May 2008 Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Ericka came to our Ministry Center a few months ago out of the blue: “Do you have afterschool programs? I want to enroll my daughters.”

Samericka, age 7, has been our most faithful participant ever since. Even though Ericka registered both of her girls, Samericka always came alone. In March we held our annual Spring Break Day Camp. Samericka was here every day that week. I asked her why Jericka, her older sister, had not been coming.

“She doesn’t like it here,” she bluntly replied. I nodded as if I understood but was really thinking,
she’s never been here–how does she know if she likes it or not?

One afternoon that week Jericka arrived a few minutes early to pick up her sister. She joined us for the closing worship session and carefully observed the silly singing, crazy dancing, and simple reminders of what we had learned that day from the back row. I encouraged her to join us for the rest of the week and was pleasantly surprised when she signed in the next morning. By early afternoon she was dressing up in the drama elective, smiling, and cracking jokes. I had to laugh to myself as I remembered what Samericka had told me about her not liking it here.

Friday night of that week was Family Night. We invited the children to bring anyone in their families for an evening of food and fun, including an Easter egg hunt. Ericka came to the program eager to hear all that her girls had experienced. The drama team put on a skit, the dance & step team performed, the newspaper team passed out their work, the cooking team shared the sweet treats they had made, and we all watched a Gospel magic show. It was a fabulous night! Ericka told me at least three times how great it was before asking about our plans for a summer program.

As I have shared before, our neighbors tend to be very transient, frequently moving. Rarely do
parents ask three months in advance about anything. This inquiry gave me such hope for Ericka and her kids. This mom is excited not only to have her children involved, but also to be involved with them! That kind of commitment is precious.

We are now in the process of planning for summer. All of June and July will be committed to
running programs similar to those of last summer for children and youth in grades 1-8. Right now we are finalizing details with summer interns who will serve here, raising funds for a summer budget, and creating lesson & activity plans.

Please pray with me that God works in wondrous ways in the next two months in the lives of
Ericka, Samericka, Jericka, and each of the other families impacted by our plans.
Serving in the City,
Beth