Hope

Our church recently adopted an elementary school with a high percentage of youth from low-income homes. In fact, it's the school LO went to.
Schools are rated as "high risk" based on their percentage of students who apply for and receive free or reduced-price lunches. This school's percentage is over 70%.
By adopting the school, the church has encouraged all of us to volunteer one hour a week at the school, mentoring a student. You can go have lunch with him, arrange with the teacher for a time to read with him, or help her with math, --whatever the child needs -- and the recommended time is only 1 hour a week.
I signed up. I had tutored there throughout LO's 6 years there (K-5) and was active on PTA, etc, so I am quite comfortable there. All the staff know me and I know my way around.
I was not assigned to one student, but to a class, to read with children one at a time. There are about 6 students who don't have support at home to read every night and need someone to read to.
DH did not sign up, but a pretty up-front friend of his confronted him at Bible study about it. Now he attends with me when he is not working. My day to go is Wednesday, so he tags along on 2 or 3 Wednesdays a month. The kids seem to accept him well even though his attendance is pretty erratic.
I love reading with them. They bring their library book, sit next to me, open the book, and begin to read. I help them with hard words and encourage them. At the end of the book, I ask them to tell me what the book was about. They have to take a test on the book, so I try to be sure they comprehended it well before they go take the test. The test is on the computer and at this level, it's typically 5 multiple-choice questions. Missing only one question drops the score to an 80! So I review briefly with them.
At first I did not know the children. Of course, some are more personable than others. Some opened up immediately, while some took a while to warm up to me.
There is one child who took a while. Now, I do believe she enjoys seeing me. She has a crossed eye but I do not notice it anymore. Her name is about 10 or 12 letters long, but I think of her as Hope.
Several weeks ago, she asked me if I do not work. I told her I am a writer, so I get to work at home, and I can take a little break to come to the school and help. She smiled and replied, "I'm a writer, too." Oh, really? "Yes," she said. "I have a story in that red folder over there. I must read it to you sometime." I would like that, I said.
Today her book was especially long. Good, but long. As we progress through a book, her head gets closer and closer to the page. I worry if her glasses are strong enough. Today as we were about 3/4 done with the book, I asked if she were getting tired. "No," she said. "I love to read. I love to write, too. My story is over there in that red folder. I must read it to you sometime."
That's how it goes with volunteering. You start out thinking you are doing something for someone else, but you become richer every time.
This child reminds me of hope and optimism. She has an undeniable faith in herself. She believes anything is possible. She's not afraid.
I've got to ask the teacher if we can have a few minutes to get the red folder. Next week for sure.