Wednesday, June 30, 2010

This has been a good week so far. God is good!!

The jewelry party we held for Elaine went really well. It was nice to visit with all the guests. We had fun looking at the jewelry and eating the really yummy food! I pray that Elaine's new business does extremely well for her.

Sunday was a very long day. I got to church about 9:00am and left after 6:00pm. After I was through with the Cuerpo Vivo service, I worked more on Mission Rogers and then had meetings with Brian, Landon and Sheree. I was good and tired by the time I got home. I had some quick take out for dinner and then worked more on the details for Mission Rogers until bedtime. I enjoy this kind of work.

Monday morning started early at the church, checking in the kids as they were dropped off for Mission Rogers to begin. After a quick meeting and prayer, the kids took off for their assigned work projects. Overall, we are working at over 20 locations and projects all over the city and our church building. Over 60 kids heading out twice a day for work details, coming back to the church for 3 meals a day, sleeping and showering at the church. Add in a couple of evenings of worship services, a swimming party, bowling night, a couple of mega group games and I think the kids will feel that they have had a full week.

So far we have worked at Helping Hands Thrift Store (gardening/landscaping & working with donations of clothing & household items), Loving Choices Pregnancy Center (power washing parking lot & sidewalks, weeding/mowing, cleaning windows), Benton County Juvenile Detention Center (prepping and painting, sharing testimonies), Samaritan Community Centers in Rogers and Springdale (helping serve free meals, outdoor work, working with donations), working at 3 city parks (cleaning and landscaping), Main Street Rogers warehouse (cleaning & organizing the Christmas decorations for the city streets), Saving Grace (landscape work in a courtyard, sorting donations, cleaning rooms), 3 days of Back Yard Bible Clubs in 2 locations (Bellview school & Double Tree Apartments), Humane Society Animal Shelter (caring for dogs & cats), Northside Elementary school (landscaping & clean up). We have also had teams that have helped at FBCR doing the following: cleaning baseboards, doorframes and windowsills in the whole church, helping to unload a semi at the new building, helping to sort and pack items for the Children's ministry, mulched 2 flower beds, organizing & moving the puppet ministry supplies and other Local Ministry supplies, helping with the Food Pantry, weeding around the building, and helping organize some equipment for the Media ministry.

Still on the schedule for the rest of the week are: returning to Samaritan Community Center in Rogers & Springdale, Northside School, Helping Hands Thrift Store, Humane Society, Benton County Juvenile Detention Center, both Back Yard Bible Clubs, 2 more city parks, FBCR Food Pantry, for continued work. We will also go to the NWA Women's Shelter (organizing donations), Soul's Harbor Homeless Shelter (sorting donations), help distribute brochures for Upward sports, and clean up the areas of the church that we have been using this week, as well as clean up all the church vans. On Friday, we hope to all meet at the new building site to pray for the transition of moving to the new building.

I think I've covered everything... The kids have been great to keep going out to get dirty and sweaty to serve others. It's definitely a full week! And we are thankful for all the prayer cover. The weather has been great. Only in the 80's (not the 90's of last week) and no storms. Thank you Lord!!!

There are lots of adult and college leaders helping out this week. Also, a great team of kitchen helpers have been working in shifts with head cook, Janet, all week long. Lots of good food and I'm eating way too many homemade cookies! Pray for me to have some self-control! The food sure is yummy!!!

I popped in for part of the Youth Worship Service tonight. I enjoy worshiping with them. I left before the huge dodgeball game started, though.

It will be another full day tomorrow, so I'll hit the bed for now. I get to sleep in my own bed and am very thankful!!! I hope the kids get some good sleep on the floor at the church. :)