h o p e

so after going to urban promise wilmington this past spring break, i told casually one of my nursing major friends jazmine about the program and how it reaches out to youth living in urban neighborhoods. to my surprise, she turned out to be very interested in the program and she served as an intern in camden this summer :) i just finished reading her journal that she emailed to me and wow i was so blessed. these kids are still able to live life joyfully with what they have. it's not about our own wants and desires. that's how God works.

it reminded me of this verse that was printed on the back of some shirts at up wilmington:

"but let justice roll on like a river,

righteousness like a never-failing stream!"

--amos 5:24

i was also looking at jazmine's photo slide show that she uploaded online and one of the pictures was of this beautiful mural that read "i want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees." and i was like whoaaaa... that's like what God says to us! we're like the cherry trees and spring is like His Spirit. He wants to make us blossom and look beautiful and full of life, joy, and peace! it's just so romantical :) that quote is actually a line from a poem by pablo neruda. it's really beautiful!

ok so the real reason why i started this entry was because i wanted to share a poem that my friend jazmine wrote and she included this at the end of her journal.

Young Child
Dear Young child,
I commend you for still knowing fun
Your childhood is not ideal
Your neighborhood is not safe
It’s filled with drugs, violence and women selling themselves
Yet you still find peace in riding your bikes
You get joy from the parks and basketball
You have the same smiles as others your age
Although to the naked eye there is not much to smile about
Young child,
I pray for you
I pray for you because despite what the statistics say you can and will make it
I pray that even when you are left motherless and fatherless you know that God’s love is like an eternal embrace
I pray that you can lead your friends and destroy generational curses
I pray for you so that the enemies that walk the streets among you and in the spirit realm will not have the victory over your lives
Young Child,
You are me
You are the past, the present and the future
You represent all walks of life
Young Child
Be bold …be true
Follow your heart and not your peers
Listen to God as He speaks to you
Find your gifts young child
Be the exceptional child in the hood
Don’t let childhood pass you by
Still smile young child
Still love young child
Still pray young child
And still hope….young child
~Jazmine H.