Taking It To The Next Level

At our weekly lunch program for those experiencing homelessness we not only serve a physical meal, but we offer spiritual food as well. Every week after the meal, Pastor Jeff or Pastor Juan brings a message of hope from God's word. Everyone who stays for it receives a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of several prizes - a backpack, food, a travel bottle, or a gift card to McDonalds, just to mention a few. When we noticed how many people were staying to hear the message, and many of them have told us how much they love hearing it. So we decided to take it to the next level by offering a Bible study immediately following the weekly program for anyone desiring to go deeper in God's word.

Many of the people who attend are regular weekly attenders so we've gotten to know them well. Over the past few years we've been able to gain their trust, and they know that we love them and are here to help them, not hurt them. Our goal is to continue building upon these relationships by developing a community of faith with them where they'll be able to encourage, care and pray for one another in a safe and loving environment.

We launched the Bible study with nine of our friends in attendance. Our initial plan is to work through the Gospel of John to help everyone gain a complete understanding of who Jesus is, why He came to live among us, and what benefits come through having a personal relationship with Him. Please pray with us that those who are coming will continue to attend and invite others.

Spreading Smiles of Joy

Serving the community while having fun is a good way to describe our youth at the Joy Mission Center. From moving boxes of chips, preparing food bags and cleaning the gym, to serving senior adults, they are willing to put in the work to bless their community. They are also industrious, as evidenced by the plan they carried out at the last Mission Market. At this MCH-sponsored event that operates like a community market, they set up a table to sell bottled water, chips, nachos and coffee to raise funds for future outings/events. Everybody was so full of energy, and those that came loved their enthusiasm and warm smiles. We can really see that the community is changing for the better, thanks in part to these wonderful young people. In fact, a number of senior adults who attended came specifically to support the youth in their endeavor. We are so excited for the future that awaits us at Joy.

Popsicles and Progress

Last month The Compassion Center partnered with No Need Among You to help transform Wisdom High's summer school program. Through the generous resources provided by our Compassion Center, an environment of joy and support was created by celebrating birthdays and distributing pastries and snacks, refreshing popsicles, and offering small yet meaningful incentives to boost attendance. The results were nothing short of extraordinary: 300 students successfully completed their courses, tripling the anticipated graduation numbers and igniting a beacon of hope for the future.

Because of this, Wisdom High School has requested that we continue our partnership throughout the school year. We will be meeting in September with the Principal to map out a strategy. We are deeply grateful the Lord has opened this door and the opportunity to work with such a wonderful mission partner to uplift and empower the youth in our communities, all in Jesus' name.

Gano Street Mission Crew

Gano Street Mission Crew is a two-week long summer day camp program at the Gano Mission Center designed for community youth who participate in our youth club throughout the year. Its goal is to teach them about God and the importance of having Him in their lives. It also gives us an opportunity to teach the youth the importance of thinking about others and serving others in their own community through practical, hands-on activities. This past summer the youth participated in making grocery deliveries to and praying with homebound senior adults.

They also conducted prayer walks throughout the community, had daily devotions, and participated in weekly discipleship groups. Their time concluded with a worship night at Unique Student Ministries. Five of our students that attended the event gave their lives to Jesus. As a special treat the crew was invited to a sleep-over with our summer interns. The night was filled with discussions about their educational future and how to further develop the students' walk with God.

After the summer program ended, the youth were taken on a fun day activity to Go-Kart Raceway where they all had a great time solidifying great relationships and memories. This summer was by far one of the greatest summer experiences with our youth at MCH. To God be the Glory!!!

Roselyn Luevano

Roselyn (Linda) is the wife of Pastor Ernesto Luevano, Greater East End Area Missionary serving through the Joy Mission Center. Linda not only serves her local church, Iglesia Bautista Hispana "La Biblia Dice Asi" along with her husband and family, but also dedicates a huge amount of time serving with them in all of the ministries at Joy. She started serving about a year ago and has become an integral part of our ministry programs. Linda leads the women's Bible study and has become a key leader in the senior adult ministries. Her warm and engaging smile, along with a genuine heart for the community, is truly a blessing to us all!

We want to recognize and thank the SCAN Health Plan for their recent grant to help us provide additional meals and take-home groceries for our senior adult programs. Their financial support, along with the help we receive from numerous other donors we have, provide the support needed for our senior adult and homebound ministries. SCAN Health Plan is one of the nation's largest not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plans. SCAN is dedicated to keeping seniors healthy and independent.

If you would like to help support our senior adult programs, simply CLICK HERE to make a donation. Please use the dropdown menu under 'Funds' and select 'Senior Adults Fund' to designate your gift. Thank you, may the Lord bless you for your generosity!