Why I Keep Working With Kids

This week I was hanging out with some Washington kids, we were just talking about life. Out of no where one student turns to me and asks when our tutoring program would be over. I hadn't planned that far ahead so I didn't have an immediate answer. I would characterize this particular student as an "at risk" youth; he has so much potential but needs a little encouragement and positive reinforcement.

Thinking he was asking me when it was to end because he wasn't enjoying our program I responded with, "I don't know. Why? Do you not want to come anymore?" To my amazement he replied, "No! I want to come! If it wasn't for this tutoring program I wouldn't be able to get help at home, because my mom doesn't know how to do my homework, neither does my dad."

Every time I start questioning my time and effort at Washington Elementary, I am reminded, by the kids themselves, that God is using our volunteers in ways that surpass our imagination. So when I stop to think that so far we're impacting a small percentage of students at one of the eleven elementary schools I get saddened for the other elementary schools who have "at risk" kids waiting for a volunteer, a friend, to inspire them to be who God created them to be!


By Edgar Guzman