DC Curry @ SonCity Kids

Remember the “I want to be like Mike” Nike commercials. Everyone wanted to be like Michael Jordan. Well, I want to be like DC – DC Curry that is. He is our very own and an inspiration to many. Last Saturday afternoon he took time from his hectic summer schedule (a week of summer camp [Camp Adventure] followed by a week of missions [local], followed by a week of teaching, followed by a week of summer camp [Camp Adventure II], followed by a week of missions [Chicago], followed by a mission trip to Mexico [Back2Back].)

So, the last thing he probably wanted to do is take a Saturday afternoon away from his wife to talk to a bunch of inner city kids. But that’s DC. Personal wants and comfort take the backseat to Jesus’ call on his life. He made the right choice even though it may not have been easy or convenient.

DC is the director of Youth Ministry at Granger Community Church. DC is leveraging his shape and gifts from God to Bring Kingdom. DC grew up in the projects of Houston, Texas. It was a tough environment but he had parents that cared. They didn't have much money but they used the currency they had (time, love and encouragement) to build into his life. He became a great athlete and received a scholarship to play football for Notre Dame. While at ND he attended GCC. He played (captain of team) and lead well and was drafted by the Miami Dolphins and played a couple of years in the NFL.

Back to last Saturday. So, DC shows up to a SonCity Kids event at Edison Gardens (housing project in South Bend). Hangs out, eats lunch, plays some b-ball, talks to the kids and signs some footballs that each kid gets to take home. You know ever little boy took that ball home and slept with it on Saturday night. They dreamed about one day playing football at Notre Dame and returning home to make their mom proud. Leo was one of those boys – he is 11 years old and just finished 4th grade. SonCity Kids has been investing his life for the last 5 years. Last year he made a commitment to do better in school. He shared with me that he finished the year with perfect attendance (didn’t miss a day) and got all A’s and B’s on his report card. Next year he is going into middle school or what they call Intermediate Center in South Bend. IC is the “black-hole” of education in South Bend. Kids go in and never come out the same. Over 75% of the boys like Leo will drop out of school before they graduate.

I told Shelley Templin that we needed to keep encouraging Leo and we’d find a scholarship for him to go to Camp Adventure next summer to hang around more men like DC. We are committed to change the destiny of kids like Leo because if Jesus would have came down in 2008 instead of 0028 it would have been what he would have done. Because as much as I want to be like Mike, or DC I want my team to be people like Jesus!