A couple weeks ago, my heart jumped a bit when I ran across an organization called "Granny's House" in the weekly MU news email I receive. Granny's House is an organization whose mission is to show the love of God to children living in inter-city public housing in Columbia. One look at their website showed me that this after-school program is exactly what I had in mind. I decided to learn more, and to kill two birds with one stone by writing a Corner Post article about the organization.
What I found last Wednesday was eye-openning and heart-wrenching. First of all, I'm not a fan of driving in the city so I was already a little stressed, but when I pulled into the neighborhood my heart rate increased even more. The area had an overall feeling of gloominess and despair. I was not prepared for this side of the city. Regardless of my initial reaction, it didn't take me long to realize that Granny's House serves as a lighthouse in this community.
As I walked into the house, I was immediately hit with colorful walls and surroundings. I was directed upstairs to meet with Pam Ingram, founder and director of Granny House. Climbing the stairs, I noticed the walls were covered with children's hand prints and scripture verses. When first meeting Pam, affectionately known as "Granny Pam," I immediately knew this was a woman with a lot of energy and a lot of love for the people around her. I soon came to find out that all the children of Granny's House loved Granny Pam too. Every so often, a child would barge in to tell Granny Pam "hi" and something about their day at school. Even after the fifth child within 15 minutes, Granny Pam's welcoming smile and loving demeanor never faltered. I could tell this was a woman who could make people feel special and encourage them to go after their goals.
My conversation with Granny Pam grew from talking about the beginnings of her organization to agriculture and the city perspective of food production. It was a great experience for me to see just what her questions were and to get a real look inside the mind of someone with no agricultural background. I often feel like I know very little, but I am continually amazed at how much I've absorbed simply from being around people with scientific knowledge.
By the time I left, I was feeling much more light hearted. I had the joy of knowing that even in places which may be marked with hopelessness, God cares and sends his servants out to show His love.
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| Shannen Smith (left) and Hannah Calcote (right) are two Granny's House volunteers from Mizzou |
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