Tahoe Update

Hey Everyone, Happy Labor Day!! 

Well, it has been a few weeks since moving out to California. Today actually marks three weeks that I have lived in Tahoe City, CA. 

I figured that it was time for an update and to tell you guys some things that you could be in prayer for. 

The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind trying to get settled into a new place and into a new ministry. The first week we had the kids was a transition time from summer into the school year. So, we did a week of summer activities which included hiking to Eagle Rock and going to the beach at the Lake throughout the week. The way that summer worked

 was essentially like a VBS. We had rec time, bible time, sang songs, and more. Now that school has started, we get kids early in the morning and then put them on the school buses. Then, we don't get kids again until around 12:45 and 2:45. We use that time to clean, make lesson plans, etc. Their after school day allows them to do homework, have a bible story, play outside. 

Meanwhile, there is the preschool! They have a full-day program for 3-5 year olds with circle time, centers, bible story, outside play, etc. So, wondering what more I do? I work in the preschool until 12:45 when I go downstairs and work with the older kids until closing. I help any of the teachers who need help keeping their ratio of teachers to students met. I have really enjoyed it, because it has allowed me to get to know most of the kids that come to the program. We also have Parent's Night Out (PNO) and My Morning Out (MMO) starting soon. I will tell more on those when they get here! :-) 

Now for some prayer requests! 

-- That me and the rest of the girls will continue to experience unity together as co-workers, missionaries, friends, and sisters in Christ. And that we will have the strength and endurance needed during the week.

-- That the children and parents involved in our ministry will continue to build relationships with us and see Christ as we love on their families.

-- FBC 

Tahoe City and it's members. The current pastor, Pastor Dan, or "PD" as we call him, will be retiring this fall. They already have a new pastor who they are very excited for, although they will greatly miss PD who has been here for a very long time! Pastor Scott and his wife Jennifer are coming in September and PD leaves in October. Pray for the church as they go through this hard transition and as they learn to love and trust Pastor Scott.

-- Pray for Tahoe and CA!! This is a big resort area, most of the people here do not live here full-time, but only vacation here. Pray that we will be able to show them the love of Christ while they are here. Pray also for CA. Around 80% of people in CA do not go to church anywhere.

-- Pray for Nell, Debbie, and Leana as they continue to run A+ and the Preschool. They are strong ladies, who have made an impact in this community and these families! 

That's it for now!
I hope tomorrow to do a post full of pictures, so be on the lookout! 

:-) 

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." -- Mark 11:24

First Day Jitters

Tomorrow is the first day of work with kids!

We are meeting all of our kids tomorrow and get to start loving on them and their families. 

Showing them the love of Christ and developing relationships with them.

This place is beginning to change me in so many ways.
I'm excited to see how God continues to use it to minister to me; the place, the people, the community, the other girls. 

One of my favorite things to come out of serving the Lord, is to see and feel how He serves and ministers to me. 

Until later...

:-)

Heading To Tahoe City, California

In my last post (which I feel was forever ago), I announced that I was accepted as a semester missionary with the North American Mission Board (NAMB). I am very excited for this opportunity to travel and serve the Lord in Tahoe City, California. 

I will be serving at First Baptist Church Lake Tahoe as a preschool teacher in their Preschool for children ages 3-5. They also have a before and after school program for kindergartners through sixth grade children. The church also has various programs throughout the month for parents like My Morning Out and Parent's Night Out, where parents can drop off their kids for childcare and have time for themselves. The church is also involved in ski ministry, where they have church on the slopes, although this is only a spring semester ministry. 

Between both the Preschool and the School Program there will be about 90-100 children a day. Me along with the other semester missionaries will lead Bible stories, learning activities, crafts, educational centers, and games. Most the families who have children in the programs are not Christians. However, in the past these families have become more involved with FBC Lake Tahoe and some have come to have a relationship with Christ. 

The full-time population of Tahoe City is actually really small. While yearly they will have close to 9 million visitors. Tahoe City is the home of Lake Tahoe, the eighth deepest lake in the world. Most of the Lake resides in California, while the rest lies in Nevada. Lots of people come to Tahoe in the summer and winter for the Lake and the great skiing. 

Tahoe City is about 4 hours from San Francisco, 5 hours from Yosemite National Park, and an hour away from Reno, Nevada. 

I will be flying out to Tahoe on August 14th and returning home on December 22nd. 

I am so excited for this opportunity and to be in California. This is the farthest that I have lived and served from home so far, which makes it a little daunting. But, I am ready to be there, meet the people, and meet the kids. Not to mention to be in beautiful Tahoe City! Below is a picture of Lake Tahoe. 

I can't wait to share this journey with you guys!
I hope you will continue reading to learn more about the ministry and everyone involved. 

:-) 

Meet the Groups, Counselors, and Campers from Camp NOLA Kidz

This summer we had three different groups for campers: Sun, Ocean, Ice.

Here are group pictures of the kids with their counselor! 

(These pictures were taken during the last week of Camp. 

So groups may have had more kids throughout the summer, but those here are the "regulars".) 

The Ocean Group with Counselors, Ms. Suzanne and Ms. Seymea

The Ice Group with counselors, Ms. Mary and Ms. Kaity

The Sun Group with counselors, Me and Ms. Shearita

This is Revius, aka RJ.

When you ask him where he is from he will say New Orleans, California. 

This summer he was visiting his grandmother in New Orleans, from California. 

He definitely became my buddy this summer and I miss him greatly! 

I would always ask him if I could come visit him in California and he said I could, but I would have to fly on an airplane. When I said I was okay with that, he would ask me if I like peanuts. 

:-) 

This is Mekhi. 

He was also my buddy this summer. Me and him bonded quick! 

Every morning, he would come up to me and just stand in front of me.

I would wrap my arms around him or start rubbing his head. haha

He absolutely loved Lego's and trains! When he played with Lego's, he would make trains! 

Right next to the seminary, literally, there were train tracks and every time a train would go by he would run to the door or the window and watch it as passed. If we were outside, he would stop whatever he was doing and go stand by the fence to watch it pass. After nap time, he would come up to me and bury his head in my stomach.

                                                                                :-)

This is JC. 

He was definitely one of our more challenging kids. 

His big brother was at the Big Kid's Camp and his mom works at the preschool. 

They have quite a story from when JC was really little, so we felt like that had a little to do with the way he acted. 

JC is very smart though, he knew the Bible Stories and asked really good questions, but getting him to sit still sometimes and pay attention could be challenging. 

This is Jordyn. 

She was definitely one of our divas.

                              She was easily able to get people on her side and do what she wanted.

She liked to be heard and would repeat herself a lot. 

This is sweet Jayla. 

Oh how much I learned from Jayla this summer. 

Jayla is blind. She was born prematurely and her eyesight never developed. 

But, don't let her fool you, she could hold her own. 

She is so funny, loves to dance, smile and laugh. 

This is Addison. Definitely a lion personality.

When she wants to be friends with you, she wants to be friends.

She also likes to get people to do what she wants. 

Very loud and will tell you everything that is going on.

                            And when something goes the opposite way she wanted, you will know.

This is Tye. 

He came more toward the middle point of camp and 

then was supposed to be there the rest of the summer, 

but he never came back. I was very sad to never get to hang out with him again.

He was another of my buddies. 

He loved playing outside, in Lego's, and knew how to do Michael Jackson dances! 

He could even moonwalk! 

This is Kenneth. 

He was another of our handfuls.

He had a lot of energy and could get other kids to follow his lead.

 We had to get on to him a lot and he ended up in time-out more than a few times. 

He had trouble listening. 

He was very smart though.

One time, he sat down in my lap and told me that he didn't like being in time-out. 

I told him that he was very smart and that he knew the right things to do, but I asked him why he continued to not listen.

He said he didn't know, but that he wanted to. 

We definitely saw a great improvement in Kenneth as the summer went on. 

This is Dandre. 

He was also another challenging kid. 

He like to bug other kids and wouldn't stop when they asked him to.

He also liked to mock other kids or play the repeat game. 

He loved to laugh 

and

definitely thought that his cute looks could get him out of anything. 

This is Brooke. 

When she gets older, I firmly believe that she will win "Best All Around" in her yearbook. 

Every morning when she came to camp, the kids would run to the door and maul her with hugs! 

She was friends to everyone. 

She is also very smart! 

She was the first in the group to memorize Scripture verses and she knew all the stories that we had talked about throughout the summer. 

She was excited about everything that we did. 

Definitely a bright light! 

Those are some of the kids! 

Hope you enjoyed getting to know some of them! 

:-) 

Center Time -- A Camper's Favorite

I think that one of the most favorite times of the day for the campers 

was when they had free time 

and

were able to choose different centers to play in. 

We had tons of different centers for them to choose.

The most popular were definitely blocks, home-living, and Lego's. 

The other centers we had were table toys, puzzles, art, writing center, toy cars and books. 

When we had a lot of kids (like the weeks that we reached 40 kids) we would go outside 

and 

use that as one of the centers. 

Here are pictures of the kids playing in centers! 

:-) 

Craft Time With Campers

As I have said before, one of my main things to do at Camp this summer were the crafts with the kids. 

We had a different craft for every day of the summer! 

So, needless to say, we created, painted, cut, glued, stuffed and tore 

many things! 

Here are some pictures of the kids during craft time! 

:-) 

Tie-dying with Preschoolers

When you tie-dye with preschoolers...

Hands will get stained.

Tables will get messy. 

Kids may get paint on t-shirts.

Floors will get stained. 

Kid's hands may get stained. 

Yep. 

We had a day where we tie-dyed with the preschoolers. 

Needless to say, it was quite an adventure 

and 

definitely messy.

It was a spray type tie-dye, so it was somewhat easier for them.

Yet, it still managed to get everywhere.

Us.

Them.

Tables.

Floors.

T-shirts. 

I am excited to see what they are going to look like! 

The kids were very excited about getting to make them! 

:-)