With our programs set to begin in September, the month of August has been one of:

 

(1) Rest

(2) Preparation

 

We thank God for a bit of "down-time" to reflect upon last year's programs and discern the new directions He may be leading this year.  One project in-the-works is a restructuring of Kids Klub into small groups.  Already, God has provided the extra volunteers that will be needed to make that transition.

 

Some other August highlights include:

 

(1) Darrell's return to leadership after a refreshing 4-month sabbatical.

(2) Distributing back packs to needy students at Edison Elementary School (Special thanks to City of Grace for providing back packs again).

(3) Intern appreciation at a local ice rink honoring Troy Moser, Joanna Matthews, and Sheila Schlabach. 

 

An interesting tidbit about the back pack giveaway...Edison's social worker, for the 2nd year in a row, has done an amazing job of recruiting deserving students and has allowed us to go into the school to personally give out back packs.  This year, teachers sent selected students to the cafeteria, where we had an eyecatching display of back packs arranged on the tables.  There were smiles in abundance as the students sorted through the options and then exited the cafeteria with a new back pack.  Among the chosen students were several of our Kids Klub attendees (The surprised looks on their faces said, "Why are we seeing you at SCHOOL?"). 

 

It was especially neat to reconnect with a girl who came to Kids Klub around 4 years ago, but with whom I had lost touch after the family moved.  I would guess that she is now 8 or 9 years old.  When I first knew her, She had been diagnosed with hyperactive disorder (according to mom), and it was always evident if she had taken her medication prior to coming to Kids Klub.  The meds would cause her to slumber through the service, while not taking them yielded one wild little girl!  (:  On a sadder note, I remember her family's living conditions being one of the most depressing on our weekly visitation routes.  Please pray that we can discover where the family lives again and be able to bring the hope of Jesus to them.

 

Amy Unrau

Office Administrator

 

 

Teen Camp '08 almost didn't happen.  With challenges in securing transportation, finances, staff, a campground, and a speaker, the roadblocks were obvious.  Prayer for specific camp needs became routine throughout months of staff meetings, and one by one, obstacles became opportunities.

 

When we realized there had been a scheduling miscommunication with our usual camp location in Colorado, God opened doors at El Nathan Christian Camp in Flagstaff, AZ.  They generously adjusted rates for our group, and our transportation costs were lowered considerably as well.  After numerous speaker inquiries, Gustavo Ramirez, a Pennsylvania pastor, agreed to come and speak.  Our camp dates just "happened" to be the only available week he had during the summer.  We continued to see God answer our other prayer requests, providing the counselors and funds needed.

 

Three teens accepted Christ as Savior at camp, and many other already born-again teens were challenged to a deeper walk with God.  Gustavo's messages on the father heart of God especially resonated with those who have no present earthly father, or live with heart-scars inflicted by their fathers or other men.  Healing and hope from the Father of compassion were accepted tearfully and joyfully.

 

One of the highlights of camp was the time of worship in song that preceded each chapel message.  Our Teen Ministries Director, Keith Byler, led these Spirit-filled moments, and it would be difficult to find a more enthusiastic group of worshippers!  The youth and staff also participated in "choir" each day and shared several songs  during the Sunday service at Crossroads Christian Fellowship after they returned from camp.

 

SPECIAL THANKS to each of you who prayed fervently, supported generously, or volunteered willingly.  May God reward you for your kindness!

 

- Amy Unrau, Office Administrator

This week is a jungle adventure to discover Jesus as around 60 children have joined us each evening for VBS.  Aim Right is targeting "The Projects" this week, a large government housing complex, and our bus has been packed!  Children have been divided into groups by age and travel around to a different site each night to hear a Bible story, play games, eat a snack, learn a memory verse, and complete a craft. 

 

Each evening, I have been promising a special prize at the end of the week for perfect attendance or almost-perfect attendance, and some of the children are trying their hardest to come every evening.  Late last night, a girl called me who hadn't been at VBS and explained that she couldn't come because her mom just had a baby.  I assured her she could get a prize anyway, since she had a valid excuse!

 

The children have also been doing an incredible job memorizing the Bible verses.  Of course, candy is a nice incentive,  but many of the verses are quite challenging.  Speaking of candy, we are still using candy from the large donation we received last fall. 

 

On Saturday, a youth group from Oklahoma flies into Phoenix and will be assisting us with VBS week #2, when we target children living in the Garfield neighborhood.  Please pray for the group as they teach VBS, interact with the children, and adjust to our hot weather.

 

- Amy Unrau, Office Administrator

 

On Saturday, March 22, Aim Right Ministries and City of Grace teamed up for the first-ever Girls Day at the Zoo.  Thirty-nine girls ages 5 to 17 attended the event and were paired up with "big sisters" from City of Grace.  Throughout the morning, big sisters and little sisters connected and laughed and visited the many zoo exhibits.  Participants met for a special lunch in a scenic, private area of the zoo and enjoyed sack lunches decorated with a bright orange smiling giraffe.  Each girl received a stuff animal with a "Jesus Loves You" tag as a gift from City of Grace. 

 

SPECIAL THANKS to the ladies from City of Grace who volunteered of their time to make this a memorable day for all of the girls.  Your kindness is (and will be) remembered!  As I was taking a girl home after the zoo outing, she sadly said, "I miss my friends" and she was referring to her big sisters.  Also, thank you to the only men involved in the outing---our bus drivers Troy and Kyle who drove us safely there and back. 

 

How fitting that on the Easter weekend of remembering JESUS reaching out to US, a group of ladies humbly followed in HIS footsteps, laid aside their plans for a day, and REACHED out to "the least among us"--children. 

 

- Amy Unrau, Office Administrator

Aim Right's staff and interns spent the holidays away from Phoenix and came back refreshed and ready to plug into the work again.  Keith Byler recently added the responsibility of teaching at Teen Night and is also organizing something brand-new for Aim Right...a teen worship service.

 

Teen girls' and guys' Bible studies will meet separately each Monday evening, then come together for a time of praise and worship, followed by a brief message and prayer time.  The teen service will be known as "OUT LOUD," and our prayer is that it will encourage youth to unashamedly live their faith "out loud" in front of their peers and family members.

 

In other news, auction day is rapidly approaching!  This year's event is scheduled for February 16 and will feature beautiful quilts and comforters, antiques, quality furniture, meat and cheese from Amish country, and many more items.  For more information, visit our auction blog at http://aimrightauction.spaces.live.com.

If you live in the Phoenix area, we hope to see you on Feb. 16!

As the rest of the country braves ice and snow, we have had several days of rain (which is highly unusual for Phoenix!).  An answer to prayer was the sunshine God provided for the annual "Bike Party" nineteen children attended on Saturday.  The party is hosted by local philanthropists, and this year marked 25 years of this special event where each child who is invited receives a free bicycle.  Each family also receives a large food box and a turkey.  Highlights of the party included a mound of shipped-in snow, horse-drawn carriage rides, petting zoo, inflatables, snow cones and cotton candy.  We are grateful for the local generous contributors that have continued the Bike Party tradition year after year.  Teens involved in our programs who attended a Bike Party years ago still remember it vividly!

 

On Sunday afternoon, several youth enjoyed lunch together (Aim Right provides lunch twice each month for youth who attend Sunday morning church--often a group of 30 to 40) and then rehearsed a play they will perform at the Kids Klub Christmas program and party tomorrow.  CitiChurch members in Scottsdale are bringing 120 donated, filled stockings we will distribute after the party, along with candy sacks (Yes, we still have candy left!). 

 

For many Christmases, we have been blessed by donations of new toys through Toys for Tots.  The gifts were picked up this morning and will be wrapped by interns throughout the week, then distributed to individual children next week.  Many parents have expressed that money for Christmas presents for their children is limited, so the individual gifts make Christmas a bit more special for the children with whom we work.

 

This Friday evening, Aim Right has reserved a church's roller skating area for our Teen Night party.  Pizza and pop are also on the agenda.  How can you go wrong with that?

 

Next week, we will say good-bye to intern Roger Beachy, who has faithfully served for 16 months.  We will miss him greatly, and are praying for God to send one or two male interns to fill the vacancy. 

 

May God bless you this Christmas season, as you reflect upon the treasure that Jesus is! 

 

Amy Unrau, Office Administrator 

A portion of Aim Right's mission statement references our relationship with Crossroads Christian Fellowship, the church body with whom we relate and share facilities--in essence, we work together to evangelize and disciple youth for Christ through unique approaches.  Yesterday was one of those times when Aim Right and Crossroads interconnected in a memorable way, as several teens who attend Aim Right programs were baptized.  As they shared their testimonies during the service, many of the teens mentioned their old way of life and their desire to change and follow Christ.   

 

Some had been baptized as infants in the Catholic tradition, but many were the first in their families to be baptized as believers.  For all of them, it took courage to step out and say, "Yes, I choose to identify with Christ."  Please pray for these young men and women in the days ahead, that God would strengthen them to continue to courageously follow Him.

On a recent evening, I was out in the neighborhood delivering a backpack and some sacks of food when I ran into two men who work with another community ministry.  One commented that he thought I was a social worker until he recognized who I was.  After mulling over his comment, I've concluded that God wants all of us to be involved in social work and even have those three letters behind our name--MSW (not a Masters in Social Work, but the Master's Social Worker).

 

Much of Jesus' earthly ministry was spent doing social work.  People came to Him with their needs and He met them--the physical as well as the spiritual.  "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people...He was moved with compassion for them."  (Matthew 9:35-36)

 

If I say I want to be like Jesus, am I following in His footsteps in engaging in Biblical social work?  From those few lines in Matthew, we learn of Jesus' compassionate heart for people, we see that He went to the populated areas, and we know that the masses He touched were physically and spiritually changed.

 

At Aim Right, our programs are designed specifically to meet the needs of at-risk youth.  Some programs, such as tutoring and our after-school recreation center, appear more "social" in nature, while our Bible studies and Kids Klub church seem more "spiritual."  However you want to define them, they interconnect with a common goal--to share the love and hope that Jesus offers.

 

Last weekend, I was transporting a teen girl home from an activity when she began sharing details about an aunt who is jealous of her mother.  Her aunt has a wayward son who is a high school drop-out with a criminal record.  Her mother has a son the same age (the girl's brother), but with a much different life path.  The girl commented, "It's because my brother is involved in church."  Involved he is--Kids Klub helper, Bible study attender, Sunday School participant, tutor for a struggling reader, and the list continues.  Jesus has changed his life, and he is too busy with life-enriching activities to get into trouble!

 

Jesus is the difference-maker, and His kind of social work works! 

 

Challenging all of us to be MSWs--the Master's social workers,

 

Amy Unrau, Office Administrator

We're praising God for:

 

1.  New female interns!  Joanna Matthews (Pryor, OK) and Sheila Schlabach (Kalona, IA) arrived the end of August.

2.  Interns Troy Moser and Roger Beachy extending their terms until at least December.

3.  Twelve youth who will be participating in a baptism service.

4.  Excited teens who are part of a newly-formed C.L.I.K. Squad that assists with our weekly Kids Klub program.  The mission of the C.L.I.K. Squad is "Creating Leaders, Impacting Kids."

5.  Volunteers Ro and Lourdis who are providing leadership for Kids Klub.  Lourdis is a former Kids Klub attendee.

6.  Generous families and children from CitiChurch (Scottsdale, AZ) who donated over 40 new backpacks filled with school supplies for our Fill-a-Backpack campaign, for the benefit of needy children at Edison and Garfield Elementary Schools.

7.  Enthusiastic parent and teacher response to our tutoring program.  Teachers report that Aim Right tutoring makes a difference in their

     students' scholastic performance. 

 

 

1.  An additional bus driver for Kids Klub.  One of our Kids Klub routes is currently not operating due to a lack of a bus driver. 

2.  Male interns willing to commit to one year of service.

3.  Financial provision.

4.  Volunteer tutors to assist 2nd and 3rd graders with basic reading skills.

 

God bless,

 

Amy Unrau

Office Administrator

 

As August wraps up, we are busy with planning fall activities and looking forward to getting all of our programs in motion again.  Students returned to school August 6 and often have an entertaining story to tell about a teacher or classmate.  Yesterday evening, a 9th grader excitedly informed me, "Amy, I met a Christian at my school!"  After promotion from junior high, this freshman found himself in a school that no other church friends attended, and it took several weeks to finally make a connection with another believer.  Praise God for his boldness in choosing to identify with Christ!

 

From July 31 to August 2, three teen girls and I spent a few refreshing days at a campgound in Flagstaff.  The girls are now experienced tent architects and S'mores engineers (and will teach anyone for a small fee).  We had a great time hiking, playing Uno and any other possible game you can play with those cards, talking around a campfire, and admiring the beauty of God's creation.

 

Two new interns recently arrived to serve for one year--Joanna Matthews from Adair, OK, and Sheila Schlabach from Kalona, IA.  After an 8-month absence of female interns, God has provided for that need!  On Saturday, Joanna, Sheila, and I were able to attend a local seminar with speaker Greg Stier of Dare 2 Share, a national organization dedicated to training Christian youth workers and teens.  I came away with much to process and apply.  One would be that our training is structured so that teens "grow deep" in the Word of God [discipleship], and that they would "go wide" in sharing their faith [evangelism], fulfilling Matthew 28:19-20. 

 

Amy Unrau, Office Administrator

 

 

If you hang around here, you might see several teens sporting a T-shirt logo with the words "Devoted Warrior."  It was the theme of this year's teen camp in Colorado, and it's a title they're taking seriously.  In their words--

 

"I surrendered and committed myself to God.  He is my Father, my Savior, and my number one love."

 

"Something that I learned that will help me in my every day life would be to just take Jesus with me everywhere I go."

 

"[I] want to just change my life completely around.  It's not going to be easy but with God, I learned that everything is possible."

 

"I learned to have courage and talk to my friends about God."

 

"I have a purpose and that purpose is to talk to as many people [I can] about Jesus Christ."

 

"[I learned] to not be scared about being a God freak, and no matter what, He will always be there for me."

 

A key word of the life-changing week was surrender.  Imagine a room full of teenagers, kneeling, praying, crying, choosing to give up everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, ready to run with perseverance the race before them, fixing their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of their faith (paraphrase of Heb. 12:1-2).  They are His devoted warriors. 

 

Since our return to Phoenix, I've observed this devotion to Christ in their hunger for the Word, fellowship with believers, and contemplation of the purpose of their lives in reaching their friends and family for Him.  Please pray with us that these teens will endure and persevere.  Often their home environment is hostile to their faith, and as they begin school on Aug. 6, they will be faced with additional temptations and pressures.  Praise God that He is "able to keep [them] from falling and to present [them] before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy!" (Jude 24) 

 

A devoted warrior,

 

Amy Unrau

Office Administrator

With any event, there's always the before, the during, and the after.  The before is filled with preparation, scheduling, organizing, praying.  The during is a combination of just doing it (to borrow from Nike), making adjustments as you're doing it, praying as you're doing it--well, you get the picture.  Then there's the after.  The clean-up, the good-byes, the resting up, the reflection, the quiet. 

 

On the last evening of VBS, as I was transporting kids home in the van, I overheard, "Man, I'm going to miss coming to this church."  Yes, there's much to miss--enthusiastic youth groups who were the hands and feet of Christ, squirming figures packed onto hard wooden benches, lively singing with Turtle and Slug, green cupcakes, Detective Doyle, and the brightly colored Strata-Flyer precariously hanging at the front of the sanctuary.  It was all a part of VBS 2007, where once again God revealed the greatness of His power in doing abundantly above and beyond our expectations. 

 

With 178 children attending one or more evenings of VBS throughout the two weeks, He provided the staff we needed to accommodate that number of children. He gave wisdom to a youth group worker to act quickly to help a young boy choking on a sucker; the Heimlich maneuver probably saved his life.  He gave patience and endurance to the tour guides who sometimes had 18 or 19 children to control and corral.

 

He gives, He provides, He guides.  Reflecting on VBS 2007, how futile and fruitless it would be without our Lord going before us, being our ever-present Helper through the doing of it, and restoring our souls in the stillness after it. 

 

Yes, I'm ready for another round of VBS....NEXT year! 

 

Amy Unrau

Office Administrator

 

P.S.  Praise God for His protection yesterday.  Roger and I were transporting a group of kids to Youth Haven Ranch and stopped for lunch at McDonald's along the way.  We were merrily enjoying lunch in the play area when a worker told us to exit the building due to a fire.  Evidentally, french fry grease was the cause of the fire.  Smoke was coming from part of the building, and fire trucks arrived as we finished our meals outside.  The REALLY bad thing about eating at a McDonald's on fire?  No drink refills!  Thus, it was a group of thirsty kiddos we delivered to the Ranch.  They were all smiles when they were greeted at the door with a cookie and a cup of lemonade.   

It's two nights down and three more to go in this second week of VBS, and our cup has been full and running over with active youngsters, with a record attendance of 77 yesterday evening.  Blessing us with their assistance and energy this week is the 27-member Berea Mennonite youth group from southern Indiana.  On Sunday evening, they helped recruit VBS attendees by distributing flyers at the East Side Projects, a government housing complex for low-income families.  Monday was filled with VBS preparations and a scavenger hunt at a nearby Mexican grocery store.  On Tuesday, the group's outreach activities included visiting two St. Vincent de Paul locations to serve lunch and complete miscellaneous projects.  Today (Wednesday) you can find them scattered throughout the church washing windows, painting the basement, installing laminate flooring in the library, or replacing a broken window, all cheerfully serving and working away at the task they were asked to do.

 

I'm reminded of the quote that God doesn't care so much about our ability as He does about our AVAILability.  Praise God that the Berea youth are giving of both their abilities AND availability as they are here to serve this week.  We are blessed by their presence. 

 

Amy Unrau

Office Administrator

It's the Adventures in Odyssey Great Global Adventure, and so far, we've discovered Mr. Whittaker in the countries of Ghana, Ireland, and Bolivia!  Yesterday evening, over 50 kids attended VBS, and we anticipate that even more will come as the week continues.  The Lighthouse youth group is doing a fabulous job of teaching Bible stories and memory verses, preparing snacks, organizing games, and supervising craft projects.  VBS activities have only been a portion of their service.  On Tuesday, they served lunch to over 600 homeless and underprivileged individuals at St. Vincent de Paul, a local rescue mission.  Today, several youth are painting portions of the exterior of the church while others are conducting a yard sale.  Those not busy with painting or the yard sale are preparing hundreds of water balloons for an afternoon of water games for children at a nearby park. 

 

Stay posted for more VBS news, and thank you for praying for us during this busy time!  God's Word is being sown in the hearts of many children, and He promises that His Word will not return void--what a promise to claim!

 

Amy Unrau

Office Administrator

On June 14, Team FUN members ended the year with a reward trip to Big Surf, a local water park.  Kurt and Brenda Warner joined the group for lunch, and afterwards, youth shared with the Warners what they liked about the Team FUN program and what they had learned throughout the year.  Kurt and Brenda also encouraged the Team FUN participants by sharing about their personal journeys of faith and the importance of character.  Then, it was time to beat the heat and cool off in the huge wave pool and various water slides.  Special thanks to the Warners for taking time in their busy schedule to meet with our group and for their generosity in funding the Team FUN program.  God bless you! 

 

June 11 - 16, eight local children experienced an unforgettable week of camp at the Youth Haven Ranch in Picacho, AZ.  One of our campers received the "Child of the King" award because she was the first camper of the week to "ask God in her heart."  We look forward to sending 24 more campers to Youth Haven in July.

We were recently gifted with over 100 pairs of brand-new or nearly new shoes through the "If the Shoes Fits" program sponsored by CitiChurch of Scottsdale, AZ.  Aim Right was also recognized and awarded a plaque for its service to women and children.  We are excited about the possilibity of organizing a Back-to-School event in August to distribute the shoes to needy children and families in our community.

 

The final Kids Klub before summer break ended with a soakin' good time outside.  A slip-n-slide, sprinkler, hoses, and a trough full of water were part of the fun, and afterwards the buses deposited some very wet kiddos to their parents.

 

Last Thursday, several teens who regularly attend our programs participated in the 8th grade promotion ceremony of Phoenix Preparatory Academy.  I was privileged to be a ticket-bearer at this attendance-restricted event and managed to locate each of our teens afterwards to offer my congratulations and snap some photos.  I was sobered and encouraged as I got in my car to drive away.  Sobered because Jesus' words were filtering through my mind--"You are the salt of the earth...you are the light of the world."  I thought about the soon-to-be 9th graders I know by name and wondered, "Are they flavoring the environment around them with Christ's love and presence?"  "Is there a noticeable difference in how they live?" More importantly, I had to ask myself the same questions.  Processing these thoughts, I also replayed a scene I witnessed after the ceremony as I threaded my way through masses of people to find the teens I knew.  Three of them were gathered  in a group, and I was encouraged to see that their friendship went beyond church activities.  These young followers of Christ need each other to stand strong, and how uplifting to see them "hangin' together" in this context!  

 

Please pray for us as we embark on our super busy summer schedule!

 

God bless,

 

Amy Unrau

Office Administrator

Here's a quick overview of the happenings during the month of May--

 

May 5 - Former intern Allyah Roby ('06) married Zach Miller in Plain City, OH.  Several Aim Right'ers were in attendance.

 

May 6 - Team FUN members participated in an afternoon service project, preparing "Baskets of Hope" for hospitalized children.  The baskets were then distributed by Kurt and Brenda Warner.

 

May 17-19 - Interns Roger Beachy and Troy Moser attended the Urban Youth Workers Institute (UYWI) in Los Angeles on the campus of Azusa Pacific University.  Over 1,500 youth workers from across the U.S. attended and benefited from the practical workshops and inspirational speakers.  Troy noted, "It was a weekend full of fun, but more important, full of challenges.  My focus has been renewed, and practical ideas for the future provided.  I am excited for what God has next for the people in this ministry."

 

May 22 - Final Art session with Mary Rossi.  Mary volunteered her services to teach about an artist and do an art project with our tutoring students once each month during our '06-'07 tutoring year.  Students enjoyed sculpting clay into unique designs.

 

May 26 - Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser for Teen Camp.  Spaghetti, breadsticks, salad, and yummy desserts were on the menu.  Praise God for donations from Olive Garden and Fry's, the hardworking teens who served, and the excellent kitchen skills provided by Dorothy Bontrager, Randy & Karena Kropf, and Freda Troyer.  The event was well-attended, and one satisfied diner commented, "It was over the top!"  Proceeds totaled over $1,900.

 

The remainder of May holds our final tutoring and Kids Klub sessions before we break for the summer.  The months of June and July will be packed with summer activities.  Please pray with us that this summer would be fruitful for His kingdom, that His purposes would be the passion for our programs (How's that for a plethora of p's? )

 

Thanks for reading.  May God bless you wherever you are serving Him today!

 

Amy Unrau

Office Administrator

Games keep you humble--at least the games several teens participated in at a recent Teen Night.  Darrell planned the activities and cleverly stayed in the supervisory mode, thus retaining his dignity during the evening.  For the less fortunate, there was baby food to consume, soda to guzzle (try two bottles side by side--known as a "double dribble"), saltine crackers to swallow, balloons to stomp, and hula hoops to move through human chains.  One of the funnier games (for the observers anyway) involved rubber bands.  One member from each team placed a rubber band around his head, just under his ears, and had to remove the rubber band without using his hands.  Chairs around the room quickly became "rubbing posts" as participants vigorously rubbed their heads against corner surfaces. 

 

Fun evenings like this teach an important lesson to urban youth.  Having a good time can be safe, legal, God-honoring, and outrageously hilarious.  Far too many equate a good time with kegs of beer and joints of marijuana and are sadly missing out on the peace and joy that come from a pure conscience.  We pray that their perception will be changed as God grips their hearts with His truth and as they see the joy He has brought into our lives.

 

Amy Unrau, Office Administrator

Tuesday evening Bible study typically finds us with a houseful of teenagers.  Some of them we pick up, while others walk, arriving early to play basketball and hang out.  They come expecting a 30-45 minute teaching from the Bible followed by a game of basketball.  Its a great time to get into the Word and a good time to touch base with each teen on an individual basis.  A simple "how was your day?" can open the door to a meaningful conversation.  In recent months our Bible study group has experienced significant change.  The increased size and seriousness of the group are testaments to God's work in this neighborhood and in each of our lives.  In a world sadly lacking, the truth of the gospel promises hope to the faithful.  Praise God for that!! 

 

We would appreciate your prayers, and here are some specific requests:

  * May our teaching be the true gospel of Christ and according to the will of God.
  * May these young men grow as lovers of God and pursuers of His divine purpose.
  * May this group provide support to each other, unified in Christ and separate from the world.

The study group (ages 12-18) consists of:
Christian   Darius   Edwin   Jose   Angel   Said   Fernando   Cesar  Silvestre   Jarrod   Junior  Juan   Henry   Frankie   Ronald

Mentors:
Roger, Charles, Troy, Daniel, David, Steve

 

- Note:  This post was written by Troy Moser, current ministry intern and one of the Bible study leaders.

 

 

Here's a glimpse of what we've been up to lately:

 

Wednesday evening April 4th, about 65 children attended a special Easter Kids Klub program.  Children watched a film highlighting Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection and then enjoyed an outdoor Easter egg hunt.  After they were sufficiently "sugared up" from the candy they found bouncing around inside their eggs, we shuttled them home to their parents!

 

Friday evening, Teen Night was cancelled due to a Good Friday Communion service held at the church.  Several teens did attend the service and participated in communion and footwashing.  It was a very meaningful service as we reflected on the price Jesus paid to erase our sin debt.

 

On Saturday, I took four of our teen girls on a road trip to Payson, Arizona, to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.  After a breezy picnic (during which various items blew off our table!), we hiked down underneath the world's largest travertine bridge.  With towering rocks, gentle waterfalls, and lush vegetation, it was well worth the effort to make the trek below.  All too soon, it was time to start the ear-poppin', nap-takin' (except for me), curvin'-road trip back to Phoenix.  

 

The teen guys missed their usual Saturday competitive outdoor basketball games, as interns Troy and Roger were out of town.  Guys + physical exertion + heat = hunger and thirst, so Aim Right also provides lunch for the group each Saturday. 

 

We've had record numbers of teens attending Sunday services recently, and Easter Sunday was no exception, with over 20 teens present.  We transport most of them, and it typically takes five different drivers heading in various directions.

 

Thank God for His protection, provision, and direction in the midst of our comings and goings.  We cannot escape His presence, and Jesus' glorious resurrection reminds us of that fact.  When Jesus met with His disciples prior to His ascension, He gave them specific commands that believers today call the Great Commission.  Jesus ended this Great Commission dialogue with a Great Promise--"I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 16:20)  We have no excuse not to be about the work of the Great Commission when we realize the magnitude of the Great Promise.  He is WITH us, and He is ALIVE in us!  

 

Amy Unrau, Office Administrator