Rec Center: Rules

Our Rec Center has always had a list of rules posted, but this new sign updates things a bit to the present chalkboard-look-is-cool era. We want the Rec Center to be a safe, positive, fun environment, and yes, that means some rules. The tongue, that great forest fire maker, is addressed in #1. The hands and respect for others are addressed in #2. And #3? So we don't have unnecessary injuries from flying pool balls.

Rec Center: Book Nook

Rec Center: Mural Wall

Our interns are taking some time off to enjoy Christmas with their families, but before they left, this was finally completed:

Isn't it beautiful? Alexa had the idea for the mural and designed and painted the majority of it.

The Last Rec Center of the Year

On the last day of Rec for the year, there was ornament decorating, fingernail painting, and basketball playing. Phoenix hasn't been all warmth and sunshine this winter, but this particular day was a gorgeous one for enjoying the outdoors and making memories!

Cowboy Christmas Party

If you read this post, you've heard of the Purdue Ranch. We returned to the ranch on Saturday with a much larger group for a "Cowboy Christmas Party." When you see the photos below, realize that we are big city dwellers, and out here a ranch can be defined as a small acreage with some animals, whether that ranch happens to have grass or the brown dirt that characterizes our desert.

Special thanks goes to the Purdues for their gracious hospitality and desiring to use their lives and horses to impact inner-city youth. Now I'll let the photos tell the story of the day.

Joining the Squad

The next best thing to owning another full-size van? A mini-van! We were able to purchase this van this week.

Christmas Field Trips

For Kids Klub this week, we took a Christmas field trip and went to see this play at Phoenix 1st Assembly. We invited some children to go on Wednesday evening, and others on Thursday evening, for a total of 46 children who went. Thank the Lord for safety in rush-hour traffic and that "no child was left behind," since the auditorium is quite large!

Bike Party 2013

On Saturday, we took a group of children to a special Christmas party. For a little background on the party and its founder, go here. At the end of the party, each child received a new bicycle, as well as a frozen turkey and a bag of food for their families. I think the only almost-tearful moments were waiting to get into the party after we had registered (some children hadn't eaten breakfast and were very hungry), and convincing the new bike owners that while the bikes needed to be hauled in a different vehicle, we would surely deliver them to their homes! Other than that....it seemed to be all smiles.