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Reflections on the Christian Activity Center
Kate Prichard:
Darenique
Here's what I remember about one particular child: (I don't know how to spell her name, but...) Darenique was a little girl that I played with a lot. I was struck by her confidence because she is so much more outgoing than I was as a little girl. She is probably about ten years old or so. We spent most of our time together playing foosball and basketball. She was really good at foosball and beat everyone who played against her, including me.
When she had me thoroughly worn out, I asked her if she wanted to go and read a story. She told me that she only likes Bible stories, so we went together to the Bible Study. The things that I remember the most about Darenique are her confidence, independence and openness to strangers. I will also remember the slaps on the arm that she gave me for my birthday and the way she braided my hair. I still have a bruise on my arm from the "pinch for good luck!"
Heather Wright
Inspiration
I cannot express in mere words, how incredibly wonderful and special the children at the CAC were. Each of them is an amazing individual with this joy that I've never seen before.
They live in an area that is in this perpetual cycle of poverty, and yet they all have these dreams and desires that transcend their circumstances. I heard dreams about wanting to be models, ballplayers, and doctors.
It made me think about how we as college students put so many limitations on ourselves. We question everything and we doubt ourselves and our abilities. These kids don't do that. Their dreams know no bounds or limitations. Their love for one another and their passion for life was so inspiring.
The children all look out for one another and genuinely care about everyone around them. If only we, here at Mars Hill, could be more like these kids. They seem to know what is important in life.
Rachel M. Buller
Jerrusha
One of the kids I met was Jerrusha. She was very funny and outgoing, competitive, talkative, had a great smile, and liked to argue. Other kids liked to tease her because she got annoyed easily and would chase after them and shout insults at them. She liked to play games, especially foosball and air hockey, and she also liked arts and crafts. She liked a challenge and was very confident about her abilities.
More than anything, Jerrusha loved to fix other people's hair. She even experimented on herself, with the result that she shaved too much off in one area and had a bald spot!
Jerrusha really wanted a friend who would listen to her and respect her. At first, she seemed to be really loud and hard to control. Mostly, she needed stability and structure in her life. After I got to know her, her personality really started to shine through. She just loved having fun and someone who would pay attention to her and encourage her to follow her dreams.
Breanna L. Mason
Toys
The East. St. Louis trip was AMAZING, truly life changing. Forming closer relationships with the others who went was fabulous, but the bonds I made at the CAC are unforgettable. Seeing the children's' reactions to you through play and conversation was so fulfilling.
I spent most of my time at the CAC in the Kids for Christ room, where I bonded with a little girl named Dee. A lot of kids were coming up to me and asking me to play with them immediately, but I noticed that Dee was kind of stand-off-ish. So I went up to her and asked her if she wanted to play, and she was SO shy when she smiled at me and barely shook her head, "yes."
Dee's favorite thing to do was play with these geometric shapes called wedgits. You used them to build figures shown on picture cards. She loved them and loved to hear confirmation that she was doing a good job. I took some pictures of her with her best ones and she looked so proud of her accomplishments. She would take my camera and show the pictures of her with what she had built to her friends.
I think all Dee really wanted and needed was someone to tell her that she was talented and that someone cared enough about her to say they were really proud of her. I never realized that doing something as simple as sitting down and working on a puzzle with a child could connect you with them so much.
Dee also loved to play with the kitchen set in the Kids for Christ room. She said that her mom sometimes let her help cook and wash clothes. Dee picked out many books for us to read together as well. She would pick some of the thick books for the older kids and ask me to read them, and even though I know she had no idea what it was talking about, she loved hearing me read!
I really had a wonderful time hanging out with Dee and getting to know her better. I know I'll never forget that sweet little girl or any of the other CAC kids!!
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