End of Week 3

Thank goodness for 1/2 day Friday's! I love my job, but I love being off after 12pm on Friday's.

This week was fantastic! Granted, I need to catch up on some sleep but this week was great.

We had about the same number of kids, preteens, and teens so that is good. Also, we were able to provide our homebounds with heaters. We have 13 homebounds (people who are not able to get out of their houses) and the temperature has been fluctuating with some colder temperatures that I hear are not too common for Houston.

The kids always remind me of what is important. They just want to love on you and be loved. The 4-6 year old group always tends to turn the jump rope into tug-o-war or a snake :) while the 7-10 year old girls always end up showing up the boys with their ability to never stop the rope when they jump rope.

We had 10 pre-teens again this week and they all said they would try to invite their friends. This doesn't seem like a big deal, but the number for pre-teens had fallen to 4 before Christmas break. :) We played an extremely intense game of Uno Attack, and then ended up playing a variation of freeze tag called Toilet Freeze Tag. Don't worry, it's not as bad as it may sound! If a person gets tagged, they have to act as though they are a toilet with their "handle" up so that those who have not been tagged can "flush" them/unfreeze them. :)

Moving onto the teens- it was one of the highlights of the week. The teens actually talked during Bible study. This is always a tough age group because many assume there's nothing else they could possibly learn ;) and their reputation is everything. This normally makes it difficult to get feedback because they are worried about what the other teens will think about them. It's also an interesting dynamic because we have 8 boys and 1 girl. Talk about pressure! They were great, and definitely participated more than I had expected. The bible study for the teens and preteens was about faithfulness because we are going to cover the 9 fruits of the spirit from Galatians over the next several weeks. I used the story of the master who went away on a long trip and entrusted the 3 different amounts of silver to his servants. If you want to read up on it, you can find it beginning with Matthew 25:14. I used the example of gangs and how they operate. They understand this well because of what they experience each day. I focused on the loyalty that is required from a gang member. One of the teens in particular identified with this example and began a discussion which the other teens joined in on.

It was awesome to see them discuss some of the issues they face. I can't wait for next week! :)

My Spanish is slowly getting better! Praise God! In the mornings, I have been in charge of clothing distribution which gives me many opportunities to talk to the individuals who come in need of clothing.

On another note, this morning during staff meeting we came up with our theme for the year for the Mission Centers of Houston. It was a long process but everybody amazingly came to an agreement, and we are all very excited about it. I will update you later on what the theme is because I'm not sure if we can give out that information yet. :)

Thanks again to everyone who reads this blog, and thanks to everyone who is continuing to support me through prayer, encouragement, and giving. I do not like bringing up the subject of money, but it is a necessary part of ministry. A few of you have been able to give financially and others have been staying in contact and being faithful in praying for me. It is a huge encouragement!! I can't say it enough! Please continue supporting and consider giving. I know things are tough right now and everyone is feeling the crunch because of the economy but please remain faithful if God has blessed you with the means to give. I look forward to hearing from you all in the upcoming weeks and eager to share stories of how God is impacting the inner-city of Houston!

“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!"
Matthew 25:23

Wow, what an ending! (Week 2)

Thank you for your patience!!! I was going to update on Saturday, but things didn't quite work out the way I had planned. Long story short, I ended up in the ER Saturday afternoon. I'm doing much better now! Thank God! Turns out the extreme pain I was having came from an ulcer I apparently have. They gave me 2 prescriptions and I am supposed to stick to a specific diet, and all should be well in 8-12 weeks.

As I processed this whole situation, I realized that this was a serious wake up call. Most of you who know me know that I don't have a terrible diet, and I try to stick to healthier foods. At the same time, I developed this ulcer. I think there is definitely something to be learned from all of this. On the health side of things, there is a quote that I heard a few years ago in a class at FMU (thanks J.M.), "Ignore your health, and it will go away." This is very true!!

On the other hand, in life what implications does this same concept have. I have thought about it a pretty good bit, and in regards to our talents, abilities, strengths, etc. If we ignore the things we are gifted in, or the things we know we are capable of learning, or even those people we always mean to call but always seem to forget, we will lose them.

I was reading an article the other day about natural talent vs practiced skills and natural talent came in last if there was no practice. There are many things that I would like to be good at, then there are things that I am naturally drawn to.....but why do I often want to be known for those things which I only dream of being good at and ignore those things which I have been gifted in?


"We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess."- Mark Twain's Autobiography; More Maxims of Mark, Johnson, 1927

I know that was a bit off topic from my other blogs but it was on my mind.

On this same note, I hope to definitely start working on some of this and start putting to practice the things I was given, in order to accomplish the things I was made to do. When other opportunities come along I will welcome them, but I hope to move away from always seeking after things which draw me away from my God-given talents and abilities, and embracing my untapped potential.

Ponder this quote:

"Disturb us, O Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves; when our dreams come true only because we have dreamed too little; when we arrive safely only because we have sailed too close to the shore; when with the abundance of things we are losing our thirst for more of You; or when we lose our thirst for more of You because of the hopelessness we face."
- Sir Francis Drake



I will update again in a few days. :)

Beginning of Week 2 (first week of teaching! :))

This is just a quick overview of the past two days.

Yesterday,which was Monday we had about 30 4-6 year olds. We played games, ran around, tried to play jump rope which soon turned into tug-o-war :) Also the kids decided it would be a good idea to grab my ankles and hold on so I could pull them around....since that's what adults are for lol So I did, and at one point I thought, "Man, these kids are getting heavier and heavier" so I turned around and the two kids that had grabbed my ankles at one kid on each of their ankles which is why they were so heavy. It was hilarious. I don't know that I've ever seen anything like it before :)

Also, we had some cupcakes that a bakery sent to us (because they were about to get old) but in this area things like that are a big treat (and they tasted very good!) so that's what the kids got for snack.

Today, we had food pantry and clothing ministry. We had 42 people come through today, while about 9 were actually new. This could be viewed as a bad thing by some because they are in need of help, but it is also a great opportunity to meet the needs of people and be Christ to them in some of the roughest times.

Also, teen club was this afternoon. We had 7 teens. This number seems low, but some have the programs had been suffering a bit, which is why we are working to revamp them. Our hope is that we will have even more next time. One teen in particular, is a teen that I had the opportunity to get to know and have Bible study with, 3 years ago. He is a bit rough around the edges but has so much potential if he could just get past his pride sometimes. So I am so excited that he is coming again. He was one of the youngest teens then, and now he is one of the oldest. He has matured a great deal and I am really looking forward to encouraging him, and hopefully helping him to see that God has a bigger plan for him than what he can see right now.

Tomorrow, we are having food pantry and clothing distribution again tomorrow, and kids club 7-10 years old. This will be the first time I have taught this age group since I've been here but I have been working on some things so I can't wait!

Hope you all have a wonderful semana! (week) :)

Week 1

This is actually the 2nd post I have written for "Week 1". This afternoon, I typed a VERY long blog. When I posted it, it did not save correctly or something and I lost all of it, so this one will be different, but it will still be good. :)

I had a request about my first day, so I'll tell you about my first day, and some general information about what I'll be doing. Lastly, I'll list ways that you can pray for what God is doing here, and also some news about new ministries that are being developed.

Day 1:

So many emotions! I wasn't sure what to expect, because it has been almost three years since I've been here in Houston. It was awesome! I started the morning waiting on my executive director because she wanted to take me to my job site. While I waited, I helped another director, Dora, who is an amazing lady. She had about 15-20 very large boxes of frozen chicken which will be enough for 2 Thursday's when Gano Mission Center cooks dinner for the seniors. (That's a lot of people!)

After things got rolling, I went to the center where I will be working all semester; Joy Mission Center. I spent the day with my director, Tommie Mendez. Tommie is a very strong-willed 5 ft. tall Hispanic lady. Also, she is in her mid-sixties. She is great! After meeting the weekly volunteers, I started doing some paperwork. Ginger, my executive director mentioned that now we will be getting the Internet at Joy because someone will actually use it. Tommie is very much the paper and pencil type, with no idea how to use a computer. Hopefully we will be able to be more efficient when it comes to those types of things.

After lunch, its more of clean-up time and preparation for kids club. On Monday's about 30-40 4-6 years old come running in to play games, jump rope, skate, play basketball, and really have the freedom to be kids. This runs from 3:30-5pm every Monday. At about 4:30 the kids begin to settle down before Bible study time begins (3:45) Each week the kids have a lesson and are given the opportunity to be recognized and get a small prize for learning the last week's Bible verse. It is amazing how kids this young retain information. Many of the kids speak only Spanish, while others can speak both Spanish and English. This will be a challenge for me, but a welcomed one. That completed my first day of ministry at Joy Mission Center.

Each day is different. Below is a schedule of activities each week.

Monday:
Kids' Club (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm); ages 4-6

Tuesday:
Clothing Distribution* (9:00 am - 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
Food Distribution* (9:00 am - 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
Teen Club (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm); ages 13-17

Wednesday:
Clothing Distribution* (9:00 am - 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
Food Distribution* (9:00 am - 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
Kids' Club (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm); ages 7-9

Thursday:
Senior Adult Ministry (9:00 am - 11:30 am)
Home-bound Ministry (9:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Preteen Club (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm); ages 10-12

Friday:
Staff Development (9:00 am - 12:00 pm)

Saturday:
Group Ministry Days (9:00 am - 12:00 pm)

Ways you can pray:

• That God would sent more workers. (volunteers and interns)
• That people would continue to support, not only financially, but through volunteering their time, talent, and resources.
• That God would give guidance and wisdom to all of us so that we won't miss out on what He is trying to do through us.
• That God would do something here in Houston that could not be explained without the focus being on Christ.

New Ministries:

Young Adults Ministry: This is something Tommie has been praying about for years. This ministry will focus primarily on young women between the ages of 17 and 25 or so. Some of you may ask why we are not including young men in this. Good question!! We need strong male leaders who will work with them. Right now I will be leading the young adults ministry for young women. Without a strong male leader, the young men have no example to follow, and frankly it is extremely dangerous for females in this type of ministry because of the gang violence or the possibility of violence period. I won't go into detail about that.

I will also be exploring new ways to reach the home-bounds that we serve. These are people who are generally senior citizens, but cannot physically get out of their homes. Currently, we have about 13 who receive food and/or clothing from Joy every other week.

We have a program for seniors every Thursday. These seniors receive food and/or clothing as well. We are currently working on ways to revamp this program. Some are in the works, but we know God is not finished yet.

Thank you all for your support, and for taking the time to read this. I realized the first time I wrote about this week that I should blog more often because it is a great deal of information to remember so I will work towards blogging every few days, rather than once a week. Thanks again, this would not be possible without the encouragement of all of you.

I'm in H-town!

After many hours of driving, I finally arrived in Houston. I knew beforehand that I was getting closer to Houston because of the many billboards and advertisements which were in Spanish. It is hard to believe that I am back in Houston. Don't get me wrong, God is doing amazing things here and all of the people here are wonderful, but I had no idea even a few months ago, that this is what God was up to. I can't wait to see what God is going to do through each of us who are here. I'm certain that it will be "more than we could ask for or imagine." I am extremely excited!! I start Monday, January 5th.

Please continue praying! It is vital! Please pray specifically for unity between each of us as new staff members come so that God can use us in any way He sees fit. Thanks to everyone who called over the holidays and on the trip here. Also, thank you to those who have already committed to supporting me in the ministry here through letters, emails, phone calls, as well as financially.

My roommate, Delana, will arrive January 7th so please also be in prayer for her safety as she travels as well as for a smooth transition here.

I know this is very brief and scattered; I apologize. As soon as I arrived I started unloading everything and tried arranging some of it, and then I started writing this blog. I am exhausted.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I hope everyone has a fabulous new year.

Side note: Delana and I decided that our theme verse for the next four months will be John 3:30: "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."

If God is not the one leading the ministry here, and everything we do from day to day then it will all be in vain. My prayer is that our constant focus would be to allow God to been seen in us in everything we do so that God will receive the glory from it all, and not us as we become less and less.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I will be posting regularly so please check back often.