For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak … I will feed them with justice.

KIDS CLUB BEGINS MONDAY

He rushed in to my office yesterday.  “I found him, I found Gabriel” … I smiled, no better words to hear in the summer around here.  How?  “Well, we went back to the old apartments, to try again.  The lady remembered something … she had put his grandmother’s phone number somewhere and found it.”  He called and went out to where he is living, Buckeye and 67^th Ave.  Celebration!  The child, the shepherd, the mother … a found kid.  Everyday, as we get ready for Kids Club kids are found.  Families disturbed by all terrible kinds of circumstances, moving from here to there … out of fear, out of instability, no work, trauma … the strayed, the injured, the lost, the weak … The Good Shepherd specializes in such as these and so do we, following his pattern.

These young leaders are in shepherd school all summer, and some are so good at it already.  But more than this they are recognizing that they are also the sheep, and they have become the recipients of a pursuing God who seeks after them, and they have become the receivers already this summer.  Just today, one of our young staff pursued some financial help for the final Kids Club Carnival Day.  He talked us into accepting a deal he was trying to make with a vendor who was going to give us new items to help make a spectacular carnival, the last day of Kids Club.  “I will find a donor”, he promised.  By the end of yesterday he had.  “God is Big”!  he shouted! 

Yesterday, they worshipped.  For two hours, they sang, journaled, found their voice in lament, and received words from the Lord, just for them.  “God is Big” … is big in their hearts … they are expecting, we are expecting, they are trusting, we are watching them, we are walking into one more summer filled with the beauty of knowing that 500 children and almost 200 leaders will know better that God is Big in and through each other.  He will break in and rescue us all.

Junior High Kids Club

This past school year, on Tuesday nights, the south side kids and the west side kids fought, threatened each other and spent plenty of Tuesdays home instead of at church.  It was black against brown, the racial stuff that creeps in; from the archives of histories these kids don’t even know.  Recycling hatred … and we add … “at church”. 

When we pray for Kids Club, junior high, or the Big one, or even in Albuquerque, we pray for the things we think to mention that nag at us like the bills or safety … but rarely do we remember the things that are ever present, don’t go away, seem like a given.  Why do we accept it when black and brown kids hate each other over neighborhood space, over old words … we teach to the truth of reconciliation, to loving each other, to unity and the beauty of our diversity … and yet, we give in to the realities as much as they do.

ALBUQUERQUE KIDS CLUB Report

Thank you so much for each one of your prayers!  Kids Club is over, but God is continuing to work, and will continue to draw kids to Himself throughout the summer. 

Praise God with us for His provision and protection!  Over 120 kids showed up at one time or another – 105 on the last day!  In all of this, God kept each one physically safe.  And, every one had the opportunity to learn about our BIG God and His BIG love and grace for them.

Our work crew was wonderful – almost all of them verbalized how wonderful the week was for them.  Thankfully, they all returned home safely.  We are praying about ways to effectively continue to disciple the leaders that live here in ABQ and build them into the future leadership team of Juntos!  These are young people – many who are just 14 or 15 years old.  They are truly amazing and we are confident that God has big plans for them!

We are excited about the many new kids we met (including the two Jehovah’s Witness brothers!) and are looking forward to continuing relationship with them.  And, as always, we feel like we got to know parents/grandparents/guardians even better throughout this week.

Again, thank you for your prayers.  We ask that you keep praying throughout the summer and into the start of Juntos, beginning in September.  Four specific things to pray for:

1) That any seeds that were planted would continue to be watered and grow throughout the summer.

2) Effective leadership development – specifically among our indigenous leaders.

3) Continued communication and relationships with as many of the kids as possible – especially the new kids.

4) Creative ways to minister to the whole family of each child.