two:fiftytwo After School Program: We threw paper airplanes off a high staircase outside. We harvested carrots and competed on who could find the largest one. We did another paint pour activity like last year and they all turned out great. We made birdfeeders out of huge pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed (the cardinals loved them). We planted seeds at the garden (bush beans, peanuts, eggplant, basil, jalapenos, bell peppers, and mustard greens). We had good conversations in our talking circles. We diffused conflicts with kids. We communicated better with parents. We collected books about plants, vegetables, and gardens for our new little library at the garden. We chose to do an activity dissecting owl pellets to see what they last ate, following a whim from a 5th grader who said she wishes she could be an owl. We learned how to introduce and conduct ourselves when being called in for an interview. And all of this is just on the few days per week that I get to see. I also know that on days that I'm not around, we have a program director who is a full time teacher, finishing his college courses, is president of his fraternity, simultaneously coached a basketball team, and used to be a student in 2nd Mile when he was in high school. We also have a high school student that goes to Andrew Jackson High School (right next door to the church) who has been committed all year to come each day and not only help assist with what we're doing, but has also taken more of a leadership role in planning activities and making sure the church looks clean. I believe she is getting the Summer Day Camp Assistant Director job. Super pumped to see her grow into that.

BLOCK Middle and High School Program: We learned about meditation and practicing good mental health. We started reading one of my favorite books, Kai'Ro (modern take on Pilgrim's Progress), and started acting out the scenes in a dramatic fashion. We planted seeds at the garden (collard greens, zinnias, and marigolds). We did a self-esteem worksheet with character traits that we either were proud to have, wish we didn't have, or wish we did have, seeing how each person is uniquely made. We thought of places that we would love to be and painted them on glass. We went to a Jamaican restaurant and tried jerk chicken and oxtails for the first time. We planned Open Courts and played a ton of games together.

Open Court: We have Open Court once a month. We had kids from the neighborhood come out and play basketball. We saw lots of laughter, competition, and comradery. We recorded fun videos for social media. We gave out pizza and chicken wings to the tired and sweaty. We had a former 2nd Mile student donate money to the concession stand so kids that didn't have cash on them could get a snack or beverage. We played Guess Who?, chess, checkers, Clue, Uno, Zilch, and Jenga. We bought new speakers to blast music at the events.

Nutritional Garden: We harvested carrots, kale, squash, and radishes. We weeded beds to get ready for sowing. We, (I) rescued a kitten (check out block_brentwood on instagram). I collaborated with a few neighbors near the garden to plan what we should grow and where. We also met with the local Brentwood library to see how we could promote each others' events. We decided that at the garden, we'd encourage visitors to check out some gardening books from the library as well as get seeds from their free seed library and the library would promote any Action Days or encourage people to visit the garden. We had students from the programs plant seeds and learn about spacing, depth, companion planting, and the importance of flowers for pollinators. This picture was one of my dinners this past month (yellow squash, carrots, and kale, all from the garden). We had many volunteers come through at one of our Action Days and did so much more.......

Action Days: The first one was in collaboration with The Ville Church. We cleaned up so much trash on a street just a few blocks from my house. It all just kind of collects at certain pockets of the road (ditches, empty lots, around the bend with no sidewalks, outside the corner store, bus stops, etc. What probably would've taken me a week to do by myself, it took like 25 of us just a couple hours to get it cleaned up. The second Action Day involved three groups--a church group from a different city that used to be involved with us years ago, some volunteers from the Mayo Clinic, and the University of North Florida Navigators. Totaling about 30 volunteers, we split off with half going to the garden and half doing work near and around the church. At the garden, we were able to get rid of 1400 pounds worth of concrete slabs that we've been trying to get rid of since before the garden came into being. We weeded everywhere. We got vines off the fences. We installed a little library for visitors to enjoy while they come chill. Got rid of lots of leaves, trash, and huge sticks stuck in our mulch. Back at the church, we got vines off the fence (we can finally see beyond the fence), two giant shelves were built, branches and trash were removed from the courtyard, games were organized, the bookshelf was organized. With fewer staff at 2nd Mile, God has truly blessed us with many hours of labor and sacrifice.

I would say, overall for February and March, we expanded the minds and experiences of our students, we brought people into the neighborhood from the outside to help with some needs we had, and the neighborhood was a slightly cleaner and more active place to be. I feel that the work God has allowed us to do in the neighborhood can only continue to grow. As long as our trees are planted by streams of living water can we experience the fruit, the growth, and the thriving. I pray that the neighborhood can experience that for themselves more and more. Lord, keep us vigilant, resilient, and aware of you.

January 2023 - They are precious in his sight

I gotta shout out a few of the kids in our two:fiftytwo After School Program.

Zavier, a 5th grader, has shown tremendous growth in his second year with us. We've had many conversations about leadership, responsibility, and humility. He is quick to follow directions and understand how things are run with the program. He is always offering to help clean up sports equipment, always absorbing the little nuggets of wisdom that we sometimes feel go unheard, and he takes great care and focus on the things that he cares about. For example, when we go to the garden, he volunteers to take pictures. Thinking he just wanted to get out of pulling weeds, I was surprised to see how creative he got with the photos. Most pictures you see in these blogs of the garden were taken by Zavier. Another example, he loves basketball. He practices his skills and often challenges me to 1on1 to try these new skills. When he wants to learn a new skill, he asks for help. He is extremely driven, has a great sense of humor, and has the respect of many of the other students. To the right, he is pretending to be a barber and acts like he's cutting his little brother's hair. Other boys lined up to get their hair "cut". I'm excited to see who Zavier grows up to be. He's at an age where he seems very teachable and willing to grow.

Faith and Daliyah, two 2nd grade girls, are two of the kindest kids in our program. They do their homework during homework time, hungry to understand new things. Daliyah has mentioned that when she grows up, she wants to lead two:fiftytwo and plan fun activities. Daliyah, the job is yours when you get older if you want it. Faith is a quieter leader as you might not even realize that she has cleaned up trash, sports equipment, or supplies, until you notice her quietly carrying lots of stuff. She doesn't seek out praise and is very attentive to what's being said. Every Wednesday we have talking circles and at the end of that time, everybody goes around and does a G.A.P. (a gratitude, an apology, or a praise for someone that's in the circle). I've heard multiple adults in multiple weeks praise Faith for paying attention and keeping on task. What personalities these kids will have as they get older, only God knows.

This year I learned that Victor, a 4th grader, is very creative and loves art. Well, most kids love art, but Victor is actually really good, and gets lost in his drawings and paintings. This is his second year with us, and last year we focused a lot on his reading which was at a much lower grade level than where he should've been. In can be easy to focus too much on a kid's weaknesses and not see the gifts right in front of you. Sometimes I get frustrated when I can't make progress with a kid's reading or understanding, even my own kid. I hate to equate helping a kid learn with frustration and stress. Victor and I bond over different ideas and it's great to see the moments where he helps the younger kids with reading or other homework.

Here's a thought. Everything you've ever seen, ever heard, ever learned, or ever experienced in your life, at one time, it was the first time you've ever seen, heard, learned, or experienced that thing. The first time on a swing set. The first time living on your own. The first time eating chicken noodle soup. The first time seeing a frog in the wild. I'm in the unique position to be able to expose the students to new things. At the BLOCK middle and high school program this past month. We "painted" with light and learned about long-exposure photography. (Check out our instagram @block_brentwood for more awesome pictures.) We went to the local park, played some tennis and tried out pickleball for the first time. I hope to take them ziplining for our end of the year field trip, which will be a scary yet unforgettable experience for them I am sure. We also have a challenge snack each Friday. If you eat this (blank), you get a bag of chips, or a honey bun, or etc.  Usually the (blank) is a vegetable or a fruit, which I'm surprised at how few of them have eaten. For example, some high schoolers have never had bell peppers or raspberries before. Wild.

I'd like to end this blog to talk about Amazon Smile. This is a program that Amazon has created to help shoppers link up with non-profits and different charities so that their purchases will make Amazon give a donation on their behalf. We've learned that sometime in February, Amazon Smile will no longer exist. A HUGE thank you to those who've designated 2nd Mile Ministries as their organization of choice when shopping on Amazon. How you can continue to help with Amazon, I'm going to share our Amazon wishlist. Hopefully this Amazon wishlist link will work. It's a small list as we are trying to build it out with things we may need for summer camp. Currently there are some sports equipment things, kids Bibles, ball racks, and art supplies there. If you want to buy something, you can ship it to my house at 3646 Brentwood Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32206 and I promise I'll take it to work with me and not keep it for myself haha. Thank you for reading, for the prayers if you remember to pray for us, and for the support over the years.