Noel is a 13-year-old whose family's livelihood depends largely on the meager income his father and mother earn as farm workers.
Sometimes Noel joins his parents, waking at 5 a.m. to pick tomatoes or melons, and working until sunset. At day's end, his fingers bleed and his back hurts.
Now his father, an undocumented immigrant, is being deported to Mexico, and his mother struggles with depression. Noel isn't certain how his family will survive.
He is certain, however, that he and his family can rely on Beth-El Farmworker Ministry in Wimauma. The ministry, which serves workers in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties, began as a religious outreach program in 1976.
With problems too large to ignore, the ministry expanded its services over the years. Now it provides adult education, housing assistance, legal and social services, and a food pantry.
The Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA) also operates a day care service and a unique charter school on the ministry's 27-acre spread off U.S. 301. The RCMA Academy brings preschoolers up to speed by second grade and prepares them to integrate into public schools. Without the day care and the elementary, the children would most likely spend their days in the fields beside their parents.
The middle school bridges the gap created by the constant travels of migrant families and prepares students for high school.
Noel, full of hope despite his plight, attends the RCMA Academy and dreams of being a doctor or a soccer player. I don't know what's more impressive: his positive outlook or the courage he displayed in sharing his story with a room full of strangers at a fundraising breakfast Tuesday at the Palma Ceia Country Club.
After his speech and a moving video presentation, something got in my eyes and they started to water. It must have been dust.
Call 813 633-1548 or visit www.beth-el.info for more information.
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Halvern Johnson shakes his head in disbelief whenever he thinks of the little boy he met last summer. Johnson, a district executive for the Boy Scouts' local Gulf Ridge Council, was transporting the boy from a special scouting event to a pickup spot in the University Community area. He asked the boy if his mom was going to pick him up.
"My mama is in jail," said the boy, matter of factly and without emotion.
Johnson asked, "Where's your father?"
The boy shrugged and said, "I don't know."
The value of scouting is well-known: lessons in self-esteem, preparedness and survival. The challenge Johnson faces is bringing those values to the inner city. Scouting is extremely popular in suburban areas such as Brandon and affluent areas such as South Tampa.
Yet Tampa's urban areas have yielded only a handful of stable troops over the years. One is at First Baptist Church of College Hill, but that's largely because pastor Abe Brown grew up as a scout and sees a lot of good in scouting.
Johnson, a native who played football at Tampa Catholic in the mid '90s, wants to create more stable troops and find more people willing to be Scout masters. The Boy Scouts of America even have some funds set aside to use as incentives for scout masters.
An impressive group of judges, law enforcement personnel and businessmen showed up for lunch Tuesday at Carrabba's to help raise money for the purchase of uniforms for disadvantaged kids. Now Johnson needs to find some people willing to show up once a week, not for lunch, but for Scouts.
Call (813) 872-2691 for more information.
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I don't mean to be selfish, but if Keyshawn Johnson isn't going to play for the Bucs anymore, am I still going to be able to get those dumplings at Profusion? Wins and losses are never going to be more important than my stomach.
