Floating Down the "Water of Life"
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Click Images to EnlargeSummer has been cookin’ in St. Louis, but at CFNA, cool things are afloat. Thanks to the generosity of Christ Memorial and Reliant Lutheran Churches, the swim program has been a splash! 45 students have participated in lessons at the Pavilion in Lemay. Most of the students have left with the ability to swim the narrow length of the pool, and all have found the pool to be a cool experience.
A member of Christ Memorial graciously opened up her home and private pool to several young muslim women from CFNA who culturally are not allowed to swim in public pools. These young women were given swim lessons by volunteer teachers from around the city. There was much laughter, splashing, and a few more people now know how to swim and understand safer pool etiquette.The hospitality spoke of Jesus's love as the group joined together for four days. Driving home on the last day, one of the young women asked why ‘Miss Bev’ was so good to strangers. I said, “She has been loved by Jesus and his love is so big that it overflows from her to you.”
Messiah Lutheran Youth joined the high school age youth from CFNA for a day at the pool. The girls were teaching one another to swim as the boys enjoyed the lazy river and several worked on their cannon balls. Reliant and the Mekane Yesu church met up with CFNA families at the Tower Grove Market to let the younger children splash around at the fountain splash pad. Both days built community and relationships.
On a different day, one woman from Afghanistan asked to accompany us at the Pavilion with her children. She had two boys learning to swim and one daughter who was too young for the program. Day one the temperatures were soaring, so I asked if she would like to join the Parent-and-Tot swim group. Day two, I brought a swimsuit for her and her daughter, and they were in the toddler pool splashing around. Day three, they were in the pool again and she carried her daughter into the chest high water. She had the biggest smile on her face! Afterwards, I asked how she liked the deep water. Her answer astonished me. She was remembering a day when she was just a little girl and was wading in a river, water surrounding her. Since that day, she had never experienced water in this glorious way. She said, “I feel so free.”
Just as these waters brought refreshment this summer, the River of Life continues to flow through our community. Join us to take part in sharing the freeing love of Jesus by loving your neighbor.
“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1
By Amy Zeigler
Community and Engagement Coordinator
