Blessed beyond belief

I can't believe that my first week of after school program is done! With the snow that we got we ended up only having two days of program but it gave me a chance to hang out with some old and new friends. Next week we only have program two days as well, which at first really made me bummed. I LOVE getting to see my camp kids and want to spend as much time with them as I can while I'm here so having another short week ahead made me kinda sad. But I came up with an idea, I was going to hang out with camp kids on the days that we don't have program. 

As I'm talking to Shakeera a high school senior that works at camp peace we decide on Samantha and Francisco, two kids from the neighborhood. So I decided to walk to their house this afternoon to meet their mom and ask if I would be able to take them out to a movie on Monday. As Shakeera and I walk towards their house honestly I'm a little nervous. I have never met their parents before and I have no idea what kind of house I'm walking into, not to mention the fact that I have only been back in Camden for a week. The parents don't know who I am, typically the only interaction I have at the fellowship house is with the kids and staff. But never the less I follow shakeera into the house. When we walk in I introduce myself the their mom, there are kids all around but none of which are my camp kids. I explain that my name is Holly and I worked at Camp peace over the summer, and immediately she says oh yes Samantha talks about you all the time. I cannot even explain the feeling that gave me, I actually wasn't even that close to her over the summer but I send her letters here and there, I had never gotten anything in return to even know they arrived. However without me even knowing it I was making an impact of some kind. Her mom says that its fine for me to take them out and Samantha will be so excited that I want to take her out. This will Samantha's and Francisco's second time ever being in a movie theater, something that I know I took for granted as a kid. And I feel so amazingly blessed to be able to know these kids.

I feel like when you work in a city like Camden everything's heightened and emotionally it's hard. When things go well, it's amazing and you feel like you see God presence everywhere you go. But in the same moment when you see this city full of beauty, hope and promise, you see the lows like the homeless woman with 4 kids walking into the shelter that she calls home. When I pray lord break my heart for what breaks yours, I see the hurt and the injustice but I also the hope in the people I meet everyday. Both are very strong emotions and it's overwhelming to see and feel them both simultaneously.