January 25 , 2009

Lunch Buddies Offer Smiles and Hugs at Bridgeport School

By Cornelia Seigneur

Cathi Presjak playing Red Light, Green Light with the kids

It is Wednesday which means it is Cathi’s day to meet Anna* at Bridgeport Elementary for lunch. Cathi has her peanut butter and jelly sandwich in her brown paper lunch bag. However, Anna is not at school today.

But Carmen* is at school today. Dressed in pink. Carmen sees Cathi without Anna in the school’s cafeteria. “Where’s Anna,” Carmen asks.

“She's not here today, but can I eat with you at your table anyway?” says Cathi.  Eyes light up.

 
Another student, Julie*, is also at the table and wonders: “How do you get a Lunch Buddy?” 

Cathi explains: “Your teacher is the one who says you get one, and then my job is to coordinate. But my favorite part is coming to eat lunch, then going to recess. Have you ever seen me out there?”

“Yes.”

Then Julie tells Cathi between bites of her cafeteria tray French Fries, “I have a sticker collection. I have so many that I need a notebook for them. I'm saving my allowance to buy one of those binders to hold stickers in.”

Cathi says, “Every child should have a collection.”

The duty teacher announces it is recess time. Cathi asks, “Are we going outside?” 

Outside is blue sky and crisp autumn air. Fall sunshine reflects off the red barn in the background behind the play structures. Children are bundled up, running, laughing. 

“Let’s play ‘Green Light, Red Light,’” Cathi suggests.

She goes first. The children giggle and dash. The game switches to ‘Simon Says.’ 

Being a lunch buddy means being flexible—like when your student doesn't show up. Cathi got to know new children this day.  
“My Lunch Buddy happens to go to our church and I didn't know it at first. At church, she came up to me and started hugging me.”

“What I witness with any of the Rolling Hills Lunch Buddy volunteers is the joy in the child's eyes when they see their Lunch Buddy.  Knowing that their Lunch Buddy is there just for them, they feel so special and the 40 minutes of lunch and recess is cherished, fun, and makes their day or week.”

It makes Cathi’s week, too. 

            *Names have been changed

Contact Cathi Presjak, the liaison between Bridgeport’s Lunch Buddy program for Rolling Hills,
at cpresjak@comcast.net.

January 11, 2009

Nothing is Impossible

By Teri Conlin

Nathan & Judy Miller

Judy Miller is a willowy brunette who sings in church on Sundays, but her song of hope carries beyond the walls of the sanctuary. Often you can find her downtown serving Portland’s homeless youth. Her heart for the homeless is a rare note of harmony from a childhood of discord.

As a little girl Judy helped around the house, played piano and completed her schoolwork on time. Even so, she remembers running from the fury of her pastor-Dad and hiding her little sister in the closet. The swinging leather belt with its bruising buckle always found its mark.

This summer Judy seized an opportunity to take her music to street kids at Royal Ridges Camp. Despite severe allergies, she spent three days in the woods, slept in a moldy cabin and mingled with homeless kids around a smoking campfire. For three days, she was allergy free. One night after devotions a young man sat alone on a log around the fire. While her sad story is not her first choice for conversation, this night she shared it with Nathan. He was stunned. He was living on the street as a result of a childhood similar to Judy’s with the haunting fear of becoming his own abusive father. Until he heard a new song in the timbre of Judy’s life, Nathan thought he was simply keeping time until the inevitable refrain repeated.

Judy sang to Nathan a medley of forgiveness, hope and a ligature of love. At 22 she had approached her Dad in overtures of truth and mercy and while he owned nothing and didn’t ask for it, she left him with forgiveness. This marked her life with a Christ-clef and changed the key of all notes to follow. Judy met and married Todd, her perfect duet. Still, parenting two little ones revealed Judy’s deep childhood scars which Todd soothed with a patient and tender heart. It was music to her soul. Nathan listened in awe to the tinkling sound of chain breaking free. He left the campfire that night asking for prayer.

The next morning Judy awoke to birdsong. Nathan desired the melody of Judy’s life for his own. He was one of seven homeless kids baptized in the river that summer day. Today Nathan sings his own song of impossibilities. He is a clean and sober church-going man living in a house with a steady job. He is lit up from the inside by the conquering love of his Savior and more recently his fiancé. He and Judy just celebrated their close-together birthdays with new shoes for Nathan. His walk has a new cadence, his heart a new beat.©

He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
Psalm 40:3

Judy is the new coordinator of the clothing closet at Transitional Youth. You can reach her at 503-691-8449.

Contact Terri at whitepitchers.com