Service Learning.

Being a freshman here at Eastern University you are required, like high school, to finish 20 hours of community service. I was completely and utterly bummed when I learned this. It was 20 percent of my grade but yet I was not motivated nor did I care about doing some Service Learning hours. We were given a list of areas in which our hours could be completed and were asked to choose three. So I did. And Chester Student Center is where I was placed.
Yesterday was day one. I met were I was suppose to meet, put my ipod on to Nichole Nordeman "Fool For You" and reluctently made my way into Chester Pennsylvania. I had heard a lot about Chester and how it was a very under privilaged area and how we were going to go in and make a difference in the lives of these children.
When we arrived in Chester it was like something I had only seen in movies. On one side of the street there is a plant, kind of like a dump, and from this plant came pillows of smoke and a horrible smell that can not even be described. I was shocked. The houses were all apartment style with no yard. The only yard that was seen was the little patch of grass in the front of these apartments, and kids were playing in these "yards". The streets where narrow just enouh space for our van and another car to sqeeze by if you went 5 MPH. I hope I'm painting and good enough picture for you to understand where I was.
We arrived at the center, which was tucked away behind and church and some apartments and would not have been spotted without me pointed it out. We stepped into this little center and it was empty. Around the corner came a man who we later learned was the head of this center and would basically be out "boss" for the time that we volunteered there. He took us into this little room that was set up like a classroom with about 15 desks that were all different shapes and sizes and began to explain the background of the Chester School District. We came to learn that this district was ranked 534 our of 535 schools, and had only come up this past year. We also learned that the reading capability of and 11th grade student was that of an 8th grader, 60% of students in the district show up for school on a given day and 40% of the students are MIA for the time that they are suppose to be at school. These kids aren't allowed to bring textbooks home (I found that to be shocking) and if they do receive homework it is on a piece of paper with 5 problems on it.
My job for this semester is to help tutor the kids while spending time with them and making relationships with these children. We are with them from 3:30 to 5:30 every Thursday but the center is open Monday-Thursday. I left that place with a heart yearning for these children and praying for their future as well as their well being and I hadn't even met any of the kids yet I had just gone to orientation and learned about what I would be doing.
I believe that God has called us all to be servants, He himself made himself the very least and washed his disciples feet. The lowest of the low were suppose to do this job but Jesus, the king ot kings, and creator of the universe, made himself the least and washed feet.
We are called to do this, to serve in any way possible. I seat here now and I can not wait until next Thursday where I will meet these kids that I have learned and prayed for.

Sorry this one was so long.

One love,
alleigh