The Journey Back

" YOU WERE MADE FOR A MISSION"*
Matthew 28:19 "...Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." >
Peggy hosts Mission 4 Monday a place where you can share how you are answering God's calling to be a servant. Many of my friends have asked many questions about the mission work that I do along with my Cowboy and with lots of other volunteers. We have used the words from Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life. . . "God is at work in the world and He wants YOU to join him"

Peggy also uses these words to invite others to join our group on Monday.

Since so many of you have asked to know more about our work today I want to share a little more and direct you to our ministry blog.

We work with troubled teens. Our primary programming efforts currently are inside a prison unit for teenagers. Actually two units a boys treatment facility just minutes from our house and a girls halfway house. Both are considered halfway houses and are not behind wire (a fence with barbed wire on top) However the teens have been in a regular prison unite prior to coming here.

We provide a lot of different programs for the youth. We do a reading group every Thursday for the girls and we have what we call dinner date. Cowboy and I invite another couple of another woman to come to the house for dinner. During regular meals the girls are not allowed to talk. One dinner date though we have a private meal in the school classroom. (there is school on both campus's)

Speaking of school that is something that is discouraging to us. The teens only get a GED. The really have the opportunity to work toward diploma but the system takes the easy way out. Which is not the best way for the youth.

We also plan monthly activity nights with the girls. The next one will be in June and we will be having a family Christmas party. Activity nights are events when we invite people that we know to come and meet the girls. And hopefully decide to meet God where he is working. The purpose for Chirstmas in June is because the girls that are there now won't be there in December. And many have never had a real Christmas. We will have Santa and each girl will get a Barnabas bear from Family Christian Book Store. The bears tag has the plan of Salvation on it.

We also provide a food pantry for teens that have already gotten out of prison and are on parole.

This keeps us really busy and is really very rewarding.

Currently Cowboy is in school. He is taking classes to become a certified drivers education teacher. And so when he is done we will be offering drivers ed. classes to the boys and the girls. One of thier biggest obstacles once "getting out" is getting a drivers license. And so they just drive without a license. It is indeed a vicious circle that they are in.

But with God's help some make it and become productive and break the cycle. I have many stories of kids that have made drastic changes in their lives. I have a few stories of teens that have come to know the Lord and made drastic changes. I have more stories than I could ever possibly mention of teens that have heard about God's love and have a seed growing within them that hopefully someone else will water and that someday someone else that answers God's call to meet him where he is working will reap the harvest.

Before I go here's what Peggy says about Mission 4 Monday....and below is the link to the ministry blog

The purpose of MISSION 4 MONDAY is to share YOUR MISSION each week.
According to Rick Warren* in his book "The Purpose Driven Life"...
"You were made for a Mission" is Purpose #5
"God is at work in the world and He wants YOU to join Him."
"The assignment is called YOUR MISSION..."
"Your ministry is your service to believers and
YOUR MISSION is your service to unbelievers."
"God has given you a Life Message to share..."

http://www.automissionmakeover.blogspot.com Please visit this link every Monday for an update on our ministry.