From Our RHK Executive Director: Privilege of Presence

A couple of months ago I wrote about remembering our “why.” Why are we a part of RHK. Well, recently, I had the privilege of remembering my why. A couple of our teens, who I have seen grow up in the program, asked me if they could hang out, just the three of us. In my head of was thinking of all the reasons why I couldn’t. One of them, quite honestly, was this newsletter article. Writing does not come easily for me and each month I stress about what I am going to write. I don’t want it to be a waste of your time to read. Then I heard a voice in my head say, presence is a privilege. (That was the title of a chapter in the book, “Worth Seeing,” by Amy Williams, I spoke about a couple of months ago.) So, I said, “Okay, God. I need you to stretch my time, please.”

I took the day and I don’t know who was more blessed, them or me. We laughed, we painted, we shopped, we talked, we had fun, and even planned our next time together.

When we went into the shop to pick out what we were going to paint, the girls decided to paint a canvas instead of pottery. They wanted the three of us to put our hand print on each other’s canvas and then we would make it our own. This way we could each remember our day together. As we did this, my mind played like a movie throughout the years I have known the girls, watching them grow and mature. They have grown into wonderful young ladies with personalities as big as any room they walk into.

As we were painting, I heard about boyfriends who have come and gone, girl drama, school drama, excitement, and dread of the new school year. Throughout all their conversations, RHK was weaved in and out. It made me realize just how large of a part RHK plays in their day to day lives. They even wear their RHK t-shirts proudly to school, and were wearing them on the day we went out. When people ask them about their shirts, they get excited to tell people about the fun things they get to do at RHK and they get to learn about Jesus.

When the girls asked what I was going to be doing the rest of my weekend I told them I was going to be writing the newsletter and I wasn’t sure what to write. I asked “So, tell me your favorite part and I can write about that.” The one popped right up with a huge smile and said, “ALL OF IT!” To do that I would have to write a book!

The girls are not the only ones who have shown me what RHK has meant to them. We had a family whose house burned down. They called RHK for help. They didn’t ask for much, just the bare necessities. They knew we would be there for them.

There was a young lady who grew up at RHK who has a preschool-age daughter who needed a backpack, so called RHK to see if we had a spare backpack. She knew we could help.

Another young lady who grew up at RHK needed an ear to listen and called. She knew where to turn.

A gentleman who was visiting, walked through the doors like he had when he was a kid. He knew the doors would be open. Kids who have moved back to Rockford have come back to RHK. They knew they would always be welcomed.

This is what I would call the privilege of presence.

When you are present long enough, you get the privilege of seeing the kids grow. You get the privilege of seeing the next generation come. You get the privilege of not only putting your hand prints on their canvas and theirs on yours, but you each leave your hand prints on each other’s hearts. That is the privilege of presence.

Blessings,

Dee Lacny, Executive Director, Rock House Kids