This weekend we went to Morristown TN to serve the community there! As soon as as we arrived to Morristown we went straight to a kids camp that was held in a low-income apartment complex.
In years past, I have helped lead kids camp in that exact location and every time there are always kids waiting for our arrival! These kids are so special and are thankful every time we come and visit. My favorite part of the Morristown trip was serving alongside my dad. My dad was the project lead for the kids camp and we haven’t had the opportunity to serve together since my last El Salvador trip in 2021.
In the kids camp I was holding the cutest baby, named Maria and we were playing with a ball and another kid walked up to us and wanted to play. Jesus was his name and he was probably one of the most energetic kids I’ve ever met. I gave baby Maria for someone else to hold and I started to play catch with Jesus. My dad came over and joined us as well. Jesus only spoke Spanish and it was fun for all three of us to speak in that language. Jesus wanted to change balls to a football and started to throw with that. As soon as he figured out my dad could throw super high that’s all he wanted to do was to catch the balls that were thrown incredibly high. Then Jesus wanted to throw with not just one but two Nerf footballs. This moment touched my heart so much as it reminded me of how my dad would take time after a long work day to play with me and my siblings in the yard. My dad doesn’t just play with my family but his students as well. All of his students at the school The Academy for GOD love him and the attention he gives them.
Jesus from what I observed doesn’t get a lot of attention because or people don’t always want to play with him because he is so full of energy and consistently wants to change or switch up something. My dad did so well with him by laughing and enjoying all of Jesus’s preferences. My dad highlighted the importance of meeting someone where they are at. I will take that lesson into wherever I go and serve. I’m so thankful to have a great dad that I can do mission work with.