Herding Cats

5 05 2008

 B.B.G.T.- The Best Brown Group in Town, is the name of our youth/young adult group. It’s a bit like herding cats. Not just in logistics, but also in communication. Some of the youth are affected by a wide range of fetal alcohol related conditions. Communicating things like a savior, sin or a pure life is challenging when a youth has difficulty with sequential thinking and  little understanding of consequences.

 

I’m constantly making adjustments to make Bible studies more visual, concrete and simple, even adjusting the room to be more plain, with less distracting stimuli. Simplifying without being simplistic.

Talents and abilities- we’re always trying to highlight people’s skills, whether in artwork, craftsmanship, writing or music. Here, we’re backing up a couple girls singing.

 

‘Work Wednesday’ has been instituted where I call up, hassle and facilitate youth to drop off resumes and look for work. It’s gotten some good response (including landing jobs) already!

       

        

Songs to the Creator
Our latest CD, “Coming Home” is completed and in distribution. It is a Native flavored retelling of the prodigal son. Initial feedback from a 12 year old girl I know was pretty positive!  Info will be up on the STTC website soon.

 

This was a memorial potlatch for Kayla John who was murdered four years ago. Lots of Native music, dancing, food and gift giving. Back when it happened, Native Christian leaders were some of the key people in defusing racial tensions (the murderer was a white man).  The potlatch was a sober reminder of the tragedies many of these youth experience first hand- many of them were related to Kayla.

 

Elijah can finally say, “Papa,” which is pretty cool. Here, he’s riding a horse for the first time at an adoption retreat at Quadra Island.

 

 

We are grateful for your support in the battles here. Next time it rains, remember us and pray!!!

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 




Spring Things

5 04 2008

mustache-small.jpgSo now you see why I’ll never grow a mustache again. I made good on my promise to grow a ‘mo’ if any of the teens got their driver’s licenses. I probably creeped out more than a few people.

 

    

Being Pro Life takes more work than just voting…


        “Why hasn’t that girl had an abortion, yet?” a social worker asked Sarah, having already taken the choice out of ‘Pro Choice.’ When Andrea found out she was pregnant, the prevailing advice was for her to terminate the pregnancy. She’s a year too old for the social system, yet too immature to raise a child.  Alcoholism, sexual assault, trouble with the law and stupid friends- hers is not a good environment for a child. Discouraged by her situation, Andrea prayed, “God help me, let me know you’re real.”

Where is God? When I was little, I remember this slideshow that my dad used to present in churches (with actual slides, way before PowerPoint). I don’t remember much of it, except his dramatically enunciated line, “The question isn’t ‘Where is God?,’ but rather, ‘Where is man?’” Sarah spent many hours on the phone searching for resources geared toward young women like Andrea, and eventually found a residential program in Victoria (3 1/2 hours away). Many more hours were spent driving, talking and counseling as she applied for and is awaiting an opening in that program. Soon after, Andrea got a phone call from a former foster mother wanting to give her a safe place to stay for the time being.  Andrea decided to carry the baby to term.

None of us can really predict what she will do in the coming months, but God has shown himself to Andrea through Sarah and others. 
        

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Mmmmm… herring eggs. On this hemlock branch are thousands of little white herring eggs. The branches are suspended in the ocean before the spawn and the eggs stick to them when laid. They’re pretty tasty and sound like you’re chewing bubble wrap. One of the guys I know filmed a trip to Gold River to pick up some tubs.      ***Click here for video***

        

              

Wanna see our house?   It’s the green roof. Google Earth updated their maps, and you can now see Campbell River in detail.
Copy and paste       50 00′ 40.8, -125 14′ 59.8      into the “Fly To” box to look around.