So each Tuesday and Thursday from about 3-5 I help out at the A-Zone after school club at the Albion High School. I have a pretty regular group of 5 or 6 that I hang out with each week. We’ve been dubbed the “Connect Four Group” because Connect Four is the filler as we talk, laugh, and joke around.
However, yesterday, I had the opportunity to hang out with a different group. There is a pretty rough group of 10 lads that typically just cause problems at the club and then get chucked out. Yesterday they showed up and really wanted to play a game of “Knock Out.” They of course play a version with a football (soccer ball) and it’s very similar to Knock Out that we’d play with a basketball in the States.
A quick run through of the game is you’ve got the keeper (the goalie) and at least 4 lads. Basically, every man is for himself and you are trying to score a goal. If you score, you advance to the next round. The person that does not score is eliminated and then everyone comes back on until you get to a one on one match up and it takes two goals to win.
Ok, back to the story; so Dave needed someone to facilitate Knock Out in the Sports Hall (the gym) and asked me if I would. So, I went into the Sports Hall with about 10 lads. For about the next hour a series of cool things occurred. The 1st cool thing that happened was that they invited me to play. That was pretty big as these lads have their own group and as a dodgy American I am definitely not part of it. I happened to score a goal (2nd cool thing) on a rebound and they all yelled “fluke.” When I scored in the next round it was a “lucky shot.” When I scored in the next round (3rd cool thing) they commented, “he earned that goal boys. Good shot American.” As I continued to advance they commented how I was “alright for an American.” I managed to come in 3rd place (out of 10) overall. For some reason the rules kept changing and my goals were discounted towards the end. The lads were not about to lose to an American at football (soccer).
While standing on the side after advancing to the next round I was able about to talk with the lads about life in America, that studied music and worked in the church, and that I’m here in Salford trying to make a positive impact on the community (4th cool thing). Young people are always amazed that I would choose to live in Salford.
As we played the game I challenged on issues of honesty, sportsmanship, and swearing. Surprisingly, the lads respond to what I modeled for them (5th cool thing). While the swearing became more intense as the game went on, the lads were more and more honest and showed more sportsmanship.
So, I choose to celebrate the little victories of yesterday. While that group of lads are challenging, I hope they show up again on Thursday so that I can continue to model a different way of living and be Jesus with skin on to them.
One of my favourite music artists is a Californian called Matt Nathanson. In one of my favourite songs he sings:
“I’ll learn to get by on little victories.”
Ministry in Salford is slow and hard so we have to celebrate and remember the little victories; the small but significant signs of life change that we get to witness each day. The challenge or issue is not if they happen (because they do) but if we have the eyes and heart of Jesus to see them.
Chad
Hi Chad. That is so cool, celebrating the little victories in life. That fits so well with Larry’s sermon on Sunday. He challenged us to look for God in familiar places, and to look for God in the simple things in life. Thank you for sharing so we can celebrate with you.