Friendly Town

Friendly Town:

 When I was a child our family was introduced to a program called “Friendly Town.” Friendly Town was a program that would take inner city kids and place them with a family that lived in the country for a week in the summer. I must have been around 13 years old when we were visited by Marcy and Violet. Marcy and Violet were sisters who lived in a rough part of Cleveland, Ohio. Marcy and Violet were also African American. Since we lived out in the country 50 miles from Cleveland, we had really never experienced anyone from a different culture or a different race. We lived on a 25-acre Grape Farm and we raised cows, chickens, rabbits and sheep. 

 I remember the girls’ reaction when they first saw the cows. It was amazing that someone had never seen a cow. They laughed and laughed! My dad laughed too! My dad got involved with Friendly Town because he wanted us kids to experience different cultures and different races. You see I grew up in an all-white community. I guess my dad didn’t want us growing up with prejudices and so this was a good learning experience for us. I also believe that he wanted us to realize how fortunate we were to have so much.

 Growing up this was just one of many experiences that my dad tried to expose us kids to. He really was being the hands and feet of Jesus. Trying to show love to everyone regardless of one’s race, social status or heritage. He was attempting to instill in us kids unconditional love.

 I recently did some research on “Friendly Town” and it is now called the “Fresh Air Fund.” Unfortunately, the “Fresh Air Fund” is not in Texas. “Volunteer host families live in small towns, suburban and rural communities along the East Coast and Southern Canada. Fresh Air children visit families in 14 states from North Carolina to Maine.” If you live in any of these areas and are interested in being a Host Family, please visit www.freshair.org for more information.

 Thanks for listening and Jesus IS KING!