July 2

June 23
Our theme for the week at kids club has been hope. For our craft we made mosaic crosses with seeds and beans that we had at the mission. The kids are very creative. Since its Wednesday we went bowling again. This time it was our team and Josue and his aunt Nancy joined us.

June 24
Today Charles and I meet Chris at the food bank at 2 and helped him pick up some food to take back over to the mission. We loaded up food on carts and in grocery baskets from the warehouse and then took it all out to the van to fill up the back and the bed of the truck. Once we got it all back to the mission we unloaded it and I started sorting through everything and placing it where it belongs in the food pantry. As I was still putting stuff away we had to open the mission to start putting food boxes together to hand out to families as they came. We then had bible study at 7.

June 25
Today for Kids Club to continue the theme of hope I taught the kids about being a light of the world. Since this is something I had been studying for quite some time and even doing myself this summer. I challenged the children to find ways that they could be a light for others or even bigger to share with their family and friends about the hope that we can have in Christ. Matthew 5:14-16; Luke 11:33-36
When the food was brought for lunch the iPod issue was brought up again and Mikey started cussing and even threatened to hurt his little sister. Tiffany and Lee walked her home and Lee eventually talked to Mikey about the situation. After we got lunch served and the problems all handled. We started the youth bible study. We started by playing Mafia. The children really enjoyed this game. After all of this was done and I got home, I crashed. I was sooo tired I slept for about an hr and a half then had to get up to get back to the mission.

This evening we took about 5 youth to a place called Higher Grounds. This is a place designed for teenagers to hangout. Kind of like a bar or club setting. There was a pool table and, booths, bar to order drinks (non-alcoholic), and even a designated smoking area outside. There is a skate park connected on to the building as well. Two of our guys went and rode their skateboards while the rest of us all sat around talking. I was able to spend lots of time with Veronica. We had some good talks and she shared a little about her home life and her father. After a while Veronica and I were bout ready to go so we went to find Tiffany. Tiffany was sitting in a booth with two boys talking about a gang that they are in. She introduced us and we sat down and joined in on the conversation. The stepbrother of one of the boys came over and really started pouring out his entire life with everything he knew and had experienced with gangs and being in one. This kid was only 17 years old and from California. He has been in fights many times, shot at and even shot twice. Just as I assumed he told us that the kids in Greeley are really sheltered when it comes to gangs because the town has lots of police and is well monitored. I was really amazed how much this kid opened up to us.

After we left we went to McDonalds to eat before taking the kids home. While we were eating the fireworks started going off over at the Greeley Stampede. This was the kick off night.

June 26
Today we had nothing planned and I didn’t want to stay in the house all day so I decided to try to find some time to hang out with some of my new friends from Greeley. Barbara is actually leaving the end of August to go to Bulgaria on a mission trip for 4 months to test the waters and see if she is really called to Missions. Elsa is my friend that has just accepted Christ this summer :D. I plan to try to meet with both of these girls at least once a week if possible. To help with my relationship with these girls and our relationships with Christ I feel like this is something I am supposed to make time for as part of my mission here in Greeley.

Barb and 2 of her friends were going to see Knight & Day right after lunch so I joined them and then afterwards we went to TCBY to have some ice cream and talk for a little while . Elsa has been taking classes this summer and our schedules don’t always match up so I told her to call me when she had a free day. Today was that free day for her so finally we were both able to hangout. I had her meet me for dinner and we had a good long talk as well just about things going on in her life and how to handle some sticky situations. We finished and neither of us ready to go home yet so then we went to Starbucks to just enjoy each others company a while longer.

June 27
This is the day of Worshiping. Today really was a wonderful day of spending time listening to all kinds of different worship music. Since the Greeley Stampede started this past Friday we thought we would go to the Cowboy church on the fairgrounds this morning. We went to the free pancake breakfast first and then went outside to find a seat in the HOT sun. Gospel Trail opened in music for about an hour and then Pastor Shorty Huffman preached for a little while followed by the famous Michael Martin Murphey. This man can sing. It was an awesome morning of worship. To follow up on the amazing morning we Charles, Colleen and I went to dinner and then spent the evening in Loveland at Praise in the Park. This is a Concert that is put on by a church called resurrection fellowship. I love being able to be outdoors, listening to praise music (LOUD), and seeing large numbers of people just singing and praising the One true God. There will be another gathering this summer….and I will be there.

June 28
Today has been a busy, some what hectic, but very good and accomplishing day. We have a team in from Missouri helping us for a couple of days. They brought in a team to cut down our trees and repaint the building it looks wonderful they did a good job. The sign that was hiding before and no one could see has been repainted and the tree is gone. There was one team inside with me making food boxes and sorting through clothes hanging the summer stuff up and putting away winter clothing. The other team was running the kids club and entertaining the children. At one point in time I just sat back and watched all the teams and seeing all of these people taking care of the building. I noticed some of the children through out the day picking up trash and two of the boys picked up the mat at the front door and took it to shake out the dirt. It was like there was something in the air, the children all had a little pride and wanted to take part in cleaning when they saw so many other people doing so. After we served lunch at 1:30 we loaded up all the kids and took them over to some apartments where there is an indoor pool. Chris told me I had to make sure none of the children died on my watch. Let me tell you I am glad there were other adults there watching cause when I looked in the pool there were at least 30 kids in there with me. We took the children home after a couple hours and then the team all went back to the apartment complex for a cookout. Tiffany, Tamika and I walked around the neighborhood to see who we could find to invite to the cookout. Many families were sitting outside watching their kids play. We invited everyone we saw and hoped they would come and boy did they. As soon as we got back to the tent there were people coming from all over. As soon as people started getting food more and more just keep coming.

The best thing about today: there are two younger guys that came with the group from Missouri. One named Omar and the other James. James is the one that repainted the sign for us. Omar went out on the canvassing walk through the trailer park. He shared the gospel with any one he met. The biggest difference that he had then the rest of our team was that he was Hispanic and he knew Spanish. Omar was able to spend lots of time talking with people he even led Grandma to Christ. Grandma is the lady that has 20 people leaving in her house. She had taken in many of her children and grandchildren. When Maryiah came to tell me that a man came into her home and talked with her mom and grandma she was excited and not until later did I realize why. She didn’t tell me that her grandmother accepted Christ.

June 29
This morning I had to get up to take Elthea and her husband to Loveland so they could try to find a home that they can afford. Since I didn’t have to be at the mission til 3:30 and Loveland was about a 30 minute drive I stayed there and went shopping and ate Chick-fil-a for lunch. This is the closest one to me. Then after I got back to Greeley and finished running some errands I went out to the mission for the carnival. We set up our block party trailer and did another cook out with the help from our friends from Missouri. We had the Bounce house up and going, Snow cones, Popcorn, Music playing, Carnival games, and then after a little while cooked some hot dogs and hamburgers.

June 30
Today has been a slower day but an extremely hot day. I do not sweat hardly ever. This summer I have probably done so more than I ever have. Today I was dripping in sweat. All of this to say as soon as kids club was over I was at home taking a shower and enjoying the privilege of having air conditioning.
We had a total of 5 kids for kids club this morning. We did our lesson and games inside and then for the youth today was Alyssa’s birthday so we had some cupcakes for a snack. Charles spent a lot of the afternoon with Mikey. This was really cool because Mikey was asking lots of questions about God and Christians.

July 1
Since Thursday is kind of like a chill day for us I was at home all morning and then left about 12:30. I joined Mrs. Linda and Deya for an afternoon of fun. I then had to be at the mission for the evening to open and then have bible study. As soon as bible study was over I went home to check on pooch. Pooch, is Ms. Judy's dog (the lady I am now staying with). Judy left earlier today for a couple days to go to her family reunion and left me in charge of pooch. After I let pooch in the house I went back to rescue Deya from being by herself. We ended up stayin up super late and watching movies at the house.

July 2
This morning we met Chris at IHOP for our weekly meeting. For Kids Club we had yet again low numbers but God is still working in the lives of the students through us. Since the 4th of July is this weekend we did a lesson today on having Freedom in Christ. One of the Girls, Faith, was asking lots of questions about eternity and heaven and hell. She wanted to make sure she was going to heaven. We explained to her and she said that she has accepted Christ into her life but she doesn't have a personal relationship with him. She was also worried about her aunt who is an atheist and asked if she would go to heaven? Which of course if she doesn't have a relationship with Christ and doesn't accept him into her life then she will not be in heaven. This led to having a wonderful conversation with the few girls that were there. This afternoon I met up with Barb at Starbucks to just chat about what has been going on about plans for the future. It really is awesome to be able to just share and listen to another Christian. Especially in the time of doing lots of ministry. It is very important to make sure that we are not only pouring out all the time but that we are being poured into as well. When the cup is empty there is nothing left to pour out.


Prayer Request:
Mikey-He knows he is doing wrong, just for a desire in his heart to want to change
Grandma-God is really working in the house of this woman.
Elsa-Relationship with Christ, continue the eagerness to want to learn and know more
This next week Charles and I will be staying in Estes Park to help with their VBS.
Faith-Her christian faith to become stronger and for her to have a better understanding our role as Christians.