Sychronicity

We're seeing a number of teenagers in our public meal program.

They dress like your typical MTV rapper street thug, all baggy pants and oversized hoodies and b-ball jerseys that are three sizes too large. They girls look exactly like the women in those same videos, only more so, because they're real and not on television, and you can't believe how young they are.

To a one, however, they have been absolutely wonderful to have in the dining room. They are polite and respectful, well-spoken and positively docile in their behaviour. They will banter and joke with me, and never hint at crossing any sort of line with their humour. I have had absolutely no trouble with them whatsoever. When two young men parked their bicycles in the hall I asked them to move them and they replied, "Oh, yes sir - we'll do that," and they jumped up from their table and headed out the door.

I was mentioning this to someone the other day, and he suggested that they needed our meals program, and they appreciated it. I've also been told that the Mission has taken some phone calls from a nearby high-school, as teachers were asking if they could send some of their kids there - the ones they knew were going hungry. A light went off in my mind, and all my stereotypes about teenagers dissolved.

God works on so many levels at once, in so many dimensions, in so many strands of a great and interconnected web that is the reach of his infinite love.

Comments

[Tiffany (Mrs. Bush League Theologian)]

One of the best "jobs" that I have ever had was working for the Child Hunger and Education Program preparing breakfast and lunch for kids who would not normally get it. It worked out to about a buck an hour and I loved it. The school I worked in had about 300 kids and I made 100 to 150 meals a day. The kids were amazing. I often heard how we shouldn't be putting out money to help people who just couldn't budget their money or were blowing it all on drugs and alcohol. I never really knew if that was true or not, but my answer is the kids didn't choose for the money to be gone and no kid should be hungry. I eventually had some parents that would sneek in as well before the teachers came (though the teachers would not have cared anyways) and the common theme that I found between the adults and the children is they just wanted to be treated with dignity. Once dignity was given, respect was shown. These kids had to fight for everything that they had, and the attitude that others saw from them came from the patronizing and illusion of inequality.

Kids are not born bad. Events occur and guide them on paths that make them choose a certain way that makes them feel same and included.

[Barbara]

It's hard for me to comprehend that there are children/teens in our western culture that don't have enough to eat...

your post also reminded me of my youth when people looked at us "late blooming hippies" with our long hair and scruffy clothes and were surprised to find out we were not all drug addicts....and my son's era where a shaved head and baggy clothes doesn't mean your a bad guy...stereotypes are one of the few things that are GOOD to break!

[Psalm 46]

Now these teens will have their brains fed and be able to study better. I love it!! Good call RWK! God is at work! He loves the children and teens are still children!
Blessings

[[rhymes with kerouac]]

Tiffany - "...that makes them feel same and included." In some way or another, that drives all of us, doesn't it?

Barbara - I can remember my grandfather commenting on a train ride he had taken (this was back in the 70's) He said he was angry when two hippies sat down in front of him, but by the end of the trip he was so impressed because they were having such an 'intelligent' conversation. So yeah! Stereotypes are good to break!

Psalm 46 - God is good!

[John Lunt]

It amazes me when God uses things like this to reveal his heart and touch ours.

[[rhymes with kerouac]]

John - Yup, me too!

[Brian Buriff]

Tell me...how cool is all of this! So increadible the doors God has opened for the mission. Lots of smiles!

[lorna]

I love working with teens!

Here in Finland every child at school gets a free school lunch. it helps.

[Suzanne Temple]

This is beautiful!