HELP!!!!!!

I've recently decided (think I was crazy) to assist with the youth group at my church and I've been  doing this for maybe 6 weeks or so and right now I'm at my wits end..I really have no idea how to get across to these young people. Now there are some people (very,very, few) who have the magic touch when it comes to dealing with young people. Then there are the ordinary plebs, like myself, who have to rely solely on the grace of God. I've dealt with young people before, tonnes and tonnes, that's my thing. Church, school, camp,all kinds of settings but I have NEVER encountered a set like this.  

They don't want to prayer, or sing. They shove and push and curse and fight. Respect for their peers, does not exist. They ALL have cell phones, and/or PSP and I pods.  It's all about what they want, it's their turn, their chair, their spot! Thus far I've been able to get their attention however, I"m not sure if they listen to anything I say. They hear but do they listen. They talk NON-STOP. Speaking when someone else is speaking, seems to be their norm.

Hold up though. I'm describing children at youth group but after second thought I realize I could be describing UWI students or any number of people that I know or have had the opportunity to work with.  Children do not socialize themselves and unfortunately these children are the products of our society. We like to cast all the blame on the youth but who really is to blame??

 

I now have a new found respect for teachers. I have a group of children (ages 9-13) most of whom appear not to have much guidance at home.  They roam the streets before and after youth club.  ''Good night, thank you please, excuse me''  are not words they use.  No one seems to tell them when to come  or when to go. Imagine, one Friday night, I'm hustling (big woman like me) to get off  the road before it gets too late. It's now almost 9 p,.m and it's a little dark where I have to walk. I meet one of the young girls,and tell her to try and hurry and get off the road with her little sisters. Her response "mam, we's be on de road later than this".  Well!!!  It's obvious that everyone's job (church, school etc) is made harder simply because we have parents who aren't doing theirs.

There's a saying that "it takes a village to raise a child". I think back then however, the village also included mommy and daddy. Nowadays, not even mommy and daddy seem to have much interest in raising their own children. 

So what do I ? Do I give up and decide to stay home on Fridays. After all, I'm sure my blood pressure rises considerably after I'm done. However, in all the chaos there's something that I realize:

1. They WANT  to be there.  They come every Friday night. Even the ones who are the most troublesome, leave whatever they are doing, wherever they are and find themselves at the church on Fridays.  Even last Friday when the rain poured, they were all at the church before me.

•  They are in a safe place.  For all intents and purposes the church is a safe place. Some of them could be outside, liming on the block with ''the men''. I don't know what they do before 6:30 or after 8:30 but I do know that they come for that two hour period and it is up to us to make the most of that opportunity.

•  Just like us adults, they are seeking a place to belong. They are all friends. A bunch of young people who, with nothing else to do or no one to see to them, have all found themselves by the neighborhood church on Friday's to do whatever is being done.

 So as overwhelmed as I may feel I look at the bigger picture. These young people need someone to care, someone to guide, to nourish to teach.  I've got to ensure that I keep them interested so they keep coming week after week and that my light will shine and that seeds will be sowed.

Moral of the story...

there are children crying and no one to care, they need you, they need me, they need Christ.