Higher Grounds Blessings

I am amazed at what God can do when you ask. For the last few months, I’ve been praying for new volunteers for HG. I have wanted to get it so that the volunteers we have can take a week or two off a month.

In the last 3 weeks, I’ve had roughly 8-10 teens come to me wanting to be volunteers. WOW!! I’ve been here for over a year and a half and I’ve never had this many kids wanting to help. Last week, I had an orientation with some of them. They stuff they told me was amazing, especially since we’re talking about teenagers!!! One told me he didn’t care if it was taking out trash and doing dishes. He just wanted to be here and help. I don’t know about you but when I was 16, taking out trash and dishes were on the bottom of my list of good times. They also want job experience and want to be treated in the same fashion. It’s amazing what God does when you least expect it. I had the expectation of adults coming to help, NOT the kids we’re trying to help! But alas, what can I say about the creator of the universe. I guess He just does what He sees fit. Peace out!

Oh and by the way, I still am looking for as many adult volunteers as I can get! Hint Hint!!!

Jared

Check out our website to learn more about our ministry!
www.ncyfc.org

Code of the Future

If you don't know what this is you soon will, this a QR code and when you take a picture of it with a internet enabled cell phone it will lead you directly to our website. www.ncyfc.org. So if you are bored try it, better yet, "right click and save as" the picture and print them out on labels and plaster them all over.

 

Check out our website to learn more about our ministry!
www.ncyfc.org

It's mine!!

I have had a lot of interest from the older students about helping to run and shape the after school program. I honestly value their opinions. The response I get from them is a willingness to help and work alongside me. The student leaders that have stepped up are willing to encourage their younger peers and friends to follow the rules and lead in a positive way. Keep in mind they still have growing brains and that makes them susceptible to act irrationally at times, but more often them not they are caring and thoughtful individuals. Student leaders have helped me make and distribute promotional materials, helped to shape the rules, an d develop an incentive to  earn rewards for improved school work. As a new program the A.S.P is starting to take shape and our student leaders are starting to feel a sense of responsibility and ownership of the program. For instance one of the student council members has stopped saying, "What are you going to do about …… ". Now she says things like, "Maybe we should…"
I wonder how the world might be different if youth felt that they could work together with more adults in our community organizations. It would be nice to hear students say things like, "Over the summer I helped keep our parks clean, I was on a committee that made our school safer, We helped our teen mothers get a diploma, we helped to feed our homeless. Ownership makes a big difference. When it's yours you care more about it. 
This is also great for building meaningful relationships with the students. I'm finding that one of the best ways to build a relationship with anyone is work together with them toward a common goal. It's been wonderful to see students make the A.S.P their own.

Check out our website to learn more about our ministry!
www.ncyfc.org

Friday, Oct 31st

On Friday we decided to have a party and just spend time with the kids that we work with. We wanted to give them an alternative to all the pit falls of Halloween. We had a great time and just had fun. 

Here are some pix of the evening.

Check out our website to learn more about our ministry!
www.ncyfc.org