Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Swanton Oh park
My son had a high school baseball game today ( Tuesday) at the beautiful park and Rotary field in Swanton.
There were a couple of dozen young people on and around the nearby basketball court. Seeing a chance to get in a good workout , I jumped in line as the young people were shooting baskets to choose teams. They welcomed me in. The game was full court and fun. I took about 30 minutes to do this. My son told me later it was ok.
Todays' young people are immersed in a course society .
The basketball court was full of 'f-bomb' vulgarities Two short boys told me they are in the 8th grade. They shared a cigarette between games. I gently admonished them. There is a better way.
I was the only adult on the court, a couple of boys were out of high school, they said. Young people want someone to genuinely care about them , even in a small way like a ball game. My church teaches us to do that , we call it sharing God's love in a practical way . See http://www.vineyardtoledo.org/ .
Talk of drugs and gang 'belonging' was on that court. When I asked these precious young people if they had a dad that cared about them, most said yes. A couple said no. They were clearly open to attention from a stranger like me . Dads , uncles , granddads , neighbors, there is no greater privelage than to invest in these children. It is not the job of the local law enforcement to do this.
These children are thirsty sponges, emotionally, spiritually . A couple were open to going to church on Easter Sunday Will someone take them there?
This is duplicated all over NW Ohio and America today- children unconnected with a close adult.
I may be back there next spring, if there is an away ball game in Swanton. And I'll look to see if my basketball friends are still there.
There were a couple of dozen young people on and around the nearby basketball court. Seeing a chance to get in a good workout , I jumped in line as the young people were shooting baskets to choose teams. They welcomed me in. The game was full court and fun. I took about 30 minutes to do this. My son told me later it was ok.
Todays' young people are immersed in a course society .
The basketball court was full of 'f-bomb' vulgarities Two short boys told me they are in the 8th grade. They shared a cigarette between games. I gently admonished them. There is a better way.
I was the only adult on the court, a couple of boys were out of high school, they said. Young people want someone to genuinely care about them , even in a small way like a ball game. My church teaches us to do that , we call it sharing God's love in a practical way . See http://www.vineyardtoledo.org/ .
Talk of drugs and gang 'belonging' was on that court. When I asked these precious young people if they had a dad that cared about them, most said yes. A couple said no. They were clearly open to attention from a stranger like me . Dads , uncles , granddads , neighbors, there is no greater privelage than to invest in these children. It is not the job of the local law enforcement to do this.
These children are thirsty sponges, emotionally, spiritually . A couple were open to going to church on Easter Sunday Will someone take them there?
This is duplicated all over NW Ohio and America today- children unconnected with a close adult.
I may be back there next spring, if there is an away ball game in Swanton. And I'll look to see if my basketball friends are still there.
