WE DID IT!

Thank you to everyone who prayed, donated and worked to help raise all of the funds!  I am incredibly thankful for each of you and how greatly the Lord provides!

I have had people ask if they can still donate to the ministry....YES!  There are still other financial needs to get the after school program kicked off - look at right sidebar - and contact me if you are interested!

Thank you!

 

 "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; 

he is Christ the Lord." 

 Luke 2:11

Two weeks ago we celebrated Christmas at the Eze Center with the families of the community.  The kids had been working on performing the Christmas story for their families.  Can words explain how adorable those boys were pretending to be sheep, or how the Wise Mens walked with proud chests, or how my heart absolutely melted as the kids walked up front to help lead the carols.  

"Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!"

 

This verse has been on repeat in my head since that night.  "And in His name all oppression shall cease."  

What a beautiful night.  A beautiful representation of Christ's love.  To sit and listen as a young girl reads the story of our Christ's birth and to revel in the fact that He came for her.  Him.  Me.  You.  

I'll leave you with some pictures to melt over.  

Ezekial Ministires.

Ezekiel Ministries. The Eze Center. Where does the name come from?

Well it is something that I think it very beautiful.  I love when the Lord leads you to a place in scripture, and you stop and say "Yes Lord, that is it."  Do you ever just read the Word, hear the Word or speak the Word and a wave of contentment comes over you?  Where you know that the Holy Spirit is at work and you have just been allowed to experience a glimpse of the Kingdom? 

Well that is how I feel about the name, Ezekiel Ministries.

  Click Here to read Ezekiel 37.  

The Lord is telling Ezekiel to speak life into these bones that are dry and lifeless.  He is telling Ezekiel to do nothing but be a vessel.  Nothing of his own, but to be an obedient servant who is passing on the Lord's words. 

^"10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army."

Ezekiel 37:10 is what you might call our "mission verse".  We do what is commanded of us, life is being breathed into them and they will one day stand up on their feet - a vast army.    

How beautiful is that picture?  Just sit back and picture it.

A vast army of believers whose future is now defined by the Lord of all lords and not by where they were born. 

Eze Center?  Have to make it sound cool for the kids to say!

So go today and be Ezekiel.  Say what is commanded to you and speak the breath of life to the dry bones and watch as they stand up as a vast army.

Just some video goodness.

Here is some video from the Eze Center.  I'll be writing a post this week on where the name came from...believe me, you don't want to miss that one!

Thanks, Ben for the video! 

A million times...thank you.

Some people have asked how I became involved with this ministry. To be honest it was question turned into  a wham bam and I'm in!  Not exactly, but I feel like it moved pretty fast.  But that's just me, I like to jump right in.  All of my friends are cringing and nodding as they read this.

Recently I have been going to Radius Church and after service one day a couple of friends mentioned the Center.  Radius is the main supporter of Ezekial Ministries and has been instrumental in the Center.  The thing that I love about this church is that they support their people in where the Lord is calling them.  They don't do the work for you, but they come along side you and do what they can along with what you are doing.  What a blessing to know that what you are doing is being constantly prayed over and that people outside of your ministry support you. 

Stay tuned for the updates on the ministry, Radius and everyone involved.

Also, thank you seems like a completely inadequate term for what I want to say to everyone who has prayed for and donated this.  I am confidant in what the Lord is going to provide for the after school program.  But since the English language is pretty limited....thank you.  A million times.  Thank you.

It's Christmas Time!

This Sunday the older kids got to decorate the tree at the Center.  

(I promise the boys had fun...boys will be boys!)

We've been practicing the Christmas story, which they are going to perform on the 18th for the community.  Let me tell you - I never thought teaching little kids to be sheep could be so cute...and trying of my patience!

ABCs and 123s.

I realized some people might not be familiar with this minsitry. What are we reaching these kids? How are we showing them Jesus? Why are we doing this? And hopefully...how can I get involved?

Here is the mission statement of the ministry:
"To bring to the children and their families the truth found in Christ, along with the education required to own their faith, succeed in school, and make good decisions in life."

Simple words with huge meaning.

The center is a ministry that strives to serve underprivileged children in an impoverished, urban area of Columbia, SC. The kids that this ministry is currently serving live in somewhat unhealthy and unsafe environments and face daily challenges that threaten their chances at success in their personal and professional lives. The ministry desires to arm these kids with personal skills,steps toward academic achievement,and most importantly, a foundation in Christ to help them rise from the ashes around them. Some specific problems that we are targeting to solve are the kids' academic achievement, poor behavior, and lack of community. According to standardized tests by the public school system, 37% of the kids we serve are in the NOT MET category for English Language Arts, 42% for math, 49% for science, 47% for writing and 30% for Social Studies.
Isn't it time these statistics changed? Isn't is time someone stepped up and said "Enough is enough"?

"This is the Truth. I have the freedom to believe it. The freedom,the opportunity to do something about it. The truth is that He loves these children just as much as He loves me and now that I know, I am responsible." 

"Kisses from Katie" by Katie Davis 

We firmly believe that education and mentoring will vastly change their course in life. 

We believe that the Lord has given us personal gifts and resources to bring glory to His name in the Waites Road community. 

Will you support me in this mission? 

Tables and chairs seem like such a petty thing when needs are so high in other areas. But just imagine the kids having a safe and stable place to come after school to learn. A chair they can pull close to their tutor while learning why 1 + 1 =2, who Christopher Columbus was and to learn to dream bigger than the poverty they were born into. Imagine the tables being used to count coins on,lay out worksheets on and for a tutor to place large red smiley faces on papers for a job well done.

Thank you for the support that has already come in. Thank you for the prayers that have already been prayed and those that are still to come. And most importantly, thank you to our God who breaks our hearts for what breaks His. His kingdom is yet to come and we get the chance to tell these beautiful, amazing, innocent children about Him. All while learning ABCs and 123s.