How a 12 year old sees the world

One week ago, I took Fernando with me to see an indoor soccer game. He and I have gone out for fun events in the past like breakfast at Perkins, going to a parade, and playing catch. Several of these activities took us outside our KCK neighborhood so I was surprised as we sat down at the Comets game in Independence, MO. Fernando turned to me and said, "I'm the only Mexican here. Do you see anyone else?" No, I didn't. He realized that he was the minority in this crowd. He even looked through the game guide and wanted to know if any Hispanics played on the team. Fernando's world and his heroes were those most related to his family's culture. Since Fernando and I have a great history together, I doubt he sees me as much different than him but he clearly knows when things feel different. We had a great time together but his comments left an impression upon me about how the kids in our ministry see the world around them.