Blessed are the Peacemakers - in Real Life!
by Mikias Mogess, Neighborhood Youth Ministries staffPictured: Mikias hanging out during activities at Elmhurst Park.
Throughout the summer, there were so many instances where you could see God at work. I planned programs and activities at Elmhurst Children's Park all summer, and it was a blessing to see the amazing things God has done. Here are a few instances where we were encouraged by the actions, development, and growth of the children we would work with and love all summer:
Our theme for the summer was "Blessed are the Peacemakers" (from Jesus' words), and we focused on teaching and modeling needed skills like conflict resolution, cooperation, and team building. Although it is impossible to prevent conflicts from arising, it is possible to resolve them in an appropriate manner. An example of this happened with a child name Marcus. At the beginning of the program he would fight a lot, sometimes in response to someone's words, and sometimes simply picking fights with others. We worked with him throughout the summer to teach healthy ways to respond to hurtful words. During the last week of the program there were many times when other kids would say bad things about him but rather than him fighting, he kept his cool. It was shocking to see but I was blessed to have seen him in action practicing patience. He even informed me that he was not going to do anything as long as no one touched him. I can see how God is letting him see that you do not always have to fight, but you can be the bigger person an find other solutions.
Another example of seeing God work was through one of the children at Elmhurst Park named Donnie. He was a cheerful giver and helper. He helped a lot with many different things. Now I will state that many of the kids were very helpful, but what separated Donnie from the others was that he was not expecting anything in return. This is hard to find nowadays. It was such a blessing to have him help out, whether in setting up or sharing with other kids without needing anything in return.
I also see God developing young leaders out of our youth. This summer, He has been working in Amana (14 years old) in many different areas in her life. She is a leader because she is not afraid to be herself and hold true to her beliefs despite what people say or think. Amana has grown spiritually and you can see that because she would always ask and recommend that we pray before going to Elmhurst Park. I can see God giving her patience through the summer with children and staff (not an easy task). I know that Amana will continue to grow in the Lord and continue to be used by God to help others and bless others and be that peacemaker that God encourages us to be.
There were too many things to list that God has done but the last one I will touch upon was the children developing honesty. One day Rajon found money and asked around to see if anyone lost any? No one responded, so he left and went to the store. During the time he left, Sammy noticed that he was missing eight dollars and we found out it was the exact amount that Rajon found. We hoped and prayed that Rajon did not spend all the money and that he would return with it. While we were waiting, Faith gave Sammy a dollar because she felt he needed it more than her. She believed that she could help Sammy out by at least giving him some of what he lost. What was so amazing was that when Rajon returned, he had spent only one dollar out of the eight at the store. He then returned to Sammy the remaining seven dollars, which left Sammy with the exact amount of money that he started with. God allowed the children to be honest and do what was right in this situation, which is a blessing to see in a world where even many adults wouldn't do the same.
Overall, God is an amazing God who cares for us and who blesses us each and every day. He has done a good work in my life and many others in the community. He has truly blessed all of us at Elmhurst Park. A lot of prayers were answered from meeting neighbors, children, and many others in the community, to developing relationships that will last. He has made me have a fun, loving, safe, and effective summer and I thank Him for that.
