Community For Kids | Teen Ink

Community For Kids

May 3, 2012
By Jackie Hader BRONZE, Arlington, Tennessee
Jackie Hader BRONZE, Arlington, Tennessee
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

There is something about children that has a very special place in my heart. The way that they play, speak, laugh, think, and discover amazes me and brings a true light to my sometimes bleak and dark world. Their hearts are something to be cherished and admired; they should at times be the role model for those older than themselves in the way that they look at even the smallest parts to their surroundings. Because of the influences that children bring to my, as well as many others’, lives, I have a passion to serve children in any way I can. I believe that every person should have the opportunity to have a worthwhile and joyful childhood, and I want to be part of what can make that opportunity into a reality.
Helping teach Sunday school at my church is one of the small things that I do for the children in my community is one of my favorite things in the whole world to do. My church has a wide array of people that attend it, so I feel that through serving through the church, I’m serving the community. At the beginning of the month I look forward to looking through the mail and getting a letter from my church that has my schedule to help teach either a preschool or elementary Sunday school class. I also volunteer for whenever a teacher may be out that weekend and an extra helping hand is needed. Obviously since I’m only seventeen I don’t have the whole class to myself (which I’m quite thankful for), but being able to assist those that do run the class and being able to listen to the children talk about what they learned that past week at their day school is something that I cherish and would not give up for anything. It may just seem like passing out crackers, crayons, and apple juice to some people; to me it has become a big part of my life and I feel that I am actually making a difference.
Over the past year or so of volunteering to help with Sunday school I have met many children that have made me smile and giggle over how cute their tiny Sunday shoes were or how sweet it was that they wanted to share their Easter candy with, but there was one child in particular that really touched my heart. It was my very first day working in Sunday school and I was in the five-year-olds’ room. I was a little nervous, but once I started reading a book about whales to ten of the children, I felt pretty confident; but I couldn’t help noticing a little boy who was sitting at a table alone with a puzzle. I tried to ask him if he wanted to join, but one of the head teachers of the room quickly informed me that the boy was deaf and often became frustrated that he couldn’t be like the other children. At first I decided that the older woman knew best, so I left the boy alone. As the class went on and we eventually began the lesson, I was upset to notice that the teachers didn’t even bother to try to include the little deaf boy. Instead of picking who would sit in my lap for the lesson, I walked to the boy in solitude, spoke to him softly using hand motions and some drawings, had a small conversation with him about how much he was loved and how it would be nice if he would try to come join the rest of the group. The boy looked up at me, smiled, attempted to speak, but instead just nodded, gave me a hug and ran over to the group. That hug is what really made me think that I can really have a positive influence on children. But I feel as if I’m not limited to just my church, but anywhere to show them the happiness in their life, no matter their hardships.
I want to spend the rest of my life serving children both in my community and around the world so that they’re able to be a child and enjoy every bit of life. Sunday school is just the first step to the marathon.



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