But I Want The Twaiiin!

So I hope you don't get tired of me posting stories from Heaventrain. Since I don't have kids of my own I post stories from my conversations with Heaventrain kids and their families. They challenge me in my faith and walk with the Lord.

I have one more story from yesterday...

It was the last stop of the day and we had finished with all the services. We had even given out all the last of the pizza, drinks, and goldfish crackers, we had a couple of cold pops left and that was it. A little boy comes running down the sidewalk in front of his dad.

I walk up to him, "Welcome to Heaventrain, we are finished with the bus today," but I give him the two cold pops.

He looks at me and starts pulling his dad toward the bus and big tears fill his eyes. These tears are too much for me to see. 'I want the twaiiiin!" I look to dad for his suggestions.

Dad helps me out he says,"He loves the train and the snack but our favorite is the songs and the prayer."

Ok, so I kneel down to the little boy, "Would you like to sing a song?"

"Yes"

Would you like to say a prayer?

"Yes"

So we stand there holding hands, and I start singing,

"Heaven is, a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace I'm gonna see my Saviors face cuz Heaven is a wonderful place."

He smiles the biggest smile. Starts jumping up and down and sings the song with me. It's the song that all the kids know and has been sung for maybe 35 years on the bus. The only song that came to my mind when I asked him if he wanted to sing.

To newcomers it might be a sort of a childish song but the words are simple but mean so much to all of the volunteers, and Heaventrain kids and their families. It unites many generations of Heaventrain families over the 35 years.

We sing the chorus twice...

"Heaven is a wonderful place filled with glory and grace I'm gonna see my Savior's face cuz Heaven is a wonderful place."

and the song was finished.

Then I looked at him, "Shall we pray?"

"Yes,"

What do you want to pray for?

"Sean"

So we pray for Sean and his family.

When we finish I asked him, "Are you Ok now?"

Yes! ...

"And can you go home without crying?"

Yes!

Well "Ok."

Then the moment passes when our sanctuary went from a bus to the outdoors. Where a little boy's request became so much more.

We had a pretty incredible day on Heaventrain with over 600 kids and the last 1 little boy reminded us what was the most important to him taking a moment to sing Heaven is a Wonderful Place and praying in community for Sean.

As we leave, he walks home with his dad back down the sidewalk to his house.

I come home and share with my husband,"Thank you for bringing me to Cleveland, to wreck my life."

Then I think about the sign above the door in our office, that came from Pastor Phil, that reads, "God specializes in wrecks." I always thought of that as the person who was a wreck and would then be mended and whole, now I recognize that sign has two meanings sometimes to be mended and healed it takes a wrecking process.

Both are all in His capable, trusting, out-stretched loving Hands filled with grace, peace, patience and strength to challenge us as we grow closer to Him.

Heaventrain Through the Eyes of One Four Year Old

Terrified! Big eyes, each muscle in his little body was tense, he was crying and yelling "No"

I met this little four year old last time we were out with the Heaventrain at one of our stops. His friend who has grown up on Heaventrain, was trying to pull him to get into line. He wasn't going anywhere!

I kneeled down and asked him if he was going to get on the bus? He said, "No"

Usually if I talk to them or even ask if they would like for me to go on the bus with them they will say yes. He wasn't having it.

So now I try a different approach, Well ok "I'll stay with you outside the bus while your friends go on the bus,"

He barely nods ok.

So I start telling him what door the kids will be going into and what door the kids will be leaving the bus from. Kind of walking him through the whole process. After the kids get on the bus.  I reach out my hand to him and we walk hand in hand to go get some food. I can feel the tension in his little hand as he walks with me to the food truck. He was holding but just barely and I gently held his hand. I could sometimes feel his trying to pull away so we would stop walking until he relaxed it and then continue walking towards the food truck.

Then as soon as we get the snack he wants to go and stand right next to the front door. So we walk slowly hand in hand to the exact spot where we started at the front door.

I suggest we could go and sit on the curb.

He barely nods ok.

We sit on the curb outside the bus and wait. We sit for 20 minutes quietly. We talk about football in one word responses.

What do you like to do? Football. Do you play football? Shakes his head no.

So quiet, then not another word.

All around us there are kids playing football, soccer, and face painting. On the bus the Columbus Heaventrain teens were singing and the bus started rocking. I knew they were at the part where Julie was teaching the story of Jesus when he calms the storm and they were singing Row Row Row Your Boat and swaying as fast as they can back and forth. His eyes got even wider. The kids were doing puppets on the bus.

But we just sat still.

He is so quiet and sits real still. Holding his big red apple from his lunch bag.

When the bus back door opens he stands quietly waiting for his friends to get off the bus. As they leave he walks away, turns around and gives a tiny wave goodbye to me as he leaves.

Ok so I think, "Well maybe he survived the whole first time experience on Heaventrain and will be back again."



So this week, he comes back and he is a different kid. Big smile and comes running up to me, "I'm getting on the bus this week." I can't believe the change in the little guy from the last time I saw him. He is running around laughing and having a good time outside the bus.

The difference between the two weeks...Last week first it was a friend that was trying to get him on the bus, then me a stranger who tried to get him to go on the bus and then sat with him outside the bus, this week he is with someone he trusts his big 7 year old brother.

He gets in line hand in hand with his brother and climbs on the Heaventrain, turns and smiles back at me before taking his seat.

It's good sometimes to look at the Heaventrain through the eyes of this little child. It's easy to forget that sometimes that Big Blue bus with all the strange people around it can be terrifying. It's just like you've been taught at school. Don't talk to strangers and all the other words of warning that parents teach their children.

We do background checks and child safety training for all our volunteers, so they aren't strangers to the Heaventrain and the ministry.

But...

When we drive into the neighborhoods we are strangers to some because they might have just moved into the neighborhood, and here we come blowing train horns, playing music and You, the families of the Central neighborhood, welcome us each Saturday. Some of our volunteers have been coming for up to 10 years faithfully and many more each Saturday. I'm so thankful that 35 years ago Pastor Phil started the Heaventrain.

We treat the Heaventrain kids as part of our extended family.

So for all the brothers and sisters, aunts, and uncles, grandma's, and grandpa's thank you for welcoming us each week by running to the bus, riding bikes, pushing baby strollers and bringing your children, new neighbors, cousins, and friends to come.

Creating space for us to find love, belonging, and together we share in the love of Christ.

Forgiving Sorrow Gives Life

Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure-not to put it too severely-to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 

2 Corinthians 2:5-7

Forgiveness came from one person, Jesus Christ. He is Forgiveness. If everyone in the world asked for forgiveness, He would give it. He is abounding grace unlimitless, unending, and overflowing with love.

Forgiving can happen in community. Forgiving is all about life. Christ died so that He could forgive all our sins. He doesn't condemn us, He doesn't only forgive and then remember later, He doesn't make us pay for it, the one thing to remember is, He lets it go. 

As in He remembers it no longer. If we are in Christ we are a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We can too!

Our challenge today decide on one person that we are going to forgive today...and let it go! 

For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 2 Corinthians 1:5

Update

I've been absent from the blogging world for a couple of years. I've been writing a book, the title currently is Trust Waits For Promise. I hope the manuscript will be finished soon. I'll keep you updated on the process, from queries, to submission, to publishing it on this blog.

Here is my thoughts from my Bible reading on Abraham and Isaac.

The conversation began. Genesis 22:1-9.14

Abraham! And he said, "Here I am." He said take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."

Imagine if Abraham would have said no I won't sacrifice my only son how would the story have changed?

But Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham, his father and said, "My Father" and he said, "Here I am, my son." Genesis 22:6

When we respond to God's call with "Here I am", as Abraham did with Isaac being willing to sacrifice all. Christ responds with "Here am I" and is the Resource and provides the resources. Are you in a moment where God is calling you to a "sacrificing life"? Where He is revealing things that need to change. He is drawing you closer to Him. Don't stop now, take the next step. 

14.Abraham call the place "The Lord will provide." 

1. Recognize and walk with the Lord to hear the voice of the Lord, since we don't usually hear audibly, we read the Bible and pray. Noah walked with God and was protected from a flood that destroyed all of mankind.

2.Willing to sacrifice our desires, For Abraham it was his only son Isaac. It might be your deepest longing that God tells you He has something better if you will let it go. Remember He sacrificed His only son on the cross for you to live a life where sorrow is removed and the fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control can live. Then it can all be sown and reaped and sown and reaped again. 

3. It cannot be accomplished without Christ. He provides the resources and sustains them. 

4. Remember the place and thank Him. Abraham called the place "The Lord will provide"

Where are the moments in your life where you recognize it was time to let it go because God had something better? When it took faith and trust, and listening...

Leaders of Today and Tomorrow

Be the best leader you can be today, so that those who come after you can be even greater! 

We all had a dream bigger than what we could accomplish, greater than we could see, and reaching higher than we could achieve-if we did it alone. This week I've been apart of the Aspiring Leaders Academy in Central. A partnership of Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), Solomon Movement, 4 Kids Foundation, Lighthouse Inc./Heaventrain, community parents, and the youth from Cleveland.

I've had an amazing week thanks to all the youth in The Aspiring Leaders Academy. It's a group of youth from 5th-10th grade simply learning, working, and being leaders in their communities through activities, games, and field trips for five weeks during the summer.

I've often thought if I only had known then, what I know now how much farther I could have been. That's what we are trying to do with this camp for the youth.

 Leaders are guiding and influencing our youth everyday-whether positive or negative, they are watching and learning by examples.

Circles of Influence

Teamwork

The craziest spaceship game ever, from my friend Lashunda that taught about effective leadership and achieving goals.

We are going higher!!!!

Waving the Magic Wand

On June 10th our 2nd Neighborhood Circle Meeting took place in the Central neighborhood. In this meeting our goal was to find some common ground with our "magic wand survey" and come up with the first step in our action plan. 

 On the table was a black magician's hat, some sticky notes, markers, and smiley face stickers. Not the usual items for a magic show. We were missing the deck of cards,  scarves, and of course the rabbit. 

The neighbors wrote on a sticky note what they would change in the neighborhood and put it in the magician's hat. Each person took their turn. Then the hat was passed around and the notes were read. 

Then the magic happened. The neighbors started talking about the possibility of what the neighborhood would look like and what they would do to help out. We voted on each slip of paper with our smiley face stickers the most important item of change.  

Now this is the sad part: I recorded the entire conversation on video but forgot to press play. I couldn't believe the mistake I made. 

Some of the neighbors were unable to atttend so the next meeting they will share their ideas and continue the discussion.

Neighborhood Circles

The first step in getting to know our neighbors is through our Central Community Survey. The goal is connecting neighbors gifts, finding the best part of each neighborhood, and finding what neighbors would do to improve their communities.

After the individual fills out the survey, we follow up with a phone call and an invitation to attend a Neighborhood Circle Meeting.

The goal of a Neighborhood Circle is to bring neighbors together but keep it small and multiply the circles in a neighborhood. When I think of what we want to accomplish it's listening to the voice of the community, sharing talents, meeting neighbors, and creating new friendships.

We invited between 6-8 people for our first Neighborhood Circle Meeting.

We stamped, cut, and pasted hand-made invitations for all attendees. Part of the fun of being a host of Neighborhood Circle is all the planning and preparation. Not really work when you are having so much fun!

Finding a place where everyone would feel comfortable was very important.

The Neighborhood Circle met at the Cleveland Public Library Sterling Branch.

Three weeks before the meeting, each of the attendees received a hand-made invitation in the mail with the details of the meeting. Everyone RSVP'd for the event within two days!

Another important part is making sure that the individuals were welcomed with good food. Since we didn't have time or a kitchen to make food we decided on ordering a take out from Hot Sauce Williams.

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together- African Proverb

This quote was our theme for the meeting. Everyone participated in the "mapping of our lives." Looking for common ground and sharing the impacting stories that brought us to where we are today. It was important that we shared something that was personal to us-to establish trust between each other.

We found common ground: most of us have moved a couple of times, experienced different neighborhoods, and been challenged in some kind of way to make us grateful and stronger and part of who we are today.

One of our friend's sharing his story

Brandy and a friend looking for her birthplace in Cleveland.

The lady in the blue t-shirt is a good friend of mine I've known for about 2 years. Through our conversations on that day we both found common ground in one of our dreams, "we both have aspirations of being teachers."I look forward to sharing more of her story in another blog post. She is pretty amazing!

 The next meeting, we'll share a potluck meal together and continue our conversations.  

Bunnies, Worms, and Chocolate Frosting

Happy Easter...this post is way late!

On Easter Sunday, it was cold and rainy. Not the kind of weather you want kids running around the yard looking for hidden gems-eggs filled with candy and goodies. The easter egg hunt was postponed instead we brought the party inside at Cedar.

Mike and Ike Candy, Brite gummy worms, and sugar wafers

Stamps, colored paper, stickers and stamp pads for cards

Making our bunny planters...

 The Glue for the wafers-chocolate frosting...yummy!

Stamping and coloring cards for family...

They were so creative! They became rabbit family cars, worm farms, and even a rabbit house!

 Cleaning off sticky-chocolate fingers !

 The kids were great and we had a lot of fun :)

When it was over the children went home with a bag of candy, easter eggs, and a couple of bologna and cheese sandwiches. 

A Perfect Fit

It's been awhile since I checked in. I have been very busy! I taught my first time on Heaventrain. The most people I've ever taught before was probably 25-50. I knew it was going to stretch me and challenge me. I'm so glad I took the step!  I had a total of 784 kids and families on Heaventrain that Saturday. I hope to repeat this experience again.
 I have been without a job since March. I was contemplating returning to school. I also was looking for a job in the Central neighborhood. I had been sending out resumes and only a few hits with little hope of a job.
I filled my time by volunteering in the Central community. I mentor with CMHA PAL, the Police Athletic League. I am very impressed with the young lady I mentor. She is smart, energetic and full of life! We both love to watch Cake Boss and tacos are one of our favorite foods.

The latest development, I now have a job. To my surprise I found a perfect fit! I am an Americorps member with Lighthouse, Inc and the Communities First Association. In November they hired me, and another lady from the community, to do asset based community development in the Central neighborhood. I receive a monthly stipend, education stipend, and my volunteering with tutoring, mentoring, and Heaventrain can count towards my hours needed for the job. I think it's pretty cool!

I was surprised when I met the other Americorps member Lighthouse hired. She is the mother of the young lady I mentor! We will be working side by side. We spent a couple of days in training in Chi-town, with 30 other Americorps members from around the US. We met at the Cinacle Sisters Retreat Center, a convent and retreat facility. It's very quiet and serene, a perfect place to spend a personal retreat.

I tutor at East Tech High School once a week. I have never been a tutor before but thanks to our great group of former teachers who have experience, I am learning a lot.

The group of tutors last year saw a measured improvement in the students and experienced an average growth of 2-3 grade levels in reading and math.

 It has not been easy this year. With all the shake up and changing of schools there have been difficulties. My first week one of my young men was suspended. Then I find out he is transferring to another school. I'll start with another new young man this coming week.

My other student is bright and an excellent reader. He comes each week on his own and is eager to read together. Our typical schedule, he starts by reading out loud for 30 minutes and then he writes in his journal another 20 minutes. The last 20 minutes we work on his homework.  He usually brings his math homework. I think I'll pick up Algebra for Dummies the next time I'm at the library. I sure could use a refresher course.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Thank you for the nice comments each week. I'd love to hear about your own Americorps experiences or asset based community development going on in your communities.

Achieving the Dream

I met a young man and his mother this Saturday who had a special gift to give us at Heaventrain. They stopped by to say thank you to Pastor Phil and Heaventrain. He and his mother pulled up in their car and came running over to the van.

"I saw the blue bus and wanted to come and say thanks. I attended Heaventrain as a young man at Morris Black. Heaventrain came every week. It helped me stay grounded and in school. I'm achieving my dream because of you guys being in my life. This year I'm a freshman at Hiram College studying Computer Programming."

The mission of Lighthouse, Inc. is to equip and empower kids in Central with the resources and opportunities to reach their potential. 

I think of POTENTIAL as the Possibility and Opportunity To Empower Natural Talent In A Leader. 

Better Than Bacon Part 2

I meet so many amazing kids on Heaventrain. Some of them just stand out and you really fall in love with them. Nyja, loves Saturday when the bus comes to her neighborhood. Grandma can be given the credit for creating this love. Attending Heaventrain is a family affair. Grandma Church has been coming to Heaventrain  for 30 years. In the early years she came with her son. Today she faithfully bring her two grandbabies.

Nyja wakes everybody up early on Saturday so they won't miss the Heaventrain, she tries to eat her breakfast but grandma says it just isn't worth the effort to try to get her to eat, and quickly adds even when it's a crisp piece of bacon. She is just too excited to do anything but get to the bus stop. Nyja rushes everybody out the door and runs toward the bus. Grandma walks with a cane and she tries her best to keep up, but Nyja is clear across the field by the time she comes around the corner. 

Nyja greets all the Heaventrain staff with a smile and a hug. "Oh goodness, that bus makes her a different kid." Her grandma says, "when she leaves the bus she tells me about the songs, asks questions, and asks how many days till the bus comes back. She talks all day long and tells everyone she sees about Heaventrain. She would be happy if she could just live on the bus with you guys." Grandma laughs and winks, "She sometimes drives me crazy and I have you to thank for it!" 

Conversations With Families

Conversations with Families 

Heaventrain is...

"...the best because my grandkids want to come and visit me every Saturday." 

After Davion's first Heaventrain visit,  he called his grandma every night asking if Heaventrain was coming tomorrow. Now when the bus comes around the corner he gets so excited. I watch him every week running up to his grandma, pointing laughing and jumping up and down.

Heaventrain is...

"...the best thing going on in the neighborhood."

Heaventrain Saturday is...

"...the only day I let my kids out of the house."

A young mother yesterday at Garden Valley was frantically looking for her kids. Another mom walks up to her and says, "Your kids are safe they are on the bus. It just takes a while for them to finish but they are good. Don't worry they watch out for the kids on Saturdays!"

This is me standing outside the bus at Woodhill.

Doesn't that hot dog look good?  Who can resist a fresh hot dog!

I've held puppies, babies, watched baby strollers, bikes, skateboards, even a 5 lb frozen Christmas ham for kids on Heaventrain.

Yesterday a young man came running from a carnival with his hot dog still warm. It was hot off the grill. 

I laughed when he walked up to me and asked if I would hold it for him while he was on the blue bus. 

So here I am standing in line with the two ladies watching the two baby strollers and I'm standing holding a hotdog and his drink.

Fainting Goat or Leaping Lamb

My heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. — Psalm 16:9 (NKJV)

This is for the Women of Faith Blog Hop, subscribe to the newsletter, and join the conversation.

Are you a Leaping Lamb or a Fainting Goat? 


Excerpt...Humanly speaking, they (fainting goats) are like women who refuse to face the truth. They don’t recognize that God is in control and in the situation that startled them. They just faint and go to La-la Land until the distress passes by. Of course, when they come to, the circumstances are still there.  The leaping lamb is joyful and the goat doesn't want to deal with the struggles they are facing. Instead they just exit-the circumstances and ignore the problem.


I struggled a little with this comparison of a lamb or goat.  Like the goat, there have been many times when I want to duck out. Right now I am at a place, not matured by any means, but a place of joy in the midst of life. In urban ministry there is always going to be someone who is far worse than my current circumstances. I know where my next meal is going to come from...I have a safe place to sleep....and it can go on and on. Then after reading the comment from 


 In this passage of Scripture I like the verse right before it. I am always thinking of the Lord and because He is near, I never need to stumble or to fall. -Psalm 16:8 (LAB). 
 The result of being and listening to Him is PEACE today, tomorrow, and into the future. The promise of a relationship with Him is HOPE. No matter what the circumstances our petitions are heard, in fact, He was there before, it was spoken in our prayer. It is not taking Him by surprise. He is making a way for us to see HIm working in the circumstances. Our gift is to HOPE, BELIEVE and to dwell in PEACE.

Na-Na and Man Man

I see a lot of nicknames on Heaventrain

Na-Na

Man Man

Ma-Ma

even Dollar and Money

 then some really cute names

Divine Blessin, grandaughter to one of my good friends Vonita

and two sisters

Cherish and Charity, the two girls my blog is named after...

I'll never forget one little guy.

One day I was signing kids in and a cute little guy about two years old-big eyes and curly black hair came walking up with his big brother.

I turned and looked at the little brother...

"What is your name?"

He replied, "Man Man"

I wrote Man-Man on the sheet

and, "What is your last name?

He said, "Stink Stink!!!"

His brother and I laughed so hard we started crying. 

I see this little guy every week and never forget the first time I met Man Man Stink Stink, aka Amad.

Love is...a Tattoo, Sticker, and Hug

I had a great day with my kids on Heaventrain yesterday. We had the youth group from Xalt Youth Ministries visiting from Salisbury, North Carolina. At the first stop, I think they fell in love with the Heaventrain kids. I heard one of the them say, "I don't want to leave." 

The teens painted tattoos, created chalk art, jumped rope, laughed, played, hugged the kids all day, 

and even sang Happy Birthday to a little girl at Outhwaite.

The  Xalt youth group verse is from 1 Corinthians 10:31, paraphrased...In whatever you do exalt Christ." 




 I noticed a little guy was hanging around instead of leaving when Heaventrain was finished. I asked him if he was ok and he said that some kids were waiting to jump him.


"Can you walk me home?"


On Heaventrain there is one rule Do not leave the bus and get out of view. I decided I couldn't take him home." Then the would be attacker came up and taunted him. Another girl came and said, 'He isn't going to fight you, then laughed, and walked away."

 Pray for preschool, elementary, middle, and high school kids in the Central community. The kids are fighting, growing up too fast, and sometimes killing each other. 


The CMSD school year starts in a couple of weeks. Please pray for the security, students, staff, and faculty in the Central Community. Some of the schools include:Marion Sterling, George Washington Carver, Central Academy, and East Tech High School. 

Chalk Art

Fun for all ages....

One face done and one to go....

Chalk art brings out...

even the CMHA Police.

At Outhwaite two police cruisers pulled up during Heaventrain. The officer said, "I'm gonna write you a ticket with chalk." He proceeded to entertain the kids with chalk art cartoon characters....

the other officer drew Squidworth...

They entertained the kids with jokes and talked to them.

At Outhwaite as we were leaving one of the teens wrote this message...

God is Love

God Loves You

... just yesterday a young man was shot and killed in this same parking lot. The message of hope displayed for all to see in beautiful hues...God loves You!