The after school program is back up and running after a 2 week hiatus due to hurricane Katrina. I was reminded immediately at how much academic help these kids need. Many are very far behind and need intense, long term, one on one tutoring. Last week I was helping a middle schooler with her pre algebra math homework when it became apparent that she was not able to add or subtract proficiently, with her we may have to go back to 2nd and 3rd grade level math to get her caught up. I will be working with the 5 middle school students specifically. I’ve decided to do group reading for several hours each week in hopes of instilling the value and joys of reading. Yesterday we began reading John Perkins autobiography, “Let Justice Roll Down”.
The Perkins center has new staff member from Denver named Ralph. He is now in charge of coordinating the volunteer groups who will be coming down to help with hurricane relief. He’s taken charge quickly and we are very thankful for him being here. With Ralph being in his seventies I’m beginning to notice a trend of old people doing all this work. John Perkins (75), Lowell Noble (78), John Lovelace (7?), and now Ralph. Where are all the young people? Not only could the young people help physically but we could also absorb the wisdom of these older folks. I long for the energy of these men; I think they are tapping into something I’m yet to discover.
As you may have been able to tell from my last post (10 things I miss most) we have been missing home and at times questioning “why are we here?”. Emily reminds me that struggle develops perseverance and knowing that, we have decided to make the most of our time here. There are no quick rewards working in this community. Sometimes I wonder is anything getting through to these kids. One day you think they are changing and beginning to take responsibility for there lives and the next it seems they’ve reverted back into the cycle that surrounds them. Emily reminded me last night that we didn’t come here to save anybody and that in many ways we are just as needy as the people we are seeking to help. It is not our responsibility to come in and change this community and in fact it is not healthy for us to pursue that. Rather we are here to live and learn in this situation, seeing the needs of our neighbors and friends and making them our own. The true change this community needs must be lead by the people of the community. Perhaps there is a future leader in our after school program who will one day complete college and return to this neighborhood choosing to invest in change rather than living in the middle class suburbs.
Truth be told we are learning a lot, mostly about ourselves. I see the devastating effects the American trinity of materialism, individualism, and racism are having on peoples lives and yet something in me is still drawn to those things. In a world that offers us fake forms of life while ignoring the reality of issues such as poverty and oppression we must be mindful that true life is found when we look beyond ourselves. The struggle continues.
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Straight up! Something that I was thinking about while I was reading your posting was that you will come out so much stronger after persevering through these rough times. I know it's hard, but the rewards for you and others down the road will be refreshing. As much as I desire to have you guys back in my warm and buff arms, I still get excited about the stuff you're doing down there.
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