Week #8

Jordan & Audrey Frazier ~ July 28 - August 1

This last week of Families Sharing Summer has been great.  It was such a blessing to be able to spend time with Jarq and Alvin.  We started off our week with the guys helping me get ready for an event in Uptown.  I am a pastor at Island Community Church and we were having a block party for our neighbors in Uptown.  I figured a few extra hands for setup would be great and getting the guys involved in positive neighborhood functions might help them to begin to influence their communities more positively.  We had a great time and Alvin and Jarq worked tirelessly scooping ice and pouring tea for over 150 people.  It was interesting on the way home that Jarq mentioned anytime that he could spend outside of his neighborhood was better than being in it.  I tried to tell him the importance of being a light in the darkness and shared with him the passage in Matthew 5 where Jesus calls us a “city set on a hill”.  I think he began to understand that more deeply throughout the week.

               On Tuesday the guys went with my wife to work to help set up her classroom at First Baptist Day School.  They did some light painting, cleaned toys, and helped Audrey get ready for her kids this week.  Wednesday, the guys completed some tasks we needed help with at our home like cleaning out the backyard of fallen limbs, getting rid of leaves that have been on the ground far too long, and washing cars.  Although these things seem nearly impossible to get done alone, these guys worked together well and had a great attitude while doing it. 

               Thursday, we traveled down to Audrey’s grandparents in Hernando, MS to grab a filing cabinet that they had been storing for us.  The guys made quick work of loading and unloading it at the church and then helpedone of our other pastors (Robby) and I to fill welcome bags for new UT health science grad students.  Robby and the guys really connected which was a great thing.  The more positive male influences within their lives the better.  I left them at the house with Audrey to help prepare dinner while I had to travel to an unexpected funeral service.  They helped prepare dinner and we had a sweet couple friend of ours, Brandi and Anthony, over for Mexican food.  Anthony is African American and a life long Memphian looking for places to influence African American youth in the way that he was positively influenced.  To say that this night was a slam dunk for our guys would be and understatement.  It is amazing to me the instant connection the three of them had.  I look forward to being a part in the future of their friendship.

               Before we knew it Friday had come.  I couldn’t pick the guys up in the morning because of work responsibilities but they got to wash some cars for other families they have spent time with this summer for a little extra cash.  That afternoon, I took the guys to the Y downtown, where Jarq and I spent time in the pool and Alvin wanted to lift weights.  Jarq told me confidently before we got in the pool that he could swim and was excited about it.  Obviously, his definition of swimming and mine are completely different.  After frantically trying to grab ahold of the lane rope on the deep end of the pool, I spent the rest of the time teaching a basic swimming lesson to him.  We laughed about it all the way home. 

               That night the guys and I cooked dinner for Audrey.  We grilled pork chops, squash, had mac’n’cheese, and green beans.  I got real personal in asking Jarq about his relationship with Jesus.  He began to tell me that he feels that he needs to be a better person, know more, read his bible more to be a able to consider himself a Christian.  I told him that being a follower of Jesus is not about what you can do for God but acknowledging and having faith in what He has already done for you!  This seemed to hit home with him.  He asked how I became a Christian, and what I had to do to be one.  I simply told him my story and that one day it became evident that I was a sinner hopeless and unable to do anything to get salvation on my own.  It requires faith that Jesus, God’s son, died on the cross to take on your sin and rose from the dead and conquered death.  I wish I could tell you that right there Jarq said that he wanted that, but it seemed that the thoughts in his head were running about a million miles a minute. 

               One thing I have learned through this week is how to better pray for these guys.  We can pray for….

·       Alvin and Jarq to understand that God has them where they are for a reason and that He loves them and desires for them.

·       They understand the significance of their education and the opportunities God has in front of them.

·       They begin to invest and positively affect the neighborhood and people that live on their block.

·       Them to continue learning about God’s love for them through the weekly influence of scripture and bible study.

·       Jarq to wrestle with the conversation we had about what it means to become a Christian and the newness/change in life that it brings.