A night sleep away...

We are just finishing packing. I just spoke with Ana (its after 10pm) and she is still in the process of moving into her new home tonight and then will finalize her preparations for our trip to Buffalo...Wish i was there to help her. I'm sure that Ana will be tired tomorrow and hopefully get some rest during our long drive to tomorrow.

In thinking of Ana's move I am reminded of a ministry within the Dream Center:
Project Prevention.... I cant imagine Ana not having anything to put in her home or food to care for her boys. Her family is cared for. Ana is able to provide for her sons... In Buffalo, there are many families that live without. Project Prevention builds relationships and fills needs!

Volunteers from the Buffalo Dream Center meet every Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. for Adopt-A-Block. Teams of people "adopt" city blocks by building relationships with the families living in those communities. The teams clean the streets, mow lawns, paint over graffiti, and serve the people with acts of kindness. We are going to get to do that!

Pastor Eric Johns knocked on the door of a home that he had knocked on many previous Saturdays. Nobody had ever answered. This time, however, Maria, a single-mother of three answered the door. Pastor Eric asked if there was anything he could do to serve her and her family. Maria mentioned that her refrigerator was broken. She showed him the duct tape holding the door closed. The freezer wasn't working and the food had defrosted.

Pastor Eric immediately called Tomaine Jordan, the director of Project Prevention, and mentioned Maria's need for a new refrigerator. Tomaine thought that there was possibly a refrigerator available through Project Prevention.

On Wednesday, the Project Prevention team delivered a refrigerator to Maria. While visiting her they discovered other needs the family had like diapers and food. They began to build a relationship with Maria and the family living upstairs who needed a toddler bed for their baby boy.

One week after the refrigerator was delivered, the school bus that takes children to the Kidz Club After-School Program pulled up in Maria's neighborhood. She was standing at the bus stop with two of her children. They climbed aboard the bus to attend Kidz Club. They have been attending the program every Thursday since that time. Recently they have shown up for Sunday morning services.

Through Adopt-A-Block the need was discovered. Project Prevention met the need. Kidz Club provided a safe place for two of Maria's children to spend time after-school. Maria receives food from the Joseph Project Mobile Food Pantry once every month. Her family was also helped through the recent massive food distribution sponsored by Feed the Children.

The relationship with Maria continues. Every Saturday Pastor Eric still knocks on her door.... and hopefully this Saturday we will get to knock on Maria's door too!

... We meet at 7am to hit the road!