Week 9- Calvary & The Mill Church

Rosamond 

The end is here. Street Reach 2015 is over. However, it was a good last week with the Junior High team from Calvary Church. They canvased hard, worked hard, played with kids a lot, and shared the love of God with the neighborhood. What more could I ask for? I personally enjoyed every day this week and every week this summer. The beautiful moments spent with children I have come to know and love have made every hot day, every 9 year old carried home kicking and screaming, every strain on my vocal chords, and every strain on my back worth it. I have loved dance battling, chalk drawing, teaching children to throw frisbees and footballs, and jumping rope with all my favorite children. One special moment this week was when 9 year old Maira brought a children's bible to club. I recognized the bible. Another staffer and I had given it to her earlier that summer at her 9th birthday party. At the time, she acted excited though I wondered if it was all a show - that she really was disappointed at the present we gave her. However, 8 weeks later, she had not only kept track of it, but brought it to bible club excited to show it to me and tell me that she had been reading it. While it is always sad to say good bye to bible clubs for an entire school year, I am thankful for the weeks of bible club we DID have. God has let myself, 100's of volunteer missionaries, and Street Reach itself to be a part of something great - the narrative of God as he redeems the world and saves the lost. Pray for these kids, that God will continue to work in them throughout the school year. But for now, this will be Rosamond's last summer 2015 blog. Remember, "for everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven… a time to tear down and a time to build up, a time to mourn and a time to laugh." This is not untimely, nor is it really the end. But when the end does finally come, it will be glorious, as Jesus himself leads his people which have been raised for years and years among the streets in which we have toiled this summer. And on that day, I will be with my bible club kids, praising the Father forever. Amen.
-Kaden @ Rosamond

National

It's hard to believe that we just finished the last week of bible club for the summer. It's bittersweet, but I couldn't think of a better team to end the summer with other than Calvary. The amount of love that this team showed the kids this week was unfathomable. Bible story was awesome this week as they had visuals that went along with it every day which really helped the kids to understand it. Every day they had posters with bible verses on them and they gave them away to the kids each day to take home with them. Games was also really awesome this week as the kids played soccer and kickball. If you know anything about the National kids it's that they love soccer, so they had a lot of fun! Not only did the team have lots of fun with the kids, but they also made sure that they were intentional. The team wasn't afraid to boldly talk to the kids about the gospel. The team was very willing every day to get as many kids as God would send out. I stood in awe as I counted 71 kids at club on Friday, and we even had some new kids! God is so faithful. Although it was hard to tell my kids goodbye, I left with peace knowing that God is with these children and that he has plans for all them. I left with an overwhelming presence of God's love. All I can think about is how good he is and all of the things that he has done this summer. It has been a blessing to work alongside of all of the teams this summer. Many seeds have been planted, and I am confident that these kids have the ability to go out and share the gospel with their communities. Thank you to all of the missionaries who came and served at National this summer. Please continue to pray for the kids as they begin to start school and for their families and this community. Also pray that the kids will remember what they learned this summer and that they'll continue to grow in their relationship with Jesus. Well, I'm peacing out for the summer. Until next time National! 

-Mergan

Guernsey 

I cannot think of a sweeter way to end our time at Guernsey for the year than having The Mill in town to love on the G-Street kids. They came in ready to provide a fun, structured bible club complete with an ice cream truck on Friday. This team truly wanted to see these kids the way God sees them and they loved them with everything they had. While we had extremely hot days, they never ceased to pour out every ounce of energy and love they had onto the kids. Kids were constantly calling me from all stations to show me the cool things they were doing. Whether the kids were playing kickball, painting in crafts, “hitting the quan’ in songs, or hearing truth in an interactive way in bible story, Christ’s love was shown through all. I believe that each child left bible club this week with a better understanding of who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him, and for that I cannot be more thankful. It was such a blessing to see numerous children decide to follow Jesus this week and I know that this is not even the end of it. These kids that have been shown by all of our missionaries what it looks like to love and follow Jesus and now it is their turn. They are turning around and going back into their schools! Pray that they are bold this school year to share what they learned at bible club with their families and friends and that they won’t forget the Love of the Father that they experienced this summer.  Thank you so much to all of the mission teams who have come in this summer to love on the kids at Guernsey. I am so thankful that God used each of your humble and willing hearts to serve this neighborhood. By His power and for His Glory alone, numerous children will know an even better party than the ones thrown at bible club this summer. We will truly “party with Jesus” all together. A huge thank you to The Mill for finishing out this summer strong and loving the kids on G-Street even through the heat. I can’t wait to serve alongside y’all next summer!

-Sarah

Johnson

The last week at Johnson was truly amazing with Calvary West in town from the Saint Louis area. I was truly blessed to spend the last week of summer with my home church. The kids had fun all week long as intentional conversations were happening at every station. It was the teams first time at Johnson bible club and they bonded with the kids instantly. The high for the week was on Friday when we had 95 kids which happened to be the high for the whole summer! It was overwhelming at times but the team relied on strength given to them from God as they adapted to a new site. They ministered to the Binghampton community kids very effectively and the kids will surely be excited for bible club next summer. It was an amazing summer at Johnson and a big thanks goes out to all the teams that came in town to show Johnson's kids the love of Christ. It is sad to say goodbye to the kids at Johnson but I know they will be in good hands with the missionaries that will come in future summers to minister and love. We are, we are, Johnson!

-Bantz

"And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in." Isaiah 58:12


We are so thankful for the the thousands of missionaries who have come to stand on the frontline for this community. To each person who spent themselves, their prayers and their time fighting for these children, we could not have served this neighborhood at the capacity that we did without your humble and willing hearts. Thank you all for answering the call. 

Remember that as this summer has come to a close, these children's situations have not. These kids are still living in the middle of darkness, drugs, violence, and prostitution but we know that while we don't have 200+ missionaries in town the Lord is still sovereign and working in this community. This summer 1,883 kids came out to bible clubs and even more beautifully 104 children accepted Christ. We know that this isn't even the end of it though. These kids are going back into their schools, sharing what they have learned with their friends and families. They are rising up to rebuild and reclaim this neighborhood. Pray that they will be bold and remember that Christ is still living and active and is pursuing a personal relationship with each of them.