From the Blog
The River Babies Series
Early on in our ministry, a mentor shared the “River Babies” story with me. His ministry was similar to ours, providing an after-school tutoring program for under-resourced children. I thought I understood the story’s meaning straightaway. Over the years, however, my own experiences have enabled me to see multiple layers of wisdom beneath the story’s surface. Now, I share the “River Babies” parable with you.
Featured Series
River Babies
The founding story of New Hope — how we learned to stop pulling babies from the river and start walking upstream.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We sought to answer one question: Where do these “River Babies” come from? One of my main discoveries is that poor urban Black children did not simply fall out of middle-class life and land in poverty; they grew up in it.
Trauma
When my wife, Kris, and I first started working with children in under-resourced neighborhoods, we were shocked by two things. First, the academic gap was staggering. The kids we worked with weren't just a little behind; they were in a deep hole. On average, our students were two to three years below grade level.
The Achievement Gap
In Louisiana, it did not matter whether children went to private schools or public schools. Both middle-class students and under-resourced children received similar scores on standardized tests to their respective peer groups regardless of the school they attended. Their school made very little difference. On the other hand, parental SES made all the difference.
Diving In
Noble intentions often fall victim to comfort and security . . . If there had been an easier way, I would have likely taken it. Sometimes God uses forcing moves to get us to where we need to be.
The Path
The River Babies Journey isn’t merely about discovering the source of the river rabies. It’s also about finding our true selves. That’s because it is a journey, not a destination. This journey is nothing if it is not a spiritual one.
More to Read
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Reconciliation
