|
|
Latest News
Point of Transformation
Thinking back over the last year of Friday Club, the word that comes to mind is ‘transformation’. Friday Club is an after schools club for 5-7 yr olds which runs out of Boulevard Baptist Church (where we hold Breakfast Club and Zone 3). It has a long tradition, having been established by some of the church members many years previously, and I joined as a helper when I began working for HFYC. Unfortunately, just over a year and a half ago we lost Josie, who had been organising and running the club throughout most of its life. Without her leadership, we closed for a while to think and pray about what the club should be for, how we would run it and how it could meet the needs of the children in the community.
Anne, Hkanan (two church members) and I re-opened the club in March of last year, trying to keep it educational and fun but also to offer a place for the children to think about God in their lives. Since then, the club has quite literally been transformed – from the room which we use (now carpeted and decorated, thanks to the Church and another group who use it) to the activities we offer and (hopefully) the lives of the children and families who come. Over the past year we have done huge art activities, baking, recorder and sign language lessons and even put on a small Christmas event they could bring their families to. We have also begun to tell Bible stories using the idea of a story box and ‘props’ that the children can play and engage with. We had Sr Kathleen come to do a ‘Godly Play’ session, and were so moved to hear the children begin to ‘wonder’ and ask questions about Jesus and being a Christian.
But the true measure of any of the work that we do is not simply within the club but outside. I love being able to walk down the road or go into the school and meet the children we work with, who want to introduce me to their families or show me pieces of school work, and I love being able to talk to their parents about what we do on a Friday. Friday Club has not only been transformed as a club but it has begun to transform the parts of the community we touch; I think all of the helpers would agree, it has also begun to transform us, in the way which we relate to the community and to God.
Fran
|
