Meet Ryan

Ryan has been one of my very best friends since college. We've experienced the ups and downs of life together, and now he's joined me in helping at Team ASAP. He's made it down two Friday's in a row and intends to make it a weekly thing. Read below to hear some of our conversation we had after the Team ASAP crew left...

Alright, so you said after the kids left the gym, "Dang, it just seems like a lost cause." Elaborate on that...

"Well it's just out of my realm of possibilities to deal with...kids of that age from this environment, and that they can be this hardened and neglected...to be so tough but to be such a baby...crazy emotional swings with no boundaries. It's like they're all raising themselves, kids raising kids, and it's just hard to believe that this is all happening just a few blocks from where we live. It baffles my mind."

What did you think when you left the gym last week?

"The first time it really didn't hit me...this time, it hit me."

What was it like showing up today, and the kids running up to you, giving you a hug and remembering you?

"It was awesome when they came up and recognized me, and I'm still coming out of my shell around them. It's just crazy how much attention these kids need. Last week, I was here for about an hour and I was just thinking how I wanted to leave, and I just wanted to quit...so I can't imagine what you go through on a weekly basis being here by yourself with 25 kids, and you just really need help."

How do you think you can relate to them growing up without a dad?

"Honestly, I think their problems are beyond not having a father. When I look at them, it's like they don't have anybody. It's like their parents don't have any hope for them either. It's a cycle. Hope hasn't been instilled in them, or something better than living in the ghetto, and they need to hear it. Hopefully I can instill some of that hope and change some of their perspectives on themselves and on life."

Do you see any hope in a program like this with kids like this, or do you think it's a lost cause and that I'm just wasting my time?

"I really don't think you're wasting your time, because I look at the alternative. What would these kids be doing if you weren't there? You're giving them a chance. If you have 500 kids, not all of them are gonna be doctors and lawyers...so some of them are gonna be drug addicts, and degenerates...but you're giving them a chance. Especially with the older kids that can comprehend, I see a huge kind heart and willingness to listen...it's just the young ones that are the toughest but hopefully over time with what your teaching with education and faith you can lay a good foundation."

What made you want to come the first time?

"It was just really a personal decision, I was going through some hard things in my life. When you look at yourself in the mirror and you realize sometimes how short life is and how meaningless most of our daily activities are...I just realized I wanted to find something to do that would help me realize what's important in life, and maybe help someone else along the way. All I can do is try to make the small world that surrounds me a better place and hopefully change a life or two along the way."

Which one kid stuck on your heart the most?

"Probably Envr. He was kind of seeking me out, and I spent the most time with him. So hopefully we'll be able to build our relationship a little more, and he will allow me to speak into his life and help him in ways that I can. I hope to be back next week."

-Ryan

Meet DeShaun

After about 2 months of crying at the door to the gymnasium, I could no longer refuse this adorable youngster. DeShaun has 2 older brothers in the Team ASAP program, and he would follow them over each and every day just to be turned away at the door over and over again. He would usually cry for about 5 minutes or so, before sulking his way across the street to wander the projects alone. Team ASAP is not a babysitting or a daycare program, so there's no time for 4 and 5 year olds to be running around crying and biting people because they didn't get their way. Well, there's been an exception. Persistence truly does weaken resistance, and I believe our Lord Jesus said it best in Luke chapter 18--> And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

That question Jesus asked haunts me...
"When He comes, will the Son of Man find faith on the earth?"
Will He find us burdened in love with Him?

DeShaun has been a wonderful contribution to the Team ASAP family, and he's definitely a huge hit with the lady volunteers. Here's a little bit about him...

What's your name?

"Nunu."

Huh?

"I'm DeShaun."

What's Nunu, is that what they call you?

"Yeah, that's what my Papa call me."

Who's your favorite person on the planet?

"Rambo."

Why?

"Because he's my only friend that I have."

What do you think about Coach Matt?

"I think he's the coolest one ever."

Why?

"Because he always gives us treats."

What do you think about Dodgeball?

"I think it's fun."

How old are you?

"I'm 5."

Ok, well do you know when your birthday is?

"No."

And do you wanna take the good path or the bad path?

"The good path."

-DeShawn

DeShawn comes from a rough background and is already beyond his years from the things he's experienced and seen. He acts out quite a bit like any other 5 year old and has already formed some pretty destructive habits, but everyone loves him. We're trying to get his childhood back and let him know that it's ok to be a good boy. I try to show him attention and one on one time, but it get's tough with a gym full of 30 wild kids all needing to be noticed and loved. Come hang out with us sometime, DeShaun would love it.

God Bless,
Matt

Meet Givonn

Last week, as we were digging through some things in the Team ASAP snack and goody pile, we found a couple treasures...and who knew that a few stick-on mustaches would be such a giant hit with the kids.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to present the winners to you of our very own Team ASAP, Best Mustache Award...Givonn (left) and Rambo (right). 

Givonn is a 9 year-old 4th grader at Edna Rowe Elementary and I made a bet with him that he couldn't grow out his hair until June, and so far he's winning. I was able to ask him a few questions on his way home, and here is what he had to say...

Givonn, what did you learn at Team ASAP today?

"I learned that Jesus is going to come back and everyone is gonna see him, even the ones who pierced him."

What do you think about all that?

"It's gonna be crazy, it's gonna be like on the news and stuff. Can we go to McDonalds now and get some cheeseburgers?"

Yep, we're on the way. So tell me what you liked most about today...

"Dodgeball and Rambo...he's cool."

What do you like most about Rambo?

"He's cool and tough and funny."

Yeah he is...now tell me what you want to be when you grow up...

"A boxer."

That's cool, what made you want to do that?

"I don't know...I just do. Are we getting close to McDonalds?"

Yep, almost...so tell me something else, what else did you learn today?

"I didn't know that Jesus got punched for us and got beat up..."

Yeah, that's cold isn't it...

"Yeah...I also learned to not take the bad path, and not to lie and steal."

Good, and did you fall more in love with God today?

"Yeah, I did."

Well, do you have anything else you want to share?

"No, that's all."

-Givonn

Meet Deshaun

When we first met DeShaun, we all knew this kid was special. His interview doesn't share many of the small details we've learned during this semester, but the kid is definitely a jewel. Read below to see what DeShaun has to say about where he lives, his relationship with his family, Team ASAP, and Jesus. And for the record, he's not afraid of snakes.

Alright, so tell me your name...

"My name is Desean Smith."

Ok Desean, tell me a little bit about your life...

"Uh...I live in the projects and the projects are bad."

Alright so you grew up in the projects and you said the projects are bad...what happens in the projects, how are they bad?

"Sometimes they shoot, sometimes people get robbed, and a week ago somebody got killed."

Wow...so how do you feel when things like this happen in your neighborhood?

"Nothing because it's been goin' on for so long."

So you're kinda used to it?

"Yep."

Well, what are your dreams? Do you dream of staying in the projects?

"No, I'm ready to leave."

So what are you doing in your life that's preparing you to achieve that goal?

"I'm going to school everyday and trying to make good grades, trying my best in class, and I've been reading the Bible."

Oh, you've been reading the Bible? That's awesome...what book have you been reading?

"When I first started I was reading the beginning with Adam and Eve and the sons like Cain and his sons and all the rest or their sons and it went up to Noah and I don't really remember the book names but I just read the stories and stuff like Samson, and I had read about Moses, I had read about David and him killing Uriah's husband, and I read some about the end of the times I think that was in Revelation."

That's great...well tell me some of the struggles you've had to overcome in life so far...

"Anger problems. Sometimes I get bored quickly too, and I just get mad. And then I just get into some trouble or go to sleep."

I understand, well how's your relationship with your mom and dad?

"I don't know my dad, and my relationship with my mom is great. Except I don't live with her I live with my Grandma."

What's that like?

"Well, it's ok but I just don't really have a man in my life to help me know how to be a man so I gotta just learn from my mistakes. And I try to see my mom when I can usually on the weekends."

What are some of the mistakes you've made?

"I've lied, I've fought, I've stole stuff before, uh...that's it."

Ok, well what do you think about Team ASAP?

"It's fun cause we get to play a lot and I do my homework here and y'all teaching us the Word so we can be prepared for what's coming in the future, so that's what I think about it."

Have your grades gotten better by coming to Team ASAP?

"Somewhat yes, I sure been trying."

How has Team ASAP most impacted your life?

"Mostly the Bible. And I know a whole bunch of things about the Bible but I don't use it. Just now I been starting to apply it to my decisions. It's in my blood to do bad things, but now I've been trying to do what's good and take the good path."

What was life like before Team ASAP?

"Well, I really wasn't doing anything that bad with my life I just wasn't trying in school and didn't care much about anything, but as I started coming to Team ASAP I can tell I been trying more and my grades have been getting better. I'm a work in progress...I'm bringing my grades up from what they were in the 6th grade."

That's awesome. Do you see a change in the other kids that have been coming to the program?

"Some of them yes, and some of them no. Like the younger kids, they have good days but they still act wild in the projects. And the older kids like Rosco and Buddy and my old friend De'Voncio they used to be like 'I don't care,' but now they're just like me, works in progress."

What advice would you give to somebody that was younger that doesn't have a father like you?

"I would tell them to listen to their mother because she knows best and to not think of it as a bad thing because they really do have a Father, they just can't see Him right now."

I know here at Team ASAP they talk a lot about Jesus, who is Jesus to you?

"My Savior."

Go a little bit more in detail, can you?

"Well, He died on the cross for my sins and that He didn't have to die but He did to save us. And I know that when the time comes for Him to come back to Earth that I need to be prepared and I need to have a good life and a good attitude because He knows I'm gonna sin sometimes but He doesn't want me to be a sinner and He's given me grace."

What is the greatest thing Jesus did in the Bible?

"He walked on water. And it's cool because it was like a normal thing for Him and He wasn't amazed by it."

Ok, so if you were in the boat and thunder and lightning was all over the place and everyone was in a panic and you saw Jesus walking on the water...and He asked you to step out of the boat, would you do it?

"Yes, because if I knew that it was the Lord I would take a chance with it because I know He wouldn't mislead me to die."

Ok, well if you could ask Jesus any question what would it be?

"I wouldn't ask Him anything because I'd be in total amazement."

That's great. Well besides Jesus, who's your favorite person in the Bible?

"Samson because his parents prayed for him to be a special child and he got his strength from his hair. And when he was a kid he let his temper get the best of him and he said, "I hate those stupid Philistines," and he ended up snapping a spear and beat up like 300 people with the jawbone of a donkey and he fought against people who had hatred towards God."

What can you learn from the story of Samson?

"Don't fall in love, and if God tells you to do something always listen."

And what do you want to be when you grow up?

"I want to be an entomologist and also adopt a kid and be a dad to them."

-Desean

Meet Rosco

Rosco is 12 years old and is in the seventh grade. He's pretty much the coolest kid we've ever known...besides Davoncio, and Deshaun...and well, Vladimir too...and a lot of other really cool people like Sponge Bob Square Pants and Tim Tebow. Anyways, a local reporter interviewed him recently, and we were able to get a copy of it on craigslist for $13. Read below to learn more...

So tell me about your family and where you grew up and what your house was like...

"I mean, I really can't explain my house but my family is ok...um, my dad doesn't live with us but I should be going down there today...or some weekend, I don't know.  My mom keeps on saying she's gonna take me but she never does, so I really don't listen to what she says."

Why doesn't your dad live with y'all?

"I don't know...I think he just left."

Yeah? When did he leave? 

"I was 5."

Ok, so tell me about your house, tell me about how you grew up...

"I grew up with like, for these last two years I been growing up with my momma.  My dad wants me to come live with him but my mom said since I have my dad's last name I have to live with her."

Tell me about when you were a really little kid...tell me what it was like...

"Like 3 years old?"

Yeah, tell me what it was like...

"That's when my daddy and my mom was together...it was fun...it was calm, um...it was real fun, I could get anything I want. Like, it'd be Saturday morning and I could ask my uncle if he'd drive me to the skating rink and he'd get up and do it.  I'll get my dad back..."

So when did everything change?

"Oh yeah, so, I play little league football and we was going to Florida to play a championship game and then when I came back, he was gone.  I asked my mom where he was, and she said he had made his decision...and I was like, ok."

What was that like?

"Sad....I hadn't seen him in like 4 years, and then I was in middle school and he showed up at one of my football games talkin' about, 'this is your new step sister and step mom.' And it made me mad."

So tell me about your mom and your brothers and what you're house is like...

"My mom has 7 kids...and we get along most the time. And my room has a great theme...the theme is M&M's, and each year I have a different candy for my room."

So tell me about when you started coming to Team ASAP, and your Jesus necklace, and what you think about everything Matt's been teaching you...

"Um, everything Coach Matt has been teaching me is really happening. I know he teaches us good things, because um every time he talks to us he tells us good things."

And where'd you get the necklace?

"It was like some kind of store...some kind of department store, I don't know what it was..."

So tell me about when you decided that you loved Jesus.

"When Coach Matt introduced me to Him."

Why do you love Him?

"I love Jesus because I know He is the Messiah and the Savior, or whatever, and um...I love Jesus because I know He loves us and He saved us and died on the cross for our sins."

When did that make sense to you?  When did all that start making sense?

"When Coach Matt explained it."

Yeah, how did he explain it? What started making a difference? 

"He sat us down and started talking to us about it like nobody else did."

What about it was so different? Can you tell me more?

"He cares."

Yeah?

"The other people that taught me, they don't care."

Earlier you said that he was servant-hearted, what does that mean?

"Servant-hearted means like serving people before yourself."

That's good. Alright, well Roscoe, what's your favorite chapter in the Bible?

"Um, Proverbs."

Tell me why, tell me about why Proverbs is your favorite...

"It's a very interesting chapter, most of the action takes place there."

What kind of action?

"Like, Jesus talks to us a lot."

Yeah? What kind of talking? Tell me about it...

"Like, uh, he tells us that fools hate knowledge and we should eat the fruit of the knowledge or something like that. It gives a lot of lessons and tells us good things."

That's a good answer, that's cool.  So, what's your favorite thing about Jesus?

"Like, things that he did, or things about him?"

Both...

"Well, I like it when he made um that dude walk on water or something like that from Bethlehem."

Why is that cool?

"Cause no one's ever walked on water before, that's why."

It's pretty cool when you can do the impossible, huh? So, what's your favorite personality trait about Jesus?

"He's very calm...and collective, whatever that word is. Calm and collected, that's it."

That's great, why do you like that?

"Because, throughout the Bible, he never does anything destructive. If somebody tries to kill Him, He doesn't kill them, or whatever."

Ok, and if you could ask God or Jesus one question...what would it be and why?

"When is the world gonna end because like, Coach Matt said we gonna run for the mountains...we gonna run for the mountains in El Paso, like really. We're gonna get a van, we're gonna rent it, and we're gonna be speeding. And everybody is gonna be in a rush in all the nations, and we gonna go and um, we're gonna stay on top of the mountains so we can be safe there from the Beast."

Cool. I like it. Well is there anything else you want to share with us?

"Nope, that's it."

-Rosco

Meet Rayv'ion

After a short interview with Rayv'ion, the coaches learned all kinds of things. Read below to see just what all he had to say...

First, how old are you?

"I'm 9, well I'm really 8 but my momma call me 9, so I call myself 9."

And how smart are you on a scale of 1 to 10? 10 being the most smart...

"Um, kinda between 8 and 7."

Ok, well tell me what you like about school? 

"Nothing." 

Oh, so you don't like P.E. or recess? 

"Nope, I like comin' home from school and doing Team ASAP."

Ok, well do they feed you at school?

"Yeah, they give us something different each day."

Do you like the food at least?

"No."

What's it taste like?

"It tastes like, dry...and last time they made us eat something and I threw my plate on the ground and I got in trouble...that's why I got detention."

Well, you know some people are starving in the world, and they don't get anything to eat all day long?

"Oh."

So tell me something else Rayv'ion...is there something cool I should know about you?

"That I like math, I like football, and I like running."

And who's your favorite super hero? 

"Batman 'cause he can fly."

What about your favorite movie? 

"I like clowns and Sponge Bob Square Pants because he funny."

And do you have any brothers or sisters? 

"Nope it is just me."

Well, what do you like about Team ASAP? 

"That it's fun."

Tell me a little more...what's your favorite thing about it? 

"I like when we play dodgeball, except when I be getting out all the time."

What's the best thing that's happened at Team ASAP in the past week?

"When Coach Justin had stood up for me when I was being bullied.  It made me feel like someone cared."

That's great. And what do you think about Jesus?

"That he a good person."

What else?

"That he a good citizen...and this is the thang that's kinda cool about it, how can you be a person that die and then still be God again? It's like, he died first, or something. And people were messin' with him and he still didn't get angry and he was just forgiving people. That's what be makin me mad is talkin 'bout how he died."

More to come soon...

-Rayv'ion

Meet Vladimir

Vladimir is 13 years old and from a small town in Mexico. He's a great kid and a joy to be around.  Vladimir is one great example of how Team ASAP has made great impacts on the lives of so many young boys. Coach Macy decided to interview him and see what Team ASAP meant to him and what he has had to overcome. Here is his story...

Tell me a little about your background and family history...

"My dad left our family about 6 months ago without giving a reason or saying goodbye. My mom works two jobs and isn't really at home except for the weekends. My 20 year old sister takes care of me but has a job too." 

Tell me about school and how Team ASAP has helped you academically...

"I'm in the 6^th grade and I make A’s B’s and C’s. Ever since I started coming to Team ASAP my grades have been getting better. My favorite subject is math but I'm struggling with it.  The Coaches help me to study and learn in school and how to make better decisions in my life." 

What has been a major struggle in your life and how has Team ASAP helped you with this?

"I used to be a part of a gang that I was forced to be in. The guys who were in charge of the gang would pressure me to smoke weed and cigarettes. We were constantly getting into trouble at school and with the police, and I realized I didn't want to be a part of the gang anymore after we were about to go to jail. After I decided to leave the gang, the other members are still bullying me and try to fight with me every day at school.  Team ASAP gives me something to do after school and has taught me that I can do whatever I set my mind to.  I enjoy spending my time here and staying out of trouble."  

What does Team ASAP mean to you? 

“Team ASAP means a lot to me. They have become my family and made me want to change my life.  I recently got saved and have accepted Jesus Christ as my savior. I read the Bible more often and it repairs me in life.”

-Vladimir