What A Friend Is

Audrey Hostetler was part of the founding days of Project Lost Sheep. She lived in a small house off Fair Oaks, a few minutes from where I lived. She and I met at Menlo Park Presbyterian church. Her strong interest in missions brought us together. When I told her about forming a non profit for children, she immediately volunteered to pray for us. She was as good as her word.

Those first meetings at her house always involved some dessert, sharing and prayer. Out of these slender beginnings, she really started to pray while she groomed her client's dog in a shed behind her house.

She had a wonderful gift of hospitality. One rain filled, dreary, February day, I arrived at her house to find a bowl of warm stew and a cozy warm ambience. She was my extreme encourager. We referred to prayer as HOME BASE whenever there was a set back. These happened a lot and we just went back to praying. Margaret Zip joined us and eventually we moved prayer and meetings to the First Baptist Church.

Audrey was thin but strong. I remember her smile of encouragement and her joy of life. She once told me that she finished her hard work day with a good bubble bath and a chapter of a light hearted book. She was a balanced person who knew what it took in missions. She herself had spent a few years in Africa on the mission field.

Her husband had died in his 40ties. She had a long life ahead. She made friends, worked and kept involved. When her brother who lived in Saratoga died suddenly, Audrey decided that it was time for her to move to a retirement community in the Modesto area. I was sorrowful as to how we would go on.

Of course there were phone calls and Christmas presents exchanged, but with her departure, phase one of Project Lost Sheep was over. Audrey was an unforgettable friend. Her memory will last in those who knew her and perhaps inspire others to pray big prayers for children.

Let us thank God for Audrey Hostetler who dug a very deep and real foundation in prayer for us. She served her Lord well here on earth and now is experiencing nothing but everlasting joy.

Back Up Your Belief

When Project Lost Sheep was getting started, I had a chance to be the speaker at a senior citizens group. There were about 80 people present in a recreation hall.

After lunch there was a business meeting and I was last on the agenda. People looked sleepy and I was getting more nervous. Up to this point I had only talked to the small group that started with me
And some other known Christian. We had small checks and dollars in the bank. That was it.

So I spoke about the needs of children in the Bay Area. I told them we were a group who intended to make a difference for the children. Now many present were grandparents or beyond so I caught a few nods. And there were a few falling asleep in their chairs. I cut my talk short–always a good idea if you put them to sleep. After that, people thanked me for coming. I had printed information with our P.O. box on it, a box that had been mainly empty of correspondence.

Things changed after I spoke: there was a flurry of checks in the mail. Each letter was a shot of encouragement for us. In a few months, correspondence dwindled down to one from the talk, a woman called Dorothy. I looked forward to it like a thirsty person for a bottle of cold water.

I began to notice a pattern. The check arrived the first week of every month, it was a small check but it could have been a giant one for the encouragement it gave me.

One day I called and we met. Dorothy was pressing 80 hard. She lived in a very humble apartment in Menlo Park. Only a rich engineer would be able to pay the rent now. Anyway we had tea and chatted.

"I really appreciate your monthly support, I said.

"Thank you, dear," she said. "When I get my check every month, "I sit down and write out 20 checks to the groups I believe in."

I got a big lump in my throat as I left. I felt so honored that she believed in our work. I guessed that all her generosity came out of her small social security check.

Dorothy taught me a lesson – Back what you believe in and never be ashamed that your gift is small.

It is not the amount that matters. It is the message it contains.Her monthly gift said to me. "KEEP GOING. I BELIEVE IN YOUR WORK".

Onnuri After School program

The Onnuri After School Program currently has 27 Mexican kids and has only 13 tutors. Looking for more tutors to volunteer their time for this incredible mission to help kids in their schooling. Our mission is to invest our time in our children as we know that our children are our future.

Testimonial from Glenn Inn

We had our church bazaar today to raise funds for our short term missions.

Guess who came to visit … none other that Francisco, the young boy who started with our La Vida Ninos program and had such severe ADD that he couldn't sit still for more than 30 seconds. 

After the first 12 week session, Francisco was able to sit and focus on homework for 15 minutes. He dropped out of the program not because he wanted to, but because his sister didn't like coming to do homework. I haven't seen Francisco for 1.5 years. I am so proud of him he's growing up well, thriving after the 1.5 yrs of time with our program.

~ Glenn Inn

Glenn Inn and Francisco at Church Bazaaar.

Beethoven. Listening to Greatness

Many of us may have learned about the famous Fifth Symphony. I am in the process of listening to Ludwigs complete works via amazon music on my ipad. This may take some time as there are at least 372 works!

I put my head back and listen. This is indeed restful as music bypasses all the chatter that we hear. Instead we hear cadences, cords, and I must say soul. Because when I want an infusion of inspiration I find that listening to greatness helps. It is like seeing the Olympics. People do the most amazing feats in what appears to be effortless grace.

And so it is with great music that is perfected by those who have laboured to get it right. We don't see the hours of putting down the notes with a quill pen, or the years of practice of the performers before the greatness of the music is translated down to us.

WHAT WE HEAR IS EFFORTLESS GREATNESS. I find myself waving a baton in the air. I want to enter into this in some way. So it is with greatness in any area. We recognize it when we see it or hear it. Greatness lifts us. It takes is out of the ordinary to another place where we can sore.

We all have a few moments of inspiration in life when we touch what we are supposed to be or do. Never forget that these are divine moments and take time to reignite what you heard or saw in that place.

 Get still and let inspiration lead you where you must go!

Thanksgiving Blog

It really is a good thing to give thanks to God. Thanksgiving focuses us on what we have been given. We thank God for shelter, food in our homes, cars, friends, special moments we have had during the past year.

Thanksgiving is not just individual but Thanksgiving Day is a chance for us to give thanks to God for living in America. We have been showered with opportunities to learn, to move ahead. We have had values instilled in us by our churches, families and mentors. We have a large grand land with mountains, plains, lakes and oceans.

As we sit down at our Thanksgiving Dinner we think of all the food blessings. This Thanksgiving I have been particularly thankful for the heritage of sharing food via local food banks and other non profits who provide help for those who struggle with hunger. As we get a heart of real Thanksgiving we want to reach out and share, not because it is expected, but because we want to express our love to God and what has been given to us by expressing our feelings in action. Some of you may go down and serve a meal for the homeless. That is a good thing to do.

If we can keep our head and our heart on being thankful, we will experience joy in the midst of all the business this season brings.

Thanksgiving isn't just a national holiday it is a very real remedy to get us in tune with the God who so richly provides all things for us!

LET US GIVE THANKS WITH OUR WHOLE HEARTS!

Touchdown Camp is Special

What makes something unique? It can be an unique pairing. Here the cheerfulness of the daisy with the crunch of chips.

We are invited to sit down at this table and be part of something. Touchdown Kids camp is original because it involves children, adults, teenagers. It mixes those from different economic and church backgrounds. It invites to the table, pastors, and the very newest believer. It mixes the most serious message of salvation with the cheerfulness of games, clowns, silliness.

Camp reaches beyond all comfort zones. Shy children become bold. Teenagers forget themselves in serving. Invited speakers give time but receive unforgettable faces. Visitors go away amazed and challenged to try for an original mix where they live.

Grown ups find themselves laughing and lightening up as they see children loosed to really act like children. Freedom is in the air. Memories and friendships happen that make new friends out of strangers. Cheerfulness and very real work mingle together as comfortable partners.

Angels hover over the camp guarding the divine joy.

EHen

Sit Down With a Child

Yesterday I heard a report from an elementary school counsellor that there were children who weren't doing their homework because their parents were at work, and besides that, some of them had little education and so couldn't help their own children.

"The hours when kids get into trouble is after school until the parents get home." she said. This is the ideal time for a tutoring team, even two adults to jump start a simple program that can quite literally change the life of a child.

As an educator, I know that without the basics of reading and math in first through fourth grade, a child has little chance of success in school. There is a window of time. One hour of your time if you will give if, can make a huge difference!

Children need to have adult roll models. An adult who sits down with a few others either at your local school, church, or your home sends a message that these children are important and cared for!

I urge men, especially, who may have some flexibility in work days and hours to seriously consider the needs of your community and see what you can do. A first step might be to go talk to a school counselor at your local elementary school.

Look at the situation, analyze the problems there and start the ball rolling to save the children.

For those who do something in response to this call, I would appreciate hearing what God does through you! I believe the entire country in every city needs these efforts and if we all give an hour it will make a difference to us and to all our communities.