Sunday, September 5, 2010

SOLFUL at Maple

By Valerie Cuevas

The SOLFUL Maple Elementary Program had anywhere from 12 to 25 kids showing up to paint, play, and even learn. At first the outcome was very uncertain. “What if nobody shows up?” and “What if too many kids show up?” were the extremes that we as coordinators and volunteers faced.

The unknown is a hard thing to plan for but from what I saw from all the volunteers, it was nothing to be afraid of. The enthusiasm and love that each volunteer displayed made the program a success. Everybody was willing to adjust as needed and in the end became a very effective group. Making piƱatas, having a group session with a professional Disney artist, and eating a whole lot of hot dogs, were only a few of the many experiences that the kids are able to take with them throughout their lives. These experiences along with the love of the volunteers was the foundation for the enthusiasm that kids had for the program and the enthusiasm that the kids brought to our lives—well, that and Jesus working. We were used to help the kids and the kids were used to help us.

In the beginning, it seemed like one of the primary mindsets was to help a bunch of kids do something over the summer, to be “good Christians”, and to lend a helping hand to those in need. I believe that although that may have been what was used to get people to volunteer, it was really the way that God was able to fulfill His intention to bring about change in us “good Christians”. Granted we are called to help those in need, we hardly ever stop to think that those in need are really us. Yes, we did our job that was described on paper, but the real thing was Jesus. To be able to help kids see and feel something different than what they feel on a regular basis, allowed our eyes to see the impact that we really do have in life. What made it beautiful was to see the peace and safety that they had not entirely because of us, but more because of the Light that was shining through us. Seeing that allowed me to understand the need to cling to Jesus is even greater than I thought.

To truly be an effective “Christian” is to understand that without Him you are just another person trying to do good. The impact that we have on people’s lives is only as great as the impact He has on ours. The more that we seek Him and depend on Him, the more we can be used to glorify His name. I am very proud and humbled to say that through our program we have three young kids that have given their lives to Jesus and are still coming. The program was a success.

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