The "Most Funnest" Place

Reflections from my service at an inner-city program for children and teenagers.

One evening as I shared dinner with a table of rambunctious children at the Community Center, a six-year old little girl told me: "This is the most funnest place I've ever been!" In a world filled with amusement parks and video games and entertainment of every kind imaginable, I was struck by the simplicity of what was considered "fun" to this child. And once again, the importance of the work being done at the Center was driven home in my heart.

Fun does abound at the Community Center. Heartache and hopelessness do frequent the doorways as well, yet in the midst of those emotions, we traveled to the planetarium, looked through a telescope, tried out scuba diving, visited with a ferret, began 4-H, kicked our way through soccer clinic, and danced with our new jazz and ballet instructor. Wow! That does sound fun, doesn't it? On top of all of this "fun", the children are physically fed through the Grumbling Tummies' Cafe' that serves thousands of free meals each year. Spiritual food is offered through nightly Chapel services and Bible studies.

Each day I ask myself what we can offer the children and families of this impoverished neighborhood. Most of them have lives that are difficult and complicated. Through their young eyes, it must be a challenge to discover how to have fun and happiness in the midst of a neighborhood replete with poverty, single-parent households, drugs and alcohol abuse, and crime.

Christ commanded us to, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:10-20). Just as He commanded, the Community Center's staff is listening and being obedient servants. God could foresee the lives of these children and He knew that these tremendous needs would exist in this inner-city neighborhood. In His infinite wisdom, He assembled resources and servants to operate this program. He has called and equipped us to be His hands and His mouth to these hurting children.

This Scripture quoted from Matthew contains the vital reminder that "He is with us always". This promise reminds us that He will provide the strength, faith, and protection that we need to serve here. Apart from God, we labor in vain.