THE KIDS AND ME

I want to share a little bit about the kids I work with. I count myself blessed because I have worked with Malawian kids before and now working with American kids. Yes, Malawi,is one of the poorest countries in the world, I don't look at myself as poor, but I know I have worked with kids from families that live below the poverty line in Malawi. Camden, a city that is deemed poor, and has the highest crime rate in the States is where I live and work with kids. Am trying to share my experience in working with my poor Malawian kids, and poor American kids.

Firstly, I love all my kids, Malawian and American. However, my American kids have made me search my life and see if am really passionate about what I do and my love for God. My Malawian kids are easy, awesome, have needs, coming from broken homes, but disciplined, they choose their words right, does not matter who you are or where you are coming from, if they don't like you, they will not say it in your face(not all of them but a very good majority). My American ones are the opposite way, they have similar needs as my Malawian ones but they are not that disciplined (I hate to say it like that but am also not talking about all of them, just a good majority). I have come to find out its easier for me to handle a 100 Malawian kids than 30 Camden-American ones. (Remember this is just my experience, I know different people have different experiences and am not the first or last to have this kind of experience , so please don't judge me, but am being honest anyway, this is me.)

When I first met the kids I would be working with, I nearly cried. I was having a headache everyday of the week and I didn't look forward to meeting them at all. I wish there was a way around it but there wasn't so I had to adapt. I taught myself to focus on the positives, so, I focused on atleast that one kid who isn't trouble, does what he is told and has respect. Later, I knew if amidst all the craziness, I can find one or two who are awesome, then the rest had the capability to be awesome too. I took it a step further, I prayed for them, everyday, I would pray and mention their names. God answered my prayers, I prayed that I should not judge them, but love them, understand them, I prayed and prayed and I never knew I could love so much like I do now. I ofcourse still pray for them.

With My American kids, I have learnt not to believe what I hear always but search deep. They say they don't care almost on everything, and I have learnt that they actually say it because they care. They call me ugly, and I have learnt to hold my tongue even when I want to throw it back but come next day, smile, hug and help them. The more I discipline them, the more they hate me, the more they say it and the more I hurt, and the more I conquer the hurt and love them more. Maybe its their defense mechanism, or maybe its because thats all they see and hear from their families and friends, but for some, they know how to act, and they choose not to and it bugs me, but I gotta love them like Jesus does.

Now you may be wondering what I am doing here. This is a city thats labelled with all sorts of negatives, unless you have been here you wouldnt fully comprehend. For real its a sorry sight. When we talk about brokenness these kids are born in that, and they grow in there with no hope of ever getting out. I know there is hope for them, there is abright future, if they choose right, if they are helped to see the possibilities and opportunities they have. These kids can change Camden. One day I was praying and God gave me Matthew 19:14 "Jesus said, let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." It was then that I fully dropped my defences and realised what I was doing here. I will not let my insecurities and fear hinder these kids from seeing and experiencing the love of God. If God touches and transforms the life of just one Kid in Camden through me, then my journey to America wasn't in vain.