Neighborhood Kids Club 2000 - first week

Dear Intercessors,

We are so grateful for your commitment to pray for us during this summer's Kids Club. It has been a huge week, with breakthroughs beyond our hopes and expectations, the normal but horrible breakdowns of vehicles and the constant joy of loving hundreds of kids everyday.

THE TRADITION CONTINUES

Though our vehicles tend to function pretty predictably during the school year, they ordinarily collapse during Kids Club -- we have already replaced two alternators, a rear seal, an oil problem, a starter, a blown tire, a radiator problem, a break problem and something still unknown to our mechanics with one of our new-to-us buses, gifted just for Kids Club. We usually consider this to be spiritual warfare. Amazingly, Kids Club goes on through all of this, every child still gets picked up and goes home, it just gets a little complicated. Continue to pray ...

OUR GOD REIGNS

Despite this opposition, some really huge things in the lives of kids we have loved for years took place this week. Just being together gives children an opportunity to deal with issues, but it is also God's sovereign timing, that their readiness is when they have so much support. So we have been in the thick of it, seeing monumental victory over Satanic opposition in lives. One precious teen-ager whose mother was murdered last year has been a run-away for a few months -- she resurfaced tonight and will join us tomorrow. We can't wait to see her. Another 19 year old young mom of two, has taken in her three sisters, as they go to court against an abusive father. Pray for this godly and courageous young woman

THE STAFF

Our work crew is incredible. These young people love the Lord and want to serve Him by loving kids. But the adventure can wear a little thin when you live communally, sleep less than normal and work a lot of hours in the heat with kids climbing all over you. Some were struggling this week, but Friday became a day of great restoration.

LAKE DAY

The fist Friday of Kids Club is a big day. For years we have made it an event to look forward to. This year, for the first time in some years, we went back to Canyon Lake. All 500 of us. 13 boats arrived to take children over the lake for half hour rides. The day was perfect with just a little cloud cover. We had lots of food and other fun things to ride in the water or do on the beach. All in all, for our kids, who come from such difficult places, it was a day of joy and delight. We all have images of children who sat or rested on a raft in the water, as if they were in liquid joy and wouldn't want to ever leave. The best climax, was gathering under the covered ramada. We sang a few songs and talked about what was coming next. There would be four among us who were ready to be baptized. Three of these young people had come to Christ at Kids Club many years earlier. Now they were work crew, serving the Lord. These young adults shared their testimonies, their choices, and their conviction that they were new creatures in Christ. After listening to their testimonies in Spanish and English, these young leaders walked out to the water, with hundreds watching. They were baptized in the lake with shouts of celebration. After all vans and buses left the lake, the camp manager came to watch us clean up. He couldn't stop telling us how impossible he thought it would be to welcome gladly hundreds of inner-city children to a day at the lake. But after watching us all day, he said we were one of the best groups he had ever seen there. Come back, he said, PLEASE!

WEEK TWO

Pray as we enter into the home stretch. Some kids will come to Christ, some will renew their commitments, some will tell a leader something painful or hard. Over all, we will all grow together and in faith.

Your intercession is felt by all. Believe me -- God Bless you, friends.

Love, Kit