Jessica O'Brien's Blog
Esperanza is the theme of my year..... / 05.28.08, 10:24 AM
Esperanza. This is one of the most beautiful sounding words I think I could roll of my tongue. It is Spanish for Hope, which has been the biggest thing God has been teaching me and showing me in Little Village this year. The people I work with, my roommates, the beloved students at Social Justice High School that give me hugs everyday, my church, the list could go on and on. These are the people that encapsulate what hope really means. Going through hard situations, losing people you love to shootings or deportations, and still loving people and God without holding anything back. That is hope. Where I have been taught hope from the most, as of lately, has been the students at SoJo High I see everyday. I love them as if they were my own brothers and sisters, and I want to show you just a glimpse into these amazing kids. There more real and genuine than any inner-city kid stereotype you know of. Forget about Freedom Writers, Dangerous Minds, and Hardball. This is what these kids are really like;
First, there’s Greg. Here I am blogging in the In School Suspension Room, and Greg comes in with a pass from his teacher. He didn’t get in trouble, but he just wanted to come, to do his work. I was so confused on WHY someone would choose to come here, and he sweetly, but sincerely replies, “I get off task sometimes in class, and just want to talk to people, so I know when I get in those moods, it’s better for me to come here, I’ll be more focused and actually get my work done.” My heart warmed because I know he totally means every word of it. Whenever I see Greg, he asks me about how I got a Psychology degree. Greg really wants to help people, be a counselor, and would be awesome at it. First look at him, people might stereotype him as a great basketball or football player because of his athlete build, but he’s also sensitive, caring, and genuinely wants to make the world around him a better place. For someone who’s a total athlete, he breaks all those stereotypes by being incredibly philosophical.
Then there’s Jazmin. She’s short, with waist long brown hair, with bright blond streaks, that have earned her the nickname Banana. She makes up for her physical smallness, with her huge smile, that just makes her stand a head above the rest. Jazmin oozes with sincere friendliness and a warmth, where no matter how hard a person is, they can have no guard around her. She’s one of the girls I have been training in a class to be a mentor next year. She loves soccer, and never gossips about anybody. Lots of other girls look up to her, because she is not only pretty, but has a beautiful personality of maturity and realness. As I said hi to her during passing periods, she came up to me and gave me a huge hug I didn’t expect at all, then told me what she did for Memorial Day. It was my best surprise all day.
These kids are indestructible to me. No matter who might get shot, who might get into a fight, who might get involved with gangs around them, these students keep going, keep loving me, and others around them. God is totally present here, and shows me His Hope in their excited eyes, everyday. They live life to the fullest, and don’t let any loss keep them from living. God has given me a blessing to be here, and I am having the hardest time coming to terms with leaving in 2 months. Whew. Will I be able to do it? …… To be continued:-)
P.S.- Read Psalm 49. It’s awesome, and has been totally encouraging me to praise God in the hard times here, when I hear about violence or SoJo kids dealing with the aftermath of the violence around them. God is bigger than all we’re worried about, and the safest place we can be, is close to God. Wherever that leads us. Wherever.
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Beautiful blog Jessie! Thanks for sharing about the amazing students you have gotten to know.
Shawn
By shawn casselberry / Jun 17, 10:33 AM / #