"Children are the living messages we send to a future we will not see." —Neil Postman

Hello again from Camden, New Jersey! Recently, a summer intern shared her favorite part about working at UrbanPromise: coming back. She's exactly right. Coming back to Camden is one of the most rewarding things when students first arrived for their summer staff position. During mission trips over spring break, college students get to spend a week volunteering their spirits and energy. Much like the high school groups who spend a week here during the summer, UrbanPromise invites college groups to come participate in their programs during the school year. The connections with the kids are always an amazing experience. Four months later, it is very clear how much of a lasting impact one person can make on one child, just by showing a little love and attention. Here's one example.


I worked with first graders on that trip this spring and met a little girl named Savannah from the east side of Camden. We started talking one day and immediately she latched onto me. I sat with her when we sang songs and learned bible lessons with the full group. We worked together on her math homework and overcame some obstacles in multiplication. She drew me a picture of her house and told me about her neighborhood and I drew a picture of my house and told her about living in the New River Valley (she thought it was pretty cool that I lived in the mountains). We talked about her dad who died because of a drug-related incident here in the city: both the sadness of losing a father and happiness of believing in heaven.


Fast forward to the first day of summer camp. I dropped off my work crew at the camp in East Camden and from across the room, I spied two little eyes, staring intently at me. So I stared right back, not saying a word. The room was filled with kids and staff attempting to get them settled, the work crew wandering around awaiting instructions. It was noisy and crazy. But we just locked eyes, not saying a word. Then she moved her mouth silently saying my name. I responded by moving my lips silently to say "Savannah." She repeated my name. And I, in turn, "Savannah." A grin started to appear. And I walked over to meet her. Savannah rushed in with a big hug. She had two questions for me: "How long are you going to be here?" and "Did you climb up the mountains to go back home?" She remembered, with lightning accuracy and that same cute grin. Since then, we're still hanging out together, visiting over breakfast and playing jumprope (Savannah's up to 16 jumps in a row).


In Mark 10:46, Jesus meets the blind man along the road. He stops. He takes the time to speak with the man and open his eyes. What lessons can you take from Jesus in your own life? How can we all try to show a little love and attention to those in need?


See the many ways the ministry reaches out to the kids of Camden.


Get to the know UrbanPromise through this outreach program.