|
|
|
|
|
COMMUNITY KIDS' CORNER
by Rita Lotti
|
|
|
What do you get when you take 3 rambunctious 6 to 9 year-old boys and add an energetic 74-pound furry dog??? Peace, calm and quiet!! Does that answer surprise you?? In God’s world, things often don’t add up quite the way we expect them to.
For a few weeks in a row our Thursday Community Kids afternoons had been WAY too exciting. We, as staff, were struggling to know how to deal with some of the inappropriate behaviors we had seen in a couple of the boys. We just weren’t feeling equipped.
Hebrews 13: 20-21 says, “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Wow! Not only is that a really long sentence that my high school English teacher never would have allowed , it is also a fantastic promise for dealing with zealous youngsters.
I happen to be the happy owner of a beautiful registered therapy dog named Mazie. She and I go on many visits to the elderly and other clients through Douglas County Hospice. She is calm and very intuitive with people. In the 4 years that we have been doing this as a therapy team, I had never thought about the connection with Community Kids, until the need was greater. Then the God of peace prompted me with the idea that perhaps my amazing therapy dog could help with these young boys. After talking it over with Julie and Janette and working through the logistics of backup plans A, B and C, we called parents and received permission to give it a try.
I wish you could have been there. The first day we brought her was a sight to behold. The boys didn’t know who our “surprise visitor” was and they sat very attentively while we went over instructions for behavior. You may be thinking that when I brought out this giant blonde ball of fur, all chaos would have followed….that is why we had plans A,B and C Out she came and the boys gasped and quietly approached while Mazie stood still, wagging her tail. There was peace and an awesome quiet. She met each boy and then lay down on her blanket. One of the troubled boys lay down right beside her and gently put an arm around her. Oh, the power of unconditional companionship! The 3 of us volunteers marveled as each boy gave and received adoring love and attention for the entire hour. We had planned to have her there for just 10 minutes, but why spoil a great time? When the boys sat at their table playing Legos, Mazie took turns lying at each boy’s feet. She intuitively spent the most time with the more troubled kiddo. We had an exceptional visit. She came the next 3 weeks in a row and then took 2 weeks off so that she continues to be a special treat. That great Shepherd of the sheep equips us “with everything good for doing His will “. Sometimes that “good” is 74 pounds of golden fur!
|
|
|
Bread to the Nations
Help Fund a Tap Tap for Pastor Pierre
|
|
|
Pierre's Story:
Pierre lives with his wife and 2 children in Carrefour, Haiti. He has been a trusted friend to Bread to the Nations (BttN) for the past five years. In 2010, soon after the earthquake, Pierre planted a church that met right on a street in Carrefour. Each Sunday morning, the church set up rows of chairs and welcomed anyone who wished to join them for worship. In 2014, God answered the
prayers of the church and gave them a building to meet in, which is where they continue to meet today.
Pierre has also been following God's call to start a school in an area of Carrefour where there is a lack of schools. After breaking ground for the new school, Pierre saw the need to bring the Gospel to this remote area. Pierre planted his second church that meets on the side of the mountain at the building site for the new school.
Pierre would like to be able to provide for his family and support his ministries without being dependent on outside resources. One business that has consistent, all-year-round revenue opportunities, is a Tap Tap business. Pierre has expressed interest in owning and operating a Tap Tap business. After further research and discussion with our accountability partner, Herbert, our team is confident that this business has great potential to help Pierre support his family and ministry. The BttN team wishes to help make this a reality for him.
Here are the details:
What is a Tap Tap?: A Tap Tap is a small pickup truck with benches in the back to transport people. It's Haiti's main form of public transportation - the equivalent of a taxi in the U.S.
What is the cost of a Tap Tap and how will it be funded?: The estimated cost for a reliable
pickup truck plus the work needed to convert it to a Tap Tap is $7,500.
BttN hopes to raise this amount through ministry partners like you. Once the full amount is raised, our team will give half of the money as a loan and the other half as a grant. When Pierre pays back the loan, the money will help fund businesses for other families in Haiti.
What are the benefits to BttN?: Teams travelling through BttN will always have a reliable source of transportation; Pierre will no longer depend on BttN for support; and this will help restore the dignity and self-worth of a BttN partner and friend.
BttN is leading two teams to Haiti this June. We would like to raise the funds so that Pierre's Tap Tap business is operating by this time.
**$1,000 has already been raised for the Tap Tap! $6,500 left to go!**
Please consider partnering with BttN to make this happen.
All it will take is...
10 people giving $650,
25 people giving $260
or 50 people giving $33!!
Go to the BttN website (www.breadtothenations.org) to give online or mail a check to Bread to the Nations, PO Box 1196, Alexandria, MN 56308.
|
|
Amazon Smiles:
Did you know that Amazon will donate .5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases when you shop at AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com)? You may select The Regeneration Center as your charitable organization to support!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
