On October 31st, a gust of wind rustled the fallen leaves. A stray cat scampered across the edge of the vacant playground, glancing around in terror. Dark clouds gathered in the distance. None of us knew what this night would hold...
Turned out, it mainly held a really fun time. And thanks to our team of student leaders, the kids in our neighborhood had a great evening involving time on the playground, face paint, candy, and the joy of celebrating with their community.
I know Halloween gets a lot of criticism for the fear it seems to celebrate and its dark history, but we're of the opinion that the holiday itself is just a skeleton. With our focus, attitude, and way of celebrating, we round it out and place the metaphorical meat of meaning on it.
So each year, we work with local leaders to make it Halloween about neighborhood, creativity, hospitality, and generosity. And it's always a great chance to pull the neighborhood together. I think Spider Woman and the rest of the kids got the idea.
Each week, we are amazed at how rich this neighborhood is in life, love, and community. We're so thankful for Miguel, Susana, Vanesa, Vanessa, Guzman, Wanda, and all the youth who work to make life better for the kids who live here.
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