A Shakey Start

After talking to the young lady that directed the Freedom School and getting directions for a site visit, I could not turn back. She gave me directions to a church located in a part of the city that was as alien to me as another planet. I don't think I've ever been outside of the loop. Nevertheless, I had made a commitment and was determined to keep it. The morning was just like any other Tuesday morning, I was off from work, unrushed and well rested. I got up did a mapquest of the address, the lady had given me and wrote down the directions and felt pretty sure that I would have no problems finding the place. While taking my morning shower, however, doubt again creeped into my thoughts. I started hearing all the conversations I had with well meaning friends about what was going to happen, I had no experience teaching children, how was I going to maintain control, how was I going to keep them interested, will I be effective? Then it dawned on me, THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU. Again feeling confident, I set out
to the church following my handwritten directions. To my surprise I arrived exactly in the right place at the right time, providence was with me. I called the director on my cell phone because the facility appeared to be closed, she directed me to come to the side entrance and there she was a beautiful young woman with a smile that immediately made me feel welcomed. And what's this, she's as pregnant as pie. I didn't realize it at the time, but so was I. We were both about to give birth. Continued

The Project's Beginnings

One day you wake up and realize that your body is older than your mind. When that happens, one of two things occur. You begin to work on your body and try to stave off the ravages of time or you go inward to find yourself and what you have become. That reckoning came for me one day last summer. It started innocently enough at a fund raising event. I was seated among a group of extraordinary strangers and started bragging about my culinary abilities. It was then that they challenged me to use these abilites to help others. Naturally I agreed never thinking that I would ever hear from them again. How wrong and lucky for me that out of this, something wonderful was about to happen in my life. I was asked to teach a group of 80 children in a summer reading program. After agreeing, I began to ask myself if I could really do this, was I as good a teacher as a braggard. After a rough start and a few setbacks, I realized that I could indeed do this and could do it on a regular basis. I knew lots of people in the nonprofit sector who suggested that I turn this whim into a fully pledged life contribution. Me, teaching kids how to cook, who would have thought? After the first class, the spell had been casted and I could think of nothing better to do with my time. It consumed my days and nights. How to move forward? Continued