And It Begins...

“Wait, um I think I’m going to get confused again,” said Rayden, the first grader I am helping with homework, as I turn to help another student.  From the moment they arrived to the recreation center and saw us, it was more than evident that they were excited we were there. A cluster of girls formed around me, some just looking up at me, others asking me who I was, and if I was there to play with them. They laughed as I struggled to pronounce some of their names, and were hesitant to go inside from playing games to put away their backpacks until I came too.

Between Yom Kippur and the Pope coming to Philly, yesterday was their last day until next week. But for the ones who had homework, they were eager to power through as much of it as they could now that they had help. One of the recreation center workers had to tell Rayden to go outside and play when he was the last one to leave, with more than half of his week’s homework packet completed.  He was just that excited to work ahead on his homework.

Mariah, another student at the recreation center, is supposedly one of their “wild ones,” but she was a complete joy, smiling ear to ear and giving Pastor Bryant high fives as she worked on spelling words. Helping the lower elementary students was a ton of fun, but I think we all learned a few things when we helped out with some of the science homework of the older kids, diving into the textbook alongside the students as we talked out what the possible answers could be to their earth science questions.

Overall, it was a blast. Pastor Alonzo brought a ton of fruit that even the older guys on the  basketball court came over for. And after we were done with the homework we got our workout in playing tag, everyone-after-the-ball soccer, and some good ole’ steal the bacon.  Time flew by, and some of the kids are already counting the days until we come back next week. “You coming everyday!” “Just Tuesdays” “Everyday?!”  “No, we’ll be here on Tuesday’s” “Tuesday? That’s like… 6 days from now” (close, but kid, you don’t even have school the rest of the week, you won’t even be coming here!)

The night ended with our Bible study a few blocks away at St. James Lutheran Church. A beautiful building that is being lent to us Tuesday nights, as we begin this new church plant. Two ladies from the community joined us and we all walked away from the gathering filled from the Word of God and prayer, as we wrestled with the idea of truly finding our identity in Him.

Day one, but I am already excited to see all that the Lord has in store for us as we continue on in our journey with Him in Frankford, Philadelphia.