This Ain't Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood

" 'These children are in crisis,' she continued. ‘Most of them never had a chance, never got the guidance and attention they needed from adults. Is it any surprise they join gangs? The gang makes them feel part of something, it provides structure, and it gives them opportunities to prove themselves. How can we compete with the gangs if we can’t offer them something better?’ " ~True Notebooks, Mark Salzman

I’m joining the apartment ministry at church, and this coming Wed. we’re going to begin hanging out at a local apartment complex, playing with kids and stuff for the summer.

I really don’t want to do this, I have to admit. I really don’t feel like this whole "inner city work" is for me, which probably sounds weird to some of you, since I have spent at least some of the past three years doing some sort of service in that arena.

I guess I just don’t feel like it’s my spiritual gift. I’ve always been told that one way to tell you’re using your gifts is if you enjoy what you’re doing, but I don’t really enjoy it. I think the work is important, though, and am pretty sure that if I wasn’t doing it, no one else would. And I have experience, after all.

I don’t want to miss our singles’ class, either, which has recently started on Wed. nights as well. We’re talking about relationships (interpersonal and with God), and it’s pretty interesting stuff, and now I’m going to miss all the juicy stuff I’d be learning if I was there. And I always hate to think that I might be missing something.

Y’know, sometimes I’m afraid that one of my spiritual gifts is that I’m willing to do the crap that no one else is, or at least stick with the crappy jobs once I’ve taken them. I felt that way often during MY, while I was wasting away in the inner city (but learning lots of things!).

So apartment ministry, here I come. . .