Day Camp '09 - just around the corner!!

One week from tomorrow and we will be starting another summer of day camp. This will be my 5th summer here at HPCO! Hard to believe. I love that I am able to watch kids grow. Some of my first campers are now in high school and I still am able to see them on a regular basis...and it all started with 6 weeks of being their day camp teacher :)

We have 3 interns coming this summer. Dominique is returning from last year and is assisting me with directing. We also have two interns from Grand Rapids who will be arriving this week.

Here are some prayer requests I have for the summer:

1. Because the grant we usually receive from United Way was not offered this year, we are running the camp on a very low budget. But PRAISE THE LORD we have already seen Him provide in amazing ways. Please pray that we will have the sufficient funds to run camp this year, pay our staff and also send kids to overnight camp. If you would like to help sponser a kid to camp, check out our website at http://www.hpco.org/ there's a link on the site to send in a donation

2. Over the last few weeks, we have been able to connect to some new kids down the street who will be attending camp for the first time this summer. I'm so excited about all the new kids we will be reaching please pray that God would use camp to change their lives for Him!

3. As I said earlier, we have three interns coming. Pray that this summer will be a life changing experience for each of them. For two of them, this is their first experience working camp as well as a new experience in the city. They will not only be serving here, but also living in the community and learning about God's heart for the city, the poor and also learning about racial issues. Pray also that we will have unity as a staff team and strength to not just make it through the summer, but see each day as a new opportunity to share Christ's love to the kids and our community

4. And lastly, pray that would receive all the glory in all that we do this summer. May our lives be a reflection of His love and grace...and may oaks of righteousness be planted and growing in Highland Park!!

My weakness=His strength!

As I sit here thinking about what to write, I keep asking myself how to write everything I'm thinking and feeling with out rambling on and on and potentially losing everyone's interest!

I don't know how to begin to sum up the last few months here, but I do know they have been a testimony of God's faithfulness and pouring out of grace and strength. I was listening to an old Steven Curtis Chapman song this morning called "His Strength is Perfect". One of my favorite lines says "We can only know the power that He holds when we see how deep our weakness goes. His strength in us begins when ours comes to an end. He hears our humble cries and proves again...His strength is perfect" The thing is, experiencing the fullness of our strength means we have to be fully aware of our weakness, and that can be painful. But what a sweet growing experience! Ministry here in the city has been challenging over the last couple of months- at the same time, I wouldn't trade any of it for what God has taught me and the relationship with Him that has deepened.

This week alone has been filled with both sorrow and rejoicing. On Tuesday, we lost our dear neighbor to a heart attack. Her health has been slowly declining over the last couple of years. Watching her family go through this grieving has been difficult as our hearts go out to them. My heart especially breaks for her eight year old daughter. I spent some time with her yesterday and listened as with tears, she shared memories of her mother. She expressed to me that she's only eight and no longer has a mom. How hard that is to hear a young child verbalize that. I am thankful for her dad, who has been a strong pillar in that family as he has cared for his wife, children and grandchildren. I am praying that God pours His grace out on all of them in a special way and that this very hard experience brings Him glory and deepens their faith and walk with Him.

The rejoicing has come in two different situations. One was watching a family who chose to follow God and keep integrity in a situation where they were told on all sides to be deceitful (and could have easily gotten away with it) and then in return be blessed in amazing ways by watching God provide. They could have chose the "easy" path to receive what they wanted and what they definately deserved. Instead, they chose God's way and are reaping the rewards! I'm excited that their children have this kind of Godly example displayed before them!

The other came when I received a phone call today from the grandmother of a large family in our program. She told me her granddaughter is graduating from 9th grade and receiving an award for her achievement at the graduation. Watching all that this girl has experienced in the last 3 years and knowing this did not come easy is definately a reason to rejoice. Her grandma invited me to her graduation which will be tomorrow. I am so honored to be able to share in this happy occasion with the family and look forward to being there to celebrate with them.

On top of all of this, we are in the process of planning our summer day camp. Please be in prayer as we are already behind financially due to not receiving a grant we normally have each summer. We are also short staffed this year. Yet, we move forward in faith knowing God will provide. I believe He has great things in store for us this summer and am LEARNING (notice, I haven't fully achieved!) how to continue trusting Him

Thank you friends! I am thankful for each of you, thank you for taking time to read this and for your prayers. God is at work in this great city :)

Weekend in Grand Rapids

This past weekend, one of my girls (Ashley) and I headed to Grand Rapids. I ran the 10K at the Riverbank run on Saturday and Ashley wanted to come cheer me on...and she was committed! Waking up at 6:30 on a Saturday morning to sit in the rain is commitment if I've ever seen it. It was fun having her there for the weekend. This was her second trip to GR and she's getting very comfortable with my family. Later Saturday afternoon, the weather cleared up so my mom and I took her to Grand Haven. I wanted her to be able to see Lake Michigan. However, it wasn't the best day for it. Even though it had warmed up and the sun ahd even come out- it was still cold and windy by the lake! But we got to enjoy some warm drinks :) We finished the day by going downtown with my sister. Ashley wanted to take fun pictures so we decided that would be the best place to do it.

It was fun to watch Ashley liven up this weekend. You could tell she enjoyed every moment of being there and I felt like she was able to be free to act young and not have any cares. I know her day to day life is not this way. Ashley and I meet weekly to do a Bible study together and I have seen such a desire to grow in her. She desires something different out of her life than what she's experienced and choices she's made. Even watching her excitement as she is getting more and more comfortable in looking up Scripture encourages me. I challenged her to read a Proverb a day and she's been doing it! I know that being in the Scripture's is going to begin to change her and I've already seen the impact it's made on her life.

Passion Week

This past Thursday, we wanted to do something meaningful with our youth to allow them to understand the fullness of Easter and all that it means. As a result, we had a time of praise and worship and showed "The Passion of the Christ". It was a risk, we weren't sure how they would respond or if they would take it seriously. In the end, many of us agreed it was the best night of youth group we have ever had (and one of the boys said the same thing!). They participated in the praise and worship and during the movie, watched with respect and awe. Afterwards, I shared some Scripture and explained why we watched it, and why Jesus went through that much pain and suffering- then I opened it up to questions. The way the kids responded was amazing. The questions were deep and meaningful. Things like "Did God really forgive them?" "How was Jesus talking to God if He was God?" and my favorite comment "Jesus really forgave them? That's the real thing!" This was from a boy who's face showed that he was moved by the movie and he had a lot of thoughts and questions about it. This conversation lead to us being able to share how we are in need of the same kind of forgiveness, and the cross makes it possible. The Spirit was definitely moving through out the evening and it was so humbly and amazing to be a part of!

On the ice

Another "new adventure" we had this week was taking some of our teenagers ice skating...and for most of them, it was their first time. I didn't know what to expect- but the kids had an amazing time! A few of them were nervous going into it, but once they got on the ice- LOVED IT! There weren't many other people there, so for the most part, we had it to ourselves. The guys enjoyed racing across the rink- and sliding across the ice! It's always so much fun to see them experience new things. They become like little kids and you can see their faces shine with excitement. We are hoping to go back another time :) Afterwards, we took them to a pizza place in Berkley. That's right...we upgraded from the Little Caesars hot-n-ready's!

Purdue comes to the HP!

We took on a new adventure this past week...hosting college students on their spring break for a week of ministry in the city! 10 Nav students from Purdue University came to Detroit to serve at various ministries. John and I hosted them and strived to give them a good week with a variety of ministry experiences as well as some training in urban ministry. The week went so well and I was blessed by the hearts of the students. They came with servants hearts ready to love and learn all that God had to teach them. They experienced everything from homeless outreach, service projects, Muslim ministries and a Kids Club here at HPCO. It was exciting to watch their eyes be open to the people of our great city and to have their hearts softened by the needs here.

My Word abides in you...

"If you abide in Me and My Word abides in you ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples" John 15:7-8

One of my goals this year is to memorize more Scripture, and John 15 was the first chapter I chose. It's both convicting as well as comforting as you mediate on the promises God offers us if we chose to abide in Him. The thought of abiding in His Word and allowing it to change me and then the outflow of it affecting my prayer life, ministry and all that God has called me to. The truth of God's Word will change us if we allow it-meditate on it and write it on our hearts...

I've needed this reassurance as the past few weeks of ministry has been challenging. The issues many of these kids are facing hit me hard and I saw that if I didn't keep resting in Truth, I was becoming easily discouraged. Please continue to pray for our youth. The enemy is at work, but I know God is at well, and He is greater. Pray that the kids will come to know and understand His love, that they would allow it to change them and turn from the sin that is both in and surrounding them.

Our Thursday night youth group has begun a study where the kids are being encouraged to start a daily quiet time. The study begins with salvation and then walks them through basic principles of the Christian life. Our leaders have been amazing at keeping the kids accountable to do their study through out the week. I'm excited to see how God is going to use this!

Today was a fun day of activity around our house. One of my girls Arriana, who comes over a lot after school came by for help with a paper. I have seen so much growth in her over the last few months! She is maturing and really starting to look out for others in an unique way. Her and I have a very special bond and I am praying God will use it down the road to open her heart to spiritual things. I was impressed at how hard she worked on her paper...I think I got bored long before she did! She posed for this picture-purposefully trying to look "Studious". (which I told her and she laughed at me for using big words! haha) My roommate also invited some of the neighbor kids over to play in the backyard. Over the winter, you don't see people as much so it had been awhile since I'd seen them....in just a few months they had grown so much! Jeremiah enjoyed playing in a pile of leaves I never raked up from last fall...oops :)

Liberty season ends strong

A few weeks ago, the Liberty girls played their last game of the season. We made it to the finals :) However, we went in as #2 ranking team, and lost to #1 (who also happens to be the team my neighbor girl plays on!). But it was a great season and I was excited about how much my girls learned...they went from hardly being able to dribble to winning most of their games! It was a lot of new experiences for me to- I hope it wasn't too obvious that I had never coached before and didn't always know what I was doing.

One of the directors at the Boys and Girls Club has asked me to teach an art class there. At first I was reluctant to add one more thing to my schedule, but now that basketball is done I've decided to give it a try. My roommate is going to co-teach it with me. I'm excited about using my art (and some education) training here in the city. Teaching art is something I've been wanting to do again, but didn't want to add one more program to HPCO. but in this situation, the kids are already there. And it's yet another way to partner with another organization helping out kids in HP.