Wednesday afternoon I had an interview at Urban Family Ministries and learned about several opportunities for service. I was given two applications to fill out ~ one for them, and one for the Grand Rapids Public School district, since much of the volunteer work takes place in area schools (reading books to children, some tutoring, etc.). Those applications will need approval before I can do any work with them; however, I was invited to attend "Super Saturday" last night to observe and assist as needed. So that's what I did.
"Super Saturday" happens at Calvary Church every Saturday evening throughout the school year. Anywhere from 80-225 intercity kids between the ages of 3 and 12 are delivered to the church via bus or van between 5:30 and 6:00. The littlest kids are cared for separately with a program of their own. But grades 1 through 6 meet in the gym. There is a craft time, lots of music and singing, a Bible lesson, a game time, everyone is fed a nutritious meal (the only food some of these kids will eat all day) and then it's time to go home! They've been doing this now for five years, and it has really grown. They've been studying "super heroes" of the Bible (hence the "Super Saturday" title), and last night's hero was Noah. I would have to describe the evening as "controlled chaos." These are intercity children. I was definitely out of my comfort zone. I felt way too WHITE. I was being introduced to so many all at once, with names that I could hardly pronounce, and definitely do not remember. 
I felt most at home at the craft table(s) where the children were making colorful bookmarks using that cool foam stuff that seems to be everywhere in craft stores now. We didn't have a lot of variety in our materials, but we had a bucket full of foam letters, numbers, and some ribbon to work with. These little girls asked me to help find the letters in their names to put on their bookmarks. I was okay with the ones who were wearing their name tags, but so many would just mumble their names and then ask me to help them find the letters. M-A-L-S-H-A was wearing her name tag (whew!), so it was easy to help her; but M-A-L-I-K-A was not wearing hers. One little girl's name was 11 letters and I never did figure out how her name was pronounced! Plus, I found there was quite a language barrier. I know ~ we all speak English, but I had a hard time translating ...
I watched other volunteers who knew these children well. There was such a nice rapport and friendship between them. As I was driving home last night, I wondered if this was where God wanted me ~ could I help to make a difference in any of these children's lives? I'll have to see how the Lord leads in the next few weeks. Truthfully, I felt I accomplished much more good washing the tables and putting the chairs away after the children left!
This morning as I sat in church, my friend Judy mentioned the need for workers in the children's Sunday School ministry and gave me the name of a woman to contact about that. So I think I will call her this week. I could worship during first service, serve children during the second service, and still attend my Sunday School class during third service!
And after our Sunday School class this morning, Nigel (our teacher) asked if I had any time to do some typing for him. Nigel teaches Biology over at Cornerstone College, plus he has a research position over at VanAndel Research Institute. He did a lecture at Trinity College during the summer on the subject, "The invisible soul in relation to the physical mind," and hasn't had time to put it in manuscript form. Could I help him out? I told him I would be delighted! I guess I'll just take it a day at a time, keep my schedule wide open, and wait to see how God leads. That's all for now ... :)
1 comment:
The names seem to get more interesting in each generation.
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