KCMO Winter Break 2016

Generosity is not a word people usually associate with urban areas, like Kansas City, Missouri. This week has been such an eye-opening and encouraging experience for me and others on the Education and Youth Development Trip. This week began with a 13 (turned 16) hour drive from Auburn, Alabama to Kansas City. Sunday, we all had an exciting time exploring Kansas City by ice-skating in Crown Center and admiring Christmas lights at The Plaza. Monday, our real mission began when we made our way to Operation Breakthrough. We started our day with an informational meeting, where we learned all about this organization. Operation Breakthrough is a highly selective Head Start program that serves at-risk children and provides them with a variety of resources to give them the best opportunities possible. After we learned about this organization, we were placed in classrooms numbered one through five in two different areas of the school. I was ecstatic when I found out I was placed in a baby room; other members of my team were with various ages, up to age five. My favorite part of the week has been the precious time in the morning that I have been able to spend with sweet babies. One girl, who has just learned how to walk, brings me so much joy every time she sees me. She reaches her arms towards me with the cutest smile and squeals as she toddles in my direction. Overall, the time with our kids has been such a high for everyone. While I make a difference in the baby room by loving the babies and helping the teachers, other members of my team have made a difference by having life-changing teaching moments (such as showing a five-year-old boy how to tie his shoe) and providing crucial support (such as hugging and encouraging a three-year-old girl when she came in with a black eye this morning). Although every team member’s mornings have looked very different, we come together each afternoon to serve at a huge warehouse by organizing donated toys. Operation Breakthrough has an adopt-a-family program before Christmas where families in the Kansas City community can adopt a family previously or currently enrolled in Operation Breakthrough, so that OB kids can have the best Christmas possible. The afternoons were definitely not what we expected, but we have been so encouraged by the generosity of families in the KC area. Today, one lady came in with eleven huge boxes and two bags for a family with only three kids. She explained that she didn’t have any kids, so she wanted to make a difference in other kids’ lives. Wow! Her servant heart touched all of us tremendously. Then tonight, we had the opportunity to help school-aged OB kids shop with $100 gift cards each, donated from a company in the community. I was paired with two incredibly sweet girls. These sisters were ten and six. The ten year old was very mature for her age and was such an excellent example for her sister. The six year old had such positive energy and was so thankful for everything. The ten year old picked out three toys and two clothing items for herself pretty quickly, while the six year old changed her mind every five minutes when she was trying to decide on what toys and clothes she wanted. The ten year old was so patient with her sister and even offered to use some of her own money to get her sister some earrings when her sister went over her budget. I spent about two hours with these two girls and even the ten year old showed me what true generosity is. The best part of this evening was when a lady walked up to us about halfway through our shopping spree and insisted that I take a $20 bill for my two girls to use. I was floored. Not only were these girls adopted by a family in the Kansas City community to receive toys for Christmas, they also were given $100 gift cards each to use at Walmart and then handed a $20 bill by a lady who happened to be shopping at Walmart when we were. This community is overflowing with generosity, and we won’t soon forget that as we prepare to return to Auburn at the end of this week.