Still unsure...

I still am very unsure of how to run a Boys & Girls Club. Granted, I'm only two weeks into it. There is a part of me though that just doesn't have a desire to know how to "run it". I go pick up one of our schools up each day at 2:30. By the time I get back most of the other kids are there. I walk in the door and typically hear my name from different angles.

All genuinely important issues such as...

We are out of trash bags.

Do you know where the pool stick is?

So and so needs you to pick them up at 4 today.

So and so called and needs you to call them back.

So and so is about to get a pink slip (not a good thing) if they don't calm down will you go talk to him.

So and so, so and so, so and sooooo....

Then I see Desire walk by with her gloomy face as usual, arms folded across her chest. I ignore the other voices so I can kneel down and ask...

Hey Desire how's your day been?

Awful! It's just terrible and I hate it!

Desi, what's going on?

I just hate everything.

Let's go finish your snack and you can tell me what's going with your horrible day.

Whatever. I don't care.

(If I walk off and pretend I don't care I often hear this as I walk off.)

HEY! YOU SAID YOU WERE COMING OVER HERE?!

These are the things I want to do. Sit and hear there little hearts. Desi is typically angry at the world. She usually needs more than a short conversation too.

She is just one.

Generally, there are about 25 others from 6-12 years old. Then in the teen room there might be 5-10 of them. I want to hear about each of their days. I try to come in and say hey to each of them and genuinely connect. Time keeps running out before I can get this task accomplished though! As well as answering other questions... Dealing with the ones in trouble... Answering the phone... Going to buy trash bags... Connecting with my staffers to make sure there day has gone well... Finding the broom...

The job is going fine. Just still trying to grasp it all.

Pray for Desi today. She really has lots of anger built up in a her that no little girl should have.

On the road again (actually in the sky again...)

On December 27th I'll be flying out of Atlanta to head to Haiti for a week. This has brought about different responses from different people. The funniest one was from one of my friends kiddos. I mentioned to him that I was going to Haiti a few weeks ago. Then I told him recently that I bought my ticket for Haiti. He just looks at me and said, "You are seriously going there?" I said, "Yeah!" I went on to explain about the group I was going with, and how I didn't know anyone but they take trips weekly there so I felt pretty comfortable going with them.

He gets a look of relief on his face. I asked what he was thinking. He went on to explain how he thought I was just flying down there by myself to just walk around and do whatever. I assured him I was going with a group of people that have been there before. His 13 year old concern was cute!

So to be clear I am going with a group called Adventures in Missions. They have been doing trips since the earthquake last year and are working with local pastors to best meet the needs of the people. On Friday at the club I was working with some of the pre-teens on researching information for their 4H speeches. During the middle of this I had one of them look up about the hurricane coming towards Haiti so we got to sit and talk about Haiti and the destruction going on there. One girl decided to change her speech to talk about Haiti. Of course by Monday she might have decided to change it again but we'll see.

I'll post more about this trip hopefully soon.

Friday adventures

I had in my mind that Friday would be different from the rest of the week. It's Friday! Good things come on Friday...

I found out about a staff meeting in Cleveland at 12:22. Meeting starts at 12:45 and I'm about to get in the shower to clean up after cleaning at camp. My thoughts... Well, crap!

Finally got to the meeting at 1pm. Meeting still happening at 2:20. At 2:30 I was suppose to leave on the van to pick up kids. Seriously, going to be late AGAIN! That's a personal pet peeve of mine, being late. At 2:25 I lean over and express that I have to leave and walk out of the meeting while our Executive Director is talking. I figure I'll hear about that on Monday. Oh well... Luckily, I contacted a staffer to go pick up the kids.

Finally get back to the club for one of my favorite moments.

Part of the kids we pick up and part are brought on a bus. I love being there when the bus gets there because I go outside and get to hug or high five each of them as they get off the bus.

Then I got to hang out with the teens for a bit while they did there snack which was fun getting to hear about their days and weekend plans.

Friday at the club was good. It was just the meeting before hand that threw me for a loop.

Who knows what next week will hold...

I will be implementing some Club Guidelines AKA THE RULES!

1. Be Respectful

2. Be Honest

3. Be Kind

4. Be Safe

5. Be Joyful

The thought is to take a week for each of those and go over them on a daily basis for the younger ones and begin developing their minds to understand what we expect of them. These guidelines are also what each child will receive from us as staffers. That might not seem like a big deal until you meet these kids. They live in places where there is little respect, honesty, kindness or happiness.

4 days later

4 days later and I question can I really go back tomorrow?

First full week at the Boys and Girls club has been interesting to say the least...

Fun from the week...

It's 2:45 and finally our van gets out of the shop. We are suppose to leave at 2:30 to pick up the kids.

It's 2:30 another day and I go start the van to pick up kids... Oh yeah, it won't start. I call my "boss" and he simply says he really hates to hear that happening on my first week. Go ahead and give him a call back when you figure out what to do... 4 phone calls later, I had a van and a driver leaving at 3 to go pick up kids we were suppose to leave at 2:30 to pick up.

"Out of order" sign on the bathroom from last week apparently. It was bad... bad news... Got a plunging work out that day. Got it running.

Health inspector decides to show up! She shows me of another stopped toilet. Great, that's a critical violation.

And on this same day as the other two toilets that had to be plunged I get a third call of my name to go check the toilet because it won't flush. I use my Camp Agape maintenance skills and determine that we now have no water! Luckily, it was five and most kids were gone.

I find out Monday that Tuesday we have to be open 8-5 instead of 3-8.

Lady who is suppose to help for lunch doesn't show up on the 8-5 day or the rest of the week to help with snack.

I get an email about needing to make sure we are brining in "child certificates" to help our funding. My response to that email looked something like. "Sounds great, what the heck are those?!"

I came home and cried Monday and Tuesday. Part exhaustion. Part overwhelmed.

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There has been absolutely no office/administrative work done this week amidst the fun.

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Everyday though I have had at least one good conversation with a child, and learned about their unfair lot in life. It breaks my heart. Makes me just want to wrap my arms around them and bring them back to my house.

This week I learned of a 6 year old who watched his dad's porn at the age of 4. Which in turn makes him walk around talking about sex.

There is a 13 year old who is in alternative school for the rest of the year due to drugs. He is convinced he will never make anything out of his life. He says he'll end up just like his dad, which is not the best role model in the world.

Today I helped calm down an 11 year old who had been going crazy all day. Turns out he feels like people are picking on him. Not the case but he feels like it is. I promised him that would not happen within the walls of our club. He went about the rest of the day very calm and peaceful. Who knows what he'll be like tomorrow.

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It's Thursday and I'm still thinking what in the world have I signed up to do?! Oh my word... It's been a great mix of Camp and Club this week as I had buildings to get ready to use this weekend at camp amidst the club fun. Almost one week later and I still have no idea how to run a club. I'll keep you posted on the day I finally figure out how to do that. In the mean time please be in prayer for the kids at the Club. Majority of them have no one to pray for them. I hope to change that for the time they are in my care.