Loaves and fishes
Youth Service Project
Started 6/5/05

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Day One:

Patty and I came home in the car. There was a crowd of young people hanging around at the corner. One of them was sitting on a bicycle where we usually park the car, and didn't move, so I parked somewhere else. I went up to the apartment with Patty, and got the mentoring book. I had decided that the next time I saw young people hanging around outside our apartment building, I would go out and talk to them about mentoring. The Book was "The Miracles of Mentoring," by Thomas W. Dortch, Jr. and The 100 Black Men of America, Inc., with a forward by Tom Joyner of the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Daniel was cheering me on.

I went out and said I'd like to talk to them about mentoring. I showed them the book, and said that they're all mentors, because they all have children in their lives, watching them and learning from them. The only question is, how good a mentor are you?

Some of the boys acted disdainful, but one of the two girls asked to see the book. She looked at it, and said it looked good. I said I'd like to get together with them sometimes, and go through the book together. The girl said we couldn't get together. I don't remember exactly what she said, but I got the idea that she meant someone would come and break it up. I said that I saw them getting together all the time. Then I said, "All right, whenever I see you hanging around here, I'm going to come out and read this book to you." She said that everyone would go away.

I started reading, and everyone started going away, only most of them just went across the street and stood on the corner there. I read louder, screaming at a few points that seemed especially significant to me. I was wondering if someone would call the police because of me, and sure enough, in a few minutes two police cars pulled up. I kept reading. The officers got out of their cars, but they didn't come to me. The went to the young people, and it looked like they were having a friendly conversation with them. Little by little, over a period of several minutes, they drifted away. I kept reading until the last one left, then I went to the officers and asked them if they wanted to talk to me. One of them gave me a big smile and said "No, you're fine!"

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Day 2:

There were some young people standing at the corner again, so I got the book and started reading it to them again. They walked half a block away and stood there. I kept reading, but I wasn't yelling this time. Sometimes two or three walked past me. One came to me and asked me if I was reading from the Bible. I said no, it's about mentoring. He asked me if I was getting paid for it. I said no, it was my own idea. I think he asked me if I live around here, and I said yes, right here in this house. Then he apologized and went away. I'm not sure what he was apologizing for.

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Day 3:

I went one block up and down the street, in all directions from our house, standing at corners, and in the middle of the block, saying the prayer for youth. I also went to the other end of our block, where Burley lives, and did my poem for the people who live there, who were sitting on the porch. Later, when I went with Anita to see Walter and say prayers with him, I told them both about about Day 1 and Day 2. I also told them about the poem, which tied for second place in the Just Poetry Slam May 30 at the Firehouse Theater. They suggested that I do the poem for the young people, and tell them about the Slam.

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Day 4:

I tried to talk to the young people about the poetry contest, but they just made fun of me.

I found someone to do skits with me for the people at the other end of the block, and I found some children to work with.

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Day 5:

I read with some children.

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Day 6:

I walked around the neighborhood in my pajamas.

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Day 7:

I walked around the neighborhood in my pajamas again.

I asked people to pray for the young people in our neighborhood to learn to serve the community.-

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Day 8:

I read books with some children.

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Day 9:

I read books with some children.

I passed out a sheet to some of my neighbors, about ways I might be of service:

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Free services for neighbors

Offered by Jim Habegger

Examples:

- Help with computers and the Internet

- Help with learning crafts

- Helping children with reading and math

- Cooperative games with children

- Help with finding all kinds of information

Other services may be available. Just ask!