Harley

On Tuesday and Thursday of our week in Louisiana we went out to ‘The Projects’ area and did some tutoring and a VBS like thing with the kids in that community. It wasn’t actually called The Projects but that is how the Youth Pastor referred to it so that is the name I know for it. It’s the rough area of town, like the hood or the Bronx. There are a whole bunch of two story brick apartment buildings; they all look the same down every street. I’m sure that if I would have went walking around the area move I would have gotten lost cause every street looks the same and has a grass area is the same place. When that area was first built I’m sure it was very nice looking and was a fun place to live. But now it wouldn’t be, there are couches in front of some homes and on the streets, and it’s just not as nice looking, with beat up cars and broken things all over.

However, with all that said, the kids were so precious. They all wanted to play with you and hear you talk; each one of them could pull the Canadian out of the crowd. Apparently we have a very different accent! Kids were coming from everywhere, they just keep showing up for the VBS. I was pretty sure on Tuesday that every kid had shown up but then on Thursday there was even more kids there than before. It was amazing! The parents were all laying out blankets on the edge of the grass area to watch what we were doing and they also had a blast out there watching us all play with kids and run around and around and around. It was overall a very good time spent in The Projects.
There was a little girl standing off to the side with two boys that seemed in their early twenties when we started the singing together. I walked over to them and asked if she could come and sing with us in the middle of the field. She looked up at me and then over to them, not saying a word to either of us. One of the boys, that looked more like her than the other, knotted his head in approval. She grabbed my hand and started walking still not saying anything to me. As we walked away, the boys stood up and one said “hey, don’t forget I’m over here and watching you.” I just smiled and replied with ‘Okay, your just doing your duty. And don’t forget I can see you too.” Then we kept on walking into the group. Looking back on it now, I might have wanted to just say ‘okay’ but no of course not I let my mouth get the best of me and had to reply with something more. The boys just let out a bit of a chuckle and sat back down. Once we were with the group I asked the girl what her name was. It was Harley, and she was seven years old and so cute. Once we joined the group she became like most little girls – full of life. On both days, she and I played together - running around, giggles and playing hand clapping games. It was so much fun and always sad to say bye at the end of the time. The kids would chase the bus as we left The Projects.

Also, looking back on this I realized that I didn’t feel threatened by them, I should have I think. I felt strangely comfort in The Projects. You could tell some of the students were way outside their comfort zone being there, I felt bad for them because they had a harder time playing with the kids and getting involved in everything we were doing. Being there was way more fun for me than being at the church actually working, don’t get me wrong I know the stuff at the church was just as important but it just wasn’t fun all the time. Being with kids and seeing their huge smiles as we played and even just sat with them was way way better than anything we did the rest of the week.

love,

a.m