This post is out of order. I have been planning a post in my head about where I am now living, and why I've moved into this neighborhood. But end-of-the-year teaching is no joke, and when combined with moving and getting to know our neighbors....well, that's where my time and energy has been focused.
So, here's the short version (long version coming soon, hopefully): In March, I moved into a neighborhood in Marietta, GA with a friend from NOBTS. She and I felt like God was leading us to live here to continue building relationships with the kids and families we met last summer. We are the decided minority in our apartment complex, which is full of Hispanic and African-American families. I absolutely love being surrounded by these people and cultures so different from my own, even though I sometimes have no idea what my neighbors are saying. We've met several kids and are getting to know their mothers and families slowly but surely.
This summer, we're planning a couple of things to better get to know our neighbors and invest in them and their kids.
First, we're doing a backyard Bible club type activity 2x/week throughout the summer in the park down the street. We did this last summer and it was amazing the relationships we built with kids -- who we still know and now get to see lots because we live here.
Second, a few of the parents we've met -- and some of the kids, even -- have asked us about helping them with their reading. Mostly, I think, because they know we're both teachers. We plan to start doing homework help in the fall for all the students in our complex, but this summer we're going to offer reading help at least one afternoon a week, especially for the younger kids.
Third, we're planning to test the waters with a moms-only (no kids allowed, if possible) breakfast time one Saturday a month. We're hoping this will help us get to know and become friends with the moms without their kids being a distraction or the sole reason we know them.
To do all of these things, we need your help!
We need your prayers. For peace, vision, strength, courage, and boldness. For volunteers and supplies. For relationships and friendships. For Jesus to be known.
We'd also love any donations you'd love to send our way. Here are some of the things we know we'll need:
Snacks
Juice boxes and/or water bottles
Individual serving size snacks
Ice-Pop type popsicles
(Y'all we go through snacks like nobody's business. We definitely need help with this!)
Games
Bubbles
Playground balls
Any playground type game/supply -- hula hoops, jump ropes, water balloons, parachutes, cones, volleyball, etc.
Arts and Crafts
Sidewalk chalk
Crayons, markers, etc.
Plain color paper
Coloring books
Stickers
Paint (watercolor or other)
Foam sheets
Construction paper
glue
Tutoring/School Supplies
Paper
Pencils
Small whiteboards or chalk boards
Whiteboard markers and erasers
Chalk
index cards/flash cards
Other
A cooler and/or water dispenser
Bibles: English and Spanish, adults and kids. Lots of the kids asked for Bibles at the end of the summer last year, and we just want to be prepared.
Library books. Y'all. Any books you have for PreK through High School, we'll take. When we first moved in, one of the first boys we met saw all the books we had and said, "You have books??" It was precious and heartbreaking, and since then all the kids have been asking to come and read with us. So seriously, any kids' books that are in fairly decent condition, we'd love to put to good use.
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If you feel moved to donate any of these things to us, please let me know and I will get with you about the best way to do that. If you don't see something on here that you'd like to donate, please ask! We'd love to talk with you about it!
The most important thing you can do for all of this is PRAY for us, for our neighbors, and our neighborhood.
I love y'all so much, and I love seeing how God puts people together. Thank you for being His people and part of His work and community in our cities!
Brooke
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