Dream Center May 2010

We learned about the Dream Center when the youth group participated in the lunch making program during their Thirty Hour Famine (THF) weekend back in April. The organizer of the THF expressed her desire to have the youth and anyone else interested go once a month and help make lunches and pass them out. So we decided to go. This is our first month, but we've gone three times now.

Here's my son in his hairnet wrapping a bagel.


This is my daughter in hairnet as well.

My hubs on the right. No hairnet needed, ha!

Nan's kid on the left. A great friend on the right.

The fearless leader on the left and her cohort.

Nan from momstheword. Check out her blog. My son again.

My hubs and daughter.



Eating the extra sandwiches.

Then we played a fun game which had everyone laughing. I can't remember the name, but you move one seat to the left if you answer Ms Jenny's question with a yes. It's clear to see you end up sitting on laps and Ms Jenny tries to get people stacked 6 or 7 high. Oh ya, it's called "Stack 'Em". Enjoy seeing Nan sitting on people and people sitting on me.









Some how my son managed to continue drinking his soda throughout the game.

After the game it was time to load up the lunches and seek the hungry and homeless. We went to a hotel each time. The people there either live there day to day or week to week or depend on someone to pay for their stay in hopes that they'll find a way to get a place of their own.

The Dream Center helps them with training, getting showers, clothing and other meals throughout the week. They are on my prayer list. Great people making a difference in the world and some of them were homeless at one time. God bless the volunteers and those they help.

30 Hour Famine 2010

This is the sign board in front of our church. It is calling attention to how many children die of starvation each hour around the world. Our youth to young adult group participated in the 30 Hour Famine April 23 to 24, 2010. This event is sponsored by World Vision.

The committee had a lot of things to prepare for this event to be successful and memorable for the participants.

They made 1208 little orange crosses and some big signs to bring attention to the fact of starvation. They placed them in the grass in front of our church. It was effective because people were coming into the church to donate money before the Famine event even began.



These little crosses are what got to me. When they took their stand in our church lawn I began to get a feeling for how many kids are starving to death and how much money it may take to help just part of that group.

Each link in the orange chain represents a $1.00 donation. It was hung on the wall of the sanctuary so the church members and attenders could see how much money was being donated.



There were about 30 kids & adults who participated. The participants were divided into tribes (teams). They played difficult games to compete for who would get to eat first after the 30 hour fast.

This poster represents the tribe my son was in. It shows the games and their scores. They wore facepaint and a scrap of material on their head, leg or around their neck to identify them.

During the games they had different afflictions and they had to participate with that affliction. Some wore a back pack with up to 28 pounds in it, some were blind, and some had broken limbs. I think my son had a backpack with about 20 pounds in it.



This is the poster describing everything about the real tribe in Africa.









This event not only helped these young people get a glimpse of the reality of hunger and people dieing of starvation, it also brought many of them so much closer as friends. I think they learned more about trust and true friendship while they raised money for starving kids.



The first tribe to be able to eat. These young people were seriously hungry. They hurt, they were feeling very weak, they missed their technology & their beds, they were very tired because the segment when they were suppose to get some sleep, was a mock earthquake and they lost everything they owned except the clothes on their backs. It was a cold night in the church & the floors were hard with no blankets or pillows.

Ms Jenny is giving back their technology and car keys as they come to her at the end of the table. Jenny was very hungry and tired too as you can see in this picture. She & her husband (the guy in the white shirt here) stayed with these kids and ran all of the activities for the entire event which was 24 hours. They all began their fast at noon on Friday & the event began at 6:00pm Friday and ended Saturday at 6:00pm.


This says it all. I think the whole group went through in 10 minutes or less.


My son dives into his meal. Don't get between him & that plate. I am so proud oh him for doing this. He is only 14, one of the younger ones of the group and I know his heart was changed. I am proud of all of them. They shared heart touching stories in church that Sunday and Jenny & Mike shared as well. This group of 30 or so kids who expected to raise maybe $300.00 raised (DRUM ROLL)
OVER $3000.00!!!! We were all so excited by the grace of God. Humbled by the dedication of these young people.



Changed Hearts! Changed Lives! Praise God!

Awana Awards Night 2010

Our kids and I have been involved with Awana about ten years now. We just finished another year two weeks ago.

This year's theme was "Run the race". You know, "Pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philipians 3:14?

It's been a fun year and I'm looking forward to next year. I enjoy being the secretary for the T & T group, ages 8 to 11. I actually finished the first book this year. The book is full of scripture to memorize, sections to get a kid into the Bible, all of the books of the Bible are memorized during this book as well. This year I can say I really have the books of the Bible memorized. Before, I always had to stop and think before I could recite them. Now I feel confident I know them.

The background decorations on the stage are long sheets of paper that all of the kids and leaders footprints are on. Yes, we put paint on our feet and took 4 steps. It turned out pretty neat I thought. Also there are about 200 hundred balloons on the stage.I only blew up & tied about ten.

First up we have a picture of my son and his friend because they helped Ms Nan (in red on the left) from momstheword with the SPARKS group, ages five to seven.

These guys got together and sang acapella for the parents and others attending the ceremony. The two on the left are none other than Nan's sons. Boy do these guys sound good together for just starting to practice together earlier that day. God given talent at it's best. Thanks guys.

These are our middle schoolers called TREK. A lot of these clubbers will be going to camp this summer so we are raising funds for that now.

My daughter is in this group on the far right.

Here's H after receiving her certificate.

Well, farewell for now. I pray that all these kids and then some will return to Awana next September with hearts ready for God's Word to come in. Pray for kids everywhere to find their place in God's Kingdom. There's room for everyone!!

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

We've got some Awana clubbers that want to go to camp this summer, but you know how it is when there just isn't enough money to send them. Can you say "FUNDRAISER?" Well we took a night off of Awana and held a spaghetti dinner fundraiser.

Here are the youth servers. My daughter is kneeling on the right. All of these kids are in 6th & 7th grade. I believe we have some 5th graders, one 8th grader and some highschoolers going to camp too.

Since it was St. Patrick's Day we had some green spaghetti to commemorate the occasion. Mmm Mmm good.. or not. Depends on if how it looks will turn your stomach first.

Actually it was good. I had some. We may need to have a few more fundraisers to get enough money, but we got a good start and it was fun.

Valentine's Celebrations 2010

My husband had these delivered to me on Friday. He remembered that I love these and we had them in our wedding. They smell awesome too.

Our good friends at the Sweetheart's Dinner. Our sons met in preschool ten years ago. Our daughters became friends and share the same birthday month and year. We've been camping together and celebrating birthdays for years with these friends.

(My daughter was at home sick with an aweful cold. She's been home for five days. Poor kid.)

Who is this guy? I've never seen him. Oh, it's my son dressed up to serve at the Sweetheart's Dinner we all went to last night.

My son and his friend who moved here with his mom from Columbia just over a year ago. He's speaking English very well now and I love to tease him and make him laugh.

My son and his buddie since preschool. Aren't they handsome? They clean up nicely don't they, LOL!

These are my girlfriend's in-laws. They plan the camping trips we all go on together.

Another happy couple at the dinner.

Here's Nan from momstheword and our pastor (oh, yes he's her husband as well).

Here's Nan's mom with Nan's two sons. Cute! I missed the photo op when she kissed each of them on the cheek. Sweet!

My son and Nan's youngest. They've been buds since middle school I think.

Having some fun.

Okay, this young man rarely wears long pants. Whenever I see him he's wearing shorts, no matter how cold it is. I had to take a picture.

You may be wondering why there isn't a picture of my hubs and me. Well we had our picture taken there by the youth and when I got it at the end of the night we both just cracked up. It's not the best picture of us. Sorry, I won't be posting it and I didn't have anyone take a picture with our camera. I really need to work on that.

We've had a fun Valentine's weekend so far and we have two more days off, yippee!!

Remember that God loves us and sent us His Son. What better reason to celebrate love than that?