Friday, May 21, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Congregations for the Homeless – April at Westminster Chapel
Community Care took me out of Jubilee REACH Center in the evenings and extended to coordinating the CFH men’s shelter at Westminster for the month of April. With over 300 volunteers, the month provided many opportunities to be of service. For some it was a stretch financially to provide food and for others a stretch to find the time to prepare and serve. Without a doubt, the sacrifice was much appreciated by the men in the shelter and such a blessing for those who were touched by the investment in the men’s lives.
There were some nights that the volunteers outnumbered the shelter residents. The families who served together and brought their children created a light-hearted, fun atmosphere that the men really seemed to enjoy. A child’s laughter does great things for the soul.
A condensed Alpha course was offered by the Vintage interns this year for the first time. Four or five of the men in the shelter committed to meeting on a weekly basis to continue their study and sharing. It’s really exciting to see how the program has impacted lives.
It was such an honor to serve these men. More than previous years, this group of men was so eager to help in any way they could, were so respectful, easy to please, and so easy to love. My prayer is that care givers and care receivers alike were blessed and will continue to have God disclose how He was at work through His people. My heart felt thanks for your sacrifices.
There were some nights that the volunteers outnumbered the shelter residents. The families who served together and brought their children created a light-hearted, fun atmosphere that the men really seemed to enjoy. A child’s laughter does great things for the soul.
A condensed Alpha course was offered by the Vintage interns this year for the first time. Four or five of the men in the shelter committed to meeting on a weekly basis to continue their study and sharing. It’s really exciting to see how the program has impacted lives.
It was such an honor to serve these men. More than previous years, this group of men was so eager to help in any way they could, were so respectful, easy to please, and so easy to love. My prayer is that care givers and care receivers alike were blessed and will continue to have God disclose how He was at work through His people. My heart felt thanks for your sacrifices.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Seasons
I love the spring flowers and the hint of summer soon to arrive. We are fortunate in the Northwest to have four seasons to enjoy. It reminds me of God’s plan for us to look forward and enjoy the seasons of life also; to be thankful in all things in each season God brings.
On March 15, I traveled to Ephrata in Eastern Washington to attend a cousin’s memorial. Nial put up a grand fight against cancer for over 7 years. I never heard him complain and his faith in Jesus was so strong and it was so awesome to watch him encourage family and friends to appreciate life to its fullest. I loved the story his son told about his dad’s response to his wife, Mary Jo’s, question about what happened to all the left over Christmas trees on the lot in their small town. Such a romantic, he bought every one of the leftover trees and he lined their driveway with all the trees for her as she returned home from work on Christmas eve.
Afterwards, I brought my 95-year-old mother home with me for a visit so my brother could perform some maintenance on the farm house. She continues to live by herself with just a weekly visit from a caregiver and my brother’s constant eye on her. While she was here, she was able to share her amazing skill and childhood hobby at making cornhusk dolls with the kids in Jubilee REACH Center’s after school Art Club. I recently produced a book on “How to Make Corn Husk Dolls” for her which is a step by step guide to the dolls she has made over the years. Her dolls have been on the US Whitehouse Christmas tree, traveled the country in the Bicentennial celebration, and have been on exhibit at Bellevue’s Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art. The books are available for purchase at $20.
In the three weeks she stayed with us, I realized another season has passed with her. Her eye sight is failing rapidly, she doesn’t hear well, and she told stories many times as though she’d never told them before even if it had only been an hour or a day since we’d last heard the story. I have been blessed to have such a long time with her. Her unselfish sacrifices for me growing up certainly make it easier to deal with the role reversal that is taking place in our relationship.
Enjoy your season,
Joy
On March 15, I traveled to Ephrata in Eastern Washington to attend a cousin’s memorial. Nial put up a grand fight against cancer for over 7 years. I never heard him complain and his faith in Jesus was so strong and it was so awesome to watch him encourage family and friends to appreciate life to its fullest. I loved the story his son told about his dad’s response to his wife, Mary Jo’s, question about what happened to all the left over Christmas trees on the lot in their small town. Such a romantic, he bought every one of the leftover trees and he lined their driveway with all the trees for her as she returned home from work on Christmas eve.
Afterwards, I brought my 95-year-old mother home with me for a visit so my brother could perform some maintenance on the farm house. She continues to live by herself with just a weekly visit from a caregiver and my brother’s constant eye on her. While she was here, she was able to share her amazing skill and childhood hobby at making cornhusk dolls with the kids in Jubilee REACH Center’s after school Art Club. I recently produced a book on “How to Make Corn Husk Dolls” for her which is a step by step guide to the dolls she has made over the years. Her dolls have been on the US Whitehouse Christmas tree, traveled the country in the Bicentennial celebration, and have been on exhibit at Bellevue’s Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art. The books are available for purchase at $20.
In the three weeks she stayed with us, I realized another season has passed with her. Her eye sight is failing rapidly, she doesn’t hear well, and she told stories many times as though she’d never told them before even if it had only been an hour or a day since we’d last heard the story. I have been blessed to have such a long time with her. Her unselfish sacrifices for me growing up certainly make it easier to deal with the role reversal that is taking place in our relationship.
Enjoy your season,
Joy
Friday, March 19, 2010
Leveraging Your Past
I hope you know how much I treasure the prayer, encouragement and financial support that I receive from so many of you. I am humbled to serve on your behalf. I recently saw a talk given by a Wess Stafford from Compassion International. He endured a horrific experience for years as he was spiritually, emotionally, physically and sexually abused as a child in a school for missionary kids in Africa. He is able to leverage his past to fuel his compassionate serving for children through Compassion International. After watching this and the recent Graham Cooke dvd, I am reminded that what Satan intends to use to destroy us, God uses for His glory. We can stand on God’s promises and we to be excited when we have a problem or difficulty because we know God will not allow us to suffer without using our pain to do great and mighty things through us. I encourage you to be in prayer and search for ways to use your past pain to fuel ways for you to serve. Combined with your gifts, talents, resources and influence, you can use that pain to do mighty things in partnership with God.
Peace be with you during this Lent season. My family and I will be serving Easter dinner to the 30 men in the Congregations for the Homeless shelter at Westminster. Please email or call me if you’d like to join us or provide some Easter basket goodies. We’d love to add more chairs to the table for you!
You are precious in His sight.
Peace be with you during this Lent season. My family and I will be serving Easter dinner to the 30 men in the Congregations for the Homeless shelter at Westminster. Please email or call me if you’d like to join us or provide some Easter basket goodies. We’d love to add more chairs to the table for you!
You are precious in His sight.
Smiles abound while building community
The mobile dental van brightened some more smiles last Friday thanks to Denise, Molly and Dr. Cho. They are busting at the seams in their excitement to serve and the patients really pick up on this. They know how much we all care for them. We are in search of a dental hygienist to volunteer for the van one day per month. We are currently without a hygienist and there is a great need. Will you please ask the hygienist at your dentist’s office if they would consider volunteering for one or more times for our mobile dental van? I’d be happy to talk with them. Medical Teams International also has a dvd explaining their program that I could send to you to watch with your hygienist. The dental van will be in the parking lot at Westminster Chapel on Sunday, March 21 and holding an open house for folks to step in and see what it’s like. Please make time to check it out. It’s really cool!
I see relationships building between myself and the Latino women. I feel bad that we’ve had to cancel the last two hygienist appointment days. The care is so much needed and they are so patient in waiting. They are so gracious in letting me try to speak my tiny bit of Spanish with them. They are so encouraging. I realized at the clinic on Friday that I actually caught the gist of what they were talking about. That was exciting! Their language is so beautiful and I just love these women.
I see relationships building between myself and the Latino women. I feel bad that we’ve had to cancel the last two hygienist appointment days. The care is so much needed and they are so patient in waiting. They are so gracious in letting me try to speak my tiny bit of Spanish with them. They are so encouraging. I realized at the clinic on Friday that I actually caught the gist of what they were talking about. That was exciting! Their language is so beautiful and I just love these women.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Crashing waves, palm trees swaying and rain
Not what you’d expect in San Diego in February, but that was the spectacular weather on the day of the Sherry Watson grant seminar. Held at the beautiful Hyatt on the waterfront, where we all expected a sunny beach scene, the sun eventually came out and we witnessed an amazing rainbow.
Sherry Watson was on fire with excitement as she encouraged the 60 participants and shared the abundance of grant opportunities. I was blessed along with five others and had a private lunch with Sherry and her husband. The woman is amazing. That time with her made the whole trip worthwhile. She shared several ideas with me and it was great to get her perspective, analysis, guidance and promise to give me some individual help in the future.
The highlight of the trip was time with my sister-in-law, Helen, and my brother-in-law, Herb, whom I adore. They are truly amazing and whenever I am around them I am so loved and blessed. Other than my one-day seminar, I didn’t make any plans for my five-day stay. We spent a lot of time just sharing and during the five days I was privileged to attend a Beth Moore bible study one night, participate in Herb and Helen’s home study group with a wonderful prayer time and discussion, watch a dvd from the Willow Creek leadership summit, and watch two dvd sessions from a recent Graham Cooke seminar Herb and Helen attended. If you have not heard of this incredible Christian man, you seriously need to google him and soak up his videos and writings. Every sentence could almost be a whole session. I felt absolutely transformed with a fresh sense of awe for our Lord with His amazing love and sacrifice for me.
Three, not just one, but three trips to the beach while I was there! Helen and I enjoyed a delicious lunch at San Diego’s Pacific Beach along the boardwalk. Oh, the ocean smelled so good and the sand was so inviting. La Jolla’s beach was pretty spectacular. With the recent earthquake in Chile, the waves were huge and we hoped to catch a glimpse of them, but instead witnessed about a hundred seals with their pups. What a life… swim, eat, and sleep on the beach!
While in San Diego, I introduced Herb and Helen to the Ranch 99 Market (an Asian market chain) and we bought fresh tilapia (fish), shrimp, and some other tasty tidbits. I had the pleasure of cooking up a storm in their dream kitchen for them and a friend, Digna. Afterwards we watched another Graham Cooke dvd. I’m telling you – you have to get a hold of some of his teaching.
I came away from my trip with some new ideas for targeting grant money, and personally renewed, refreshed, encouraged, and well rested. It was hard to leave but I couldn’t wait to get home and put my newly acquired information to practice.
Sherry Watson was on fire with excitement as she encouraged the 60 participants and shared the abundance of grant opportunities. I was blessed along with five others and had a private lunch with Sherry and her husband. The woman is amazing. That time with her made the whole trip worthwhile. She shared several ideas with me and it was great to get her perspective, analysis, guidance and promise to give me some individual help in the future.
The highlight of the trip was time with my sister-in-law, Helen, and my brother-in-law, Herb, whom I adore. They are truly amazing and whenever I am around them I am so loved and blessed. Other than my one-day seminar, I didn’t make any plans for my five-day stay. We spent a lot of time just sharing and during the five days I was privileged to attend a Beth Moore bible study one night, participate in Herb and Helen’s home study group with a wonderful prayer time and discussion, watch a dvd from the Willow Creek leadership summit, and watch two dvd sessions from a recent Graham Cooke seminar Herb and Helen attended. If you have not heard of this incredible Christian man, you seriously need to google him and soak up his videos and writings. Every sentence could almost be a whole session. I felt absolutely transformed with a fresh sense of awe for our Lord with His amazing love and sacrifice for me.
Three, not just one, but three trips to the beach while I was there! Helen and I enjoyed a delicious lunch at San Diego’s Pacific Beach along the boardwalk. Oh, the ocean smelled so good and the sand was so inviting. La Jolla’s beach was pretty spectacular. With the recent earthquake in Chile, the waves were huge and we hoped to catch a glimpse of them, but instead witnessed about a hundred seals with their pups. What a life… swim, eat, and sleep on the beach!
While in San Diego, I introduced Herb and Helen to the Ranch 99 Market (an Asian market chain) and we bought fresh tilapia (fish), shrimp, and some other tasty tidbits. I had the pleasure of cooking up a storm in their dream kitchen for them and a friend, Digna. Afterwards we watched another Graham Cooke dvd. I’m telling you – you have to get a hold of some of his teaching.
I came away from my trip with some new ideas for targeting grant money, and personally renewed, refreshed, encouraged, and well rested. It was hard to leave but I couldn’t wait to get home and put my newly acquired information to practice.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Faithfulness in translators and root canals
I continue to be astounded at the immense healing and life-changing activity here at Jubilee. Last Friday’s adult dental clinic was no exception. This first round of patients has come mostly from the group of Latino women who rock out in the aerobics class. We had what appeared to be a set back on the day before the clinic because the hygienist who had volunteered cancelled because she had thrown out her back. Tough to bend over to peer into their mouth of a patient when you’ve thrown out your back!
With some scrambling, I was able to cancel and reschedule most patients. Interesting that one of the two dental exam chairs was not working and so God’s timing was again perfect. Normally, only exams, x-rays, cleanings and fillings are provided at the mobile dental van. One patient, however, received a root canal. Who would have thought anyone would be excited to get a root canal, right?!! This root canal spared her from the only other option which was to extract the tooth. Dr. Cho did not want to do an extraction because she is missing several teeth and it would have made it very difficult for her to chew her food. I thank Dr. Cho for his great work and the other volunteers Molly Johnston, assistant; Denise Folk, sterilization and van driver; and George Steirer who’s in training on the van.
George is a Mercer Island city planner for his full-time job and volunteered to help out on the van. He also washed the exterior of the van. That was the biggest "car wash" I've ever seen! I tried to talk him into washing my van, but he wouldn't go for it!
The group of Latino women who were patients on Friday at the dental van has a very obvious strong bond. I’ve been told they did not know each other before coming to Jubilee. They're so loving and helpful to each other with filling out forms and watching children while some had their appointments. I loved watching them interact and seeing the sense of excitement and happiness on their faces as they greet each other. Who would imagine that an aerobics class and visit to the dentist would give them such confidence and a sense of belonging that community gives. One woman had the translator apologize for not being able to speak English to me to say how much she appreciates what was done for her. I apologized for "no habla espanol" and said I am trying to learn Spanish and thanked her for letting me serve her. It is such an honor to serve in this way. The two translators (Martha Valencia and Maria Garcia) who volunteered their time did a great job. Maria is actually a participant in the aerobics class and ESL class. What a wonderful woman and she has such a heart for service. I’m sure many will be excited to hear I now have the Rosetta Stone program to speed up my Spanish learning!
I have a great opportunity to go to a seminar in San Diego on Feb 27th. If you have air miles you would be willing to donate to me, please email me or call me at 425.890.2395. This seminar will give me additional tools to secure grant funds to do more at Jubilee REACH Center. Please check out the letter from Tom Brewer, chaplain at Jubilee REACH Center on behalf of my service here (previous blog posting). May the unconditional, faithful love of our Father bless you.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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