La Quemada Day 1

Day 1 at La Quemada went well. The team met at the church for a morning orientation and devotional to set us up for the day. One of our elders, Ben May, spoke to the team and encouraged us both from the Word as well as with poetry put to music by Allen Levi. In Allen’s song, “Children Need a Place to Play”, he is speaking of his brother building a playground in the city of Sarajevo just after the end of the war there. (You can read more of the story of this song and also listen to Allen perform it at his website here.)

He basically speaks to the question of why in the world we would go to a poor, gang ridden neighborhood and build, of all things, a playground. Why not a church? Why not a school? Why not something more “spiritual” or more “holy” than a simple play structure on an empty lot in the ‘hood? I can only allow Allen’s words, written from the heart of a poet, to answer in his own eloquent way.

Children Need a Place to Play

by: Allen Levi

It's an angry town, full of dangerous streets
And there's fear in the eyes and revenge in the hearts
Of the people you meet
It's a cruel war, sharp as a tight strung wire
And the children learn to hate caught in the crossfire

But someone's bringing them a truck of sand
Someone's bringing them a jungle gym
Somebody's coming from a foreign land to play with them
Cause they know children need a place to play
Don't the children need a way to get away
A stranger comes with a sandbox and a see-saw
Cause he knows children need a place to play

Across the great Atlantic, from the outside looking in
Madness seems to rule the hearts of ordinary men
But in the angry widow and the one-armed boy and soilders can't we see
Somewhere in that line-up are you and me

But Someone's bringing us a truck of sand
Somebody's bringing us a jungle gym
Somebody's coming from another Land to play
Cause He knows children need a place to play
Don't the children need a way to get away
A Stranger comes with a sandbox and a see-saw
Cause He knows children need a place to play

There among the small ones is the secret of true laughter
The wisdom and the worship of the playful
Cause we need a place to play
In this hard world we need a way to get away
Christ Jesus comes with peace and joy and laughter
And He calls children, children come and play
Come and play