Recently

My trusty camera bit the dust awhile ago; when I finally replaced it, I realized the cord that connects to the USB port in the computer apparently wasn't part of the purchase.  A cord was ordered and came in the mail today; be prepared for pictures and more pictures!  These are all from our downtown campus.

 

Colby has been doing a great job of leading our Opening Assembly at Kids Club.  Our first evening was a few weeks ago, but with our bus driver sick that evening, several kids had to find their own rides.  The smaller crowd was nice as we dipped our toes into Kids Club water again.

 

The theme for Teen Night this fall is "Encounter" and experiencing God.  As Caleb shares the Word each Friday, a room full of teenagers can also be a room full of distractions; what do you do with 40-odd cell phones, late-comers who can't sneak in very quietly, and sporadic rows of giggles?  Please pray for Caleb as he shares each Friday and for teens to be attentive.

Pizza and ice cream sundaes have been favorite snacks recently.

Below is the newest member of the Aim Right fleet.  The "Blue Bird" came with the purchase of Aim Right North and has replaced our worn-out 1992 bus that was sold earlier in the summer.  I was told it was a packed little bus when it debuted at Kids Club a week ago.

I'm not sure whose idea it was to pick flowers from our bushes before Kids Club, but you can hardly blame them; the colors are stunning!  Even in the desert, God shows His handiwork through varieties of plants that bloom and thrive in the dry heat.

Teen Bible study is focusing on disciplines of the Christian faith.  Prayer, meditation, and fellowship are the topics teens have studied so far.

Something new this fall is a Boys Club and a Girls Club.  Colby is leading the Boys Club and started with three boys yesterday after school.  The boys enjoyed painting a large mural and having some after-school snacks.  They'll come again next Tuesday for some "guy time."  Kari is organizing the Girls Club, which begins this Thursday afternoon.

 

Kickoff Night: Aim Right North

Guest post by Jewel Miller

 

Friday night was our kickoff night for Aim Right North!  We canvassed the area days before and invited everyone we saw;  I don't have an exact number, but I know we served over 50 hot dogs, plus 5 pizzas.  Typically Friday Nights will be what we are calling Community Nights, where families in the community can gather, get to know one another, eat free food, and watch their kids play games or do crafts.  Our first night delivered a mere three moms but around 45 kids!  Hopefully the more established we become the more families will attend.  Thanks for your prayers as we continue this new endeavor.

 

                            

 

Aim Right North is located at 1613 W. Mountain View Road in the Sunnyslope area.

Back in Business: Mobile Pantry!

After a two month hiatus during the hottest summer months (July & August), The Mobile Pantry is back!  From carrots and kale to giant cabbages to bakery items with past-due expiration dates, St. Mary's brought a variety of foods.  It's all gone, too, with the exception of several loaves of French bread that we'll jazz up to make pizzas for upcoming teen events.

 

Wouldn't it be interesting to have a Chopped Mobile Pantry edition?  "Open your baskets and...."

 

I spy a few kiddos who normally go to school.  Hmmm....

Is the Pantry really that exciting?

 



 

 Kari estimates that 130 families checked in to receive food.

 

 

 Looks like the little blue wagon was just the right size!

 

 

"...He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

Acts 14:17

A Very Rainy Day

Well...it's already promising to be an interesting week of kicking off programs!

Phoenix made national news today, but it wasn't for scorching temperatures.

It was rain -- and lots of it, from early morning to mid-morning.  Hurricane Norbert might continue to send more moisture to us, but so far, it's been a dry afternoon.

The basement at Aim Right is in the process of drying out, and while nearby schools were in session this morning, they dismissed after lunch.  We're blessed to be in a part of the Valley that experienced much less rainfall than some of the surrounding areas.   

Here's more about the rain, including a video.

In Staff Meeting today, the interns were reminiscing about the first night of Kids Club that we had last year.  They recalled it was a hang-onto-your-hats, buckle-your-seatbelts kind of night, due in part to the super energetic kiddos / first-time staff combination.  Please pray for the programs that begin this week, including Kids Club, Teen Night, and Aim Right North's Community Night.  God can do great things when we call out to Him!

The 4th Highest: Let's Change This

I recently came across this article that mentions that Phoenix has the fourth highest high school dropout rate in the country.  Nearly 25% of Phoenix area students drop out of school and never graduate.

The estimated economic consequences for Arizona are staggering--$7.6 billion over the dropouts' lifetimes--in lost wages, health and welfare costs, and crime-related expenses.  In working with Aim Right, I've observed two situations that often contribute to a student dropping out:

1) Pregnancy - Caring for a baby and going to school are both full-time jobs, and unless there's a great family support system around the teenager, finishing school becomes a low priority.

2) Falling Behind / Held Back - Many areas of Phoenix are highly transitional; families rent and move frequently.  If a child changes schools often, that can lead to missed days and cycles of catching up and falling behind.  Being 18 years old with only enough credits to be at a sophomore level just isn't "cool,"and the student drops out.

When students drops out, I'm sure it appears to be the thing that will make their lives easier at the moment; the sad reality is that they've made a decision that will make successive years of their lives a lot harder -- especially if they need to find a job that provides a living wage.

You can Google dropout prevention and find multiple lists of strategies.  But perhaps what this Atlanta church is doing could be duplicated across the country and make a huge difference -- one child and one mentor at a time.



It's encouraging!

Groceries that Give

There's a way to make grocery shopping a little more purposeful, in addition to entertaining the kiddos with rides on an overburdened cart and providing nutrition for your family.

 

Here's how:  become a part of Fry's Community Rewards program and link your V.I.P. card so that Aim Right receives a benefit from the purchases you make at Fry's. 

 

Click on the Fry's logo below to follow the simple process for signing up.  The first step is creating a V.I.P. online account (have your V.I.P. card number available).  Once that step is completed, click the orange/yellow ENROLL NOW button to link your V.I.P. card.  Type in Aim Right Ministries as your choice organization when asked which charity you wish to support.

 



 

 

Note:  If you signed up for the program last year, THANK YOU!  Fry's requires an annual renewal in the program, so visit here to re-enroll so Aim Right will continue to receive a benefit.  If you're like me and can't recall the password you used a year ago, simply enter your e-mail address and click "Forgot your password," and Fry's will quickly e-mail you a solution.

 

Learning from an Episcopal youth group

In downtown Phoenix, just a few blocks away from our location, is the office of an atheist turned Jesus follower and Young Life leader.  He's now an Episcopal priest and church planter.  How's that for a resumé?  Matt Marino speaks and writes about youth and the church, and has been used as a presenter at some of the UYWI trainings we have attended in the Phoenix area.

Matt wrote this post recently -- a convicting story about a neighborhood teen coming to Christ and how it almost didn't happen because a fun night was on the agenda.  If you persevere until the end of Matt's post, be sure to read the Core Values.  And then read them again.  They're that good.