One of the best parts of my work at the Centers is receiving the "bad" kids--I mean, kids who have made poor choices--and are sent on timeout from after-school programs at Humboldt Park.  I love those kids.  Last week, just a few moments into our afternoon, I was visited by a roomful of three middle schoolers, all refusing to write their Parts of Speech poems.  Asked to write a poem about their block that began with an adjective, all three middle schoolers responded with the enthusiasm of a speed bump.  Pencils never touched paper.

"Ok, it's your choice," I said, taking out the Discipline Policy papers.  "Write the poem and get a timeout for disrespect, or take a week off for refusing to follow directions."  This choice pushed seventh-grade Adonis* over the edge.  He was on his feet instantly.

"All these women here telling me what to do!" he shouted, eyes filling with tears.  "Ya'll can't just leave me alone!  I'm just trying to come in here and stay safe because my block is bloody and there's people being killed all over the place and I'm not writing about that!"

Other kids sent out.  Office door closed.  Adonis understood.  Peace restored.

Adonis wrote a new poem on the stipulation that it still not be read out loud.  His poem read, "Bird, flying."

"Is 'flying' an adjective or a verb?"

Oh, dear ones, we at Centers also do not want to write about Block, Bloody.  We want to write about Kids, Flying.  Families, Restored.  Communities, Beautiful.  The amazing fact that Adonis stands  in my office instead on the streets proves that they can do it; even now, in small ways, they are flying.

Join us.  We pray for no less than miracles, transformations, and restorations only God can bring about.  In the practical side of that, we also offer the opportunity to join us--to give.  On April 17th, New Life Community Church is collecting an offering for New Life Centers, and all funds collected that day will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000 total.  On April 17th, join us in believing the blood can stop and our kids can fly.  Give online April 17th at nlcenters.org.

God's greatest blessings to you and yours.

*Name and photo changed to protect the one who didn't want his poem read aloud.

 

Courage

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

-Matthew 14:22-27

Courage met me on the 1400 block of North Harding Avenue in the form of Ms. Irene Finn.  She wore a brightly colored “America” t-shirt, a tourist-looking City of Chicago hat, and carried a small bag. Elderly and looking every one of her years, she stopped my family and I on the sidewalk and asked if we knew what block we were on.  My first regrettable thought was the thought of most city dwellers—the woman wants money.  But as we tried to gently point her toward the address she gave, it became clear that she was severely disoriented; to get her home, I would need to walk her the entire way.

Ms. Irene and I spent the next blessed half-hour arm in arm, shuffling slowly along the streets and alleys of Chicago’s west side.  This wandering elder could not see as far as her own feet. Her “broken” knee could lift her foot no further than an inch in the air.  Her anemia made her cold on an 85-degree morning.  Yet that morning, Ms. Irene had left the hospital from visiting one of her many grandchildren, knowing well that she had to feel her way home by memory.  Predictably, she had missed her bus stop; ours was the second stop she had tried this morning, and she was still far from home.  Blind and exhausted, this beloved one was wandering Chicago without a soul knowing where she was.

O, the courage and love of this woman!  What kind of soul leaves the safety of her house without sight or sureness of step, all for the sake of a grandchild?  What kind of strength perseveres in asking strangers kindly for direction, inconveniencing no one as she treks slowly in the dark?  What grace repeatedly calls down blessing from our Father for me?

“The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to show himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His”  (2 Chronicles 16:9).  Our God cares for his orphans and widows! Out of the whole vast city, my God saw his lost beloved and me, His servant. It is no mistake that our paths crossed.  Saints, when God looks for a helper, does He see you?  Can you be Christ, ready to stand as His hands and feet?  In your own city, there are courageous, faithful ones waiting for God to come.  There are Ms. Irenes wandering your streets.  There are believing children praying themselves through abuse.  There are faithful mamas longing for incarcerated sons to come home.  God sees their courage; He is coming to them.   Is He coming through you?

I was in the Humboldt Park nursery this Father's Day, but I didn't teach a lesson.  And, no, despite what you may think, it's not just because we got caught up with PlayDough and Duck Duck Goose.  I asked the questions, and the kids had such amazing answers--well, they were the lesson themselves.

First, I asked what daddies are like.  Strangely enough, all the children this week had experienced daddies, and apparently the daddies of these homes are a great lot, because they:

• Are funny
• Like bacon
• Cook breakfast and supper--and let kids help
• Read stories
• Blow up balloons
• Make beds
• Kill bugs, and ants, and flies, and butterflies, and caterpillars

Unemployment in Humboldt Park: 17.8%

Low-Income Families (Free or Reduced Lunch): 90%+

Community Disadvantage Index: 9/10

BLING Girls Overcoming These Obstacles: 24 strong!

Despite the barriers around them, in the past year our BLING girls have learned how to make jewelry, built their own co-op structure, and sold over $1,400 of bead jewelry to customers from all across America.  Their most recent sales experience: North Park University's RELOAD conference for urban youth workers.  Spot them in RELOAD's online photo album here.  (They're the beautiful girls selling the jewelry!)

For all intrigued readers, BLING is now offering home parties.  Our sweet girls will bring their wares to your home, showcase them to your friends, show your friends how to make a custom piece of jewelry, and take orders for custom sets.  Introduce your friends to the best girls on the west side: host your BLING party today! Email Elizabeth at info@nlcenters.org or call 773.252.1104.

It started with Cedrick, just a few months after we opened.

Then Ted and Tremaine,

Zander,

Lettie, Jon, and baby.

Dozens in all. 

Extended families, cousins included,

Or just a single sibling.

Moved on.

"My gramma's gonna keep me in St. Louis."

"We got a house approved for Section 8 on the southside." 

"She wasn't minding, so her uncle's gonna keep her further west."

"My gramma says we gotta go."

Sudden.

Overnight.

"We already had our clothes in bags, so we just got on the bus and moved."

Today, the most recent,

An orphaned child,

Beloved to us for the past three years,

Saying goodbye from a third-floor window.

Monday

He'll be states away

From the hundreds of extra, special lessons

We carefully crafted

Just for him. 

But however sudden the stop

We know

That he knows

What we sometimes can only shout up from street level:

"We love you!"

Each of you. 

So, so much.