A goal of many ministries which work with kids is to use this connection to reach the parents as well. During my years in Chicago, we tried many times with a little success to get parents to respond. It was hard though.
Working here I have met some of the parents of the kids in my old neighborhood whom I work with. They seem very nice, but I have not had much of an outreach to them. I had sent messages to Kaye's mom though through her about getting her back in school. She should be in grade 7, the first year of high school here, but had to drop out around September. They graduate after grade 10. School here starts in June and goes through March. Pinot, her younger brother whom I have also gotten to know, also had to drop out of grade 2. I finally got to meet her mom last week.
I arrived early for my study with the kids, and there she was sitting on the porch where we meet. Kaye was there with her. She thanked me so much for the time I have spent with her children and I said that I had thoroughly enjoyed it. She then explained to me that the only income they had coming in was her part time cooking job for various people. She has encountered some medical issues with one of her breasts and thus the little bit of money has gone to pay for treatments and medicine. There was no money for school. High school here may cost around $200-$250 a year which is a lot for someone here. 2nd grade may cost around $30-$50.
At my church, I had recently heard that they had scholarships for 12 students to go to school. I wanted to get Kaye signed up for one of these to help her and her mom. Nora, the mom, was excited. This will also involve an after school program and Bible studies for the teens.
While I had her there, I asked her if she had a church home. I then invited her to ours, Beautiful News Church. She said that she would like to come and Sunday, there she was. She enjoyed it and plans on coming back. A great connection is growing here. Brenda, a missionary here who is in charge of the school program, talked to Nora more about her breast. Pastor Gary (who now helps out with my kids on Tuesdays), Brenda, and I prayed with Kaye and her mom both after the study on Tuesday when we met on the porch and Sunday after church about the future schooling and her medical condition.
I am excited! Kaye and her mom are excited! Brenda and Pastor Gary are as well! It is a good thing. Please pray for the future, and that we can find a way to get Pinot back in school too. Thanks.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
How about those Steelers
Yay. Even though I had to watch just the stats and score on my computer here, I am so happy. What a game! Cannot wait to see it on the screen. Go Steelers!!!!!!!!
city cry - It's All God
"We are His hands. We are His feet. We are His people - children of the Lord We share the hope. We share the dream - believers in Jesus - children of the King." These words were in a song by Whiteheart, one of my favorite Christian bands while growing up. I have thought of these words often as I serve God - being His hands and feet symbolically while I am here and sharing the greatest hope with people I encounter. What a priviledge to be used by the King.
On Mondays here, I first serve at Project Destiny with the street kids and then later in the afternoon go to my old neighborhood to work with a group of smaller children ages 3-12. A couple of teens may show up on these days too. Today after Project Destiny, it was down pouring rain (like only I have seen here in the Philippines where it rains every day right now) and I was tempted to just go home. A voice seemed to whisper to me, "no one will show up anyways." I kept going though, ignoring the voice in my head, and pushing on.
As I approached with my umbrella shielding off the sheets of rain, there was Kay standing under a tin roof of a little store along the road, almost as if she was waiting for me. Kay is 13 but comes every time we meet, rather with little ones or teens. She ducked under my umbrella and together we walked to the porch where we meet when it is raining. Her friend Jessa, 11 years old, joined us right away. I was early so we just sat and talk. I have some great times just talking with kids!
Next came Angel who is 15 and Katherine who s 13. Two more teens but I guessed the little ones were staying home because of the rain. I was also waiting for Yun who goes to my church and is in Bible school. I am preparing him to take over the ministry so that it does not end when I leave and he seems to love working with the kids. Pastor gary of my church works with the teens with me. Yun never showed up though and didn't even respond to my texts ( the form that everyone here communicates with).
As the time passed, I was still waiting for Yun because he was supposed to have the lesson ready for today. I had not prepared. I saw that he was not going to show up though so I opened my bag I carry to see what I could pull out, asking God to supply. As I pulled out my Bible and a few notebooks, out fell about 20 little cards with a butterfly and a verse on them. I do not remember ever having these before. Either I forgot and they were wedged in my bag somewhere that I hadn't seen before, or God supplied. I tend to go with the second. The verse was 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come."
I spoke to these 4 young ladies about what this means. We spoke about the things which we have all offended God with. We also spoke about getting saved and having a new life; a new start with Christ, leaving our old way of life behind us and growing in our new. We spoke about Psalm 103:12 where God said He will remove our sins from our lives as far as the east is from the west, meaning that He will not dredge up our past to throw at us but will put it behind, never to be spoken of again.
It was a great talk. God supplied a lesson through these simple little cards which fell out of my sack, of which I never even remember placing there in the first place. The girls really connected to the lesson too. Isn't God amazing?!?!
Please be praying for Kay, Jessa, Katherine, and Angel. May these young "new creations" be honoring to God and serving to others. Thanks.
On Mondays here, I first serve at Project Destiny with the street kids and then later in the afternoon go to my old neighborhood to work with a group of smaller children ages 3-12. A couple of teens may show up on these days too. Today after Project Destiny, it was down pouring rain (like only I have seen here in the Philippines where it rains every day right now) and I was tempted to just go home. A voice seemed to whisper to me, "no one will show up anyways." I kept going though, ignoring the voice in my head, and pushing on.
As I approached with my umbrella shielding off the sheets of rain, there was Kay standing under a tin roof of a little store along the road, almost as if she was waiting for me. Kay is 13 but comes every time we meet, rather with little ones or teens. She ducked under my umbrella and together we walked to the porch where we meet when it is raining. Her friend Jessa, 11 years old, joined us right away. I was early so we just sat and talk. I have some great times just talking with kids!
Next came Angel who is 15 and Katherine who s 13. Two more teens but I guessed the little ones were staying home because of the rain. I was also waiting for Yun who goes to my church and is in Bible school. I am preparing him to take over the ministry so that it does not end when I leave and he seems to love working with the kids. Pastor gary of my church works with the teens with me. Yun never showed up though and didn't even respond to my texts ( the form that everyone here communicates with).
As the time passed, I was still waiting for Yun because he was supposed to have the lesson ready for today. I had not prepared. I saw that he was not going to show up though so I opened my bag I carry to see what I could pull out, asking God to supply. As I pulled out my Bible and a few notebooks, out fell about 20 little cards with a butterfly and a verse on them. I do not remember ever having these before. Either I forgot and they were wedged in my bag somewhere that I hadn't seen before, or God supplied. I tend to go with the second. The verse was 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come."
I spoke to these 4 young ladies about what this means. We spoke about the things which we have all offended God with. We also spoke about getting saved and having a new life; a new start with Christ, leaving our old way of life behind us and growing in our new. We spoke about Psalm 103:12 where God said He will remove our sins from our lives as far as the east is from the west, meaning that He will not dredge up our past to throw at us but will put it behind, never to be spoken of again.
It was a great talk. God supplied a lesson through these simple little cards which fell out of my sack, of which I never even remember placing there in the first place. The girls really connected to the lesson too. Isn't God amazing?!?!
Please be praying for Kay, Jessa, Katherine, and Angel. May these young "new creations" be honoring to God and serving to others. Thanks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
