Same Kind of Different As Me...Update

In June I posted about this book and what it was inspiring within my book club.

I was very passionate at the time I wrote that blog. I was idealistic. I was hopeful and prayerful. I knew it would be one step at a time.

In July, we took that one first step, striding right out of our comfort zone...and it was way more successful then I honestly thought it would be. And may I say, it had God's fingerprints all over it and that is the one reason why!! There is a verse in the Bible about how (Marie paraphrase) women can make all sorts of plans but don't hold your breathe because God is really in charge...

We had planned a taco bar Fiesta in the "clubhouse" for the mobile home community right next door to our church. They have been very receptive and inviting to anything our church has done in the past and so this seemed like a great opportunity. We even had fun little crafts planned for all the little elementary age children, but when we presented our ideas the manager asked us to do something for the teens instead.

That was the first shocker! I can do crafts and interact all day long with an 8 year old but an 18 year old scares my socks off!!

So we prayed and thought and prayed some more. I handed out 20 fliers to every teen from 13 to 19 (AS IN NINETEEN YEARS OLD)in the community. We showed up early. We set out all the food. We set out the chairs. And we waited. For about 20 minutes. Just staring at each other and the food on the tables.

Just when we started to wonder what to do next, the manager came out and started talking to us. She told us about the two 19 years olds and how they "run" the teenagers like a little suburban gang. If they come, the rest will come. And then she called one of them up on the phone and told him to come over and get some of his buddies to eat the free food. From that point on, God opened up several opportunities.

We continued in conversation with the manager, hearing her struggles and challenges. We were able to interact with one of those leaders of the kids, getting his advice about what they would like for next time. Four teenagers eventually showed up, grabbed food and a free CD of Christan alternative rock and promptly left. But two jr high girls stuck around. Their two little brothers in 5th and 6th grade stayed as well. And we were able to get our foot in the door just a little bit.

So here we are with our foot in the door!

Now for that next step...