Lessons From A First Grader

I made it! I have taken up residency in the Windy City and Mission Year is happening! Before I get into the details, let's get the logistics out of the way.

1. I live in Southside Chicago (West Englewood) in an apartment with nine amazing people!
2. I work full time at an after-school program called By The Hand Club For Kids where I teach 1st graders.
3. I go to Canaan Community Church, right here in our new neighborhood.
4. My purpose here is to build relationships with people in my community, be hospitable, invest in my neighborhood, live in solidarity with my neighbors and housemates, and learn everything I can about love, justice, and the Southside.
5. I only call myself a "missionary" when I am trying to be fancy.
6. I really like the pizza here.

Alright, now that you are officially in the loop we can get into the good stuff.

Since the move to Chicago, I've been learning a lot about the power of prayer. In the past, I knew prayer was good and I liked having the freedom to communicate with God, but it was often an afterthought, something that primarily happened before tests and during Tornado warnings. However, making the move to Chicago by myself and being thrown way out of my comfort zone has almost forced me to cling to God for stability. Prayer has become like food for me here. I feel like I give so much of myself and my spirit away throughout the day that I need prayer to fill me back up. My mornings spent in prayer have been some of the most sacred and rewarding moments I've had during my time here. A lot of that prayer time is spent lifting up the kids I work with.

There is a first-grader in my class who gets along with me really well. We will call him Tyrone (not his real name). Tyrone is a bit of a troublemaker, but he's adorable so it's difficult to fault him. He doesn't like to listen to authority and tends to distract other students by acting out. Regardless, this little boy has become one of my favorite students at By The Hand. (Am I allowed to pick favorites?) Tyrone gets really excited when he sees me and gives me a hug every single day. He always asks me to help him with his homework and is constantly telling me stories (most of which I know are not true) but I listen intently anyway and act like it is the most interesting thing I've heard all day.

Last week I asked Tyrone, "Did you have a good day at school today?" He nodded and said "Yeah! I didn't even get suspended!" I laughed and said, "That's great buddy! I prayed that you would have a good day today!" He got all wide-eyed and excited and asked, "You did?" I was touched by the expression of gratitude on his face. The next day I asked Tyrone again, "How was school today?" And he eagerly replied, "Great! Did you pray for me?" I said, "I sure did!" On the third day, I didn't even have to ask. The second Tyrone saw me the first thing he said to me was, "Miss Maddie, guess what! I know you prayed for me because I had another good day at school! That's three in a row!"

What a privilege it is to pray for this little boy. 

While working with inner-city kids can be challenging, it is also extremely rewarding. These kids are hungry to learn about God. They are excited to have people care for them and show up for them consistently. I am so blessed to be one of those people.