When kids get to be kids

This was a pretty full month for us. Each of us took a two day personal retreat at various times throughout the month and then we ended last week with a team retreat. Our time was spent reflecting on the past, visioning for the future and getting to know each other better. It was our first time away as a team of 7 and my first team retreat. The team here in Xela has been around for 11 years and is starting to enter new frontier with our work with girls and their families. This month we had two activities with the kids outside of our "normal" schedule. We had a chance to take almost 30 kids to play soccer thanks to a group visiting from the states. Everyone was super excited and some of the girls showed up with matching pony tails and color-coordinated outfits. We kept rotating all the kids between the teenage boys and the little 6-7 yr olds so everyone got a chance to play. As a team we realized how important and fun it was for them to have an opportunity to do something outside of their normal routine. Following up on this, yesterday Liz, Chris and I took some of the older girls to play some arcade games in the mall and eat ice cream. Again, they had lots of energy due to their excitement and enjoyed this special outing. While it might seem normal to see a group of pre-teen girls hanging out at the mall, these girls spend 7 days a week working or taking care of siblings. An outing like this is a rare opportunity. A couple hours to act their age, run around laughing and being silly is a fun gift to give them.  We are hoping to do something similar with the younger ones because we have about 7 kids under the age of 9.

Also this month we had a team activity for the community to help raise awareness about the risks of child labor. Each member of the team focused on an area of risk including, teenage pregnancy, human trafficking, crime/violence, sexual harassment, absence from school, drug/alcohol abuse and my topic was child prostitution. We each did research on our topic and were ready to share with passer-byers. It was important to us not just to share statistics, but also share stories of hope from our work with the kids in the park. Helping to humanize the children who are forced to work sometimes starting at the age of 5 or 6 due to economic reasons and sharing that despite this, with love and support they can have a better future and can be an exception to the statistics.  This is why we do the work we do.

It is the little things

Over the last 7 months here I have learned that the little things matter. The question that circulates regularly through my mind is “Am I doing enough?” Trying to talk to people in the park sometimes meant we stood in silence, sometimes we sat in silence, but we did it together admittedly awkwardly. The people I stop to acknowledge in the park are often viewed more as scenery and less as people. Usually selling things and easily brushed of by others, I would stop and acknowledge their existence as a human, valuable to me and to God.  Even if I don’t have much to say I’ll stop if just for a moment to say hi to a friend.  This little thing matters.

A lot of our ministry and even the culture centers around hospitality. I have a house with a good size kitchen and a nice table that I wish was full a little more often. Lunch is the big meal here usually served with a form of meat, rice, veggies and of course tortillas. I have space for guests and the resources to make sure anyone who eats in my house can eat until they are full. Sometimes for families that work in the park there is not enough food for the families or the kids. In my home, there is enough food for people to have as much as they need or like. For people I share meals with, it is my gift to them. This little thing matters.

As a team we offer friendships and relationships that are safe and free of violence or abuse. Domestic abuse and child abuse are in nearly every home. We offer examples of marriages, family and friendships that are free from these things. We provide places where kids can spend time without experiencing violence and can feel sincere love, free of abuse.  We hope the kids we know feel safe, appreciated, valued, loved and encouraged when they spend time with us. We are positive loving adults in their lives without the presence of any form of abuse. This little thing matters.