Today we had a guest speaker at my church. Alesia Smith is the Principal of Rothenberg Preparatory Academy in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. If you don't know, the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is considered a high-crime neighborhood and many of its residents live below the poverty line. While there is some redevelopment taking place in Over-the-Rhine, it is in many ways a very under served neighborhood. Many people in the Cincinnati would be afraid to travel to Over-the-Rhine out of fear of the crime that takes place there. I have been to Over-the-Rhine and while there are certainly signs of urban decay but there are also some really wonderful things about Over-the-Rhine. It has a rich history and some beautiful architecture. Also, one of the things that I have learned over the years is that no matter where you go, people are people.
Principal Smith challenged my congregation to pray for Rothenberg Academy. She also called us to pray about what we might do. She said that they don't need money. What they need is time. They need people to spend time with their students. They need mentors and prayer partners and after-school program leaders. They need people to be present.
Principal Smith's challenge spoke to my heart. I'm not sure what God is calling me to do. I don't have to make any decisions now since school is almost done for the summer. However, in the fall, my church is asking for 35 volunteers to serve as mentors for the second graders. I am going to pray about this. I have served as a mentor in the past and really enjoyed it. I know that it would be really rewarding and I would learn much.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!
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