Where I Am That Is Not Here

In sum, I'm helping out, in some fashion, at a 3-week Vacation Bible School for inner-city children, ages 4-12, in east Baltimore. The levels of authority are: the Missionaries of Charity sisters; then the teachers/class leaders; then, basically equal to the teachers, are the Bad Cops/Circulating Disciplinarians who "always pick on us!" and enforce such things as order during breakfast; no fighting during breakfast; no boys or girls at each other's tables during breakfast; order during class; no fighting during class; no boys or girls in each other's sections during class; order between classes; no fighting between classes; no boys or girls grouping together between classes; that children "going to the bathroom" every fifteen minutes give auditory proof of their actual need for said facility; probably that no boys or girls are in...yeah. There are also the Good Cop Helpers who evidently do not enforce any of the above but do help serve meals and do crafts with the children...

...but I think you can guess which group I belong to. It's been...instructive, thus far. Seeing how the children interact with each other and with adults, and where interactions, ah, break down. (If you're wondering at the boys/girls rule - that is the single largest breakdown of discipline, the way they act towards each other. Thus, no interaction.) They're good kids...but well on their way, especially the older ones, to being something else. :( We have 25 hours a week, for three weeks out of 52, to show them maybe there's something more to life than they've learned of it. Something else, and Someone else, than the fights and the eye-for-an-eye, 'I can do whatever I want to you but don't you *dare* do it back to me!' mindset. God gives the growth, to use Paul's phrase; we just plant and water. But the soil we're working with is so hardened by drought and neglect; it's hard going.

Anyway, that's my exhausted theologizing for the evening. I do ask for your prayers for the school: the children, the sisters, and we volunteers. The camp runs through August 8th, which hopefully *will* be the day at the beach that's been promised. :)

Time is the spice of life...

...but sadly, I'm all out. I've lent it all to others. I'll write again, when I have a few minutes that are something like free - till then, take care! Be seeing you!

For the love of golf!

Look and see whether there has ever been punning like unto their punning...

No anchorite me.

Where two or three are gathered in Your name, You are there in their midst - when two are united in prayer, that unity is a gift and sign of Your Spirit's presence. Yes, there is great good in prayer alone to God, and in joining others in prayer at Mass or praise & worship - but it's good too to have someone to say the quiet daily prayers with. Even just one person, even for just one day's visit. It's an odd way of being lonely, maybe, or not an aspect that usually jumps to mind - but there it is. Not having someone to pray with. But it's a loneliness I've chosen, not by mere default but actively; in trust that through it is how I can offer my best service to God and how I can best make Him known...if only I will. It's in trust of Christ's promise of "a hundredfold"; that any sacrifice made for Him, He will not pass over in silence.