Hope

Kids started yelling “fight… fight… fight…” as I was trying to make my way out of the devotion room. I stopped and asked a little girl, “What’s going on?” She casually replied, “Oh, there was a fight.”

Located in Springfield, Ohio, H.O.P.E is an organization that provides support, training, and positive role models for young people in need of guidance and direction. It is situated right beside the church. Many children under the age of 18 come there and improve their relationships with others, but does it really happen?

Matthew, or “Matt” as the kids call him, supervises 100-150 kids every day. He provides them with the food and care that they deserve. Most of these kids come from families that do not do so well. From a cocaine-addicted mother to an abusive father, everyone has their own story.

As I decided to make my way inside the building through a heavy metal red door with the big H.O.P.E letters written on it in a graffiti style, I felt a distinct smell in that building… like popcorn. Matt was standing at the door in a yellow shirt with "Raiders" written on it to welcome me and my friend, Carolyn, as we handed him a box of corn, “These are for the kids, from Wittenberg University.”

He thanked us and led us down the hallway.

The rooms were built around a single hallway. There was a devotion room, art room, playroom, eating area, and a movie room for the kids between the ages of 6-18.

Within 5 minutes of us being there, Matt started gathering everyone in the devotion room where he thanks God and prays to protect the kids. There is always some kind of lesson that he tries to teach in his devotion time with the kids. Today he decided to teach about safe sex. His conversations revolved around the idea of waiting for the right person to come.

He asked us to hang around in the praying room with the kids after the prayer. “You used to be really fat. Your stomach was everywhere,” said 12-year-old Elijah to a 15-year-old, Kenzie, as she was trying to hold her year-old son. Kenzie felt a little insecure, “It is not bad, but it used to be.” Carolyn tried to comfort her by telling her that she would have never even guessed she had a baby. There was a small smile on her face after she heard the kind words.

Later I made my way to the playroom where kids were playing Fortnite. A girl named Khloe was sitting quietly in the corner. She had green shoes, a pink shirt, and blue leggings on. I asked her, “Why have I never seen you here?” She replied in a shy manner, “Because I have not been here in a long time. My cousin was jumped here on the couch in the food area. They had to call the police and an ambulance to take her to the hospital. That’s why this is my first time in a while. I was scared.”

Fighting is normal in the area. A week ago, there were 3 fights that took place at the same time. She called it “the brawl.” The kids do not look surprised when they see or hear about a fight. Matt does everything in his power to avoid these situations in H.O.P.E.

Outside of H.O.P.E., she said the school that she goes to nearby is very unpleasant. The school that they go to does not provide the emotional support that the kids need. In fact, the teacher punishes them if they color without permission and calls them with words that a teacher should not use in the classroom setting, such as “dumb.”

Not a lot of people volunteer in the area because they feel threatened, but there is nothing to be threatened about. These kids need help and a role model who can help them achieve their dreams and goals.

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