Every Tuesday night a group of us gets together at the church and prays, we pray for everything our program, our people, the people we are (and are trying too) reach, personal requests everything under the sun. Some nights it'll just be a small group of regulars while other nights some people wander in off the street and join us. A few weeks ago "M" wandered in, he was a man who was addicted to alcohol and a few other things, he broke my heart, I had actually met him the Friday before and when I met him then he could barely function. When he came in really disrup prayer, but while Bruce was praying for this man he was convicted of something he had done and he made it right. I've been praying for this specific man everyday I can only hope that something changes in him for the Longterm.
So I finally got my meeting with our district commander yesterday and it was awesome, I felt like if anyone is going to get something done in our neighborhood, it'll be him and the Neighborhood Services Director. Honestly this is the first time that I have had a meeting at the Police Department and I've felt like I have been heard and encouraged. I promised them that I would be holding them accountable for the things they've said that they would do. So we shall see, but I am hoping and praying that finally things will be looking up for us!
So last night we had our COR meeting and I realized this month is packed with loads of fun stuff! Which means there are MANY opportunities for YOU to help out, below I have a wish list of things we need for our Fall Fest, if you're interested in donating something or helping out please contact me at colleen@metrokidzbaltimore.org. There are also many other exciting things going in this month so if you'd like more details please let me know as well.
We're looking for a few good volunteers to help up with our Metro Kidz Fall Festival on October 29th! You can either join us the night of the event and help with various activities or donate some of the items on our fall festival wish list! The event will start at 7 p.m. but a few people who could come early to help set-up would be good and we always meet at 6:30 for prayer! We should be cleaned up at out the door no LATER than 9:30 p.m.
The Wish List Includes:
Volunteers
Bags of Candy (individually wrapped)
Scarecrows
Mini Pumpkins
Cookies
Bails of Hay
Apples and Buckets for Apple Bobbing
Any other fall themed decorations you might have lying around you might want to let us borrow :)!
Thanks friends!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Everyday brings a new adventure
So for the past three weeks there's been this heavy spirit around us, us being MetroKidz workers, Charm City families, our kids and our neighborhood. Oddly ( or not oddly) enough the crime in our area has been getting worse. I've heard person after person tell me that they are afraid to come out of their house after a specific time, my favorite little neighbor doesn't sit outside anymore and the block looks so empty without him.
As I think about these people I love, having to fear for their life not just on a daily basis but on an hourly basis, I feel a little guilty that while I am here submerged everyday, that at night I get to go home to my safe warm home, full of love and food. My heart mostly breaks for my kids, most of them are not here by choice, but by chance...my prayer is one that you've heard before and that is constant, but that they'll see there is something more for them waiting out there. They need to dream, they need to envision their future, they need to run (I don't encourage my kids to run away from their problems) but I want them to run to God to chase the dreams they have. I want them to know that they can be delivered from this place, they are currently stuck in.
I spent sometime talking with a neighborhood mom last week and she fears so much for her childs life, she's one of the ones who is trying so hard to get out of this cycle, this place that has turned into a war zone. She will she is determined, she is determined to provide a safe place for her daughter to live, she's determined to escape war. She's determined to provide a place for her daughter to be able to play outside, explore and discover. It's story after story like these that break my heart.
Friday evening as I was waiting for some friends to arrive at the church for an event, I spent some time with T/S two young girls I met last month, I've invited them to come to Metro Kidz a few times, but they haven't yet, I am not giving up on them though. These girls have shared with me in the few brief conversations that we've had their fears, their dreams, the things that make them happy and the things that make them sad. One of the girls said to me on Friday, "Ms. Colleen, I am scared to walk here most days because of the guys on the corner (the guys she's referring to are some of our local d.d's) I don't want them to ask me to help them." It broke my heart because this happens on such a consistent basis, in fact I see some of my kids getting caught up in this. I sent these girls a card in the mail yesterday encouraging them to join us on Wednesday, I really hope they will. They desire attention (positive) and love (unconditional), whenever I am outside they seek me out, I have fallen in love with them, and I want them to come and feel loved. So would you join me in prayer that God will provide safety for these girls and they'll feel safe enough to come and join us?
Would you also join me in prayer for Mr. T he's a local man who Aaron and I had the opportunity to pray with on Friday night, his prayers are so sincere, he wants so bad to get out of here, but people keep letting him down. I've been praying all weekend that God will make a way for this man, that he'll be able to get out. I see Mr. T wandering around sometimes like he's just looking for a place that's safe, he's a hard worker, I've seen him work, he loves people, he just struggles with addiction and has finally realized now is the time to get help. I just hope he does before it's too late.
As I think about these people I love, having to fear for their life not just on a daily basis but on an hourly basis, I feel a little guilty that while I am here submerged everyday, that at night I get to go home to my safe warm home, full of love and food. My heart mostly breaks for my kids, most of them are not here by choice, but by chance...my prayer is one that you've heard before and that is constant, but that they'll see there is something more for them waiting out there. They need to dream, they need to envision their future, they need to run (I don't encourage my kids to run away from their problems) but I want them to run to God to chase the dreams they have. I want them to know that they can be delivered from this place, they are currently stuck in.
I spent sometime talking with a neighborhood mom last week and she fears so much for her childs life, she's one of the ones who is trying so hard to get out of this cycle, this place that has turned into a war zone. She will she is determined, she is determined to provide a safe place for her daughter to live, she's determined to escape war. She's determined to provide a place for her daughter to be able to play outside, explore and discover. It's story after story like these that break my heart.
Friday evening as I was waiting for some friends to arrive at the church for an event, I spent some time with T/S two young girls I met last month, I've invited them to come to Metro Kidz a few times, but they haven't yet, I am not giving up on them though. These girls have shared with me in the few brief conversations that we've had their fears, their dreams, the things that make them happy and the things that make them sad. One of the girls said to me on Friday, "Ms. Colleen, I am scared to walk here most days because of the guys on the corner (the guys she's referring to are some of our local d.d's) I don't want them to ask me to help them." It broke my heart because this happens on such a consistent basis, in fact I see some of my kids getting caught up in this. I sent these girls a card in the mail yesterday encouraging them to join us on Wednesday, I really hope they will. They desire attention (positive) and love (unconditional), whenever I am outside they seek me out, I have fallen in love with them, and I want them to come and feel loved. So would you join me in prayer that God will provide safety for these girls and they'll feel safe enough to come and join us?
Would you also join me in prayer for Mr. T he's a local man who Aaron and I had the opportunity to pray with on Friday night, his prayers are so sincere, he wants so bad to get out of here, but people keep letting him down. I've been praying all weekend that God will make a way for this man, that he'll be able to get out. I see Mr. T wandering around sometimes like he's just looking for a place that's safe, he's a hard worker, I've seen him work, he loves people, he just struggles with addiction and has finally realized now is the time to get help. I just hope he does before it's too late.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
A comedian in our crowd!
Wednesday night, one of our teen boys stayed until 9:30 p.m. and cleaned the entire downstairs and then mopped up all the water from an overflowing toilet, T stood out from his friends that night, he let his servant side shine. He didn't complain, didn't ask for money for working his little tail off and was happy with an 8 pack of mini KitKats :)! The reward from him staying was much bigger than him cleaning and doing work that made our job easier that night, we actually got to spend one on one quality time with him.
We got to find out that he does want to go to college, and he does have dreams, he wants to go somewhere and do something. He's recently found a job and is true to going and making money. He helps his family out with some of the money he makes and the rest he uses for his needs. I am so proud of T, I can only pray that he'll be an example to the other kids around him.
Sunday I made a deal with him and some of the other boys that we'd have a study buddy program for this semester and see how it goes, but I laid down some rules one of them being that they had to let me know when they wanted to get together and they had to be true to actually getting there and participating. I am very excited about this though, I really think they are serious about it and I can't wait to watch them excel in school and go places!
The other deal that we made, was that if they got all A's and B's we'd do one of two things, we'd either have a pizza party together or I'd take them out to a nice dinner one at a time. We'll see how this goes :)!
I've been praying a lot for my teens boys who'll be graduating high school this year, I hope that you'll join me in praying for them. That they'll make wise decisions this year regarding school, their plans for the future and their social lives.
If you'd also pray this week for Pastor Mike as he continues to teach the teen boys about money, and financial matters. It's such a crucial time to teach them about budgeting and saving money so they can escape the neighborhood and the ways of the neighborhood!
Thanks friends!
We got to find out that he does want to go to college, and he does have dreams, he wants to go somewhere and do something. He's recently found a job and is true to going and making money. He helps his family out with some of the money he makes and the rest he uses for his needs. I am so proud of T, I can only pray that he'll be an example to the other kids around him.
Sunday I made a deal with him and some of the other boys that we'd have a study buddy program for this semester and see how it goes, but I laid down some rules one of them being that they had to let me know when they wanted to get together and they had to be true to actually getting there and participating. I am very excited about this though, I really think they are serious about it and I can't wait to watch them excel in school and go places!
The other deal that we made, was that if they got all A's and B's we'd do one of two things, we'd either have a pizza party together or I'd take them out to a nice dinner one at a time. We'll see how this goes :)!
I've been praying a lot for my teens boys who'll be graduating high school this year, I hope that you'll join me in praying for them. That they'll make wise decisions this year regarding school, their plans for the future and their social lives.
If you'd also pray this week for Pastor Mike as he continues to teach the teen boys about money, and financial matters. It's such a crucial time to teach them about budgeting and saving money so they can escape the neighborhood and the ways of the neighborhood!
Thanks friends!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
