Summer Wrap-Up

Eating crawfish last week of camp

Summer Missionaries never ate this before :)

Hard to believe that summer is almost over. We had a great summer with our girls. Two of them will be seniors in high school this school year. Please pray for them as they make decisions as to what college and career path. Pray also for all the girls as they get ready to start a new school year. Pray they would remember what they discovered this summer about themselves and the plan God has for each of them.

Girls  teaching how to eat Louisiana food

Community service project!

GoodShop

Serving up some food at our July Community event

We know that Christmas is still a few months away. We also know that some like to get a head start on their shopping. As you shop, consider using GoodShop and choose Baptist Friendship House as the "who do you shop for." At no extra cost to you, a percentage of what you purchase online will benefit us. Retailers partner to make this an automatic donation so all you do is go to www.goodshop.com and choose your charity, then shop from their list of partners. Amazon is on the list as well as many others, including car rentals, florists, etc. You can also visit our website: www.baptistfriendshiphouse.org under the "How You Can Help" tab for more information.

Mid-Summer Fun

Volunteers grilling it up for our June event

 One of our Up2HOPE girls enjoying crafts

 Just wanted to share with you a few pictures from our June event and how the the summer is going with our girls from Up2HOPE.

We had a great time with volunteers grilling hot dogs and hamburgers June 14 for our community day.

Chilling with our community during our June event

We also celebrated the life of Ike. He passed away late May. He was dearly loved by many in our community. Some of his friends shared fond memories during the memorial we had for him. Many have said thank you for providing a place to remember a dear friend and that it was a great service. Please pray for his friends and family.

 

Having fun with the parachute

Up2HOPE started week 6 of 7 today. The girls have learned about the different cities our summer missionaries are from and tasted food from their home states too! We have had blast helping the girls discover new things about themselves and the plan God has for each of them. Please continue to pray for our summer missionaries as they prepare to finish the last 2 weeks of camp and head home for school. Pray our girls will remember the lessons they have been taught as they too prepare to go back to school.

We also celebrated a milestone for one sweet lady. Ms. Ann started coming to us late last year. She first came in and sat quietly as others searched through clothing and took showers. We would ask if she needed anything. She would just quietly shake her head no. We learned that she was staying with her dad in house not too far from the center. A few weeks would pass and she would occasionally get up and look for a shirt that might fit her. She eventually asked if she could volunteer. We said sure, when she came in during clothing we could use her help to keep the clothing area straight. In the past several months, she has formed relationships with not only the staff, but also people that come in for clothing. She also helps us put together snack packs and hand them out on Wednesday mornings. When many speak of her, the only word that follows her name is "sweet." She started riding with another local volunteer so she doesn't have to walk or catch the bus as often. She also has been attending our Bible study on Thursday mornings. Recently, during Bible Study, she accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. All of the staff, volunteers, and ladies in the Bible Study with her rejoiced. She is eager to learn more. We have been able to give her some easy-to-read devotionals for her to continue to grow. Please pray for our sweet Ann as she begins her journey with Christ.

Spring-IN into Summer

Summer is upon us! Hard to believe that we have started a new summer of camp. We are focusing on Discovering the plan God has for each of us. Our main scripture this summer is Proverbs 2: 2-12. Please pray for our summer missionaries as they plan and prepare for what what God will do through them this summer. Pray for the girls that attend, they are 8 years and older. Pray they will seek the path God has prepared for them.

We celebrated great success with one of our own. Melanie was the recipient of the Sybil Bentley Dove Award in 2008. She used the scholarship to begin taking classes toward her social work degree. We are happy to celebrate with her that she received her bachelor's last year and in 9 months she received her masters! We are so proud of her. Please pray for her as she seeks the next steps God has for her and as she prepares to take the licensure exam. 


In Memory Of
"Ike"

 Our friend known to us as Ike, passed away May 29, 2014. He was a "one of a kind" friend to many. He affected the lives of everyone he met for the better. His untimely death leaves us all heavy hearted but joyful knowing that he is with Jesus. Ike had a unique point of view on life. He often left with a smile on his face and leaving us with a smile on ours.

A few months ago, he proposed to long-time companion Yvonne. He was always honest and spoke what was on his mind; his proposal was nothing different. He had planned on spending the rest of his life taking care of her. He told a case worker he couldn't imagine life without her. Now as we move forward with life without him, please remember us in your prayers. Pray for Yvonne as she adjusts to life without her "partner in crime." Pray for many in the community who knew him. Pray also for the staff of BFH, as we also look ahead to different life of not seeing him at every event and randomly throughout the week.

Ike you are loved and missed but never forgotten.

"so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well."
                                                           1 Thessalonians 2:8

Month of Love

February 8

Though many think of February as the month of {romantic} love, we decided to take on the theme of 1 Corinthians 13, also known as the "The Love Chapter" of the Bible.

February 8 was a day for volunteers to serve our community. A group from Meridian served up some chicken spaghetti and all the sides. Along with other volunteers, we were able to give out clothing, including new pajamas for kids.The pajamas were donated by the Pajama Program,

Carters®, and a local school.

Getting new pajamas for kids

On February 13, we served our ladies a hearty meal. Of course what Valentine's party is complete without candy? We shared scripture with the ladies about God's love and plan for their lives. One of the ladies pointed out that in order to grasp the love of God, we must also love each other. Please pray our community as we build relationships and continue to share the message of Christ's redeeming love.

Feeding on February 8

As February comes to a close,we ask for your continued prayers as the city prepares for Mardi Gras. Pray for safety of tourists and mission groups. Also pray for girls that are trapped in sexual slavery - big events tend to spike the demand for adult entertainment. Pray girls will be rescued and the buyers prosecuted. 








1 Corinthians 13 (CEV) 

What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing,   unless I loved others. ³ What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would  gain nothing, unless I loved others. ⁴ Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or ⁵ rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. ⁶ Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. ⁷ Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. ⁸ Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. ⁹ We don’t know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. ¹⁰ But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn’t perfect will then disappear. ¹¹ When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. ¹² Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. ¹³ For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love. 

(emphasis added)

New Year Brings New Opportunities

As one year ends, another begins. We cannot express how thankful we are to everyone who has prayed, donated items, and supported us throughout the year. We look forward to continuing ministry together. As the year ended, we were able to give ladies that come for showers, clothing, and Bible study a set of gloves, a scarf, and a devotional all given through donations. As they opened their gifts, joy took over their faces. Many have expressed how nice the items were and how much they needed them. They listened intently as a staff member read the Christmas story. It was a great morning of ministry to our community. They all left with full bellies and spirit filled hearts.

Hannah reading the Christmas story from the Bible

One of the ladies opening her gifts

Many of you may also remember Quentin, the baby that was born several weeks pre-mature. He is doing well. He is still in the hospital getting stronger every day. We expect him to be able to go home very soon. Please remember him and his family in your prayers. Also, continue to pray for our community, especially through this very cold weather we are experiencing. Pray as our families in the transitional housing program begin to find daycare and steady employment.

Steps

This weekend we were able to transition one of our families in to her new home. As we began to unload her things into the home, we had to walk up steps. After unloading, the mom and her 2 kids stood at the top of the steps for a picture with the keys to her new home. It is a celebration. Her little girl was so excited she could hardly stand still. It is a major accomplishment for the whole family.

The steps remind us of what it takes to reach our goals. One of the first things we do when we accept a new family in to our program is set goals. Goals are a way that the individual can see progress in a tangible way. We celebrate each milestone of the process. As we set goals with the families, they are often in the form of stairs. It represents the steps it takes to reach the ultimate goal, in this case, housing.

Thank you for all you do for us and our community. Through your prayers, gifts, and support, it makes what we do possible. Thank you for providing needed supplies, appliances, and household items so that our families will have what they need in their new home.

Please continue to pray for our families. Pray for them as they settle in to their new homes. Pray they would continue to set goals and reach them.





If you would like to view more prayer requests, you can visit our website at www.baptistfriendshiphouse.org

Summer Recap

(t-shirt crafts always a favorite )

Summer is never boring here at Friendship House. We registered 42 girls for the summer program, Up2HOPE. The girls were on a 7-week Voyage that took them all over the world - all 7 continents to be exact. Of course this was done via the air conditioned building at Baptist Friendship House ;)   The girls learned about other cultures, and even tasted some of the food from the different countries discussed. They learned about what ministry was like in the different areas of the world. They enjoyed crafts, games, problem solving tasks, preventative educational groups and Bible study. We appreciate all the prayers and support to make the summer possible. Our summer missionaries were awesome. Our girls loved getting to know and learning from them. The summer missionaries also loved learning from our girls. It was a great summer and we look forward to what God is going to do through out the next year.

(Anything with paint is always a hit, too!)

Please pray for our girls as they begin school. Some school have already started. Pray also for our Back-to-School Bash that will be next week. Continue to pray for the summer missionaries that served with us and around the world. Many will be returning to college. They have all experienced something others in their classes did not. The transition may be challenging as they have learned a great deal about what it means to be totally dependent on Christ.