How I spend my Tuesday mornings...

Reading of the amazing happenings with Greg and Cheryl and the girls in Malaysia is riveting. Someone said it in a comment to one of them; they ARE the new reality show!

So the rest of us find our own little ways to engage in something out of our comfort zone or at least a little out of our normal life. For me one of those thngs is hanging out with African refugee kids on Tuesday mornings. Some wonderful, dedicated people, Miss Taroh, Miss Laurie and Mr. Scott were moved several years ago to take action in helping families, especially the children, coming to America from Africa. The Wheaton area has many pockets of refugee families who came here to escape war, famine, horror, really. Some of the stories are heart wrenching. So partnering with World Relief, Sonlight was born.

The children are mostly Muslim, the girls often coming with their heads covered. Games. crafts and art projects, lots of emphasis on reading and phonic skills and of course, the snacks are part of a typical morning. The summer program is five weeks long and runs Monday through Thursday. College church in Wheaton provides the classrooms and gym, volunteers provide the love. Our role is not in the realm of evangelizing; we are clearly instructed to respect their backgrounds and religious beliefs. We get to have fun, kick around soccer balls, listen to their stories when they want to share. And through it I believe the love of Christ shines.

The theme this year is Superheroes. And the kids are digging it. From all the fake superheroes, Spiderman, Superman, the Incredibles to real heroes, Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller, Martin Luther King, Pocahontas, the kids are learning about the traits of heroes...courage, honesty, perserverance. What a great way to spend my Tuesday mornings!