Initial Reflection

By:  Kati Sandum

Step By Step is a faith-based organization that seeks to assist  single mothers by providing child-care for them once every two weeks. It provides them with transportation to and from a church, with a meal, and with a chance to escape their children and talk to each other for a couple of hours. The mothers, ages 14-24, often have limited opportunities to make meaningful friendships. Step By Step allows them to connect with each other and helps to link them to other programs that allow them to get their GED's, attend college, and get jobs. Step By Step is centered on God. The ultimate goal of its programs is to help young women form a relationship with Christ, yet this goal is not to be forced upon any woman. No matter what a woman has done, Step By Step aims to support her.

To prepare for watching children ages 0-5+, volunteers, including me, gathered and underwent training for about two hours. Based on this training, I expected swarms of kids to come  acting like wild monkeys. We were taught what to do if children refuse snacks, throw temper tantrums, or start sobbing uncontrollably. All of this training made me a little bit nervous. What if every child’s goal in life was to drive the workers crazy?

Volunteers practice discipline techniques at training

Thankfully, the actual experience was nothing like this. I worked with the 5 and up age group. At first we wondered if any children would show up - a bus was running late, so no one came until ten minutes after the purported start time. Only two girls came, but they bubbled over with enough excitement to fill the room. They drew pictures on the chalkboard and showed off dance moves that could beat any celebrity’s. Beyonce was their favorite artist, although they were also delighted to show us how to “whip nae nae”. When we took them outside to the playground, they played tag and red light green light until we were exhausted. They colored pictures and gave them to us.

Drawings that the girls gave me

I was most impressed by the girls’ vitality despite their circumstances. They don’t have all the advantages that I had. My parents and family work together to support me and help me grow, but these girls’ mothers had no support system to fall back on. Despite this, they taught their daughters to dance beautifully, to live happily, and to be friendly and polite. Step By Step is helping these and other girls to grow up with some support. I am glad that I will be able to help provide support to these girls and their mothers, and I am sure that they will continue to remind me not only of the importance of resiliency but also of the joy that can be found in every situation.