Recently....

January has been a busy month!  Where did it go?  Here are some glimpses of what has been going on.

 

Kids Club began again. We definitely had a lot more than two children attend, but these are the only two I managed to capture as "evidence."

 

 

Children learned about God creating the world and then made some posters about the days of creation.

 

 

 

Ro led a friendship-themed Teen Night. Here teens were playing a newlywed-style game, but about their best friends instead of a spouse.

Ro shared a message about choosing friends wisely.

 

 

Finger-lickin' good nachos!

 

Can board games and card games still be fun for a modern generation?  The answer is "YES!"

 

Of course, they appreciate time with the Wii, too.

 

 An Aim Right Staff Retreat happened last Saturday and began with a wonderful brunch.

 

There were times of singing, training and teaching by Caleb, playing games, eating more delicious food, and praying together. 

 

And, finally, as we prepare for our benefit auction (March 5), we have delegated to our intern Aleisha fun and exciting tasks like photographing auction items. I came across this shot among the other photo files of auction items; I don't think Aleisha will be for sale, but if you like this mirror, we hope to see you in March!

 





 

Aim Right North Teen Girl Night

Post and photos by Aleisha Boley:

 

Last night we had another Teen Girl Night at Aim Right North. I have started to do this once a month with the girls, and so far the two times I have done it, it's been a great turn out! I thought that this would be a good opportunity for the girls to just be girls and not worry about being perfect for the boys. And it's also a great time to build relationships with them and for them to just have fun.

 

Last night we painted canvases and had snacks. The girls love doing crafty things, and they always love the food!! We always have fun and interesting conversations about what they like to do, the drama in their lives, and of course what every teen girl talks about...boys. Of course I try to do my best on guiding them with that topic.

 

I asked the girls to write about why they like Teen Girl Night. Here are some of their answers:

 

"I like Aim Right's Teen Girl Nights because it's where girls can be themselves and do whatever."
 

"The reason I like Aim Right's Teen Girl Nights is because it's where girls can be themselves, hang out, have fun, etc, and without the boys judging us."        

                               

"The reason I like Girls Teen Night is because we get to know other girls and have fun."    

 

"Girls Teen Night is great because I can be me. This gives me peaceful and fun nights."

 

"We like Girl Teen Night; there is food, and it's fun and crafty."   

                         

I pray that our relationships grow deeper, and they can just be who they are. And that God will use this time for them to get to know Him more.

 

Please pray for Aleisha as she invests in these girls' lives. It takes time, energy, patience, wisdom, preparation, and commitment!

How to Begin the Day

A good reminder for all of us!

 



Source: Challies.com

The First Teen Night of a New Year

Ro and Lourdes had pizza and games for teens at our downtown location.  While the teens were playing "Catch Phrase," one of the girls had the word "family." The object of the game is that you must try to describe a word without using any part of the word, and others guess the word as quickly as possible. The teen began by saying, "It's what we are here....all of us."  The others on her team ran out of time to guess the word she was trying to describe, but I think a lot of us were touched that she views her Aim Right connections as family.

 

 

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This is a note from a girl who goes to Aim Right North, thanking one of our supporters.

Hope Academy

One usually associates a private Christian education with the privileged, with the middle or upper classes.  That's what makes Hope Academy in North Carolina so special; they are a private, faith-based middle school specifically focused on helping students who are in poverty.  Parents do pay tuition, but the rate is based on their income. 

When I hear about initiatives such as Hope Academy, I think, "What a way to put feet to your faith."  I wish we could refer several dozen Aim Right kids to a similar school because they could greatly benefit from this type of educational setting.  Watch the video linked to below and be inspired by how this school is impacting kids' lives.

Watch video

"You hear about poverty all the time, but when it has a face and a name, it changes you."

An Afternoon at the Museum

The Children's Museum of Phoenix has once again blessed us with several free passes, and Christmas break provided a great opportunity to use some of them.  I took some sisters and cousins on Thursday afternoon; the weather was especially nice, and I think the girls enjoyed the outdoor activities as much as they did the indoor ones.  I am always amazed at the creative decorations that fill the museum, most of which are crafted from common materials (such as silverware, sweaters, old pairs of shoes, CDs, and paper). Somehow they manage to make them beautiful and whimsical, versus tacky.

 

When I picked the girls up, I was invited into their house while they finished getting ready. Taking up about a fourth of the small living room, in one corner, were two decorated Christmas trees. Strung between the two trees were lights and other decorations that formed a canopy. Lots of balloons in various colors were taped to the ceiling. And underneath it all, below the lights and balloons, lay a large crèche.  It appeared that the figures were ceramic, and I noticed two babies lying side by side.  One was dark-skinned, and the other was light-skinned.  I asked if there was a significance to having two babies to represent Jesus.

 

"No," the girl said.  "Our aunt gave us two, so we just put them both there." 

 

I was touched by the care and thoughtfulness this family put into that display. In that home, your eye was not drawn to the trees, but to what lay between them. In a tiny home with 8 people, they chose to use a significant portion of their living space to celebrate the Christ child.