This past Saturday Jen hosted a Summer Bash at the apartments to celebrate summer and to reward the kids for their faithfulness to Bible study since the first of the year. As you will recall, our initial plan was to minister to the adult females for 12 weeks. God had a different plan.

 

The kids had a blast! So did the adults -- in spite of the heat.  300 water balloons. SNOW CONES. A magician. Bobbing for apples. Free BBQ chicken, dirty rice, mac & cheese, potato salad, hot dogs and chocolate cake. Of course, it was fun!

 

Jen had each kid (who was brave enough) stand up & tell everyone what they learned at Bible study. Several mentioned Bible stories they learned. Every single kid who stood up said, "I learned about family. This is part of my family. I love Saturdays."  Very sweet.  Jen has never done anything like this before, but she has done a fabulous job. We appreciate her faithfulness and love for these kids. She's had great helpers, too. Thanks to Helena and Steve for being there with Jen.

 

There was a girl hanging out whom I recognized from our previous visits to the complex. She was a dancer. Miss Bea asked me to talk to this girl because her boyfriend had beat her up and dragged her through the parking lot of the complex the night before. I went over to the girl (I will call her "K"), and we started talking. K asked if we could get a couple of gallons of milk for her 16-month-old daughter. She said she had stopped dancing, was starting her new job/training as a medical assistant on Monday (yesterday) and didn't have any money for food. K said she wasn't picky and would be grateful for anything we were able to give her.

 

Suzie & Joyce went grocery shopping later that evening and bought all sorts of food and staple items, Cheerios and toilet paper. When they went back to K's house, she was shocked at what they brought. The baby kept patting the box of Cheerios. Joyce asked if she could use K's bathroom. K said, "Yes, but just a minute. You'll need this. I was out." She reached over and opened the package of toilet paper.  Isn't God cool?  He cares about every single detail of our lives. Not only does he know how many hairs are on our head, he knows when we need toilet paper. Such a practical God.  Please keep K in your prayers as she transitions to a new line of work. Also pray that she follows through with filing charges on the boyfriend & does not hook back up with him.

 

Thanks to Barbara & Steve from Back2Basics Ministries for providing & serving the snow cones. That was a huge hit with all ages.

 

Thanks to all who donated prizes, stuffed animals, goodie bags, food, drinks, etc. and a huge thank you to all who volunteered and sweated. Miss Bea came up to me at the end and thanked us for being there and said it is a totally different place when we are there. Miss Bea said people smile (for real) and get along unlike the previous night when all anyone wanted to do was fight -- as in K's story above.

 

We go there in love and with our plans for Bible studies. God surprises us and makes us a family.  

 

Piercing the Darkness,

 

Drenda and the PTD team