The comforting voice of Mrs. Freda Iwy storms down the hallway as I walk toward my destination. Little voices chattering, pencils writing, papers shuffling, it’s the first day of club. The small cramped, comfortable classroom stand before as 25 heads turn and go into a furry “Mr. Steve!” is heard all over the second floor of Cabrini Green By The Hand Club for Kids.

“I’m home”, my heart tells me. I sit down with my group and begin working on their daily math assignment as one little boy sneaks behind me, puts his arms around my neck and says “Mr. Steven, I’ve missed you.”

These kids come from Chicago’s worst community. Drug deals, shootings, beatings, child abuse, and broken families are the reality of this Chicago neighborhood. The majority of these children have never been shown true love. They’ve heard the gospel, but no one has lived it out in front of them. Most of their parents don’t want them. They go to bed without being told they’re loved. They are seen but never truly heard.

God loves these kids. I love these kids, and in return, one little boy has expressed love to me.

God loves these children, He sent his son to die for these children, He loves them as far as the east is from the west. These children have true hope, true futures, and the potential to reach whatever dreams God has put inside them. But they may never reach those dreams, if they’re never shown his love.