Building Hope Memories

Building Hope Memories

By Jayme Wall, Lead Teacher 

As my second year as Lead Teacher comes to a close, the question I hear at the end of each day resounds in my heart and even louder in my head. 

 “Have I done enough?” 

I am blessed to work every day with people who are so encouraging.  Even with their encouragement, that question still arises in my heart, and I have to wait on the only One who can answer my question. The Lord sees my heart and loves me still the same.  Of course, His answer is simple. So simple even a child could answer it, and answer it they did.

In the last week of school, I asked all the 1^st through 5^th graders to tell me about their favorite memories this year at Building Hope. While they were working, I tried to think of all the wonderful lessons I taught throughout the year.

Like the time when we learned about Creation and they made a banner of all the Days...

or when we figured out there are three feet in a yard by creating a front yard to put our feet in.

To my surprise, none of these made it to their lists. Things like watching movies on a rainy day and eating ice cream sundaes on Fun Fridays were expressed A LOT.  Also high on their lists was when the ECU basketball team came to play

and they loved getting to paint the new mural on our building as well.

Talk about a surprise, huh? 

In my heart I started to feel like these things were not that important. I worked hard ALL year to create lessons that were fun and engaging. I wanted to say, “Don’t you understand!!??”  But in the Lord’s loving kindness, He speaks. He brought to my memory what I share with volunteers every year.  At Building Hope, we help kids have a chance to be kids. They get to play, be loved, cheered for, and always get a delicious snack thanks to Mrs. Irene.  Almost all of the students who walk through our door are practically grownups. They have already seen too much, heard too much, and have been through too much. They need a safe place to be children.

In Matthew 18:3  Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” He also said, “He who welcomes a child in my Name welcomes Me.” 

As I read these verses over and over again, the question in my heart is answered quite clearly.

I have done enough.  These students need help with academics to be successful in school and life, but that’s not what it is always about. They need to be accepted in the kingdom of God.  They need to be ice cream loving, basketball playing, joyful laughing, egg toss throwing children. 

With the Lord’s help, Building Hope is the place to achieve all of these things.

 

Here are just a few of their BEST Memories this year! 

I enjoy it on Fun Friday because we do not have homework to do. Also we can do fun stuff such as eating ice cream sundaes. They were good! Also because my friends and favorite teachers are here.

                                                                                                                Chantasia Raspberry, 2nd Grade

My favorite moment at Building Hope was when I shot and made 3 “Nothing but Nets” in a row. One day, I was practicing half courts shots. I asked myself, “Can I make a “Nothing but net” from half court?” Then I shot and it flew…and flew...then...SWOOP!! The ball went into the net and I had succeeded! THE END

                                                                                                                Jahtwan Mooring, 5th Grade

My favorite moment at Building Hope was when we painted the wall. I like painting because it is very fun. I like the wall now because it has a lot of colors and I like that. It was fun because you got to paint whatever you wanted in your circle. When we put different colors of paint together on the plate it made different shades of colors.

                                                                                                                     Anessa Roberson, 2nd Grade

My favorite thing at Building Hope is when we had the Traditional Feast. The reason why I like that is because I got to introduce myself to people. OH! And another thing is the Black History Celebration and Fun Fridays.  The reason I put those two is because I did not know that much about Black History Famous people and Fun Fridays were fun to me because I like the egg toss, ECU basketball, tag, and kickball.

                                                                                                                       Traquavis Harris, 5th Grade

On Fun Friday I enjoy myself with my friends. Also on Fun Friday we ate ice cream sundaes, but we had to write the directions for how to make the ice cream sundae first. It was really delicious.

                                                                                                                     Zaquerian Harris, 2nd Grade

My favorite thing at Building Hope was when the ECU basketball players came to play. When they came, they were tall and they talked a lot of smack, like how they were going to beat us in basketball, but we beat them instead. Then they had went home crying.

                                                                                                                          Myles White, 5th Grade

My favorite memory from Building Hope is the Christmas Dinner and getting presents. Then being with my teachers and friends and getting to meet my friends' parents. I can’t wait til next year.

                                                                                                                         Miracle Moore, 4th Grade

The reason I like reading at Building Hope is because I like learning. I also like to be on the edge of my seat. My favorite book is Sign of the Beaver and my second favorite book is Hatchet.

                                                                                                                            Taylor Outlaw, 4th Grade

My favorite memory of Building Hope was the egg toss. It was a very fun day! Throwing the egg back and forth was a challenge. Me and my partner came along until we dropped the egg. I will never forget the most fun I ever had at Building Hope.

                                                                                                                          Taniya Perkins, 5th Grade