Edina Morningside Community Church
Last Thursday night, I joined Bob S. and Becky P. for one of our volunteer nights in Ainsworth Park with Perspectives. The three of us met other volunteers to register youth, give out Gatorade cups, and serve hamburgers at this weekly free summer activity. Kids of all races and ages milled around in a high-energy community spectacle—making crafts, shooting hoops or playing lawn games while parents, grandparents and other adults assisted wherever we could. We had more than enough volunteer help, so Becky and I joined Bob in starting a kickball game on the dusty field. We dug out bases, chose the best ball and hollered for kids to join in. We might have looked a little desperate at first—three adults and nobody to play with—but in a few minutes kids started lining up to kick the ball. There followed almost two hours of running, catching, bunting, coaching, and cheering, with more than twenty kids ranging from 4 to 18 years old. We managed to keep only a minimum of order, but it was better that way. Nobody got too hung up on field positions, rules or score—the biggest conflict was who got to pitch next. Youth joined and left their teams with no warning or notice. By the time we were done, I’d tripled my daily exercise goal, gone hoarse from the shouting, and caked my dress shoes with dust. To be honest, I was also a little embarrassed that Becky and Bob saw how much I’d gotten into the game! I’m supposed to play the part of mature adult here, right?
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Pastor Oby Ballinger 