The Zone....

As most of you know....our church opened up a non-profit youth center last year called "The Zone" where youth in the area can come for free and play games...ping pong...pool...fooseball...air hocky...play station all for free. Our church staffs The Zone through volunteer help and we also give away free food. It cost the kids nothing to come in,which some people can not even understand or believe. Well...it was so amazing...I had really wanted to do something like this for a long time....when I served through the NAMB in Kansas...my primary job was to run a youth center in the similar way...help get grants...etc. But I thought to myself how in the world will this ever be able to work...no money...etc.
Anyway....it is a building in downtown HP and we painted it cool colors...the youth love it...yellow...black and orange...(Under Construction is the theme...it is an underlying name...We pray that each child that comes through the doors would be changed by God Himself...If they do not know Him....want to know Him.) We do not try to push the kids to come to church...we build relationships and become their friends so to speak...well....don't worry I know all about the girlfriends and boyfriends...what cool and what's not...I am some of their best buds...they can't wait to tell me what's the latest scoop..
My point is how God has sooooo graciously supplied all of our needs...when we purchased the building the vision that I felt like God had given me was way out and how would it come together...Dad wanted to make it nice..but I was about to tear a building upside down...(He did not know that). He paid for people to come and paint the colors...Yellow on top, black slim middle stripe and big orange to the bottom...well, I was about to have murals and scripture all over the walls.... splatter paint everywhere...Well..thanks to youth and many volunteers the vision was brought forth....we spent very little money getting this take place due to me getting sponsors....Then, I had been wanting authentic road signs...someone came by and gave us all the road signs we needed...the DMV was about to throw them out..they were old ones and he got them....we wanted old ones...we are under construction you know?
Last night...we had our big kickoff event with Ron Scarborough...he does the scoreboard with WRIX on Fri. nights...he came last year and did again this year to host live at "THE ZONE"...well, it cost us a lot to have him because it is also a 5th Quarter...we give free pizzas and drinks...last year we got 15 of the 30 pizzas donated...but this year ALL 30 PIZZAS PLUS PLATES AND NAPKINS came from Papa Johns....I thank God for their generous donation...we gave to kids last night who can't afford to go and do things like we can...well...that is not the end...we came out with around $1100.00 extra last night since drinks were donated and cups after donations and paying Ron. This will last us through the end of school...but we still have a few more businesses to talk with. How amazing is God!!!! I am so excited and I pray that God would just bring in the kids who really need Him and we can be that place....we are currently open on Thursdays...3:30-5 and Fri. nights. Oh...we had more than 100 kids come through last night...that is alot for HP...the town only has about 200...haha!! On Thursdays..we are averaging about 35-40. Anyway...please add this to your prayer list..I have been meeting with the schools and trying to work with them...and trying to figure out what times work best for us to be open and have enough staff to carry it forth. Pray that I would have wisdom..we are trying lots of new things this year...since we have 1 year down..we can branch out and do more. Thank you JESUS!!!
Also...a place called Extreme Refuge is open across the street...it is a good friend of ours..they sell skateboarding and paintball equipment..He also does a Bible Study with the kids on Tues. nights..we are trying to work together as a town to provide a place for our young people...Pray for them as well...that God would provide and that lives would be changed.