Growing up

Growing up was a crazy, twisting adventure, wrapping me up in my own head and keeping me from thinking how others around me were affected. I am only realizing now how looking in on another’s journey can stretch one’s heartstrings.

At Hope of Bastion School, we are still allowed to hug our children. Any time I go outside during grade 1 or 2 recess, I will almost certainly be swarmed by little bodies pressing up against me for a big, off-balance group hug. One little boy, the other week, gave me a hug, his head only reaching my stomach, then looked up and flashed me a big smile saying, “You smell like perfume”. And then in he went again for another hug. Oh, please, don’t ever grow up.

We just started another school year after having 3 months off for our “summer” vacation.  This year we have middle school for the very first time. The kids who were in 6^th grade when I first came are now in 8^th grade, and I consider them “mine” since I taught them English for the past two years. We are almost a month in to the school year and I still can’t get over how much they grew up over vacation time. They are young men and women who now greet me every afternoon and every time I wonder if they are staying away from drugs and harmful relationships, if they are doing their homework, if they are going to finish high school… Oh, please… grow up well.

Last weekend was our kick off for youth group.  We had gone all out decorating, had a speaker come in, and made a special dessert to stir up the excitement of the coming year. Theme: Generation Radical- learning to be authentic reflections of Christ. Most teens swallowed their apple muffins and cream in two gulps, but as everyone was leaving I noticed two 14 year old girls still holding untouched plates. Both come from struggling homes. One girl has spent a year out of high school because her dad has refused to pay child support (he is currently in jail because of that mature move). The other’s father is also not around, and I just learned that her jerk-of-a-stepfather took off with all her pictures of her deceased mother. These two girls, who have been forced to grow up much too quickly, were taking their desserts back to their families so that their brothers and sisters could join with them in a few sweet mouthfuls. Oh, please, don't give up- you are doing so well…