Checkered tablecloths, fresh flowers and sweet treats covered the tables. It was Pizza Party night at Club this month. Our super special volunteers always create a beautiful and inviting setting for us to enjoy. Even though the structure is the same, every Club gathering is unique. This month it fell just a couple of days after Valentine’s Day so the room was still decorated with big red hearts. Dinner was low key as parents, babies and volunteers trickled in. We weren’t expecting a large group since there’s a lot of sickness going on. Next on the agenda was that crazy game.  At least this time it didn’t involve eating cookies or sticking them on your body. I think the teen moms and dads love the game as much as any other part of the evening. This time it was a relay race involving two teams, a pizza box and a colorful hat. Oh yeah and running backwards. The winning team received sweet surprises but so did anyone else who wanted one. It’s really not about the prize but the thrill of victory along with the ability to loosen up and laugh together. My personal favorite comes next as teen volunteers come to lead us in worship. We call it singing but it truly is anointed worship. I love watching those high schoolers pouring out their hearts before the Lord as well as their peers. Its glorious!

You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken
Great are You, Lord

Who wouldn’t want to hear more about this God who heals broken hearts? Myrna shared her heart so beautifully as she taught us about sin and how it separates us from God much like sickness separates us from activities and the company of others. She told us a story from the bible about a woman at a well who had an encounter with Jesus. She explained that even though Jesus had just met this woman He knew she had had 5 husbands and was now with a man who wasn’t her husband. She brought identity to this woman. She asked us to imagine her sorrow having been through 5 break ups. I had never thought of that before. She named her The Heartbreak Girl. Jesus explained to the woman that she could try to quench her thirst with everything in the world but that only He could give her Living Water that would satisfy her deepest longings. Myrna said, “He spoke to the depths of her heart.” She invited us to open our hearts and allow Him to do the same for us. I was filled with joy as I heard the whispers of one teen mom translating the message into Spanish for another. That too, was glorious!

The night wound down as the girls settled in the craft room. This is when I try to get to know the girls better and maybe meet someone new. Each mom skillfully decorated a tote bag using paint and stamps and cut outs. They were all different and they all turned out super cute.

When I started coming to Club last year one of the first things I noticed was how smoothly things ran as one activity merged into the next. Everyone just instinctively knew what to do and when to do it. I decided that instead of trying to fill a spot that was already covered I would stand by and fill in the gaps. Since then I’ve gotten to help out in childcare, serve dinner and give rides. This time we were able to distribute diapers and wipes to all of the moms attending and I got to help each one stock up on the right sizes. Every mom left with arms full of supplies for the coming weeks. My heart was full as I watched them gather all their stuff and head out.

– Sue Groff