This Weekend...

This weekend we got to visit some of the more difficult parts of South Africa.  We walked some children home to #7 which is a little makeshift village that is near The Pines.  There we saw to extreme poverty and despair the many Africans face.

We also visited the Hospital and passed out Beanie Babies to children (all under the age of 13) dying of AIDS, TB or other diseases.  It was incredibly heart wrenching to hold babies and talk with 5 and 6 year olds in the hospital who had been in there for months dying with no one coming to visit them.  It was a challenging time.  Then we went to a children's cemetery where children we buried.  To read the grave stones (on those that had them) made us cry seeing some babies not even live for a day.  The most morbid part of it all, was that next to the grave sites there were two rows of open graves, totaling about 50 holes, which we were told would be filled by the end of the week, just in and around Thabong alone.  As we rode home, very solemn, God had a special treat to lift our spirit's and we got stopped at a Net Ball game by African children flooding the street to see the crazy Americans and take pictures with us.

It was a day of sorrow and joy, hope and distress, but through it all we experienced the love of God for His creation and saw the desperate need that we must meet to help these people!

Week One Review

Hello All! We are so thankful for your prayers and so excited to be a part of what God is doing down here in South Africa! We wrapped up an incredible week of VBS style outreach club for the children that live around the Pines. We had over 60 children on Tuesday when Katie taught on the story of Noah's Ark and how we can trust God's promises to us, and ended the week with over 12 children praying to ask Jesus to come into their lives through the explanation of the gospel through the 5 color bead bracelet.  It truly has been an indescribable week so far!  Next week we are headed to the Public High School in Thabong, the townshi

p right near Whelkom, to speak to the senior class for a week about American, education, AIDS awareness and prevention and social issues such as gender, race, and basic human rights from God's perspective.  Should be a great time!  Thanks again for you prayers and please enjoy the pictures....

Katie teaching the Children

The Gospel bracelets the Children made

We Arrived in South Africa!

                
Well, we all made it safe to Chicago, then to London, and finally to Johannesburg, South Africa. After a long drive we showed up at the Pines with 12 kids in tow!  After getting settled we took a tour of the property and got the schedule for the week.  So we are settled in and we are having a Bible Club for the kids at the Pines as well as the children that live at the #7 camp down the road.  We are excited to be here and even more excited to see what God will do in and through us over then next 2 weeks!  Thanks for your support and prayers and be sure to look for updates and pictures to be posted as the activities get going!

Vitals - June 15th

The Spark (Jr. High) - June 15th
Message - "Heart Of A Champion - Joy" by Katie
Key Points:
Happiness is a MOOD, but Joy is the ATTITUDE of a champion.
Life is not always EASY, so Jesus offers us the TRAINING we need to win.
Living a GENEROUS life gives us a real PURPOSE AND JOY.
Our joy comes from what GOD has already DONE for us.
God produces JOY in our lives through the CHALLENGES that we face.
Verses Referenced: Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 Chronicles 29:17, Romans 5:1-5
Worship led by: Alex Wolfe and Key to the City
Attendance:
Total: 88
1st Service: 42 (32 students, 10 leaders)
2nd Service: 56 (46 students, 10 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - June 15th
Message - "Heart Of A Champion - Joy" by Katie
Discussion Questions:
"What do you think is the difference between joy and happiness?"
"What is your natural reaction when you encounter a difficult situation or person?"
Key Points:
Happiness is a MOOD, but Joy is the ATTITUDE of a champion.
Life is not always EASY, so Jesus offers us the TRAINING we need to win.
Living a GENEROUS life gives us a real PURPOSE AND JOY.
Our joy comes from what GOD has already DONE for us.
God produces JOY in our lives through the CHALLENGES that we face.
Verses Referenced: Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 Chronicles 29:17, Romans 5:1-5
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key to the City
Attendance: 52 (43 students, 9 leaders)

Gold Medal Monday! - June 16th

Gold Medal Mondays are just fun activities to generate community and have fun as a group. We hope your student will join us for all three this summer! The first one in this Monday, June 16th and its a pool party at Katie and Kurt's apartment. It is from 12-3pm and costs $5 for Jimmy John's Lunch! Here are the directions to the pool:

Take I-35 to Mills Civic Parkway. Go east on Mills Civic to 50th Street and turn left on 50th. Turn Left on EP True Parkway. Go under the Interstate and then turn left on Prairie View Drive. Take the second left into the apartment complex and look for the ballons. The pool is through the clubhouse (1000 building) which is directly in front of you.

See you there!

Vitals - June 8th

The Spark (Jr. High) - June 8th
Message - "Heart Of A Champion - Love" by Kurt
Key Points:
God measures the heart of a CHAMPION by the strength of our CHARACTER.
There is a difference between being great AT SOMETHING and being GREAT.
LOVE is always a DECISION.
Love means choosing to STEP UP and do something to help SOMEONE ELSE.
Love is and ACTION of a CHAMPION.
Verses Referenced: Galatians 5:22-23, Matthew 10:43-45, Luke 10: 30-37
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key to the City
Attendance:
Total: 110
1st Service: 51 (42 students, 9 leaders)
2nd Service: 68 (59 students, 9 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - June 8th
Message - "Heart Of A Champion - Love" by Kurt
Discussion Questions:
"What do you think it takes to become a spiritual champion?"
"What comes to mind when you think about love?"
Key Points:
God measures the heart of a CHAMPION by the strength of our CHARACTER.
There is a difference between being great AT SOMETHING and being GREAT.
LOVE is always a DECISION.
Love means choosing to STEP UP and do something to help SOMEONE ELSE.
Love is and ACTION of a CHAMPION.
Verses Referenced: Galatians 5:22-23, Matthew 10:43-45, Luke 10: 30-37
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key to the City
Attendance: 48 (40 students, 8 leaders)

PARENT BIG STUF MEETINGS!

PARENTS! If your student is going to Big Stuf camp with us this summer, please make plans to be at one of our Big Stuf Parent Information Meetings with your student. The meetings is this Sunday, June 8th at 12:30p in the Student Zone (Theater) at Point of Grace. You AND your student need to be at this meetings! If you do not attend this meeting, your spot may be dropped! If you are on the waiting list for camp, feel free to attend this meeting, even if you haven't heard if your spot has been accepted yet. Also it is not too late to get on the waiting list if you want to go to to Florida with us this summer!

Vitals - June 1st

The Spark (Jr. High) - June 1st
Message - "Senior Speaker" by Leah Banks
5 Purposes:
Enter - Evangelism
Merge - Fellowship
Construct - Discipleship
Access - Service
Elevate - Worship
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key to the City
Attendance:
Total: 142
1st Service: 53 (41 students, 12 leaders)
2nd Service: 91 (79 students, 12 leaders)

4ORTY 2WO (High School) - June 1st
Message - "Senior Speaker" by Leah Banks
5 Purposes:
Enter - Evangelism
Merge - Fellowship
Construct - Discipleship
Access - Service
Elevate - Worship
Worship led by: Justin Willis and Key to the City
Attendance: 54 (43 students, 11 leaders)