Christmas celebrations!

My brother's church youth group from Grand Rapids returned to Highland Park this weekend to throw a Christmas party for our kids. We had an amazing turn out- 51 kids! We also had some parents and grandparents join in on the celebration. After hearing the Christmas story and singing some songs, the kids headed into the gym for games, cookie decorating, crafts and presents. We were blessed to be able to have the party at Revival Tabernacle here in Highland Park.

God has provided some amazing opportunities for our families to receive "Christmas blessings" this year. This past week, 8 of our families (along with 100 in the Detroit area) were given the opportunity to receive Meijer gift cards of substantial amount to do their Christmas shopping. The Bible study of the Detroit Lions gave to make this possible. I heard from so many families what a blessing and answer to prayer this opportunity was! God truly is the Great Provider!

Blessed to be a blessing

Today was one of those days that did not go at all as I had planned, but that's ok. really. much better than anything I could have planned!
It all started with the news that I had my first experience of car "vandalism" here in Detroit. I thought I had a muffler problem only to find out this morning from the mechanic that someone had ripped off my cadillac converter (I didn't even know this part existed until this morning). I guess it's a big thing to cut them off vehicles and sell them. Of course, this set me back financially and I was very discouraged.
Another thing I decided to do today (thanks to the loan of a vehicle by my roommate!) was stop by the home of one of our families. It was the grandma's birthday yesterday and I wanted to bring her something. She is a very special lady and such a prayer warrior. There is so much going on in that family, so many struggles as well as the consequences of generations of sin. Her two granddaughters have grown up in Bible clubs and are two of the teens I now work with. Anyway, I stopped by a local Christian bookstore and picked up some books for her and a card. She wasn't home when I dropped off the gifts, but I talked to her daughter and granddaughter.
She called me this evening. (Back to the car situation- she called right after I found out how much it was going to cost me and I was very discouraged). She thanked me for the gifts and amazing both books were ones that specifically encouraged her. One was by an author she already knew and loved and the other was a Bible Promises book (which she said she always wanted). It was neat how God used me, even though I didn't realize it at the time, to encourage her in a very specific way.
It doesn't stop there. As we talked, and she expressed burdens she has for her family, she began to encourage me, telling me to never be discouraged, to continue to do the Lord's work and He would bless me. She had no idea what just happened with my car, but said she prays specifically for the area we live in, our safety and protection. She also took time to pray for me and her family over the phone.
This was a situation where I thought I was doing ministry- only to find out I was really the one being ministered to. Her encouraging words couldn't have been more specific to my needs if she knew what they were!

DEEEETROIT BASKETBALL!!!

A few weeks ago, I had tickets to a Piston's pre-season game. Olivia, one of my high school girls and Mario (who helped with day camp this year) were coming with me...but I had one more ticket. So I decided to ask Arriana, one of our Kids club girls. Arriana is a great girl who I've been able to connect well with. She has a bit of an attitude and is a little rough around the edges, but once she warms up to you, she can be a lot of fun. Her and I played a lot of basketball this summer, and I knew she would enjoy the game. Plus, she always makes fun of me because of how much I like the Pistons...especially Tayshaun Prince :o) We had a fun night. Arriana talked my ear off through the whole game, and always had funny comments and tons of questions.

We had a great evening...and the Pistons rocked the Palace with a 24 point win!!

I have been really enjoying our Jr High girls group on Monday night. The girls have been very faithful in coming and I can tell that they really enjoy each other and enjoy being there. A few weeks ago, we were able to return to Miss Kristen's house for some horseback riding.

I always find Monday nights to be such a blessing. While I may have a set agenda on what needs to happen and what I think needs to be taught, they seem to always become engaged in conversation and questions which are relavent and very good. I've always believed that if questions are being asked (as long as they are about important things) it's good to take the time to answer them. If they ask the question- it's something they care about and will listen for the answer. We have covered so many great topics such as how God deals with sin, how to handle conflict at school (in a way that is pleasing to God), and different family issues. These girls are so great...please pray for them that they will grasp the love of God at a young age and give their lives to Him! They are already facing so many temptations and struggles. It's hard to not be overwhelmed with it and easy to doubt that God can give them strength to stand for Him. But I know He can and pray that we can be instruments of His grace in their lives.

We just ended a wild, but good night of kids club. As crazy as these kids are, and as much as they wear me out, I can't help but love them :o) Jennifer has been teaching Bible lessons in a chronical order so that the kids will be able to understand how the Bible all ties together. Tonight, we had them work on timelines starting with creation and going through Moses. I was impressed with how hard the kids worked on their drawings and am excited to display them for all to see.

Grand Rapids, Traverse City and Apple Cider

This past weekend I took one of my high school girls home to Grand Rapids with me. It is something I have been wanting to do with the girls for awhile, and Olivia was the only one who could make it this weekend.

We arrived in GR on Friday night then headed up to Traverse City Saturday morning to be involved in an "apple cider making party" (don't know how else to describe it!) Families all gathered together to join in on the process of making cider. Olivia and I were responsible for grinding the apples. At first I wondered if she minded working on her weekend away, but she didn't complain and was proud at the end of the day to see the results of our hard work.

We cut out in the afternoon to see some of the sights of Traverse City. Olivia wanted to see the mall so we stopped there then went to the beach afterwards. The weather couldn't have been more perfect! I could see that Olivia loved being out in this new environment. As we road on a hay ride she commented on how peaceful it was. I also enjoyed it! It's always nice to get out of the city and into the country and God's creation.

It was so great to spend this time with Olivia and get to know her a little better. I really appreciate her in so many ways and am excited at what I see taking place in her life.

Lovin' my girls

Tonight was such a great night with the Jr high girls. We are doing a talk on purity with them, which can be a bit touchy at times, and sometimes I wonder if they are mature enough to handle. However, I know that they hear more about it at school and with friends than I care to imagine, so anything positive we can give them will be good.

Tonight, I talked with them about the true meaning of love. First, I had them talk about what they think love is, and then we talked about lust. I found most of the answers they gave for "love" fell under the "lust" category. This provided a great opportunity to share with them what true love is and of course, we looked at I Corinthians 13. The discussion ended up going another direction than I had planned, but was still really good. One of the girls asked about where it says "Love never fails", saying that isn't it possible that you stop loving someone and leave them...wow... great way to bring in God's perfect example of love and how He doesn't stop loving us, no matter what we do!!

Then we started to talk about how to deal with enemies, and those at school who want to get into fights. This discussion seems to come up a lot in discussion time with both jr and sr high ages. Of course it is something they deal with everyday and I don't always know how to answer. Of course, there is always the cookie-cutter-Bible answer...but lets be real, it's not what they want to hear and to live it out day to day, well, it seems almost impossble. And it is really. But as I got thinking about it while they were talking I realized that if they truly want to follow Christ, He calls us to live the impossible, in His strength. I shared with them that I want them to be above the "norm" of their culture. God wants more of them, and can give them the strength to do what is right. Being a Christian is living different. I've struggled with just teaching them "do's and "don'ts"...cause then you run into just trying to find the strength to do what is right with out a changed life. I want them to full understand living in God's grace and by His strength, to understand having a real relationship with Him...something He is continuing to teach me! I want them to understand TRUE salvation, which results in a changed life.

Overall, it was such an encouraging night. Not only do we get into great discussions, they are also so much fun!!

Time to catch up!

Between getting things rolling this fall and some computer problems, I haven't been to faithful at keeping this up. Poor excuses really, so please do forgive me!


I feel like there is a lot to share...all on various subjects. So at the risk of boring some, I will do my best to write about all the "important" stuff that has been going on.





First off, I have moved outside of Highland Park. Not really by choice as much as necessity (needing a place to live where I could have roommates and afford!). It has been a bittersweet move. I have been blessed to find a great house to live in with terrific roommates who all love the Lord and are involved in ministry throughout the city. They have been a great encouragement to me and I see God's hand in bringing me here. However, I miss living in HP more than I thought I would. Something about being right in the community makes a big difference. I am praying that God will open the door in His timing and until then, I will be content with where He has me.





The next bit of news is that I am in the process of going on staff with Navigators. Over the last few months, the Weidmans (who just joined staff) and I have been getting to know this ministry and their people. It has been a huge blessing and encouragement. Their ministry is very much in-line with what we are doing here at HPCO. Namely, building relationships and reaching people through Bible studies and discipleship. I am looking forward to being part of a larger team here in the city. Please pray as I make this transition and as I raise the needed support!



A friend of mine had an "art night" at her house a few weeks ago. I brought four of our girls out for it. At first, they were very self-conscious about not being able to paint. But once they got going, they had a lot of fun. We plan to do this kind of thing more often with them!

We started all of our fall ministries last week (first week of October). I was really looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and having the kids around again. Last night we had a full house for Kids Club! Not on purpose, but the kids seemed to be floooding into the van. We have definately maxed out what we can handle right now. Our goal is not large numbers so we want to keep it small to allow for small group discipleship to take place. Most of the kids were those who came to Day Camp this summer. They refer to Kids Club as "night camp"! (and also wonder why we can't have it every day like we did in the summer). Our Bible teacher Jennifer is going through a general survey of the history of man. She started with creation last week then went into the fall of man this week and the results of the sin on mankind, leading into the need for a Savior. Last night, the kids were listening intently during the lesson. We are blessed to have all of our volunteers back from last year and also praying that God will bring more in.
This summer, we planted a garden and have seen the results of it this fall. The above picture is proof that the garden worked! The kids enjoyed picking the vegetables, and hopefully eventually eating them.

I have been extremely encouraged by our Jr high Bible studies. The boys seem to have been able to keep up the momentum created last year by the new leaders and smaller size. They seemed to have connnected really well with the boys, and it is continuing this year.


Our girls Bible study on Monday night was such a blessing to me. We had 3 new girls that didn't attend last year. One was a girl who came to day camp last year and two others are older sisters of a girl who came this year. They are such a sweet group of girls and the study was so good. They were filled with questions. I did the lesson on salvation, wanting to start the year off with a clear understanding of what it is and so the girls could know for sure where they stood. One girl in particular opened up a lot and it was so refreshing to hear her honesty. Another expressed interest in being baptized!





This past Saturday, my friend Josh who helped with day camp this summer came to visit. We took the kids to Belle Isle for the day to hang out. This picture is of Ladesha and I on some infamous Belle Isle swings :o) They were all excited to have him back for the visit. And it was an amazing 85 degree day in October (perfect for a picnic!)

Answered Prayer

Since day camp ended just over a month ago, I have been doing some traveling, moving and just trying to get resettled! Last week I finally "landed" and am starting to get things ready for the fall. I found myself missing the kids and HP after being gone for those few weeks :o)

This week, I was able to see evidence of God working...I know He always is, but I always enjoy seeing clear signs of it! On Monday, I stopped by to see one of our families. It's a home where the grandmother is raising her grandchildren and also adopted two more! One of her granddaughters came to overnight camp with us and opened up with me about a lot of her past abuse in her life (before living with her grandma) . I enjoyed spending time with their grandma. We talked about her family and her desire to see the children involved in church and our programs. While talking, a little toddler came in and I recognized him right away as the little boy we had prayed for last summer. He had to have brain surgery last year and his sister Quaniesha had asked for prayer for him. I remembered seeing him just before the surgery. It was so exciting to see this little guy running around. His grandma told me he had healed completely with no evidence of any mental problems (which the doctors were concerned about). On Tuesday nights, I took one of the girls from this family to youth group at Revival Tabernacle...a church just down the road that the grandmother has visited and would like to start attending.

Also, yesterday I was having lunch at the Weidman's when an unexpected visitor came to the door. It was one of my teen girls who I haven't seen since last winter! She has been going back and forth between her adopted mom and biological family (who she found a couple of years ago) Whenever she returns to the biological family, she seems to "disappear" and drops out of school. She is now back in HP with her mom and trying to get her life straightened out. Please pray for her...that she will stay here and allow God to work in her life!

We start programming back up the first week of October. :o) There is a lot to do between now and then...planning, recruiting of kids and volunteers and also some support raising. Pray that we will have another meaningful and incredible year of ministry!

Overnight camp

This past Friday, we returned from a week of camp at Bay Shore Camp, which is located in the thumb area. Being able to attend this camp was such a blessing. We were looking for a place to send our camp when this opportunity came up for our fifth and six graders. We were able to bring 10 of them this week at a wonderful discounted rate!
Not only did God open up the door for us to attend camp, provide the money and kids who could go but He also provided at the last minute when Mario, one of our staff who was suppose to come with me got sick. My friend Josh from GR was here helping with day camp and when he found out Mario couldn't come, immediately volunteered to stay another week. I didn't realize at the time how much I would need some one else to come along and be at camp that week...and how much our guys would need a familiar face!
The week was a learning experience for all of those involved. I am always stretched each year at overnight camp. My preference is always the day camp style...where I can come home at night and sleep in my own bed and get the rest I need! It's always a learning experience in selflessness and self-sacrifice!

We discovered with in the first few days of camp that our kids were feeling overwhelmed. I think it was them not sure how to respond to the new setting combined with exhaustion that produced a lot of up and down emotions. I felt for them as they were put into a situation where they were the minority both in race and background. Even though everyone at the camp was very warm and friendly, I could tell they had problems adjusting and feeling like they fit in. We made extra effort to reaffirm them and it ended up producing a lot of meaningful conversations as they would come to us with their struggles.

The most meaningful part of the week for me was also the hardest. One of our girls came to me and shared about her home life when she lived with her mom. It was so hard to hear how she had been treated and all that it had done to her emotionally. Even though now she is in a much better situation, her past has left many scars. I cried with her and just held her as she shared with me. Silenty I was praying that God would give me the strength and wisdom to know what to say. As she shared how she could no longer trust her mom, she also told me that she did trust God. I asked her if she had ever trusted in Christ as her Savior and she said that she had- the last day of Day camp! Praise the Lord! I could tell that she truly understood what it meant to be a Christian. I prayed with her and tried to reassure her of how much God loves her and that she can count on the fact that He will NEVER let her down.

At the end of the week, I could tell that over all, the kids had a good week. I truly believe that God worked through it all and that they were able to also have a lot of fun. As you can see from the pictures- we were able to do a lot of fun stuff such as canoeing, the zip line, swimming at the beach, miniature golf, etc. The kids loved these experiences!!

I just wanted to share some pictures of our amazing kids! They are truly such a blessing. Please pray for them as they finish their summers and get ready for school. Pray that they will remember all they were taught this summer...and that God would continue to work in their lives and in their families!!

Earthen Vessels

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves

So I am sitting here...spending time in prayer and reflecting over the summer. I feel like the past six weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, fun, growth, learning and well...the list could go on. It's just hard to believe it is over. This verse came to mind over the past week because to me, it was a reminder that God uses us, me- me who doesn't deserve to be here and who is sometimes not even strong enough to stand on my own let a lone strong enough to lead others- to give Himself glory. I can't take any credit for what He has done this summer. I have seen Him use me inspite of myself, not because I am so wonderful- ha! But isn't that the story of all of us? God chosing to save us from our filthy life of sin, redeem us and then use us to reach a lost world for Him! to HIM be the glory!!!

God brought together a great team of staff this summer. We were literally from all over and all different walks of life. It was so great to watch how much everyone loved what they were doing, loved being with the kids and had so much fun being there. Each person could tell stories of what God did in them this summer and also in the lives of individual children they worked with.

Ironic how when I have the most to write about, I have the least amount of time to sit down and write it! I also have tons of pictures I would love to share...and stories. I am sitting here amazed that we just finished week 4 of day camp. And I have hardly posted anything!
We are having a great summer. As always, seeing God's provision, leading and blessings here. It's been a whole new experience directing daycamp, I find that I can see how everything is running as a whole as oppose to just noticing my class of kids. One thing I love to watch is how still, after four weeks, the staff and kids are having fun together.
We have been blessed by some visitors over the last few weeks. Last week, my brother brought his youth group from Grand Rapids. They had 15 teens and 5 adult leaders. Even though it was a crazy week and very busy, it was worth it to see how the teens reacted to being in an environment totally different than their own. I saw that God was working in their lives through out the week and they learned and grew a lot. Plus, our kids loved it, and became slightly spoiled getting so much attention!
Our staff has been very intentional about talking to the kids throughout the day about the Bible lesson they heard in the morning. One morning, I sat and listened to Mr Alex talking to his class during education time. They were discussing the Bible lesson, which was about Esther. Questions came up like "If God can give us strength to do what is right, why do people still do wrong things?" we've also heard questions pertaining to the kids grasping to understand who Jesus is...and how He was both God and man.
Please pray for us as we enter into our last two weeks. Pray that we will make the most of every opportunity and that God would change lives for Him!!!

Preparing for take off....

We had the rare opportunity this past weekend to take some of our kids on a helicopter ride in Pontiac MI. It was a great experience. I could tell on the van ride there that the kids were nervous, they were quiet and when we asked them they didn't hide the fact. Most of them had never flown on an airplane before, let alone a helicopter! It was an exciting experience. I was able to ride with two of my girls (and also our teen staff!)...I could tell the experience was pretty amazing for them! I found it pretty cool too!
Wycliffe was sponsering the day, so our kids were also able to hear about Bible translations and how few people in the world actually have the Bible translated in their own language. I was shocked hearing the numbers! I think it was a good eye opener to all of us just how blessed we are to have God's Word so readily avaible and also to help us pray for those who are out there reaching those who don't have it!

Day camp is here!

With out a doubt, Day camp is one of the most exciting times around here. This is my third summer here and I have some amazing memories of the past two summers. In fact, it was after my first summer that I felt God calling me to stay here in Highland Park. Being with the kids and spending this much time with them allows for a more intense level of ministry.
This summer, our focus is on sports and nutrition. We decided to build a garden in the backyard and plant flowers and vegetables. This week, the kids worked on making garden rocks to decorate our garden. (above is a picture of Dana and Reginald with their rock). I'm excited for them to have this opportunity to learn about growing plants. I know that for most of them this will be a totally new opportunity.
The first week went very well, in spite of a few obsticles. On Wednesday after lunch, a storm came in and we lost power. So not only were we inside, but the lights were dim (brown out). Our staff pulled together well and things went well. On Thursday, our field trip was to Wayne State University's rec center. The kids were able to do some rock climbing and play in the gym. I enjoyed watching the kids try climbing the wall. Even those who only made it up a few feet were so excited about what they had accomplished.

To me, it is so amazing to watch the staff interact with the kids. The kids know they are loved, they know they are in a safe place...and the staff have fun just being with the kids. What a great place to show the love of Christ.

Rich Young Ruler

I wanted to post lyrics to a song that has been speaking to me a lot, and well, to be honest has been convicting. God has been speaking to me a lot lately about His heart for the poor. Not just in the city(though that is definately an area I am passionate about...obviously!), but all over the world. I just finished reading a book titled "The New Friars" This book talked about people who chose to live in slum communities among the poor- becoming one of them to reach them. The book really gave me good insite into the lives of the poor, and also how God sees them. He is their Heavenly Father, and does not desire to see His children live this way. It made me feel so rich and priveledged. It also convicted me as to what God would have me to do to reach them.
I've seen as I read various authors and the Bible, that as Christians, we can't over look God's commandments on reaching the poor. It's all over the Bible. But, I don't think it's emphasised as much as it should be in our churches. It's not a comfortable subject. I've been made very uncomfortable as I think and pray more about it. This song pretty much sums it up for me...

Rich Young Ruler
by Derek Webb

(vs. 1)
poverty is so hard to see
when it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
where we’re all living so good
that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
where he’s hungry and not feeling so good
from going through our trash
he says, more than just your cash and coin
i want your time, i want your voice
i want the things you just can’t give me

(vs. 2)
so what must we do
here in the west we want to follow you
we speak the language and we keep all the rules
even a few we made up
come on and follow me
but sell your house, sell your suv
sell your stocks, sell your security
and give it to the poor
what is this, hey what’s the deal
i don’t sleep around and i don’t steal
i want the things you just can’t give me

(bridge)
because what you do to the least of these
my brother’s, you have done it to me
because i want the things you just can’t give me

"Informal ministry"

Kids club and youth groups are all done for the year...and we are starting Day camp on June 26th. So what's going on now?
Well, for one- we have been taking our Jr and Sr high youth down to Revival Tabernacle(a church located right here in Highland Park) every Tuesday night. Revival has invited us to join their youth group. I started bringing down the girls a couple of months ago, and now our Jr High boy leaders have been bringing their guys down. This has been a great way to keep our teens actively involved, allow for relationships to continue to build over the summer and also to connect them with a local church.
Also- I've been able to continue to spend time with our neighbor girls. They have come to church with me and also to my Wednesday night Bible study. They've also come by at times just to hang out...watch movies etc. I'm thankful that they desire to not only hang out with me, but also to be involved in spiritual things like church, Bible studies and various trainings.
On Memorial day, I drove down Grand- a street that a lot of our kids live on (and those who don't spend a lot of time on). I was able to spend some time with the kids. Devionte, one of our older boys was asking question after question about day camp...when are we having it? what are we doing? etc. He was so excited and kept inviting other kids who were around. We played some street basketball, bought ice cream from a neighbor who sells it out of her house, and chatted about camp. I enjoyed hanging out with them. Katrina, one of our girls, came and was upset because she missed her dad, who lives in Chicago. It was neat because we were able to sit on the curb as she told me about her dad and I was able to remind her that she had a Heavenly Father who loved her and was always there for her. Her brother James then said to me "Hey, I remember you saying that before at club!" (at least I know they are listening!)
This "informal" ministry has been great. I'm thankful I am able to spend this time with the kids and my prayer is that I can show them the love of Christ through our interactions together.

I've also been traveling...a lot! I've been home for a wedding and graduation and also down to Columbus for another wedding. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go to L.A. for an Urban Youth Workers conference. This was an amazing experience and I could write page after page about all that I learned! It was just incredible to be surrounded by others who also had a heart for the city and worked with youth. It was a time of personal spiritual refreshment and I also learned a lot that can be implimented in the ministry here.

Looking back on what God has done

Last week was our last week of programming for the school year. Wow...I still find it hard to believe. I hear time flies faster as you get older. I'm not that old, which is a little scary to think of!
It was a great year. As I look back over it I am reminded of God's continual faithfulness. He provided much needed volunteers, work groups who helped maintain the facility, finances so that I could go full time and also new faces among our children and youth.
To end the year, Melissa and I took our Jr and Sr High girls to Belle Isle for a "pizza picnic" and to just hang out. The girls loved playing on the playground and acting like kids!
For Kids Club, we held a carnival complete with a cotton candy machine, games and lots of candy. I even did some grilling (first time ever!)... It was a great week of fun and time to celebrate all that God has done
One of the biggest encouragements came in the last couple of months. I invited our two neighbor girls to come to Bible study. They both started coming. One of them, Crystal jumped right in. She memorized all the verses as well as the books of the Bible. She invited her friend Ashley to come. Both Ashley and Crystal have gone to several conferences with me and as well as to church. It is so exciting to see their enthusiasm to learn. They seem excited at any and every opportunity to be involved. I've also had fun just hanging out with these girls. Sometimes, they'll come over and we'll hang out in my backyard doing things like playing cards, drawing or taking fun pictures! As our relationships grow, I can see them opening up more and more and am praying that God will use it all to grow them in Him.

So now, the next step is Day Camp! We have 3 interns coming so far. Please pray that God would provide at least one more and that as we plan He would bring in the needed finances. Pray that it will be an amazing summer in which He is glorified!!!

Soccer camp

This past Saturday, the weather couldn't have been more perfect for our spring soccer program. Approximately 20 kids between the ages of 6-14 came out to learn some soccer skills and play the game. The combination of volunteers who knew how to play the sport and those of us who just helped assist (meaning, we didn't know exactly "how" to play!) worked out well.
I worked with the younger kids and found it to be a lot of fun. They definately get points for trying, but the endurance level was a little low :o) The challenge became keeping them on track. They did play a pretty good game though, and burned off a lot of energy! And at the end of the day, everybody had a great time!
At "half-time", Carlo's, a former youth group kid, came and shared with the kids about what it means to be new creatures in Christ. It's so encouraging to see how God has worked in Carlo's life and to have him come and be a positive roll model for the kids.

Hard times...

Living in the inner-city is truly a different life. I feel that over the last 9 months, I have been in the "honeymoon" stage. It's exciting, somewhat adventerous...and the best part by far is living near the kids and youth that I work with. I still am excited about it all, and know this is where I am suppose to be. But a few days ago, I was awakened to some of the challenges it faces.

On Sunday night, while driving with a friend, I saw that the street HPCO is located on and also where the Weidman's (our director/HPCO founder family) was completely blocked off and filled with police cars. I later learned that there had been a shooting and a man was killed. This is a street I spend a lot of time on, know people...it's pretty much my second home. It's so sad to see stuff like this happen. Fortunatley, no innocent bystanders were killed in the shoot out between this man and the police. And while to anyone looking in this was just a man who got what he deserved, he was still a man with a family, he was a father...who's to say one of our boys won't grow up and be in this kind of situation. Breaks my heart. There is so much anger, bitterness, and just plan feeling lost that growing up in this life brings. Only the hope of Jesus Christ can change that. I was remembering a sermon I heard about reaching the lost and how the pastor said we need to remember, the person is not the enemy, but the sin. There is a lot of sin in the city, but not any more than there is in the suburbs. They just don't hide it as well here. They also can't hide it under money and perfect lawns. To many people, it's about daily survival and being caught in the only lifestyle they have ever known.

Statistically, our kids don't have much of a chance of being successful. Chances are they will end up on the streets, selling drugs, getting pregnant by multiple men at young ages and living in poverty with no way out. But their not just statistics to me. They are lives, faces, children I love and that our Heavenly Father gave His life to be with. My prayer is that through the ministry here and the lives of believers who care, God will change the statistics with these kids and young people.

Enjoying the amazing weather!!

This past week, the weather here in D-town has been amazing! Which makes for a lot more outdoor activity and interaction with the kids. This past Friday, I took four of our girls to Belle Isle(an island located on the Detroit river between Detroit and Windsor). All four girls are neighbors, and two of them are moving to Alabama tomorrow...we are very sad about that and will miss the family!! The girls were skeptical as to how much fun we would have but they ended up loving and had a new appreciation for parks! We brought bread and fed ducks, walked the dock which runs along the river and played on the playground. Oh yeah, and climbed trees! Two of the girls just started coming to programming and seem to be really enjoying it. One of them memorized all of the books of the Bible and two verses in her first week!
On Saturday, I took three of the girls to a Reload conference. This conference is for urban youth workers but also has sessions for teens. After their first session, we met up at lunch and they shared with excitement what they had learned. It sounded like the main focus was how to treat enemies, forgive those who hurt us and building Godly relationships.
Last week in Kids Club, we showed the kids part of the "Jesus" film(the version made for chidren). We showed the crucifixion and resurrection. This lead to some great discussion and questions about why Jesus had to die. Watching the kids watch the movie really touched me. They all were watching intently, saddened and I could see that it touched many of them. We then talked about how Jesus took their sin to the cross and that it's because of what He did on the cross that they could be forgiven. We decided to visualize this by having them write down sins they had committed on a piece of paper and then nailing to a cross. What impressed me the most was some of the sins they wrote down. I could tell that they really thought about it and understood just what sin was.
Praise God for all that He is doing here!!

Ministry and Enrichment

I have found that one of the greatest encouragements as a "newbie" in the world of inner-city ministry(or just in missions in general) is talking to those who have been in it and can share experiences and words of encouragement. I have so much to learn and so many areas to grow in!
Today, the Weidman's and I spent the day at a conference here in Detroit. One of the main emphasis of this conference was discipleship, particularly with African Americans. It was so perfect and pertained so much to what we are doing here. I loved how one speaker pointed out that discipleship is a journey, not a program, it's a process, not a product. He then went on to share how Jesus' incarnation was an example to us on how to disciple. He came and lived among us, He didn't just tell us how to live, He showed us.
That is really my goal here. I felt that this speaker spoke what was in my heart and verbalized what I was feeling but didn't know how to put into words. That is how I want to live among the kids and teenage girls I am with. I want to live with them, share life with them, and show them Jesus. Sometimes, it can be discouraging and feel like I am getting no where. But that's when I put things on my time table and not God's. Relationships take time. It cannot happen over night. As far as how things are going in the ministry itself, we had a great week this past week in Kids Club. One of our families came and pretty much ran the events and Bible lesson. It was so great as everything tied into what was being taught during Bible time. Their lesson was called "Good Dog/Bad Dog" and they spoke on how we need to feed the good things and good desires in our lives, not the bad. Because whichever one you feed, will grow. And you want the good dog to be good, not the bad one! The kids really loved it. This is a pic. of them "feeding" the dog in an outdoor activity Tim set up.
I've also had the opportunity this week to get to know one of our neighbors. I've invited the girls to our Bible studies(they are in jr high and high school). I met them in the fall when we moved in and they always greeted me in the morning on their way to school. When I went over to their house to talk to them, their mother invited me in. I talked with her about what we do and she invited me to one of their "Block Meetings". I'm really excited about this as it will be a great way to get connected in the neighborhood and get to know my neighbors. It's amazing how the spring weather brings people out!
Today, I went over to a street that some of our kids live on because the weather was so great and I thought they might be out. Plus, they've wanted one of their friends to come so I thought it would be good to meet her mom. I went over and they were outside. We played some basketball on the street court(a hoop set up in the middle of the street). I think the neighbors were wondering what was up with this white girl playing B-ball with the kids in the 'hood...but some of them already knew me. It was a lot of fun. I love it. I love being here!!
I'm excited about it being spring because it's great being outside, hanging out with the kids... just being here, living life with them.

Yesterday was such a crazy, exhausting, but really good day. It seems that when we schedule to do updates and reports, we like to just get it all done at once! Yesterday, the Weidman's were featured in the morning services of Highland Park Baptist along with other city ministries. We had a table set in the back which I helped "man". It was fun to talk to various people about the ministry and also receive a lot of words of encouragement. We had a few that were interested in helping out. After two services, we went out to lunch with a family who work for Youth for Christ in Detroit. They have been in the city for years(they Weidman's and their family go way back!).
After a very enjoyable lunch for them, we headed back to HP. I got home around four, took a short nap, then we headed back to the church at 5 to do a presentation at Shiloh, the Sunday night service. Three of our volunteers came from this group, so we wanted to give an update and have Kristen(one of the volunteers who is staying on for the summer)share about her experience. It went very well, and again we had some interest. I couldn't believe how exhausted I was at the end of the day though! Talking can wear me out...haha...but it was all worth while. It's always exciting to share about the ministry because it's something I love and believe so strongly in!

Encouraged

I am sitting here writing this after a great night with some of our high school girls. This afternoon, I found myself very discouraged. I was working on the Bible study for tonight and in the process, calling girls to see who was coming. For the second week in a row, a lot of them couldn't make it. It looked like we were down to one girl(and Melissa is gone for the week, so I was the only leader), so I was deciding whether or not to cancel. It was frustrating because it just seemed like we weren't getting any where and the girls were losing interest in coming. I have honestly seen how Satan can bring discouragement to keep us from doing what we're suppose to. So, inspite of how I was "feeling" we had our study. Three girls came, and we had a great time! I was concerned that they wouldn't have fun because of the group dynamics. But they really seemed to. We talked a lot, had a good study in which they were very involved and just enjoyed being together. It reminded me of how important it is to just be there for them. It doesn't always have to be extremely deep or spiritual(though this is good and NEEDED!)-but if they can just see that I genuinely care-and that the love I have for them comes from God-then they will be more open to what I have to say about God. On the way home, Misha was sharing about a boy who she had a class with who was shot and killed over the weekend. I could tell that it really bothered her and she was still dealing with the shock of it. It hurts me to see these young ones have to deal with such struggles. It makes me want to protect them from anything like that. I just have to continually remember that God is bigger than anything they may face. His grace is sufficient-for all things!!
These pictures really don't have anything to do with what I'm writing about...but I thought they would be great ones to share! The first one is the kids following Christ's example of washing each other's feet. The lesson was on servanthood. "The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many" The second picture is of HPCO's great leader (and founder!) John Weidman teaching a Bible lesson to the children.

Weekend in Grand Rapids!

This past weekend, Melissa and I took two of our girls to a Purity and Holiness Seminar at my home church in Grand Rapids. This seminar focuses on sexuality and relationships. Even though I would have loved to see more girls come, it was nice to have a smaller group. In the summer of 2005, Misha and Inez (the girls who came) worked at day camp. So, Melissa and I had already gotten to know them pretty well.

I am so thankful that the girls had this opportunity. It took them out of their comfort zone to a knew place and also they were able to learn stuff they had never been taught before. In their world, waiting for marriage is an un-thought of concept. And this curriculum took them beyond the rules of purity to issues of the heart and their relationship with God. They had some good questions and I could tell through our conversations that this really got them thinking. I am praying that God would allow this information to penetrate their hearts and that they would have a desire to be pure and obedient to His will.

In addition to the seminar, we also had some fun over the weekend. My parents opened up their home and cooked some great meals for us. We also took them out on Friday night for some dessert at “On the Border” (a Mexican restaurant where my brother works).

This was a great weekend for all of us. And I want to send out a very special thank you to my wonderful church family at Forest Hills Bible Chapel who allowed us to come and made every one feel right at home!

Back at it!

Programming has started back up here at HPCO! I have been really looking forward to seeing all of the kids again and having club and youth groups. This week was great but also carried with it some challenges.
Last Sunday, we had a volunteer meeting to regroup and plan out programming for the winter. I'm excited about all of the ideas that came up. It seems to be on all of our hearts that we would like to really step it up a notch and get the kids into the Word and reading it on their own. We have been looking at some ideas for prayer, Bible reading and quiet times. I have seen that this is such a strong need at all ages of our youth...well, actually in all of our lives! My heart is that they would all have a hunger for God's Word and to be growing in their personal relationships with Him. We can give them Bible lessons, encouragement and truth, but eventually, it has to come from their own hearts. I pray that the Spirit will continue to work in their lives daily!
As far as the challenges go, we have two boys who have been coming that really add some challenges for us. They are 9 year old twins. While they can be highly energetic, uncooperative and cause a lot of chaos, I think it's safe to say that they have won over the hearts of most, if not all of us. There are a lot of weeks where they are not allowed back the following week because of behavior. This past Thursday, I realized just how much I want them to be there because I know they are learning. One of them came and sat with me while his group was learning the memory verse. He had the verse with him, so he and I sat and worked on it. It was "For the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many". We talked about what the verse meant, what Jesus had done for us and why. He had so many great questions. I was really thankful for the time I was able to spend with him. But then, when we got on the van to ride home, he started fighting with the other kids and not listening to what was being told to him. It was so hard for me. I have been praying a lot for those two boys over the last few days. I know that they do not have a very stable home life and that many adults have given up on them. But I know God hasn't. And God loves them so much and I would love to see them give their lives to God and follow Him, not follow down the road that seems to already be paved out for them.
I also have been challenged on what discipleship means and looks like as I work with our Jr High and High School girls. It is continually a challenging and growing experience. These girls face so much daily and have temptations and struggles that many of them don't feel open to share with me. God has taught me lately that in discipleship, I need to also be open with them about where I struggle and how God is teaching me. Leading through example, and also being vulnerable so that they can see that they are not alone and then trusting God to work in their lives as they learn about Him.
Well, I've said a lot...hopefully not too boring! Thank you all for your continual prayers-God is working through them!!!

Some news...

Even though we haven't had club for awhile, and supposedly, January is our "month off" a lot has been happening around here that I would like to share with you.
A couple of weeks ago, Melissa and I took the Jr High girls to the home of one of our volunteers, Kristen. Kristen wanted to have the girls out to ride her horse, enjoy her hottub, and just hang out. So of course, none of us objected to that! It was a great day. Three of our girls came out. Even though it was freezing, they braved it and rode the horse, a first experience for two of them. Our toes became numb and we were shivering, but we enjoyed it. It was great to see the girls having fun and doing something out of the ordinary. Kristen taught them how to feed, brush and bridle the horse. After our numbing experience, we jumped into a steaming hot tub. From one extreme to the other! We finished the evening by eating pizza and watching a movie.
This past week, we had a group of students from Spring Arbor University come visit Detroit. John is teaching a class there on Urban Ministry so the students were here to experience it first hand for two days. I spent the day with them on Tuesday as they visited various local ministries, and a Detroit school. They also came by to look at our house and get an understanding of what "relocation" consist of. I enjoyed talking to some of the students and finding out where they were at and what their thoughts on the city were. For most of them, this class and experience were their first with inner-city ministry. We had a few who were interested in coming back to do an internship for the summer. This would be exciting as we are always needing day camp staff! On Tuesday night, we also held a special Kids Club so the students could experience working with children. I especially enjoyed this as I hadn't seen a lot of our kids for awhile and missed them! A couple of the students came with me to pick them up and they commented on how happy the kids were to come to club. What a great reminder that little comment was to me of how much the kids do love coming. And it's not like we do anything fancy. Kids club is pretty simple, but the kids know they are loved and can be with their friends in a safe environment.
And last, but definately not least, I have some very good news. As of March 1st, I will be full-time with HPCO!!!!! What an amazing answer to prayer. This was what my desire was from the beginning, I just didn't expect it to come so soon. Oh me of little faith. Please pray that God will continue to bring in the finances needed and also that He would guide me as to how to wisely use my time and resources as a full-time missionary.

Catching up!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I haven't posted anything in a long time, but that is partially because I've been away and we're taking a little "break" from programming here.
I went home for Christmas, and then flew out to New Hampshire the day after to visit my brother and his family. All together, that meant I was gone for 2 1/2 weeks! It was a nice break and it was great to spend time with family! Especially the Hillikers in New England who I don't get to see too often:o) Since I don't have any new HPCO pictures, I thought I'd share one of my very handsome nephew who I visited in NH. I believe this is Keegan getting ready to drive to Detroit in the car his Aunt Sarah bought him-he's obviously ready for the 'hood!(Hopefully, that's not a gang symbol he's got going on there!)
As far as what's going on here in HP, we ended the year well and are looking forward to starting again in February. Before I left, I was priveledged to bring to church the grandma of one of our families. She called me on a Sunday morning and said she would like to come. It was such a blessing to spend this time with her and worship with her. She is known as being a strong prayer warrior. She hasn't been to church in a few years and was excited to be back. She shared with me on our drive to and from church all that God has done for her and her family over the last year. She struggles with poor health and they had to make an unexpected move to another house. But God really provided for them inspite of some rough situations. I'm praying that she'll be able to return to church with me this Sunday.
Also, before Christmas we handed out food and Christmas gifts to our families. Even though I've been around for a few years, this was the first time I was actually able to hand out boxes. I went to three different homes. The first one was the mother of one of our teen girls, Inez. I had talked to her mother on the phone a couple of times, but this was the first time I was able to talk with her in person. It was great to get to know her a little better and pray with her for her and her family. Inez has been through a lot this year and is finally back home after being gone for about 8 months. After that, I went over to the home of 3 of our Kids Club kids. It's always fun to visit the kids because they are usually so excited to have you at their house. They followed me back out to my car and it took me awhile before they would let me go!
I'm really looking forward to starting programming again. I miss all of my kids! This Saturday, we are taking our Jr High girls out to the home of one of our volunteers. I'm also hoping to spend some time with the high school girls before club starts up again.
Oh yes, one more exciting piece of information :o) I've been blessed with some more financial support and am much closer to being able to go full time. Lord willing, I will be able to in May just in time for Day camp! This will be a true answer to prayer.