2007 Summer Prayer Letter #3
 June 24

Kids Club 2007 – Shout it Out!  The Lord is Listening

Our Dear Praying Friends,

Please stand with us for the next two weeks as 700 of us enter the beautiful world of Kids Club.  The best thing that happens around here all year long.

  • 500 kids
  • 80 urban/suburban workcrew
  • 50+ day crew and staff
  • 20 kitchen crew
  • 30 junior (high) leaders
  • Multiple visitors (an open invitation
    to you – come if you can!)

Please pray:
  1. that all of us learn to pray – better
  2. that the children, who have many
    troubles, will experience the love and
    power of God who helps
  3. that the workers will have strength,
    patience, love, protection for the two weeks
  4. that as the cries of the saints go out, the
    influence of the evil one would be eliminated
  5. that all levels of leadership would love one another
  6. for protection on the road, 19 NM vehicles and countless cars
  7. for our finances – for this program and the expenses of all we are doing this summer

Psalm 34:17-19

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;

 

Report from Junior High Kids Club and Albuquerque Kids Club

 

Thank you for praying last week.  With a focus on prayer, we particularly notice answers to prayer.  Here are some of them:

  • There was great attendance
  • The teaching was solid
  • The work crew took care of each other and worked hard loving kids
  • All vehicles traveled safely
  • When many of our machines broke down, all in a day, we knew that the spiritual attacks of the summer are here – almost all that broke were repaired in a day
  • An expensive piece of equipment was stolen and returned, miraculously
  • Relational problems experienced reconciliation
  • Kids were loved, a lot
  • The leadership class was full (ready for kids club)
  • Kids in crisis had help and experienced God’s love that way


Albuquerque Kids Club


Junior High Kids Club

 

A glimpse of the summer so far – “growing leaders”

 

The thousands of details that are required to run these summer camps is consuming business; particularly if crisis management becomes the focus and then the distraction.  Whether it is the broken copy machine, freezer, air-conditioners in classrooms or retrieving homeless teens, negotiating rides for kids in CPS care, dealing with drug addicted gang members casing the property.  So, we have to pay attention, to not miss the big things, the point of all of this.  Prayer helps with that, as does the resolve to see!

 

I am resolved to not miss witnessing leadership development here.  I don’t want to take for granted that of 42 summer interns, 34 come from our own ministry and this community.  I don’t want to miss marveling at their growth, their kingdom values and their commitment.

 

Bobo was a wild little boy when we first met him 12 years ago.  There’s probably a better word, but wild covers it.  This is his second year as an intern, his first taking charge of a specific area.  He ran the basketball competition.  You knew lunch was over because the whistle around his neck didn’t stop squealing until all participants had begun the round robin for the day.  Announcing the winning team at the end of JH kids club wasn’t nearly as exciting as watching his face.

 

Lilian just graduated from high school.  Almost four years in some sort of leadership position, Lilian has learned to run our programs.  She carried a great deal of the administrative responsibilities for the week.  She was indispensable. 

 

Miguel planned and ran the morning program, going from back stage sound guy to up front and visible.  Victor taught and managed the 7th grade boys class (no small feat, as his was one of the classrooms with no air-conditioning).  Lynell taught and choreographed the hip-hop dance class, which performed the last day.  Easily the best performance from a NM dance class yet.  (Lynell is only a junior leader).  Alfonso, one of the youngest team members, leads by his character, influencing others by his spirit and motivation.  Cesar, mentally challenged, can always be found helping.  Daniel, his brother, is so gentle and soft-spoken, that on the night of his debrief, though you could barely hear him, the whole group clapped, its his love that leads. 

 

We’re almost half way through the summer, our biggest camp begins now.  I’m resolved once more to not miss what’s important.  It means I have to pay attention and not let the distractions capture me.  I’ll keep you posted on this week’s leadership “sightings”.