Obasi Ministry

Week Six-Shield of Faith

2009-07-25T13:46:00.002-04:00

Lesson of the week- God protects us with the shield of Faith against Satan's flamming arrows. We are to stand firm in our faith knowing God is true and faithful.

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Week 5- Camp Week

2009-07-25T13:08:00.002-04:00

This week we had 6 kids go to Timberlake Ranch Camp, where they had a blast. Those that stayed back at Obasi worked on crafts and just had some quiet fun.

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WE had a buys weekend- The Lincoln Mile and then performing at our church.

Week Four-Shoes of Peace and Readiness

2009-07-25T12:47:00.002-04:00

The lesson of the week: God gives us peace when we have a relationship with Him. He wants us to be ready to share the message of salvation and peace with others.

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Third Week of Summer-BreastPlates of Righteousness

2009-06-27T14:50:00.013-04:00

This week went by rather fast, we had a smaller group with kids visiting their Dads and three kids at Bright Lights.
This week's Bible Study was harder to get for the kids. I discovered that the kids look at the armor as a gift from God, but don't really understand that gift needs to be used. They look at it as protection from hurt, evil and Satan, but don't really understand that each piece of armor comes with an responsibility and an action. For instance God is truth and gives us the Belt of truth to keep us from falling for Satan's lies. In turn we are to be reading the word to know truth and we are to be truthful.
Righteousness is a little harder to explain-It is having a right relationship with God, doing the right thing and being without sin. Since we do sin, once we become a believer we are covered by Jesus' righteousness. The kids understand that God protects their heart with the breastplate of righteousness. But we went over righteousness a million different ways and the importance of being right with God, doing right by God and doing the right thing.
But basically I think that as usual I learned more than the kids.
It is hard to believe that summer is a third over. It is going so fast and already we have a life time of memories.

Kaedyn works on drawing a picture of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, so that we can have righteousness through Christ.

James and Adriyanna read and explain a scripture that talks about Abraham and his faith.

What are you giving God? Your leftovers or your best. I asked the kids if they were a knight giving a gift to the king which ice cream cone would you give the king and which would you keep for yourself. I love asking James these questions, because he is always honest and then as he is saying the answer he realizes he is doing the wrong thing. He picked the best cone for himself.

Tajanay works on her breastplate of righteousness.

TADA- our breastplates of righteousness.

James roller skating.
My week by James.

This week we learned about the Breastplate of Righteousness. Abraham kept believing in God so he had a lot of sons. When we don't do the right thing or listen to God our armor gets holes in it which makes the armor get weak. We learned we need to do the right thing.

We made breastplates this week.

We learned some new songs- I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N, I Stand for you and give me Jesus and I'm in the Lord's Army.

We got to go skating.

If these skates could talk. They look like they have been through a lot of adventures.

Ma'Shai and Teijah attended Bright Lights, fashion class this week. They had a really good time designing items to wear and show on the runway.

Savanah attended Bright Lights Clay Craziness Class. She made some really cute things and had a really good time.

Savanah's clay picture frame.

On Friday after Bright Lights we went out for ice cream, it was fun getting to know Ma'Shai's mom.

2009-06-26T13:02:00.001-04:00

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More Bright Lights Farm Camp-Parent Day

2009-06-26T11:18:00.001-04:00

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Lucky Seven Race

2009-06-21T15:14:00.002-04:00

The race was a great experience for all of us. We learned a lot.

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Miss Brenda 3 favorite moments:
Moment One- On Friday night the kids came over for a slumber party so that I could get them to bed and up early for our race. That night we did some sprints. I had seven kids racing and was having them split into groups of 2 to sprint. That left Teijah without a partner and she was looking rather sad. Adriyanna her 6 year old sister looked at her and said, It's ok Teijah, God is running beside you! It just came out of the blue, a wonderful little gem of innocence, beauty and truth.

Moment two- On the way to the race I had four kids in my car and I was telling them that I didn't know what the course looked like and that there may be a hill in the course, (they all gasped), but don't let it worry you or psych you out, because all the other kids are going to think oh no and get tired and slow down on the hill, don't tell yourself you can't do it or it is too hard, this is where you can beat the other kids and when you get to the top of the hill you will get to run down hill and get some new energy. James starts to panic and ask questions about hills. Then Teijah pops in, Miss Brenda may I give an example. I said sure, go for it.
She says, Well I think the mountain is like hard things in our life and the voice telling us to quit is Satan cause he doesn't want us to win. Is that right Miss Brenda- I almost fell out of the car, every Mom, Dad, mentor, teacher, pastor prays for a moment like this when the things you have been teaching your kids finally hits them and they get it. I said that is right Teijah, and God wants us to keep going through the hard stuff and get to the top of the hill so we can see over the other side and enjoy the down hill and the better times with Him. But we miss out if we don't climb the hill.

Moment three- James has no confidence, it has taken months to get him to run, and just in the last week he has started to believe in himself and train hard, his times are coming down. I told him to start out the race slow, he was so sure he was going to win the race. I told him to stay behind Alexis because she knows how to pace the race. Sure enough the gun goes off and James takes off like a rocket, with the boys taking off after him ( the were supposed to stay close to him). I am yelling you are going to fast you are going to fast. But away they went. At the end of the race James ended up totally pooped and did come in Fifth, but he really wanted a big Medal like Alexis and Jevon's for finishing 2nd and 3rd. So on the way home I asked him what he had learned from the race. He said start out slower and tie your shoes tight! I looked at him funny and said tie your shoes tight? He said yeah I was running and my shoe went flying off my foot and rolled down a hill, so I had to run down the hill get my shoe, put it on and get back in the race. We all had a good laugh over that. There were no hills in the race for the other kids, but James did get his hill and he didn't quit.

I was really proud of all our kids they were good sports and finished the race as hard as they could.

Week 2, Belt of Truth

2009-06-16T11:17:00.017-04:00

Putting on the Belts of Truth

Friday Night- Slumber Party- We had a little slumber party for the kids who were going to run early Saturday morning. Did some sprints, watched a movie and had some healthy food.

My week-by Julian

On Monday I started Farm Camp. I love it. I saw kittens, they scratched. Cat's play. We made ice cream and butter. We made strawberry pie at Bright Lights. We also saw miniture horses, we even saw sheep we went to a dairy farm and saw cows.

At Obasi We did arts and crafts and if we had a good attitude we got to listen to music. We did a pants game and I almost beat the blue team. It was awesome.

During Bible Study, we acted out the story and i was the angel. I learned that the word of God is the TRUTH, and God doesn't lie to me.

Friday-Bright Lights Programs

Kaedyn and his Dr. Seuss Class

Mom and Kaedyn

Kaedyn in his hat he made in class

Jevon shows me his space projects

Jevon and one of his teachers

Adriyanna at Farm School
My Week- by Adriyanna

At Farm camp I held a cat, petted and rode a horse. I played with the kitties. I petted a sheep. The big cat didn't do anything but play. Me and Julian went to play with the cats and I read a book and we got to eat ice cream. My friend got hurt and I said are you ok. and she said yes and went oh. I got scratched and I helped my friend by telling the teacher she was hurt.

At Obasi we went to the library, I played instruments like the violin and saxaphone. I also played on the computer, the computer games were Clifford and Arthur. In Bible Study this week I learned that God protects me with the belt of truth.

Adriyanna would have been happy holding kitties all week.

Adriyanna at the Dairy Farm

Future Bull rider

Thursday- Making Belts of Truth and Trago Park
Below the faces of Concentration-it is a beautiful thing!
James
Cortesia and Alexis

Kaedyn

Ma'Shai

Jevon

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Wacky Wednesday.
Today was good. We found some songs on the utube to go along with our summer theme. The kids were really into it and begging to sing the songs. So that was really fun. We started belts of truth, finished some worksheets, and practiced our 1 mile race. I am so proud of James and Kaedyn. Both of these boys have been slow getting into the running mode. When James and Kaedyn started running they both were over 15 minutes. We would try to explain to them it would get easier if kept trying. James doesn't always believe he can do something when it gets hard, so we have to do a lot of encouraging to keep him going. On Tuesday James got his time down to an 8:15 and Kaedyn down to a 8:35. Kaedyn is only 6 and all of a sudden this week he has become so focused when he runs. I told them that soon they would be down to a 7:30. James looked at me and said nope that is too hard. I said but look you are said you would never run a 8:30 and now you are running an 8:15. He said, yeah but that is because I worked hard, I will never do it. Today it was hot, but they were positive and they ran like the wind. They came in with a 7:54. It was so amazing to see them do something they don't think they can do. I want so bad for them to see that in other areas of their lives too.

Later when I was taking kids home, we witnessed a little girl getting hit by a truck. It was pretty tramatic experience, we don't know what happened to the little girl but it looked pretty bad. It was great reminder of how precious life can be. It was a time to teach the kids to pray and take things a little more serious.

Adriyanna and Julian getting on the bus for Farm Camp at Bright Lights.

Wacky Wednesday for Kaedyn at Dr. Seuss Class

Adriyanna runs fast in our big pants verse relay!!

Cortesia's team tries to put our week's verse together.

Tuesday.
It was a hard day with the teenagers today, a lot of bickering and bad attitudes. Later in the day I was reminded that when God wants to really teach us something He walks us through trials. So when we got back from our fieldtrip, we a time to think and then write on the blackboard a lie we were believing that caused us to stumble during the day. Even the teens had a moment of reflection and humbling, so I pray that they make better decisions in the future.
The younger kids had so much fun playing the Lincoln Synphony Instruments at the South Branch Library.

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Monday, Monday
AS Mondays go this was a pretty sweet Monday, actually truth be told, that being our theme and all this week, it was a sweet day no matter what day it was. Haven't had one of these in a very long time. Don't get me wrong it wasn't perfect. But every one was trying to get along, trying to do their best, trying to get the lesson. Instead of being trying, THEY WERE TRYING. Does my heart good.

Kaedyn with his Bright Lights teacher, he is taking a Dr. Seuss class.

This week the four younger kids are at Bright Lights. Early mornings for me. Jevon is taking a outer space class and Adriyanna and Julian are taking Farm School. When I picked them up at noon, they all were so excited to tell me about their morning. Adriyanna announced that tomorrow they were going to take wood shavings off of sheep and then put them on a picture. I had to think about that one for a minute, but thankfully I have had others to go to farm school and I have been raised around sheep. I figured out that they were shearing sheep and that they were going to take some of the wool and put on their sheep pictures. Therefore Wood (wool)shavings!!!! She kills me. She tries so hard to learn new things and share them with us, her new words get confused with some of her old words, but she is one smart cookie and puts things together pretty fast.

Today the kids wrote down lies that the world and Satan try to tell us to get us to do the wrong thing. Then we taped them to Alexis over sized pants that were being held up with the belt of truth or God's word. Alexis kept reminding us of how heavy all that sin was getting.

boys team looking up verses

Another sweet moment, Cortesia was very tender and helpful with Adriyanna and Taj, helping them find and read a verse.
My week-by Cortesia

On Monday we did Bible Study, we took pants put them on Alexis and wrote lies down on pieces of paper. and stuck them on to Alexis' pants it was very fun. What I learned from that game was that when you have a lie you have a lot of weight on you and you don't feel good. Like we are reading Pilgrims Progress, there's a man with a burden on his back and a book in his hand. He was exhausted with the burden on his back.

Tuesday we went to the library and played instruments. When I was their I learned that when you don't feel good you can still try your best. Wednesday we made belts of truth. It's a beautiful project. We also played a game wheer we had to put these pants on, very big pants and run down the driveway and grab a word to the verse we are learning. Then we put all the words together to make our verse.

After we wrote down lies we looked up scripture to find truth and then we took the papers off the pants that the Bible proved were lies.

James who is trying really hard to work on his listening skills this summer, jumps up in the middle of the lesson and is so excited, I got it, I got it! Sin weighs us down and God helps us with truth. He was so proud.

Points for the day.
God is Truth
In order to know what a lie is you have to know truth, so read God's word and He will show you the truth and the right thing to do!
The belt of truth holds everything together. Without truth you have nothing.

My week-by Teijah

This week I learned about the belt of truth, it is part of the armor of God. And we stuck lies on my sister's pants. On Tuesday we went to the library. the bad part about it was I had a bad attitude but when we got back to Miss Brenda's I realized that I was really stupid to believe in Satan's lies. On Wednesday we arts and crafts with musi in between it was really fun and learned this son called I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N, it is a good song.

1st Week of Summer/ Stand Firm

2009-06-13T13:04:00.021-04:00

Wednesday at Kathy's
To the delight of the kids, the neighbor dog, Stella joined us for snack.

My Week, by James

This week I got to go to the Children's Museum, I got to go in the semi and Casey took a picture of me. I got to go to basketball camp and had lots of fun. I learned that Elisha knew God was on his side and he wasn't worried. We went to Kathy's house. I played xbox 360 with Chad and Kaedyn it was lot's of fun. We went to the zoo, I never knew some kind of bird slept on one foot. I saw camels and some peacocks. I learned how to mind my own business a little bit. I know God will always be on my side. God can help me so I know He will protect me from Satan and bad people.

Kathy tells us the story of Jesus calming the seas, as the kids act it out.

Playing a game called the fear zone, where the kids are reminded to guard against fears and worries. Instead give them to a very strong God.

My Week by Alexis

On the first week of Summer, me, Cortesia, Taj and Teijah got to go to basketball camp and learn new drills like the one where you dribble and not look at the ball and you have to bounce the ball in between your legs. You have to do competitions it really was fun on the 2nd day. I met a couple of friends, we hung out and we played together. It was really amazing to meet new friends, I wish we could go for a month.

During the week for Bible Study, I learned that we should put on the full armor of God because we need God in our lives. I also learned that God will always protect us and that He will help us from doing the wrong thing. We played games like there was one where we had a pole in the middle and there balls that were the bad things and we couldn't let them get across at first it was hard but then we go the hang of it. So we got the second game we did was a God version of hot potato. We would pass a flashlight around and when the music stopped the one with the flashlight had to say something we are afraid of or need protection from. Then you would turn on the flashlight and point at someone and they would say "the armor of God will protect you." We have had such fun Bible Studies and a really great week.

Teijah pets Sage until he falls asleep. He was sad to see her go.

Thursday at Mrs. B's House

The flashlight game.

My Week, by Kaedyn

This week I went to Mrs. B's and jumped on the trampoline. I also played on the hammock and the swing. I went to Kathy's and played xbox 360. I also went to the zoo and saw turtles and a white peacock. On Tuesday I went to the Children's museum and played inside a rocket and a semi-truck. I also rode a motorcycle with James.

This week during Bible Study I learned I will be strong in the Lord because he is strong and powerful. I learned Ephesians 6:10

Breaking in the Hammock

Gidget had fun playing with Alex, and the girls had fun chasing the dogs in Mrs. B's yard.

My Week, by Taj

I went to basketball camp and played four on four during practice. I went to Homes Lake on Tuesday and ran a mile. At Kathy's house I played games. I also got to play with 3 puppies, Gidget, Stella and Sage. This week during Bible study I learned that God will help me obey Miss Brenda and my other teachers.

At the Cornhusker Kiwanis Picnic, Cortesia was very helpful with Adriyanna.

My Week by Adriyanna

We got to go to the Children's Museum. My three friends were there. Bella painted half of my face. Then we went down and played in the water. I had fun.

At the zoo I saw some camels and I got to feed them. There was a monkey in the window who scared us. We went and bought snack.

At Kathy's house I sat in the chair and got to play with it. I pushed the buttons and it rubbed my back.

At Mrs. B's we played on the hamster( hammock). We got to read on the trampoline and I got to jump on the trampoline.

God can save us with his armor. He can protect us from Satan, snakes. spiders and stuff.

My Week by Cortesia

This week we went we went to Basketball camp and I have made tons of friends. We did contests and many more. What I learned about God's armor at a Christian friends house, Kathy, she also tutors me. I learned that God's armor protects us against many fears that you have. Also this week we got to go to Antelope Par and so our Bible Studies and some other parks. This summer we have to put our selves in a Knight's place like when we eat snack we have to pay for it which is a coin. We also earn coins when we run, do fun activities, good attitudes, trying our best and this week for basketball camp. This week has been the funnest week ever. God also helps me when i am scared of insects and spiders, etc. God helps me make the right decision and not do bad things.

Our Kiwanian friend Jim

My favorite moment of the week was when we were at the Kiwanis Picnic, the rest of the kids ate fast and hurried off to play at the park. I was just taking in the sights and sounds of the evening, finally relaxing. Teijah was sitting on the bench, chewing on her third piece of chicken. She looks up at me and says "Thank you Miss Brenda, I am REALLY enjoying myself. It was a make sure you take time to smell the flowers moment. (Miss Brenda)

My Week, by Teijah

This week I got to go to basketball camp. I have lots of fun there, tomorrow is my last day because it's going to be over, that's the sad part about it. My favorite part at basketball camp is when we get to do the contests. Sometimes at the end we get to play knockout if we have enough time. What we learned about this week is about God's armor that can save us from going to the wrong road. Not all the times does God keep you from going through tough times but at the end He will help you get through it. I have lots of fun doing this lesson. Our verse for the week is , Finally be strong in the Lord and His mighty powers. Ephesians 6:10. We started this coin thing and if we learn a verse then you get 5 coins.

Yesterday night we had a wonderful picnic from the Cornhusker Kiwanis. There is a game there called bingbags (bean bags) and you have to get the bean bags in the hole. It was really awesome, hard and fun. Then we got to eat, I ate chicken, egg salad (potato salad) and I drank pink lemonade. Not so long after that I was at the park playing and screaming and at the end, surprisingly we got an ice cream. Yum yum.

Friday at OK Camp

Awards at OK Camp. Savanah is in the orange.

Camp OK

I was very scared to go to camp but once everyone got over being shy we had a blast. My jr. counselor is Cadi. She's short and she is 16. It looks like she's a camper. She said so herself. We went to Mahoney State Park and swam, we went canoeing, fishing, and every night we have a camp fire and lodge party. The talent show was at the lodge party , it is when they play song and you can dance to them and if you don't want to then you can play fooze ball or you can just sit and watch, but it's funner if you dance.

I had a really fun and exciting time there. If you ever go I know you'll have fun if you are a good sport and have a positive attitude.

They have a trust course where you walk on wires and an odyssey course that's kinda the same but you don't have to do it and it's up in the air but, you'll have so much fun. It's a good opportunity.

By Savanah

Camp OK

Camp OK was the best camp I've ever been to. ( It actually was her first camp)

There was sing,playing, all sorts of fun stuff, like the odyssey course, the trust course, the flight, simulators, art, archery, the pool, the water slide and gaga.

The odyssey course is where you have to be strapped to a harness and there is this rope that straps to the harness and the rope is hooked to a wire that is about an inch wide. You have to walk across a wire that is the same as the top. At the end to get down you get hooked up to a wire that slants down.

The trust course is like the odyssey course but at the end you fall back and someone lowers you down.

The flight simulator is where you fly a plane on a computer.

At art we made a sculpture, scratch sheets and a picture.

At archery we shot arrows and rifles.

This is one of the camps where you sleep in a cabin.

IT'S SO MUCH FUN.

Sincerely

Ma'Shai

Ma'Shai sitting through awards.

On the way home we stopped for some McDonalds and some time to catch up. I love hearing about camp and seeing how excited they are. The girls had dropped their tough shells and were little girls again. Savanah said she met a girl from Omaha who was a God's kid and she really liked her.

Before I went to pick up the girls from camp I had to unload the van, which is where most of the Obasi supplies were this week since we were traveling so much. I put all the supplies on the porch so I would be able to get the girls suit cases in the van. When we got back to the house, one of the squirrels had helped itself to a banana muffin. Teijah was so impressed that he could get the wrapper off all by himself!!!

More pictures of our week on posts below.

2009-06-13T12:49:00.001-04:00

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2009-06-13T12:33:00.001-04:00

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2009-06-13T08:02:00.001-04:00

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Our Day at the Zoo

2009-06-08T21:17:00.016-04:00

While Brenda took the older kids to basketball camp, my daughters and I had the privilege of taking a few of the younger kids to the Children's Zoo. We had a great time looking at some of the animals God created.

Chloe and Adriyanna in the eagle nest

The monkeys were very entertaining

Kaedyn and James watched one of God's beautiful creations

We had fun in the crooked house
Kaedyn was fascinated by the bats

Adriyanna tried to milk a cow while James and Kaedyn supervised!

Busy Sunday

2009-06-07T23:08:00.007-04:00

Ma'Shai and Savanah arrive at camp

Savanah makes a new friend in the Kiwanian, he was very sweet and heard Savanah talking to him all the way across the field.

Savanah's bed for the week.

Ma'Shai's bed for the week.

It was a very busy day to say the least, watching three girls before church, picking up kids for church, church, walking a parent through difficult times, off to camp, and then back to Lincoln for Pierrie's Graduation.

Now breathe.....

After church we got a text from my friend Denise who is on the Bike Ride Across Nebraska-her text said please pray it is very windy and cold. So we jumped in the car and Alexis led us in prayer for Denise. It was cute and the rest of the kids were excited to be praying for her.

The ride home from church was special, one of the kids parents went to church with us today, she is going though some tough stuff and just kept singing all the way home. She is a very shy person, but today she was a little different trying so hard. She kept singing over and over, "we fall down, we get up," It was off tune but she really was singing from her heart and she didn't care what it sounded like, she just felt it and it brought her comfort.

Off to camp the girls, were very excited but very nervous and quiet. I am sure by tonight they have made friends and are having a blast. At 3:10 we left Gretna to get to Pierrie's graduation at 4:00. At 4:10 we walked into Pershing, or should I say I tripped into Pershing. That's right, my berks caught on a raised square of sidewalk and in front of millions of Graduate goers I rolled all over the sidewalk. Messing up my bad knee and hurting my wrist. It hurt so bad I didn't even have a chance to feel embarrassed. I got up and walked into Pershing, I am glad Alexis was with me she was my cane for the rest of the afternoon.

The graduation went well, we didn't get close enough to really see Pierrie, but we heard his name and felt his relief.

On the ride home as my knee was swelling up, I couldn't help but hear the words, We fall down, we get up, over and over in my head. I couldn't help but laugh.

Then I got a surprise phone call from my Denise, she told me she had an awesome day, and thanks for praying cause it was really helping. On her trip she saw two signs one about Jesus in the side of a hill. And in a little town she past a store called Lord's furniture. She said God is really good. Keep praying for her and the girls at camp.

2009-06-07T23:07:00.001-04:00

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A Privilege to Pray

2009-06-06T18:10:00.006-04:00

We are praying for my niece Bailey and her boyfriend Eli who are counseling at Camp River Crest this summer.

This summer we are praying for my cousin Courtney who working in India at Happy Home for the Handicapped. Here is her website if you want to learn about some other awesome kids. http://courtneysell.blogspot.com/

Denise ( with a little help from photoshop.)
And this week we are praying for our friend Denise who is riding in the Bran (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) starting Sunday.

2009-06-06T17:15:00.002-04:00

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Frantic Friday

2009-06-06T16:52:00.009-04:00

I have tons to get done for Obasi Summer so I recruited Alexis to help me Friday. She did some painting for me, learned to run off copies at OfficeDepot, more painting and then I helped her make a necklace for her tutor Elizabeth who graduates High School Saturday.

Necklace close up.

Miss Sophia enjoyed hanging out with us but wasn't much help. But Sophie is worth her weight in gold, which is quite a bit, because she always makes me smile.

For a treat we went and checked out some art studios

and visited our friend Chris at Studio7. Check it out here. http://studio7lincoln.com/index.html

Alexis found a skirt she loved so she traded Chris for a bracelet that she made. Shaking on the deal.

It was good to be artistically inspired!

I'm A Sixth Grader Now!!!!!

2009-06-04T08:51:00.004-04:00

Someone made this amazing cake for the whole 5th grade class. It is a huge bee have, for the Hartley Hornets. During the ceremony a wasp got into the auditorium, the kids didn't think it very cool, but I thought it very fitting, considering the theme and all.

MaShai sittin pretty before the ceremony!

Miss Savanah happy to be moving on to the sixth grade.

MaShai and her certificate.

Both girls have worked very hard this year at school and Obasi, we are very proud of them.

2009-06-02T20:31:00.000-04:00

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2009-06-02T19:10:00.001-04:00

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Tutor End of the School Year Picnic

2009-06-02T11:55:00.014-04:00

We started off our picnic with some games. It took several attempts to get the lifesaver down the line of toothpicks, but it was good for several laughs and tested our perseverance.

The three legged race was exciting and very competitive......

And also at times very funny!

There are many techniques for doing the egg race. Elizabeth likes to stick her tongue out and walk fast, James on the other hand just likes to run for it, the egg didn't always make it there with him, but he went for it every time.

After all the racing fun, the kids each got a turn to thank their tutors for all their hard work during the year. James and his buddy Chad.

Meribeth and Savanah

Elizabeth and Alexis

Bailey and Ma'Shai

Jodene and Jevon

Then we had some great food and celebrated our two birthday girls with some cake. Alexis turns 13 and Kathy gets younger everyday.

And Adriyanna is happy because she can finally give Kathy her gift.

Thank you so much to all our tutors. You helped us improve our spelling scores, our reading comprehension, and our understanding of math. But the most inportant thing you are great role models. Showing us unconditional love, patience and grace. We love you all.

A Spring Visit To The Farm

2009-06-02T11:18:00.012-04:00

After church I took the girls to my sister's acreage, which is slowly turning into a farm! 12 year old Alexis asked my sister if she could ride the four wheeler. My sister looked at her kinda funny ( they don't have a four wheeler) and said what are you talking about? Alexis turned and pointed to the riding lawn mower. Barb told her that is the lawn mower. If it would have been me I would have said sure, but you need to ride in that yard over there and you can only go in straight lines back and forth!
That's one way to get the lawn mowed. A very big lawn!

Bo enjoys a hug from Teijah. I think they both are smiling.

The outdoor farm cat didn't enjoy his hug quite as much, but Adriyanna doesn't seem to notice, she just loves cats.

The kittens were a hit.

My favorite picture of the day, Adriyanna was suppose to be checking out the lambs, but this lamb is really checkin out Adriyanna.

Teijah learning to be patient around the lambs and let them come to her.

The grass is always greener.....

You always know you had a fun day when everyone falls asleep on the way home.

Silly Painting

2009-05-13T20:03:00.003-04:00

Adriyanna makes an ice cream cone, jewelry holder for her tutor's birthday.

I took the younger three girls to paint gifts at Paint Yourself Silly. We accomplished our goals we painted and the girls were silly. In the above picture Teijah makes a mother's day gift for her Grandmother and Taj makes a ring holder for her Mom. The gifts turned out great and it was fun having some time with the girls.

July 14-19th

2008-07-24T16:52:00.007-04:00

Frog at the pond

Savanah and Cortesia hanging out the Jenkin's pool

Chad helps James jump high

Meribeth joins us for Savanah's Birthday

July 7th-13th

2008-07-24T16:20:00.017-04:00

Cleaning up the Neighborhood

Practicing Reading

Cortesia reads to Gidget

Learning about Insects at the Library

Checking out some caterpillars

Ice Cream at Dairy Queen

Sunken Gardens

Listening to the Drum man at the Library

Bright Lights

James comic book creation at Bright Lights

Kemonterious' cartoons

Kemonterious and Gidget at the Lincoln Run

Singin at church

June 29-July 3rd

2008-07-08T11:20:00.009-04:00

Grandma Annie joins us for Bible Study

Snack time with Chaney

Morissa brought us back some bracelets from her Mexico Missions Trip

Jodene shows the kids how to repair their bikes

Washing up the van

Bee nectar race

Bike Ride

Kid's Writings with Mrs. B

2008-06-29T19:40:00.002-04:00

Here are some of the writings the kids wrote on Wednesday.

By Cortesia-11
Meak is not Weak-
Meak is honest and believing in God.
God loves us like a child, He doesn't want us to be wild.
Gentle is what God wants me to be.
I'm God's child please don't harm me.
When I was mourning I was sorry for my sins
And really won't come back to that girl again.

by Dez age 12
Meek is not weak,
Meek is kind not rewind.
It is fine not whine.
It is holy not moly.
It is docile and the gospel.
Follow your not the worl's decision.
God decides when you die,
Why lie about life when you can love like a dove.

By Kemonterious age 11 ( this comes from living away from Obasi and Nebraska for a couple of months)

God Will Try

Have you ever felt like you're homesick for God because of all the sins you 're doing
or when you choke because you smoke?
And when you cry,
you ask God to give you the strength to try.
So whatever you do, don't stop trying
because there's only one man that will tell you to don't GIVE UP.
Ask God to pick yp your wings and fly.

House Sitting

2008-06-29T18:31:00.006-04:00

This weekend I took Kemonterious, James and Cortesia to my sisters acreage, they were gone for the weekend and needed someone to do chores. It was one of the most beautiful weekends of the year I think. The kids really didn't appreciate the weather or the out of doors. Which was really sad to me.
Cortesia had fun feeding the sheep and making some new friends.

The boys feed the cattle. And learned to keep track of their livestock.

It was great grilling outside everyday and enjoying the outdoors.

They enjoyed the grilled chicken even with some burnt edges.

I did get them to play a non electronic game with me.

June 23- June 27 Meekness

2008-06-27T11:57:00.014-04:00

Monday Beatitute 3- Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. This week we learned about Meekness- to be gentle, kind, enduring injury with patience and without resentment, mild, not violent, to be humble. To be meek means to stop putting ourselves before others; to stop demanding our way, it means that we accept bad situations and make the best of them. God promises us "the earth." This is total appreciation for your life here on earth: your health, friends, family, fresh air and sunshine, etc. You see, when we begin to take our eyes off of ourselves, we start enjoying the beauty and the bounty of the earthg around us. That's when we get the most out of life. And, we look forward to being with Jesus in the life to come. This is a great lesson for all of us, living in a me world. After Bible Study we had the older kids look around the neighborhood to see how they could help or be kind to. Dez took the mailman some cold water and told a neighbor that their car lights were on. Savanah and Cortesia took a neighbor some flowers and explained our Bible Study to them. James walked across the street and talked to a man for awhile. He was scared to death, but did and then before he was off the porch he started screaming and waving his arms, I did it, I did it!!!! It was priceless. We are praying the kids become more aware of people around them who are lonely, hurting or need of a helping hand.

For our chore time we got Kemonterious' bedroom ready for him. The boys and Jodene put his bed together and the girls did some cleaning and sorting, to make his room beautiful for him. Kemonterious moved to Mississippi in February and will be living with me the rest of the summer. He has been really good about calling and keeping up with Obasi.

Chaney came over and made fruit and honey tortilla's with the kids. The younger kids had fun cutting up the fruit and serving snack to the older kids.

Tuesday- We watched a video on the life of the honey bee, it was very informative, then we tried to figure the body parts of a bee. We started our stuff bee dolls.

Wednesday- Morissa is in Mexico and Jodene works her regular job on Wednesdays so Mrs. B ( Jan Bretz) came to our rescue and helped me out at Obasi. We went downtown to the Foundation Gardens to watch the YWCA youth dancers dance. Kaedyn did a bit of his own dancing and kept us all entertained.

Plus Kemonterious made it to Nebraska and started back to Obasi today. And full time parenthood starts.

We then went to Mrs. B's house and started painting our bees. Mrs. B also took turns writing with the kids about Meekness.

We really enjoyed the day outside even though the humility was like 99 percent, Mrs. B has a beautiful backyard. Cortesia, Savanah and Ma' Shai had fun on the hammock.

Mrs. B made a great snack for us, a lot of fresh fruit.

More fun in the back yard-beachball volleyball

a little fun on the trampoline

Thursday- Swim day at Jenkins- it rained all morning but cleared for the afternoon and we had a great day, it didn't get as hot as it was supposed to get so it was really nice.

The favorite spot of the pool, on the floating bed.

Jada lives life to the fullest. Cortesia paddles her around as she relaxes in the sun.

Thank you Jenkins family for letting us use your pool. We loved swimming with you , thanks for the bomb pops too.

We also got to hang with Meribeth and Jesse, it was so good to see them again.

The pool really wore out the kids, before we hit the driveway Cortesia and Gidget were in dream land.

June 16-June 20

2008-06-20T16:56:00.022-04:00

Monday-Yard work and Bible Study-

This week our verse is Beatitude number 2- Blessed are the mournful for they will be comforted. We talked about how Jesus died on the cross for our sins and when we sin or do something wrong it is like slapping God in the face. It hurts Him and He isn’t pleased with our behavior.

At the beginning of Bible Study we try and do a little hands on lesson to drive home the lesson- This week a cup of water, a egg in the shell- we wrote our sins on the egg which represented our sin. We put the egg in the water and it sank. Sin weighs us down, makes us feel bad, and keeps us from enjoying life. We took the egg out of the water and each took a teaspoon of salt into the water while doing that we asked for forgiveness of a sin we had committed that day. When everyone had put in their salt and forgiven we put the egg back in and it floated. When we are truly sorry for our sins, God forgives us and comforts us, giving us back our joy making our hearts lighter. The kids loved.
We do the little hands on lesson about every week and they get to the point where they are suspicious of everything we do, are you trying to teach us something. It can be quite funny.

My favorite moment this week was with my little friend Kaedyn. Kaedyn is almost six, full of energy, non stop talker and is pretty sure he knows everything about everything. On Thursdays he spends the morning with a baby sitter instead of his Dad. His Mom tells me he gives the babysitter a hard time. So when he got to my house I asked him if he was nice for the sitter. He said yes. I said are you sure, your Mom says that you give her a hard time. He says, Oh man my Mom called you today. I will be better for you. Then he sits down on the swing and looks down and says in almost a whisper. I slapped God again, didn’t I?
It was everything I could do not to laugh, but I looked at him and said yes you did. You really have to be nice to people.

For yard work we split into three groups- garden weeders, mowers and lawn furniture clean up.

Anthony and Taj clean up the lawn furniture

James learns to mow

Savanah diligently pulls weeds.

Tuesday- Games and a Visit from Chad Jenkins who shared his trip to Africa with us.

We prayed for Chad on while he was on his trip to Africa so it was good for the kids to get to see his pictures and hear his stories. The kids asked a lot of great questions. Thank you Chad for sharing your journey with us.

James takes his turn doing the Bible Verse dash.

Savanna tries her hand at the bee game. Different parts of the body were worth points, everyone got three rocks to try to get points.

We do a lot of sprinting to get rid of some of our energy.

Wednesday- A trip to Hobby Lobby to find some kind of craft that we could make to send with Morissa who leaves for a missions trip to Mexico. This summer we really want the kids to think outside of Obasi to community needs, state needs, U.S. needs and other countries. We are praying for hearts that become compassionate for the lost and hurting and we hope to train by the next servants for Christ. WE are so blessed in that we are given so much by so many. We decided to take a portion of that money and come up with some ways we could pass on the blessing. At Hobby Lobby, we found a few hacky sacks and crafts Morissa can do with the kids, but we also found a few crafts that we made ourselves for Morissa to give as little gifts. We made book markers, braided bracelets and beaded bracelets. The kids gave up 1 and ½ afternoons of playtime to work on the bracelets. We had many dropped beads, many OH’s and many start overs, but for the most part they were really excited to be making something for someone else. Pray for Morissa she leaves on the June 20th and won’t be back for 10 days. We will miss her.

Savanah and Kaedyn putting together book markers.

Dez and Savanah were our big helpers this week. They really stepped it up with Kaedyn and encouraged him to do the right thing. I was really impressed to see how hard Savanah worked to keep him focused, she really wanted him to have a good week so that he could go to Chuck E. Cheese with us. It was so rewarding to watch.

Cortesia braids bracelets.

Thursday- More bracelets and then off to Chuck E. Cheese for Chaney’s Birthday Party. We are trying to teach the kids to get your work done first and then play. They worked hard this week on many actitivies, but then we really enjoyed Chaney’s Birthday. We gave all our won tickets to Chaney so he could buy a cook birthday gift with them. Everyone was pretty generous except for one child who soon gave but with tight fingers.

Again what a blessed week had. It is so much fun to see the kids growing.

The kids show off all their work and gifts for the Mexico kids.

Some of our cool bracelets. A lot of them at crosses, soccer balls and Jesus on them.

Chaney enjoys his party.

Sisters Mary and Savanna enjoy spending time together at Chuckies.

Our boys racing.

Kaedyn had a blast on the wave runner. His squeals of joy could be heard throughout Chuckies or Chucks as he likes to put it.

Friday-just got a call from Kemonterious, he said he is moving in on Monday. Jodene and the boys got his bed put together yesterday, and today Cortesia and I got on new sheets and bedding. The window air conditioner goes in tomorrow, and I start taking my vitamins so that I can keep up with him.

Also got a call today from Bright Lights, they had some scholarship kids cancel so were wondering if we wanted to send Kemonterious and James to Bright Lights in July, they were asking us because they knew we would be responsibly in getting them there.
I take that as a huge compliment. We try so hard to teach the kids to be responsible and people of their words, and then the blessings will flow. And they do.

More Pictures from Bright Lights

2008-06-20T16:42:00.008-04:00

Morissa and Taj down on the farm.

Farm games

Horse rides

new life

Anthony at math munchers

He had a great time learning math and munching candy.

June 9th-14th-Just When I Thought Things Couldn't Get Any Better!

2008-06-15T12:44:00.022-04:00

Our friend Chris came over and got the peonies looking ship shape. Jada helped pull weeds.

Below-Savanah, James and Jodene pick the weeds on the side of the house.This week we have a lot of kids at camp and Bright lights so we decided to turn the attention away from the beatitudes for this week and concentrate on the kids finding out about different organizations and how they can give back. On Monday we did yard work-cleaning up the rose bushes and pulling weeds, they look so much better. Jodene got the kids who missed last Monday all caught up on our Bible Study.

On Tuesday we went to the People's City Mission, the kids were impressed with the cafeteria. They feed over 300 people everyday.

Our tour at first it was a little disappointing because all their kids were gone skating, and the buildings were kind of empty, so it was kind of a building tour. At the end we were in the chapel the lady was telling us about how they sing songs and have a message everyday. Our new Kaedyn looks at the lady in a surprise, fun voice,says we do that too! He loves to sing. Then a lady walked in with her Bible and started reading and highlighting. Kaedyn was getting a little loud so we asked him to quiet down. She said oh that is ok. Then I went over to her and asked her what she was reading. She starts out well I have this problem, I don't thank God in the hard times, I want to learn to thank Him in the hard times, so I am reading Psalms. Then she went on to tell me how she is bipolar and before they figured out her meds she was really out of control. She has stopped drinking and stopped druggin and is now trying to stop smoking. She showed me all her scares from trying to commit suicide. Then she told me her husband was supposed to send her some money, it was supposed to be there last week, but was lost in the mail. I then asked her if we could pray for her, she said OH YES. So we gathered up the kids got in a circle, I told the kids that she wanted to stop smoking and that the money she needed had got lost in the mail, I asked her if she had anything else she wanted us to pray for she said she wanted her daughter to get closer to God. Jada, Savanah and Kaedyn all wanted to pray and I ended. Their prayers were really sweet, they were really sensitive to her situation and requests.After that we gave her hugs and she said, wow i feel so much better already.
It was just amazing and all so God. The kids are still remembering to pray for her every time we pray, it is very sweet. Just a reminder that Brenda could be me.
I think Savanah was really affected by the tour, she sat down with one of the staff at the mission and asked a lot of questions after. She looked at me and said, these people don't look poor, I thought homeless people didn't have very nice clothes, she was just thinking a lot.

Savanah talks to one of the supervisors at the Mission.

Wednesday- it's so nice to have kids who ask to read, here James reads to Kaedyn. James has matured so much, it wasn't so long ago he was learning to respect people and things.

We were sitting on the porch- braiding chewy toys for the dogs at the Humane Society, we were going Thursday. A lady had given us a box of freezy pops, they had been waiting all week to eat them. Today was the day and they were so excited, it was so hot and sticky, I said wow look around is there something kind we could do for someone. James is yeah we could get to eat our popsicles. I said look over there at those guys planting ( Seeds of Life was doing a yard a few doors down), Then Jada gets it, lets give them some of our freezy things, Savanah and Taj jump up yeah I want to go, so the three of them walked down the street giving their coveted freeze pops. They got back and were so excited to make someone else happy. Then I said you know when God gives you a blessing, He loves it when we share that blessing with others and give to others. Then He sees us doing good with what He has given us, He trusts us with more. It is pleasing to Him.
Later we were leaving, I have been saving this $100 gas gift card we got at Christmas time(my popsicle) knowing we would probably need it. God has been asking me to give it to Morissa, because she uses her car all the time and gas all the time and hardly gets paid. So I thought you know I really need to do that.
I called Morissa to the car and said I want you to have this to help out a little bit with gas. She was grateful and said Oh but don't you need it, I said no we will be ok.
I took the kids home, when I got home I got the mail, I usually have the kids get it at 3:00 but today I didn't. Looking back I know that was the plan all the time though, I needed to go through the other events to truly appreciate what was in the mail.
In the mail was a letter that said, God is really blessing our business this summer and we want to share the blessings with you all. I chuckled as I read the letter cause it was the message of the day and week. Then I read the amount of the check, it was a huge donation, I was so humbled. The money is awesome, but what gets me even more is how God times everything so perfectly so you get the lesson. He is a personal God, doing little things just for you to help you see He really is in it. Once again the lesson isn't just for the kids it is for the mentors also. God never ceases to amaze me.

Morissa teaches some of the kids how to braid.

Our new Savannah and Mary make blankets for kittens at the shelter.

On Wednesday we also made shrinky dink pictures of our Dads or Grandpa's and made key chains out of them for Father's Day.

On Thursday we went to the Humane Society and to Dairy Queen for snack and to Antelope Park to run off some energy.

Savannah pets one of the kittens.

Taj makes a new friend.

Snack time.

On Friday as I was driving to pick up the girls from camp, I thought about the parents who had lost their boys at the Little Sioux Boys Scout tornado. The camp is a little over an hour away from where the girls were camping. The same storm system terriorized Lincoln and Omaha that night. I felt sad for the parents who were trying to pick up their lives after such a great lost. I was also grateful that I was able to pick up the girls, what a joy and privilege to have them in our lives. As I walked up to the camp I was greeted by the flower above. Another reminder of the wonders of God. The girls had a lot of fun and talked of all their adventures on the way home. They made new friends and had great adventures, tried new things. Again thank you Cornhusker Kiwanis for sending Dez and Cortesia, you really gave them an awesome opportunity.

Girls leaving camp.

Savanah, Anthony, Taj and Jada all got to go to Bright Light classes this week, they also had a blast. Savanah was in a funky furniture class, she painted a chair and surprised us with painted Matthew 5:3 on it. The first beatitude. I was so proud of her.

Anthony went to a Math Munchers class where they got to count a lot of candy and then of course eat it. He was in sugar heaven.

Taj got to go to farm camp, she loves animals and she got to learn a lot of new things and meet a lot of new animal friends.

Jada went to an art class. She had a blast, on Friday when I got home from getting the girls from camp there was a message on the machine from Jada, it said this is Jada from Obasi (I thought that was funny) I just want to thank you for letting me go Bright Lights, I loved it, I had so much fun!

Saturday- Today capped off a very special week with a very special occasion- Miss Cortesia was getting baptized. Our first Obasi baptism, it was very fun and humbling. A reminder of why we do what we do.

Cortesia and Sister Lil before the baptism.

Cortesia gave her testimony and then performed her ONE TOUCH dance for us.

Pastor Jessie baptizes Cortesia

Time to celebrate-let them eat cake!

Cortesia's fan club- these are the people who surround Cortesia to make sure she goes in the way she should go.

Again we are so blessed and grateful to know so many kind people and to serve such an amazing God.

June 2nd- June 8th First Week of Summer

2008-06-09T11:39:00.019-04:00

Our Summer has started out awesome, I can't imagining it getting much better.Monday's are Bible Study, cooking and gardening day. We managed to get the garden planted between rains, I don't know if anything is going to grow, it was quite the ordeal, but we had a lot of fun trying. Our first Bible lesson was on the Matthew 5:3- Blessed are the Poor In Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. The lesson went very well we studied how we search for things to make us happy, sometimes they make us happy for a little while but then we end up wanting more. We learned that we are all poor in spirit- we all need Jesus, only He can give us true happiness. The kids were a little confused, we have been studying parables the months before, so they kept looking for a really deep meaning. So we had to keep telling them it just means we need Jesus, they would look at us and say that is all it means- we already knew that. Chaney came over and helped us make some amazing honey covered apples.

Morissa helps Kaedyn plant beans.

Jada tries out our honey caramel apples. They were a big hit. Thank you Chaney. This is my dog Gidget at the end of the first day she was ready for a nap.

Tuesday is Bee day! We are learning about the honey bee. There are so many life lessons on community, working, taking care of each other etc. We learned some facts about bees and then went bug hunting.

Looking for bugs, we found this awesome tree at Trago Park.

Wednesday is craft day. We made some cool honeycomb print visors and some fingerprint bee thank you cards. It was a lot of fun.

Athony rides the pony at the Children's Museum

Thursday we went to the Children's Museum and then to Wendy's for snack. We ended the day with awards and saying our verses. They did really well.

Smiley girls in the fire truck

Who said the Children's Museum is just for children. Jodene tries out this sweet ride.

Morissa sets up shop at the face painting station, I think she painted faces for about an hour.

Kaedyn and Jodene take an adventure on the moon.

A cool snack at Wendy's.

Friday Cortesia came over to practice her dance she is doing for church Sunday. It is to the song One Touch by Nicole C Mullens- It was a lot of work but Cortesia is so talented she really makes each movement look like a butterfly.Sunday it was youth sunday at church and the Obasi kids sang two songs, gave the welcome and then Cortesia danced. Pastor Jessie gave the message on the woman with the issue of blood to go along with Cortesia's dance. We were so excited because Cortesia's mom came to church for the first time and has never seen Cortesia dance. Half way through the dance Cortesia's mom and many others had tears flowing down their faces. It was so amazing.After church I took Cortesia and Dezhanay to camp. Their first time staying overnight at a camp for a whole week. They are going to Camp OK, they both got scholarships from the Cornhusker Kiwanis. They were really nervous when I dropped them off but I am sure they are going to have a great time.

Obasi kids lead worship at church.

Sunday I dropped off two very nervous but excited girls at camp, and Savanah begged to stay, but I reminded her that if she does everything that she is suppose to at Obasi, she gets to go next year.

Thank you for your prayers, God is doing some amazing things. We have 3 new kids this summer and they are just learning about God, so please pray for them.

Miss Brenda

Christmas with our Volunteers

2007-12-25T10:33:00.003-05:00

Christmas with Cornhusker Kiwanis

2007-12-25T10:20:00.001-05:00

Christmas with Tenney's

2007-12-25T10:03:00.001-05:00

Dinner at Culvers

Went to Tenney's church for live nativity

Week of October 22nd

2007-10-27T14:16:00.001-04:00

A busy week out of school, at the Antelope playground

Morissa's birthday

Platte River State Park

Roca Berry Farm

Making apple cider at Jodene's house

Week of October 9th

2007-10-27T14:02:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Jada and Taj

learning to measure while making our puppet stage

September 17-21

2007-10-27T13:43:00.002-04:00

This week we are studying Ruth and what it was like to glean.

Making pretzils

September 24-28

2007-10-27T13:16:00.000-04:00

This week the elementary kids had a day off school so we decided to get out of town for awhile, it was suppose to rain, but instead it was a beautiful dry day. Feeding the ducks at Pioneers Park.

Got back to nature, it was beautiful every where. God is awesome.

We played some softball.

We were the first ones to try out the new playground at Pioneers Park. Even the big kids had fun trying out the new playground!!!!

Kemonterious shows the new kid in town, James how to do Bible Study. This week we are studying Ruth and her loyalty to Naomi.

Taj turns seven.

Jada decorates the driveway.

Make Music unto the Lord

2007-10-27T13:13:00.000-04:00

This week we learned about David and how he loved to write songs, sing songs. He loved to praise God. We got into the spirit by making some of our own instruments and then having a jam session. Dez works on a little drum set made out of pvc pipe.

Savanah and Taj work on some tamborines.

Friendship

2007-10-27T13:08:00.000-04:00

We decided to continue our study on David and learn about Friendship, we made some bisquits but also learned about the ingredients of what makes a great friendship. Jonathan and David are great examples of what to look for in a friend.

mmm good.

Kemonterious Turns Eleven

2007-10-27T13:05:00.000-04:00

Our Summer Trip

2007-09-18T12:32:00.000-04:00

Finally after of a summer of saving money and working hard at Obasi our much anticipated summer trip was here. We decided to go explore Columbus Nebraska, it is full of history and a great water park. Taj crosses the alligator pond.

The Big kids loved the toilet bowl.

Fun in the sun.

Our traditional dinner at a chinese buffet

The next day we made our own waffles

Then off to the Y for some fun.

For lunch we ate at a cool restaurant

And then took a tour of them making rootbeer. We found out the rootbeer goes all over the state, even to Lincoln, at Skeeter Barnes Restaurant.

We had to check out this cool boat invention, to help in the war to get big things across rivers.

Home again, it was a great trip.

Week of August 7th

2007-09-05T14:54:00.000-04:00

This week our hero of faith is David. Our theme is: We aren't limited by our age or size. We can still serve the Lord. Our memory verse 1 Timothy 4:12 You are young, but do not let anyone treat you as if you were not important. Be an example to show the believers how they should live. Show them with your words, witht the way you live, with your love, with your faith, and with your pure life. It is a really good verse to remind us to be an example regardless of our age or size. It was a really long verse so we spent a lot of time trying to learn it through a index card team game.

We tried out our own sling shot skills with water balloons.

Savanah's birthday at her tutor Meribeth's home.

New sheets for Savanah's new apartment.

Then we went swimming at our favorite spot the Jenkins.

Joanna came back for a visit, it was good to catch up with her.

Taj and Pierrie enjoy the pool.

Taj shows off her money bag for our trip.

An afternoon of rollerskating

Savanah got third in the limbo

Jada catches up on some reading at the library.

July 30- Aug 4th

2007-08-04T12:01:00.000-04:00

Monday

This week our Faith Hero was Samson. Our motto was Willing to learn from your mistakes. Our verse: Psalms 145:14 The Lord sustains all who fall. And raises up all who are bowed down.

Samson was a little different for us to study this week. He started out living his life for God but then started to disobeying God and doing things his own way. He went to a blessed life to a chaotic life. He lived a long period where God didn't matter to him and he was played by a lot of people. At the end of his life he again relies on God for one last good deed. From this lesson we really wanted our kids to learn two things. One learn from your mistakes but also to see that Samson had so much potential as the strongest man. He did do some great things for God but he wasted a lot of his life when he ignored God and followed people. He eventually learned from his mistakes and came back to God, but he wasted a lot of his life. What more could have Samson done for God. We talked about how we don't want to be known as Samson's and what could have been. We don't want to waste our lives.

At one point this week the kids really opened up and shared some of their secrets. There were a lot of tears and hugs. We pray that there will be more moments of the kids being honest with each other.

What I learned from Samson this week is how he kept making the same mistake over and over again. I have that same problem. I guess I like to prejudge situations a lot and it is hard for me not to. Like this week someone asked me if I wanted to go to dinner with them. I didn’t want to go I thought it was going to be uncomfortable, boring and weird. But I went and I had a really great time, we talked about a lot of things, it was so much fun, so I learned to not prejudge people and situations.
Pierrie

I learned that Samson had long hair. Samson broke the rules that God told him. He attacked a lion with his bare hands. He went to look a that lion and he saw bee’s and honey on the dead body, he took some honey for him and his parents, they ate it , it was wrong for him to eat from unclean meat. And he married Delilah a Philistine; she asked him what made him strong. He lied, but then he said if my hair is cut that is my weakness. Then he slept on her lap and she had men come and cut his hair.
Taz

I learned that Samson had long hair and he never cut his hair because God told him not too. Cutting his hair was his weakness. So he obeyed God and so he didn’t cut his hair.
He married me married a girl named Delilah he fell in love with her and married her 7 days later. Then one day she asked him a question , what is your weakness. At first Samson told her a lie. She asked again and he told another lie. She kept asking and finally he told the truth. If I cut off my hair I will be weak.
Then she got his enemies and told his secret. So then that night he fell asleep on her lap. The rulers came in and cut his hair. Then Samson woke up and found out his hair was cut.
Jameca

What I learned about Samson is that he was the strongest person and his hair was his strength. When he was a baby, God told his mother he couldn’t eat or drink dirty things, or cut his hair. He killed a thousand people in Philistine because they were trying to attack the Israelights. Then a girl named Delilah she was his enemy and she married him. She kept asking him where his strength came from.
Kemonterious

We made homemade ice cream. We used it has an object lesson for changing and staying close to God. We used the ice to represent God, the salt Jesus and the inside paddle the Holy Spirit. The ice cream mix represents our heart. We also learned that change takes work on our part also. Cranking and more salt.

More cranking and salt.

Is it done yet?

MMM, it was worth the work and wait.

The vans Alternator went bad so Jodene shows us how to fix it.

Dez really got into the whole process, joining in, loosening bolts and getting her hands greasy. She was so proud of herself.

In witht the new Alternator. And the best part the van was up and running again.

Tuesday
Today I had so much fun because we went to the Children’s museum. We got to go to the play bank, I got $55 and I put it back in the bank. Then I got into the fire truck but first I put on the jacket and hat but not the boots. Then we did a show for Jodene, we wang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, then the Itsey Bitsey Spider. Then we did face painting.
Jameca

Constuctions worker Jada

Pizza anyone.

Babies are doing well.

We love the Children's Museum it helps our kids to learn about and dream about new careers and lives.

Showtime.

Wednesday for Crafts we made Samson pots. We painted a face on a pot , filled it with soil and grass seed.

Soon Samson will have beautiful hair.

Laura came for snack. We made Jiggler Samson's face.

Jada and Samson.

Thursday
Today we went back to camp Oasis but we didn’t work this time. We had fun. When we got there all the other kids were doing the slip and slide but we didn’t have our suits so we went and did the paddle boats. We had a great time we were splashing each other because there were 2 boats. We had fun. Then we went and did the obstacle course, it was a team thing so we had to help everyone get up or thorough or around the obstacle. Then all the other kids did the slip and slide in their clothes. I wasn’t about to get my jeans all wet but we had a great time.
Pierrie

Today I had so much fun because we went to Camp Oasis. The first thing that we did was go on the paddleboats, first we put on our life jackets. Then we got in the boats and Miss Brenda told us to take off our shoes, so we did. Then we tried to catch Pierie, Jada, Icky, Taz and Payton. Then the big girls switched spots. We went back to the deck and took our life jackets off. Then we went and did the Slip and Slide.
Jameca

We played at the camp. We rode in the paddle boat and we got on the slip and slide. I met Bailey, Ande and Payton. We played cartoon tag and Uncle Sam.
Taz

Over the wall...

through the spider web without touching rope and going through every hole.

Balance beam.

Slip sliding away.

On the way home we stopped at Laura's house and met the goats.

The dogs and the chickens.

Back From Camp

2007-08-03T14:24:00.000-04:00

We took a teenager to camp....

And brought home a young man. He looked different, he talked different. I had to check several times to make sure it was really Pierrie. Miss Brenda

Today was my 1st day back at Obasi. I was at Camp INCLUCITY for a week. I had so much fun and learned so much about life and how to live. It was so great, I made life long friends. And now I’m able see people for who they really are. Man it was so much fun. The week was based on different ISM’s. Ageism- Faithism- Adeism- Sexism-Hetrosexism- Classism- Apperism and Racism. Each day we talked about one of these topics and it was really hard. We talked about how it was ok for guys to cry. All the guys went upstairs and we talked. It was neat to see a kid there I knew since 4th grade really open up and he wanted to get to know me. I couldn’t stand this kid before but now I see him as a person a friend, it was weird. At camp it was fun making hew friends it was weird because everyone was so open to everyone else and really wanted to get to know each other. When we got there there was a poster on the wall that said “COME AS A STRANGER, LEAVE AS ONE and that is what we did, we left as one big family. I wish everyone could go to this camp vecsue the world would be a better place. We talked about so many things tht I can’t seem to write them all down. But I would like to let you know that I’m working on a poem call “Inclucity.”
Pierrie

New Friends.

July 23-29

2007-07-31T10:30:00.000-04:00

Monday
Our Faith Hero this week was about Rahab who was willing to change for God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. It is a good lesson for all of that no matter how many bad things we have done we have a God who is willing to forgive us. AND He can use our lives for Him if we are willing change. This story gives our kids a lot of hope because even though they are very young they have already made some big mistakes. When they start learning about God they see their sin and have a lot of shame. Many of them think that there is no way they could be a God’s kid because they are too bad. But Rahab shows us that God is bigger than our sin and loves us unconditional.

Today I learned about Rahab. Rahab was a prostitute. There was two men knocking on the door, it was the spies, she hid them. She was willing to change for God so she did.
Dez

Today I learned about Rahab, she heard about the things God had done so she changed and believed in God. Some spies came, she knew that if the King found out that they were there that he would kill her so she hid them on her roof. Then the king’s soldiers came knocked on the door and asked have you seen God’s people. Rahab lied and said No. So then she told the spies to go to the mountain and stay for three days and then go back home.
Jameca To start off our lesson we played a game called What Would Jesus Do? It asks questions about things that happen in life and you are to pick the answer that best describes what you would do. It was really good because it opened up dialogue about things that are happening or could happen and the right way to handle them.

Jameca works on her journal

Kemonterious takes a moment to snuggle with Gidget.

Savanah takes time out to smell the roses.

Tuesday

Today started out like any other, we went for a little run and then we were going to work on our chores to earn some more money for our trip. After running Kemonterious found out that LaMario's brother was having a birthday party so he invited himself to the party and ditched us. We were mainly have chore day for Kemonterious because he needed chore hours. When he left we decided to go have some fun of our own. It is a lesson that happens a lot here. The kids don't consider their commitment to God, Obasi, or other activities they have signed up for. They go hour by hour picking things that seem more fun to them, forgetting about the things they have committed too. If the kids are to be successful adults they have to learn to look at their day and be responsible in falling through with what they are supposed to be doing. That when we ditch the work or committments we also miss out in the big picture and God's blessings. When you live a life of making decisions on a whim the chances of keeping a job, or keeping up with your bills,etc is nearly impossible. This summer we have been working really hard on being people of our word and commitments. Miss Brenda

We went to play a game and ran around the F street Rec track. Thanks to Icky we went to Chuck E Cheese and played games. We ate Pizza. Me, Savannah, Jameca and Tajanay took pictures and played more games.
Dez

We went to Chuck E Cheese. I went on the roller coaster. We ate pizza. We went bowling. The pizza was delicious. Then we had lots of fun. I went in the jungle gym and played with my friends. I took pictures with my friends. With my tickets I got some lip gloss.
Tajanay

We went to Chuck E Cheese because Icky did not follow God and go on the right path. When we got to Chuck E Cheese we ate pizza then we went and played games and found tokens and tickets. I had 126 tickets so I bought me a Chuck E Cheese mini back pack for putting money in.
Savanah

Dez is trying really hard to exercise more.

Pizza

Fun

and more fun.

Wednesday
We ran around the block then came in and did crafts. We made little butterflies. Then Mrs. B came we did puppets and worked on our new play about Chocolate Cake.
Dez

Our bead butterflies to remind us to be like Rahab and change for God.

Mrs. B and puppet class

Rehearsing our Chocolate Cake skit.

Thursday-

Today I had a super fun day because we went to the lake. First, we set up the tent. Then we prayed to make sure no one drowned. Then we changed into our swimm suits. Me and Icky played Frisbee. After that me and Savanah got mad at each other. Then we made up. So we went to make sand chairs. Savanah yelled snack time about 50 times so then we came and ate . We had Oreos and something else. Then we started writing in our journals.
Jameca

What I did today was came to the lake and I went swimming. I swam until 3 o’clock. Then I ate snack after snack I came to journal about all the things I did yesterday and today. What I did on Tuesday was go to the rec center and used the track to run. If you do fifteen laps around you will have a mile but if you do thirty you will have 2 miles. Wednesday we went to Brenda’s house and we a craft. The craft was about a girl in Bible study that was a prostitute , then she learned about God and she turned her life around.
Kemonterious

We went swimming at Pawnee Lake and we made chairs out of sand and we made cup holders for our chairs and we had so much fun.
Savanah

Kemonterious relaxes in his sand chair

Fun in the sun

On Friday Jameca and Savanah went and helped Sister Lil dust her figurines.

Three things I want to change for God

my attitude
start smiling again and not having a grumpy face
be friends with people
Savanah

Exercise more
Work on eating better
Get my hair done
Dez

Stop believing what people are saying about other people, talk to that person first.
Obey my parents
Stop lying
Jameca

My attitude
My choices
Stop listening to rap music

Friday night I made a big oops. I thought the Footstock Festival was Friday night, it was Saturday. So we went and hung out out the mini car track, the girls had fun running on the track. We still had a good time getting to know each other.

Miss Brenda

Off To Camp

2007-07-24T10:36:00.000-04:00

Please pray for Pierrie this week as he is at a Diversity-Leadership camp. He was pretty nervous as we dropped him off Sunday. He could hardly eat or talk. I am sure by today he has made many friends and is having a blast.
Before he left we talked about taking advantage of this opportunity to grow as a person. That God uses everything to help us become who we are to be, but we have to take advantage of His gifts.

Golden

2007-07-24T10:11:00.000-04:00

Last year at the Cornhusker State Games, Kemonterious won a silver and a bronze medal. That is when he really got the bug to run more. He also really wanted to win a gold medal. He has been practicing a lot, but in close races he tends to give up if someone passes him or it gets tough. Saturday at the games Kemonterious was entered in the 2oo meter and 1500 meter race. The 200 didn't go all that well, he kinda gave up at the end and came in 5th. So we were really wondering how he would handle the 1500, it is his better event but he is in an older group this year so he would really have to be on his game this year. We had a three hour wait so we kept pumping him up for the gold. He got out there and pretty much took the lead from the start. With three big guys close behind. Several times it looked like he was going to quit, but he managed to keep going and keep the lead. The last lap was the true test. The boys behind him made several attempts to pass, each time Kemonterious would pick up the pace enough to discourage the other boy from passing him. Finally the finish line came and he was the winner. It was a great moment all around. Not just winning the race but winning his battle over giving up.

July 16- 20

2007-07-20T15:02:00.000-04:00

This week our Bible Hero was Moses and our Motto for the week was Believe God has a plan for your life. Our Verse was Jeremiah 29:11 ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.We went through the whole story of Moses and highlighted all the ways God had a plan for Moses life and how he accomplished this plan. We talked about how our choices in life affect our accomplishing our purpose in life. That if we believe God has a purpose for us then we guard our lives and choices and make them count for God. When we make wrong choices we are kicking our purpose on the ground not really caring. We pray that our kids will start to understand the importance of living for God so that they can achieve their purpose in life. That they believe that they are that special to God that their lives matter. We also talked about how God sent Aaron to help Moses accomplish his purpose. That we need to pick friends that will help us accomplish our purpose rather than putting our purpose and life in danger. We had some really good conversations this week.

I learned about Moses he obeyed God when he didn’t think he could do what God wanted him to do. Moses saw a burning bush but then he heard it talk, it was God. He told Moses to take his shoes off because it was holy ground.
We played a fun game today but at first we didn’t want to because Brenda didn’t tell us how to play or the purpose.
Jameca

Let me tell you about what I learned about baby Moses that his mother hid him so he wouldn’t get killed she hid him by the Nile River. Then one day the kings daughter went to the Nile River to take a bath and she found baby Moses and he was crying. Since she was the kings daughter they could not kill him so she raised him good.
Shae

Today I learned that Moses had a purpose that he was to get everyone from Egypt. Then there was a burning bush but it never burnt up it was God telling Moses go back to Egypt tell a speech and God said I’ll send your brother Aaron with you because he is good at speaking.
We played a game we have 5 clothes pins on the back of our shirts and other people have to try and get them off.
Dez

We learned about Moses that he was the person who rescued the people from Egypt. He killed an Egyptian. Pharaoh looked for Moses but never found him, then the Pharaoh died.
I started to make a basket that was something about what we learned in the story about Moses. So we weaved the basket and it took us 2 days to finish it.
Kemonterious
July 17
Well today was my first day of Tennis camp at North Star High School. When I got there I was a little intimidated by all the other high school kids because they were really good. But when I went into the tennis courts and the coaches were really nice and she helped me with all of my techniques it was fun I got to meet new kids. The coach also said that I was very athletic and I caught on fast. She said I should try out for my high school tennis team.

July 19
Today was the lst day of tennis camp and I had a great time there learning new ways of how to control the ball and how much power to hit the ball with. I wish that tennis was longer because it was a lot of fun. I guess I have to get on the court more this summer- man it was fun. I met new people good people. Today we played a singles tournament and I came in 3rd place, Man this little kid named Robert came today for the first time hew as so good. I had a great time and tennis is the best.
Pierrie
One of the games we played was clothes pin tag. To drive home the need for a purpose in life I handed the kids clothes pins and a rope. Then started shouting go play, go go win the prize. They just stood there doing nothing looking confused not knowing what to do. So finally I explained the rules and the purpose of the game. Then we had lots of fun and it set up our lesson on Moses.

At the end of the day we played a fun water game. Two teams, a basket full of water and sponges. Each team tries to soak up a lot of water in their sponge and take it to some milk jugs...

...then squeeze the sponges trying to get the water into the jugs. The first team to fill up there jug saves Moses from a wet basket.

For craft we made woven baskets. When weaving it helps to have your tongue sticking out slightly.

Baskets take a lot of time and patience to make but....

they turned out beautiful.

For snack Moses in a Basket. You take a waffle cone bowel, fill it with any flavor of ice cream cover with that chocolate syrup that hardens that is his body. Then a scoop of chocolate for his head. Sprinkles for hair, pretzels for hands, some eyes and mouth. And there he is Oh so cute and delicious.

Today we played a game about our purpose. We went running with steve. He said I was really good.
Yesterday we made a puppet play, then we practices. I was the Mom, Taj was the teacher and Shae and Savanah were sisters. Then for snack we made Baby Moses in a basket.

Jameca

Let me tell you what I learned today about puppets. How to use my hands the right way and not to put the head up when you talk for the puppets. The we made some baskets about Moses but we are not all done yet. We went to Steves to run with him and his daughter Jackie.
Dez

I met a new person. Her name is Jackie. I met her at running. At first I was scared and shy. I ran and I was slow and she came back for me since I was slow. Jackie helps me get skinnier.
Today I learned my verse. I know it now I can get my little basket for my hat.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for your future says the Lord.

Our last game of the week. To bring home the idea of living out our purpose. I had each of the kids name something they wanted to be or do with their life. I put it on a card and put it at the top of some stairs. Then I made out about 12 cards for each kids. They started at the bottom of the stairs, each card had either good choices they have been making lately so they could go up the steps toward their purpose. Some of the cards had some bad choices they had been making and so then they would have to go down stairs. None of them reached their goal, the object of the game was to help the kids see that our choices even as kids affects our purpose for our life.

Taking time to enjoy the view at the sunken gardens. We finally got a break from the 100 degree weather and it was beautiful.

The Luis Palau Omaha Heartland Festival

2007-07-20T15:00:00.001-04:00

On our way to Omaha Nebraska leaving from Lincoln, the first thing we saw was the BMX.I was scared when the boy did the back flip on his bike. Out on the skateboards I like the one that split in half. I loved the motorcycles because how fast it was going. It was going so fast It felt like I blew my head off. Me and Savanah shared the umbrella with this boy because he was pouring out sweat. And one of the bikers popped his tire from all his cool tricks. Then when all that was over we went to the car to eat some snacks then we went and got some tattoos but from all that sweat the tattoos came off of our arms. Then we went to crafts and made some crosses and some bracelets. This is what the colors meant- yellow means he loves us, green means that he is powerful, red means how much blood he shared with us and died for us. Then Jodene brought us some snow cones and we played some games and I son all together 9. I played crazy big mouth and much more. Then we got our face painted. I got a crown that said Jesus. I got a flower pot. After all that we listened to Mandisa and Toby Mac then we left.
Dezhanay

On Saturday the 14th, I went to Omaha Nebraska with Jodene and Janet and Dez. We got tattoos and watched the bmx when the motorcycles were doing back flips I thought they were going to kill themselves. We watched skateboarders and one broke his board. We listened to Mandessa. We also made necklaces and bracelets. It was blazing hot and this one boy was sweating so much so we went back and shared our umbrella with him so he had shade and so he was not hot. For dinner we ate at Cracker Barrel in Omaha, they have a store there too. Their food was awesome.
Savanah

Go here to see a picture of us in the Sun.
http://www.joepix.com/lp7johf1/index.cfm?ptd=gp.cfm&u=466408836

And The Winner Is....

2007-07-20T11:17:00.001-04:00

Kemonterious wins the Lincoln 1 mile run and the Bike drawing!

Last Sunday I was so happy and excited because I was getting ready for my race. I was going to a one mile race downtown. When I first started with a short pace then I got close to the end I passed the person and I got in first place and I won the race. And 10 people came to watch me run. Then I got to win a free $200 bike.

This is Kemonterious' second time in a row to win the Lincoln run in his age group.

Letter-Man

2007-07-20T11:12:00.000-04:00

This week we had speech and debate camp. I'm having fun with all the speech kids. We even got some new kids this week. Oh and today I got surprised. I lettered in Speech. It is so great. How cool!

Week of July 9-15

2007-07-17T11:55:00.000-04:00

This week we studied Joseph, Joseph believed that God would deliver him so he never gave up .
Our verse for the week was 2 Timothy 4:18 -Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly Kingdom. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Believing that God has your back, so you should never give up is a message we have been trying to teach the kids for years now. It is a hard concept for most of our kids to get. Living lives full of difficult situations and broken promises doesn’t lend itself to a life of trust or continuing to try when things just keep staying hard. Looking at Joseph’s life was a great way to drive home this lesson, he was hated by his brothers, lied about, sold, put in prison, forgotten, the list goes on. Our kids were able to relate to many of his dilemmas. The best part about Joseph’s life is that he never gave up on God and God never gave up on Joseph. God kept all His promises to Joseph and we are learning that He keeps His promises to us too.
Tajanay came back this week after moving to Vegas with her Mom for about six months. We sure are glad to have her back.
Doing some chores around the house, Jemeca cleans out the garbage can waters the flowers, Pierrie trims the rose bush which had gone wild, it looked really nice after. Pierrie sure is becoming a professional at lawn and plant care.

Shae spruces up the porch.

Kemonterious and Jada give the picnic table a good scrubbing.

Each week we have some kind of life lesson to drive home our spiritual lesson. This week we had an intense obstacle course the kids thought we were keeping track of their times and scores when actually we were keeping track of how many times they didn't give up when they could have. Here Pierrie is in the rope obstacle course through the picnic table. He was clipped to the rope and had to follow it around. He tried so hard it was very difficult, he was sweating and breathless but he never gave up.

Another part of the obstacle course was the hula hoop, here Jada learns really fast how to swing her hips.

Today we did an obstacle course and the first thing I did was work on the horse shoes, it took me a long time, then I did the hula hoop and the untying of the knot.

Kemonterious

All tied in Knots. Savanah's patience gets tested in this untying the knot course.

Jameca has a laugh when she falls off of her scooter during the scooter obstacle course.

I have to say that all the kids did a great job not giving up. In some of the courses they tried things over at least 40 times and kept on going. Now we just need to put that attitude into real life where it is so much easier to give up on themselves and others.

We made a visit to the pet store and saw some cute rabbits.

Birds

The kids had the most fun driving Gidget and Hailey around in miniature shopping carts.

Morissa helps Dez get the knots out of her string so she could make a Joseph bracelet.

Chaney was a big help with Tajanay and her bracelet.

Kemonterious winds his string around his leather piece.

Our bracelets when they were done. They are beautiful, they are to remind us of the life of Joseph and to never give up.

More produce from our garden, carrots and onions.

Bowling for Sean's birthday.

Today I watered the plants and went bowling. I got third place in both games. Then we came back to Brenda's house so that we could celebrate Sean's birthday. We had chocolate cake and ice cream. That was so good.

Kemonterious

Cake with Sean.

I'm happy I'm back. I'm happy to be here to see all my friends. We celebrated Sean's birthday. I haven't seen him for a lon, long time. I like to see him.

We went bowling. We get to toll the ball. I got a STRIKE. I was happy. I like to be here all day. Sean is nice about everything he did. He was happy to see me.

I liked Sean's birthday cake and ice cream. It was good. That's all

Tajanay

Our heroes of the week were Jada and Pierrie for not giving up this week, through the many trials. They were great examples for all of us.

July 2nd and 3rd

2007-07-06T10:29:00.000-04:00

Savanah shows off our first crop of tomatoes.

Pierrie finished up his three weeks working for Green Team.

Move Obasi !!!!!

Our faith hero this week was Abraham. There is so much to cover in just a couple of days. Our memory verse was Proverbs 3:5 and 6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding in all you do acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Abraham’s life showed us many lessons. To trust God in everything even when it’s giving up your own son. Abraham made mistakes but He always turned back to God and God continued to use him. We had already studied sacrifice a couple of weeks ago with Cain so the kids remembered how hard it would have been to give our dog Hailey on the alter, putting up a loved one seemed even more impossible. Our kids move a lot so thinking about Abraham moving wouldn’t have been that big of deal, to drive that home they were given a note saying to back up snack for a day, grab the awning, the animals and Bible study materials, get everything because Obasi was moving to a new land and they couldn’t come back. That they had an hour to get there stuff, walk to the park and put up the awning. It wasn’t a very long walk but everyone had a huge amount to carry and at the time they didn’t know who Abraham really was or what this had to do with God. Putting up the awning proved to be the toughest part, at one time the legs looked spider legs sticking out every which way. After an hour we gave them some hints on how to put up the awning. It was a relief to have it up, tempers were starting to get a little short. Then we told the story of Abraham and all the ways he trusted God. Then the kids learned about Abraham’s big moves and we realized our day wasn’t as hard as we thought. We then challenged the kids with questions like, Could you give up a gift, talent, or person for God?, What are you keeping for yourself that you should be giving God? Do you trust Him enough to go anywhere for Him?
Then we talked about the fact that Abraham wasn’t any more special than other human beings except that he did trust God. The really special person was God and what makes us special is Him choosing us. That when we are God’s He gives us the ability to be faith heroes, not only in Bible times but now too.

Poles everywhere.

A job finally completed.

There are so many fun things to do in the summer, but there is nothing better than being in Obasi. It was hard yesterday to move the Obasi family to a new location; we got to set up a awning for shade. But today I had a super duper fun going swimming in the Lake and having snack with the kids and Miss Brenda and Jodene.
Jameca

Let me tell you about the fun things we did today and yesterday. Well yesterday we had to move Obasi not all of it but some. We were acting like Abram like when he had to move all his stuff and couldn’t go back. Then after wards we played a little bit of tag them most of us played last man standing.
Today we went swimming when we first got here we sat up the awning. We raced to see if we could do it faster than yesterday, our time was 7 minutes, 6 seconds. Then we got in the lake. The other girls were scared to get in the lake they thought it was icky but me and Savanah thought it was okay. She was my buddy we had to much fun I hope someday we can do this again. I was going under water fishing until Brenda told me to not do that. Then I just went under for 3 seconds like she told me. We had so much fun today. We had a lot of snack too.
Shae

Today I went to the beach and swam for 4 hours and we played Marco Polo, and we played sharks and well we just had a lot of fun. Thank you Lord for making this happen. Thank you for the last few weeks of Obasi and letting me have fun! I’m very thankful. I’m gonna miss everybody in Obasi after Friday! Thank you again Lord!
Iyisha

Buried Kemonterious in the sand. This is the closest our kids have ever been to the Ocean, Pawnee Lake. In fact today Kemonterious asked if Nebraska is by the ocean. I said, Nebraska is about as far from the ocean a state can be. Maybe one day he will actually get to see a real ocean.

I had fun at the beach today. We swam for a long time. My buddy was Dominique and during buddy check I had to find Dominique and see that she was ok.
We had snack at the beach. It was yummy. I brought cupcakes for the 4th of July.
Gidget and Hailey swam with us.
I found rocks in the water. I gave them to other friends.
That’s all!
Jada

Making Sand Castles.

Kemonterious lets his hair down. It is usually braided, in four years this is the first time I have seen it down. His eyes are beautiful. When we went to a block party he was really embarrassed to have it down so he put it in a ponytail.

On Monday I ran with the whole North Star Cross Country Team. The coaches were fantastic and they are nice too. I usually run a mile, but when I run with them they make me fast. And I run 2 or 3 miles. Now I’m in better shape so that I can sign up for races.
Kemonterious

He also got to run with the Waverly Cross Country team on Thursday. Thank you coach Jackie for inviting Kemonterious to run with you. I don't think he understands how blessed he is to have so many people who want to help him become a great runner.

After the lake we were invited to my cousin Chucks block party. With live music and fire works. Jodene and Savanah relax while listening to music.

The kids were so excited to see our friend Meribeth, she tutors Savanah in the school year, but takes a break over summer so we hadn't seen her for a while.

Jada dances with Doug.

We all loved the fireworks.

Other Journal entries:

Write about a time when you had a hard time believing or trusting God.

When I was in school I told Miss Brenda I was moving to California and she said it will be alright just pray to God . He will know what to do. I prayed and we didn’t go. Thanks God.
Savanah

I really don’t think I have a hard time believing in God. Because I know that God is always doing to be there even if I let Him go (which I won’t). It’s like that verse I will never leave you or forsake you. I trust God. He is always going to be there for me sitting right there beside me just like we were best buds.
Pierrie

Sometimes I have a hard time believing that I’m going to be a champion.
I have the same thing about trusting too.
Kemonterious

Write a note to God thanking Him for choosing you.

Dear God thanks for choosing me. Thanks for letting me in the family tree. Thanks for helping me when I’m down and most importantly thanks for being my God. Thanks for choosing me you mean so much to me I would give up my arm for you.
Shae.

God thank you for choosing me and my family and thank you for being awesome. You are the King, You made everyone and you’re the one who made Adam and Eve.
Savanah

God you are so awesome. Your “mind blowing”. To choose me and everyone else, but you gave up your son to die for my sins. I don’t think I would be able to do that but God that shows how much you love us and how strong and powerful you are God. I just want to say thank you for having the power and strength to have your son on the cross for my sins. That is the #1 sacrifice. Thank you God for sacrificing your son and choosing me.
Pierrie

God do you remember when I was not in Obasi when I was a thug. Like when I stold, smoked cigarettes . Thank you for getting me into this program.
Thank you for waking me up in the morning every day so that I can have great days. Thank you for my family. I know that they have done bad things but they are learning from it. And Brenda she’s the best thing that ever happened to me, she‘s the most loving, caring and supporting person too.
Kemonterious

Week of June 25

2007-07-02T10:44:00.001-04:00

He prayed, O Lord, God of Israel, there is not a God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your promises and show unfailing love to all who obey you and are eager to do your will. 2 Chronicles 6:14

This is our verse for the week. I have grown to really love it. What a great reminder of who God is, what He expects from us and the rewards for obeying and seeking Him. I pray that this verse will stay in the kids’ hearts long after this summer is over.

Another very busy week, another week of seeing God work.
This week we studied about Noah and his obedience to God even when things didn’t make sense to him. So of course we had our own issues of disobedience with a couple of the kids. They ended up missing some great blessings and hopefully learned some powerful lessons. Unfortunately, it seems that we have to learn these lessons several times before we actually apply them to our lives.

One of the highlights of my week was spending time with little Jada. She has this way of cracking us all up. I took half the kids to Evan Almighty while the other kids went to Bright Lights. After the movie there was great opportunities to talk about the lessons in the movie and Noah again. We were talking about listening to and obeying God. One the kids asked how we can hear God. I said by reading the Bible, praying and just being quiet and listening. That a lot of times when we go to do something there is this little voice inside us that says don’t do that it is wrong, or go do that it is right. Then I asked if they ever heard that little voice. Most the kids said yes and then gave examples. Jada pipes in and says, well the only little voice I ever hear is my little baby sister talking. It was so precious and so funny. She was so serious.
And then at other moments like after we read the Noah story, she looked very disinterested and I wondered if she was getting any of it. Later we were having sort of a pop quiz and her hand went up almost every time. And she was right too. She has a super memory for a 5 year old. We really love having her in the ministry.

Iyisha and Dominique will be leaving us already, going back home to Kansas. I talked to their aunt and it was really clear why God brought the girls to the ministry even if it is for such a short time. The girls have very strict religious families back home, and when they come here they are put in a neighborhood with a lot of new challenges, freedom and temptations. I believe God brought Obasi into their lives to remind them that He is still with them even when they are not at home. To do the right thing even if you have the freedom to do the wrong thing. I think of all the kids that have moved lately and how much I worry about them. This week through Iyisha and Dominique God reminded me that He follows His little ones around and sees to it that they are taken care of.

On Thursday, I took Iyisha, Dominique and Pierrie fishing. Fishing always sounds like such a good idea at first. But then you get these city kids who have never fished before. They don’t know how to bait the hook, cast the pole or take the fish off. And what’s more they want to catch a fish but they don’t want to learn how to bait the hook or take the fish off. So I spend most of my time baiting the hook and taking off fish, never really getting to cast my pole into the waters. This has been my third time fishing this year, and every time I can’t help but chuckle at the “ Be fishers of men” comparison in the Bible. Fishing for men or fishing for fish at first can seem so exciting and so fun, but if you really become serious about either one you find that the fun soon turns into hard work. Both require a lot of patience to finally catch a fish. Some fish will just play with the hook and leave and others will bite hook, line and sinker. People are like that too, some just want to play with you and pick your brain about God, not really intending to follow Him. And others will follow. Being a fisherman is one thing and teaching someone to be a fisherman is a whole other game. Here at Obasi our goal is to raise up kids who become fisher of men. But first you have to teach them, and just like teaching someone to fish can be a difficult task, so can teaching them to be a witness. I can go on with this analogy for pages, but I think you get my drift. The conclusion I have come to through all this fishing is, that God is so smart, to even invent the analogy in the first place. Second don’t give up on fish or people, it takes patience, trial and error, getting dirty, but the catch is so worth every minute.
For Craft this week we made flying doves. We learned that doves are very special in the Bible and that doves can sip water all other birds have to lap it up or catch it in their beaks.

The kids wrote their own puppet skit this week about disobeying Mom and Chocolate cake. They tried it out on us, it was really good.

Laura Mach has been doing a great job of incorporating creative snacks with our weekly lesson. This week she reminded us that for Noah to Obey God he must of really trusted God. So she said this week I am going to blindfold you and give you different food items. Do you trust me to give you items that will make a good snack. Iyisha says I trust you Laura you always give us great snacks. So they were blindfolded and she handed out some blue whip cream ( for the ocean) a banana for the ark, so pudding, animal crackers and gummy animals. The kids took off their blindfolds and ate their delicious snacks. Then at the other end of the table Laura’s daughter Jessie was sitting with a bowl of scraps and a disappointed look on her face. Laura reminded us that Satan wants us to trust him to, a lot of times he makes some big promises just like God. Except God keeps his promises and Satan hands us a bowl of scraps that we can’t eat.

Three Dog Day.

While at Mrs. B's the kids got to try out the trampoline.

Mrs. B even showed us a trick or two. You go Girl!

Iyisha catches a fish.

Dominique was quite the trooper, catching a lot of fish and helping us when our lines got snagged on rocks.

Savanah came for a while and got her very first fish ever.

Savanah, Dez and Icky after Icky shows off his rocket at Bright Lights Rocket Class. He had a BLAST. Several blasts actually.

Savanah gets her award at Bright Lights cooking class. Dez, and Jameca went also and they cooked up some great foods and brought home a wonderful cookbook so in the future they can whip up some snacks for us.

Thank you so much for the scholarships so that four of our kids could come to your program. They had so much fun and learned a lot too.

Icky has been doing a lot of running this week. Getting ready for the Lincoln Run and Cornhusker State Games. This was my favorite moment he passes a lady in a scooter on the bike path.

Another win

2007-07-01T22:58:00.000-04:00

Shout out to Cousin Curt in Oregon- the OSU beavers repeat as College Baseball Champions!

June 25th and 26th Happenings

2007-06-27T10:19:00.000-04:00

The week started with Kemonterious coming over to mow the lawn, I had downloaded some music for him on a MP3 player so he could listen to it while he mowed. I worked on the garden while he mowed so I could keep an eye on him. I didn't want him hurting himself. A while into the mowing I heard this noice something like a coyote howl and a scream. I immediately thought oh no he is hurt. I looked over and he was just singing his heart out, trying to hit a high note to one of the kids praise songs. I couldn't help but laugh, he was so involved in the song he didn't even see me. He did a pretty good job mowing I do have a couple of mohawk grass strips in a couple of areas but I think it makes a new fashion statement.
Miss Brenda

To infinity and beyond.

A fun thing I did was sign up for Bright Lights and I chose bottle rockets. It was the best thing I had ever done in my life. It’s fun because you can learn about them and you can have a chance to make your own rocket. I’m done with the rockets. I just have to make the launcher and shoot my bottle rocket off. This program will go on until Friday. But on Thursday the launcher will be complete. But to finish that you have to put water in the bottle rocket so that it can shoot far in the air. And you can still shoot it even thought it doesn’t have water. But water will help it go far. You put air pressure at the tip top and put weight on it so it can land straight down.

Kemonterious

Dominique, Jada and Iyisha whip up some Rice Krispie bars for snack.

Washing the van. Who knew it's white!

I washed the van and I got soaking wet. The kids were pushing a button on the water hose and squirting at the other kids. It felt good-cause it was so hot. I sweated to death.
Other people laughed at Noah but he was right. He made an ark and he got on the ark, with his wife, sons and their wives.. All the other people died because they didn’t think that it was going to flood. I am coming to Obasi. I like the fun stuff. I like both the puppies. I have new friends-everybody is my friend.
Jada

Today we learned and talked about Noah and the Ark. After we dug up the old wood chips in the front flower bed. Man it was so hot out side I felt like I was at work all over again. After we got that done we washed the van, I had a great time we were getting each other wet. We got Miss Brenda wet on accident. Man that was funny, it’s like the 3rd time this whole summer I accidentally got her wet.
Pierrie

June 26th
Well today I got up for work and it was ok. Then we went to Brenda’s and the Bright Light kids left and then we did our verse for the week.
We went and saw Evan Almighty it was a really good movie because we are studying about Noah this week and the movie was a lot like the story but not on all the key points. It was really funny at times. People made fun of him because he was building an ark. And in the beginning he said he wanted to change the world. You should obey God. In the movie he obeyed God even when it didn’t make sense to him.
Pierrie

Everyday I whine about going to camp, but then I realize that it’s not me paying, it’s the Obasi people, so I just want to thank them for everything they do for me. I’m glad I got to go to cooking camp with Savanah and Dez. They have been nice to me . I liked being in their group and making French toast with them. We worked as a team. That made me feel proud. Because if now someone notices they can look up to us. I had those two days at cooking camp, I like meeting new people like Conner, Miss Kathy and the other kids.
Jameca

Yesterday at cooking class we made smoothies. I put strawberries, berries, a banana, some ice cream and milk in mine. Then I blended it. The I got to drink it. OOOOOOOO, it had rubber in it. We blended the rubber ring of the blender in with the smoothie stuff!
I also made a tortilla. We used cream cheese, cheese and salsa, mixed that together then I took a knife and spread it on my tortilla. I then had to roll it up. We made two of them. When we were done we had to put them in the refrigerator. After it cooled we cut our tortilla and finally got to eat it. Um, Um, Um good!
Today we mad mini pizzas, I took a muffin, put sauce on it, then cheese and 3 pepperonis. I baked it in the oven for 10 minutes and when it was finished I took it out and it was awesome when I ate it. I also made French toast and ate it too.
Savanah

Today I had Fun because we went to the movie and heard a little bit about God. Now I know that there are a lot more animals than I thought. Now I know that Noah is a good person because he listened to God and built a big boat.
I know that obeying God means when He tell you to do something, you do it. It’s like when your conscience tells you not to eat the cookie just like your mom told you not to, then you don’t. But if she tell you to, you do.
Dominique

This week I learned to obey God even when it doesn’t make sense! Today I had a blast at the movies! We saw Evan Almighty. It was about a man who was asked by God to build and ark to save him and his family from a flood. I also washed Miss Brenda’s van yesterday. But really I’ve just been hangin out at Miss Brenda’s and having fun!
Iyisha

I’m in Bright Lights and I Can Camp this week. At I Can Camp Icky and Mrs. Bretz are there too. What we did is we played first and then I ate dinner. Then we went up stairs and talked about Noah and sang songs about God. And we went back down stairs and drew. We left to do yoga with Mrs. Bretz. Then we went outside to play a game. We learned that Noah did not flinch when God asked him to build an ark. So we played this game somebody throws a ball at us and we see if we can catch it. We had a race. I CAN CAMP is Awesome!
Dez

I loved the movie, when it was done I really had a new appreciation for Noah's faith. God was so faithful to him in keeping His promise. The movie shows how big the ark was, and how incredible hard it was to build. The movie stresses that it's a love story not a story of vengence and punishment. A whole new perspective to God's love for us. I couldn't help but falling deeper in love with God when it was done. He truly is Awesome. It is a great family film and really helped our kids bring home the story of Noah.

Miss Brenda

Week of June 18-23rd

2007-06-24T22:05:00.000-04:00

This week our Hero of Faith is Abel. We learned how he gave his best to God. That God sees our heart and He wants our best. Our verse was Colossians 3:23 In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were working for the Lord, not for men.
The week started out when we picked some of our best vegetables and put them on our makeshift altar, (the grill). It was hard giving up our vegetables we had been waiting a long time to taste them, but it was ok, we could give up our vegetables for God. Then I asked the kids to give up Hailey, Jodene’s little dog, she is the closest thing we have to a lamb. We tried really hard to give her up on the altar but we couldn’t, but then we learned we didn’t have to give her up, because Jesus gave up his life for us, so now we don’t have to have a blood sacrifice. In that little exercised we learned why God asked for blood sacrifices instead of produce. The heart is connected to other living beings it is so hard to give up something that is living, it truly is a sacrifice. Abel gave up a lot giving his best lamb, it must have been hard for him too. We can only imagine how much it must have hurt God to give Jesus, his holy sacrifice for us.
We learned that instead of sacrifices God wants our heart, He wants the best from us. So all week we tried giving God our best- our best attitudes, behaviors, sports, worship, attention, learning etc. We learned that giving your best to God and others is hard too, but with God’s help we can do it. We need to also encourage each other and remind each other to give God our best.

We were on the go constantly my week started at 7:00 getting Pierrie to work, Icky to Basketball camp, picking up Icky, picky up Pierrie, picking up the rest of the kids and then at 12:30 starting our Obasi day, with more running around, 4 of our girls went to Basketball camp in the afternoon.
On top of all of that we had 4 new girls starting. It is an exciting time, but it is also a very awakening time. You get to see how far the other kids have come in so many areas like behavior, rules, spiritually, attitude and writing. It is really good for all of us, to be reminded of all that God is doing in our lives.
God is good, the kids that have left for one reason or another cannot be replaced, but God really has given us some rays of sunshine in our new kids. We are missing little Teijah terrible, she is so positive and appreciated God’s creations. Little Miss Jada is a light too. She is so smart for 5. People smart, asks so many questions and is so funny. She keeps us in stitches all day. Jameca is very positive and loves to learn new things, her smile is a gift. Iyisha is very sweet, is visiting her Dad for the summer and will be leaving the end of July. We only have her for a short time but she is also a gift. Very sweet and tries so hard. She has been through a lot in her short life but she is very upbeat and loves the Lord and eager to learn more about Him. Dominique is also with us till the end of July, Iyisha’s cousin. Dominique is so gorgeous when she smiles. It’s getting her to smile that takes some work. She looks bored most of the time, but is the one who is ready to try the next thing. Please pray for these girls and us, as we learn more about each other and God together.
Miss Brenda What I did today was basketball camp, then the other thing I did was golf. I played from 1 to 19 courses. I hit the ball in almost every course once but I lost all the games. The I came home to Brenda’s house and played Rummicube and I got stuck but I almost won both games but I lost them. And Bibleman (Pierrie) won.
I will give God my life. Giving Him my track, a good attitude, my brain and my talents.
Kemonterious

When I do my best at basketball practices it makes me proud to learn new skills. Like pass, make shots. This means a lot to me and my whole family. I would love to give a song that He would love. About how He made everyone happy.
Jameca

I like to sing and help my friends. Yesterday and today I worked very very hard at basketball camp and I tried to run a little bit too, because I like to run and play b-ball. (comment: if you run and work out a lot then you can get better at b-ball).
Dominique

Well today after I got off work which was good for the most part, I had fun joking with my co-workers. Yesterday we talked about the story in the Bible when that one chick used her hair to clean Jesus’ feet. It was great they are just godly people. But anyway at work we went and pulled weeds for the 2nd day in a row but it’s all good.
Then I came to Obasi and me, Dez, Icky, Jada and Jodene with golfing it was fun. Dez got a hole in one then we came back to Obasi and played a game.
Pierrie

Nothing like a popsicle on the porch swing on a hot summer day.

Jesus made Jada and others. He loves me. I sing a song. Today we had Popsicles for snack. I golfed. Yesterday I learned the difference of weeds and plants.
Jada

I like to sing, and I love to write, but I haven’t written any books in a while. The time I started singing is when I was about 5. I had fun learning new skills in basketball and today I went to a book store and read a few books.
Iyisha

Mrs. B gives Dominique some puppet tips

Dez, Icky and Mrs. B go over their puppet skit.

Mrs. B helps Jada sew her lamb purse.

Jada shows off her lamb purse with bubbles in it.

On Wednesday Laura Mach comes and does a snack with us about our lesson. On this day she first came to our picnic with a loaf of bread, saying that she had forgotten snack and was late and all she had was some bread. The kids looked at the bread really funny and were really disappointed. Then Laura asked how they felt getting bread for snack, they said like you don't care. Laura said that is right, I would never just give you bread for snack, unless that is all I have, that wouldn't be giving you or God my best.

She went to the car and brought us the best snack ever. A lamb cake, which was too cute to eat, although the kids did manage to finish it off. And....

... fruit kabobs and a box of special popcorn for us. Plus ice cold water for a warm day. The kids got the point of giving your best in a very tasty way.

On Thursday we celebrated Steve Osenbaughs birthday. We gave in a superman picture with his face on it- and the letter Pierrie had written about him being his hero. Steve is a hero, he does so much for us and always gives us his best.

This is my favorite picture so far this summer. Our youngest Jada and oldest Pierrie. They both have great personalities and it shows up on this picture. Pierrie is so good with the littlier kids and they look up to him as a great role model.

Monday, June 18, 2007

2007-06-19T10:29:00.000-04:00

Meet our new girls-back-left- Iyiesha, Dominique, Jameca and little Jada in front.

Lovin that watermelon

Watermelon seed spitting contest- Savanah couldn't spit it very far but she had the best face trying.

Kemonterious goes to camp.

What I did today was go to basketball camp and learned some new things. Like some basketball drills. Then I started to have a basketball game. I shot five three pointers and on the last one we won. Then we played knock out. That is where you have to shoot and when do that your not suppose to miss because the other players may make the shot and your out. Then I played ball in the middle tag. That is when you try to knock the ball out of someone else’s hand and they are out.
Kemonterious

Drawings Too Cute Not To Share.

2007-06-15T16:07:00.000-04:00

LaMario as Spider Man

Kemonterious as Spider Man shooting webs

Savanah as Cat Women saving a Cat!!!!

Shae as Bat Women!!!!

Friday, June 15, 2007

2007-06-15T15:36:00.000-04:00

Friday is our day off at Obasi, because so much is going on the other 6 days we need a day for down time. However today, Pierrie needed a ride to work at 7:15 a.m. and LaMario, Shae, Kemonterious and Marissa decided they needed a day of track training. Shae and Kemonterious have a big meet next week so we really need to intensify the practices. It was the first day of it being really hot, so it was a tough workout, but the kids tried so hard.

This week has been amazing! A lot of the time I feel really guilty for having only 6 or 7 kids, we usually have 10 or 11, I know numbers will change soon, when Teijah and Alexis come back the numbers will go way up again, so we don’t want to get more kids than what we can handle. Anyway I can really see God doing a huge thing in the kids with only 6. It gives us so much more individual time to see who they are. Life slows down more with less kids because you don’t feel like are you are juggling so much. It is easier to see the successes and not focus so much on the failures.

Before this week, because of all the kids we have lost to moving, foster care, the streets, I have felt myself really guarding my heart, because each time you lose a kid it feels like you lose piece of your heart. This week being with the kids even more up close and personal I can’t help but feel my heart open up and smile again. They really are amazing. I love reading their journals. After we studied what it means to be a hero, and how we can be a hero, the last question in the journal for this week was…. I think ___________ looks up to me as a hero and that makes me feel _____________________. Kemonterious wrote I think Miss Brenda looks up to me as a hero and that makes me feel happy.
My heart smiled when I read that. I would have never thought that is how he would have answered it, but it makes me feel good that he feels that I look at him like that. He is the youngest in a large family and is kind of invisible at times. What an awesome responsibility to help a child believe that you look up to him as a hero, to make him believe in himself and his talents that much. It really makes me think and makes me look at my job more seriously.
So while the summer numbers aren't exactly the way I pictured it, I am reminded again that God does know what He is doing. That the kids that we do have know have been in the program for some time and were here for all the drama of all the other kids leaving plus their own daily drama, so some intense individual time is exactly what we all need to mend our hearts. Again God is so good to us.

A Working Man

2007-06-15T15:31:00.000-04:00

Pierrie is working for the Lincoln Parks and Rec's Green Team for about 3 weeks this summer.
I started my job on Thursday and it is good, it’s not great because it’s hot and it’s hard work. But this lady I work with said I had good work ethic. Today she told me they should be paying me triple for all the hard work I’m doing. I like that. Cool!
Pierrie

Thursday, June 14th

2007-06-15T14:14:00.001-04:00

WE were all fascinated by the naked mole rats.

At the zoo me, Jodene and LaMario we looked at all the stuff. These little naked mold (mole) rats were on top of each other sleeping and one was big. It couldn’t get through the tube, because a big thick stick was there. Then we went to the little monkeys. They were so cute. One looked like a little rock star. The other one looked like a little person with a little face. Then we went to see the seals, one jumped into the Hoola Hoop for a talent show. It was really cool. Then us kids rode on the train. I sat with Savanah and Dez. We sat in the back so we could go in the tunnel last. It was so fun I want to go again some day.
Shae

Today Brenda and Jodene earn a big time thanks for all the things they done for us. Especially Brenda she planned this whole summer. My best part is my attitue change so now I have more fun.
But my favorite animal is the seals, Tony and Pearl, out of those two my best one is… I’m going to say both of them! They both did excellent. I was scared of one of the lamas, the while one.
The train was awesome because I got to ride with my best friends Savanah and Shae. They are so cool, Shae helped me when I was afraid of the lama. But the zoo was awesome because of my attitude.
Dez

(Dez accepted Christ as her personally savior about 3 weeks ago and she truly as been a new person. Before I hated picking her up from school, she would have such a sour face and attitude, it made the whole day go bad. One day we were taking about the body of Christ and who that is. She broke into sobs and I took her outside to talk. She said she was crying because she didn't know if she was going to heaven or not and didn't know what to do. Finally an easy problem to fix, I actually had the answer. We talked, she prayed and she has been a new kid ever since. Miss Brenda)

Savanah pets a rat.

Pearl the Seal waves at us.

What I did today was went to the zoo. I walked around and saw all kinds of animals like camels, sheep, deer and snakes. The whole place was huge. The first thing I did was look at the seals. They did a performance for us. And one their names was Pearl and the others name was Tony. Tony was so good that she jumped through a hooli-hoop. Then Pearl just spun around and showed us her flippers and her silky coat.
Kemonterious

Savanah and Shae find out what it is like to be large chicks.

The Cheetah.

The camel waits for a snack.

Today we went to the zoo in Lincoln, it was fun for the most part. We went to the goat exhibit and fed the goats and the lamas. I also saw my friend Amy at the zoo working so I talked to her for a while. Then we went and looked at the seals and we watched them do some tricks. Then we went and saw some camels and fed them. Then we took a ride on the train.
Pierrie

Today we went to the zoo and we saw a cheetah, a monkey, snake, turtle and other animals. The train rides and the seals were the best out of the whole zoo. I want to thank Miss Brenda and Jodene for doing everything for us. Obasi spent a lot of money on us this week. So thank you.
Savanah

(All week the kids have been earning beads instead of Obasi Monopoly money for good behavior, learning things, doing well at camp, etc. They get colored beads for activities and green beads for doing chores. They need to earn 100 colored beads and 30 green beads to go on our end of the summer overnight trip. They have been pretty proud of how many beads they have earned this week. Today I informed them that they have to pay for things with their beads too, just like we did with Obasi Money. Some of them weren't to happy when they saw a lot of their beads disappearing for all the field trips and camps they participated in. So I explained to them how much real money Obasi had spent on them this week. Jodene explained to them this is what happens in real life you work and you have to pay for the things you need and want. So then you have to work more to get it back. I looked in Savanah's journal and she had written down all the fees I had named off and at written down the total. She's our little accountant.)

Savanah receives her hat and first pin.

At the end of each week the kids get the chance to recite their memory verse for the week. If they learn their verse they get a little miniature swap to put on their Obasi cap to help remind them of their verse and the lessons for the week. This week if they memorized their verse they got their cap and a big button that says, BE A HERO OF FAITH. They were so excited to recite their verses. They also received other awards for the week too. One is the Faith Hero of the Week, where we pick a person who has lived their faith that week. Our first Faith Hero was Pierrie. It is easier to live your faith while you are at Obasi, but harder for the kids when they are out in the world. We picked Pierrie this week because he lived out his faith at his new job. Doing his best for God and working hard, when it would have been easier to slack off like some of the other kids he is working with. Instead he was a great example and was noticed by his supervisors for having a great work ethic. On a personal note as a mentor that makes my heart, sing and dance. A few years ago when we started working with the kids to help with work ethic and doing your best, it was like pulling teeth, and we didn’t think that we would ever get to this point. God is so faithful, and we are grateful and excited.
Miss Brenda

The kids show off their new hats.

After the zoo and awards we were invited to the Cornhusker Kiwanis family picnic. It was beautiful outdoors and it was good to relax. We love doing anything with the Kiwanis they are a great group of people. They are always so good with the kids and love talking to them and celebrating their successes. We had a lot of fun. Thank you Cornhusker Kiwanis for all your kindness and support.
Miss Brenda

Hailey (the white dog,) was very excited, she thought that burger was hers, sadly later she discovered it was Jodene's and wasn't even going to get a taste of it.

After the picnic it was back to our last night of Track Camp. LaMario, Kemonterious, North Star Track Coach and Shae.

At track camp I learned about high jumping. When you high jump you have to bend over so that when you jump your back is slanted and you land on your shoulders. The other thing I learned was the long jump. When you start from the fifty yards and sprint and jump into the sand as far as you can.
Kemonterious

Triple Jumping Jacks!!!!!! Let me tell you what I learn about track camp. Well the first thing I learned was when you are getting ready to run someone will say runners to your mark and you will put both of your hands on your knees then they will say get set. Then your suppose to put your right hand on the ground then and your left hand is up in the air. Then you go. When you do the 200 meter you go half way around the when you do the 400 meter you go I time around. Then when you so the 800 meter you go twice around.
Shae
(Before writing this story, Shae came up to me and said I need to start this story out more exciting, can you help me with some words, we came up with Triple Jumping Jacks ! I am so excited that Shae is thinking about how her writing sounds, usually when I tell them we are going to write they all moan and grown and it is like pulling teeth, but this week they have been amazing, almost excited to write. I think that when they go back to school their teachers will be excited to see how much they have improved in writing. That is exciting.
I also have another story about the kids and track camp. Kemonterious, LaMario and Shae attended track camp all week. By the end of camp they were known as the Three Amigos, they went everywhere together. You call one they all would come. For the most part they did a really good job. Kemonterious is so fascinated with gadgets and trying out new things that he loses focus on what he is there for. They all improved in their running techniques. At the end of camp I told them they needed to go thank the coach for doing camp. So I sat on the bleachers and watched. They waited for the other kids to get their t-shirts and then when the coach was through, Shae took the boys to the coach and I heard her say- Coach, us, then she points at the three of them, just want to tell you thank you, we had a great time at camp. Thank you for letting us come. The coach makes a awww sound. Then Shae says, In fact we really should get a picture of all of us together. Then she comes over to me and says Miss Brenda we should have a picture with the coach, can you take one for us. So we took the above picture, it was so cute. Shae is our spokes women and little encourager. Miss Brenda.)

Kemonterious practices the 200.

Who Is Your Hero?

2007-06-14T09:22:00.000-04:00

This summer our theme is “Be A Hero of Faith.” Each week we will be learning about a Hero of Faith from the Bible. We will be learning about the obstacles each person overcame through their faith in God to become a Hero of Faith. The goal is for each of us to learn that we all have trials even the people in the Bible but through our faith in God we can be an over comer and a Hero of Faith. Our verse this week is Hebrews 11:6, Without faith it is impossible to please God. We talked about why we should want to please God, how to please God and why sometimes it’s not our priority to please God. This week we are also learning what it means to be a hero and thinking about who we look up to. We learned that we become who we look up to, so it is important to pick our heroes wisely. At the end of our lesson we were given an assignment to write a little about our hero or write God a letter thanking Him for putting that person in our lives. This is what the kids came up with. Some of the words are spelled incorrectly; I left them the way the kids wrote them because I think they made up some of their own words to describe how they feel.

Dear God ,
Thank you for putting my mom into my life. She has been wonderful. She puts a roof over my head, she helps me with my homework. She doesn’t push me into stuff I don’t want to do. She gets to work on time. She’s a waitress at Virginia’s Café. She goes as fast as she can. My mom stays at work until 8:30.
God please help my Mom keep her job so we have a roof over our heads and she will make a lot of money. Yesterday me and my brother Ty were home and we went over to the café and she bought us some food and one table didn’t leave her any money and I felt bad because she has done so much the first day of work. This is her 2nd day. Amen.

Savanah

Dear God,
Thank you for making Brenda. She is the most greatfulest person in my life. And I thank you for letting her be a part of my life. I picked her for my hero because without her my life would be terrified with smoking, stealing, fighting and thinking that I will not never go to heaven. But that all changed because I learn more about you God in church and many other places too. And I don’t care how bad my cousins want me to be I don’t want to be that way. And pop music that’s not a Christian thing that’s more like a using bad language thing. And this is how I feel.
Amen

Kemonterious.

Mom, she’s my hero because she cares for me and that she will do anything in the world for me. I’m really glad God put her in my life and I’m glad He made her because He made her just for me and for my family. Mom means so much to me and she means so much to God. I love my mom so much I sill do anything in the world for her and she would anything in the world for me. My mom is the only person I can look up to and I can look up to Jesus . God thanks for mom looking out for me and her being there for me and for being in my life because if it weren’t for her I wouldn’t be here. So mom thank you for everything you do for me because I really appreciate it. Your work , your kindness, and your careness and your sweetness. Oh and thanks for bringing me into the world and thanks Jesus for dying on the cross for my sins.
Shae

I am thankful for my mom because she loves me and she is nice. I can look up to her and she cares about me. I would be very sad if I were to lose my mom. I am glad God sent me an angel that I can call Mom, because mom means the whole world to me and I don’t care about how mad I get at her I will always love her. Every since I was born mom has been saving me.
LaMario

The persons who are my heroes are Steve Osenbaugh and Steve Mach. They are my heroes because they stand up for what they believe in and they are good men of the Word. Another reason why these men are my heroes is because they know how to take care of their families and how to be a good leader of their households.
They also go to church and are Godly men and they know how God really is. The reason why these men are my heroes is because they are so in love with God. Thes men are smart and I hope that I could be like them someday.
Dear God thank you for bringing these men into my life and that you can help them help me make great decisions and I could love you as much as they do. Thank you for all you have done for me and thank you for loving me.
Amen.
Pierrie

Dear God, thank you for my hero. I am very glad to be able to have my Granny as one on my heroes. She is the best . She helps me from time to time to learn how to help others and to build a great relationship with You. I love her and will always look up to her as a teacher. She is a great leader and a respectful follower. She loves you and she never wants me to let You go. God thank you for every special person You gave to teach me.
Amen
Marissa( Marissa has come back for a couple of days before moving to Mississippi)

Wednesday Activities

2007-06-14T07:36:00.000-04:00

Another busy day at Obasi Ministry. Wednesday's are puppet class with Mrs. B. The kids go over a script for one of their plays.

Shae practices the skit with her puppet.

Laura Mach is doing Hero themed cooking with us this summer. Today was building a hero sandwich.

Shae enjoys her hero Sandwich. Thanks Laura it was delicious.

After Bible Time we had Craft time.

Some of the kids made Father's Day gifts. Shae's can cozy said Dad, rember God.

Our First Missions Trip

2007-06-13T10:47:00.000-04:00

My dream someday is to be able to take the kids on Missions trip either to a different country or to some large inner city. But for us everything is about baby steps and preparing for the future. So our first Missions trip was to Firth Nebraska, about 20 minutes from Lincoln. We heard about a new camp opening up that needed a lot of work, so we volunteered to come and help for two days. The camp was originally a home for boys. It was shut down and was unused for quite some time. It has been purchased and the owners are getting it back together to use it for God.

Although it was hot, muggy and hard work we had a really great time. I was so proud of everyone, they worked very hard. I was excited to see that a lot of the things we had taught them about work a year or so ago they were using the last two days. It is so good to see them grow.

We would like to thank Oasis Camp for giving us the opportunity to serve. Thank you Katie and Becca for all your kindness and encouraging words, the kids loved you both. Thank you to my nieces Bailey and Ande and my nephew Payton for helping us the last two days. They really hussled and kept us all moving and working.

2nd Day at Oasis Camp

2007-06-13T10:08:00.000-04:00

Well today was our last day of helping at Camp Oasis. We had a great time cleaning up again. We spent most of the day inside , we were in a different dorm building cleaning in the bathrooms. Man were they Nasty. I was cleaning this shower , there were spiders and mice poop in them. NASTY!!! Katie told me to clean the shower curtain, that thing had a big spider on it, I left that room.
The shower wasn’t getting to clean so Jodene went and got this Mr. Clean Eraser for the shower it was AWESOME. It worked so good. Miss Brenda was cleaning the shower and she said it was like night and day. Katie tried it too and they she wanted to know how they made them, so she could make them too.
Then it was time to say good-bye to Katie and Becca.
Pierrie

Today I was cleaning out the shower, moving furniture and sweeping. I learned that when you help each other you get done faster. It’s fun helping each other. I helped Ande with the trash, Icky with his job and I helped Bailey mop.
LaMario

Today we did a lot of cleaning… when we were all done I went and looked at all the rooms, I made a joke that room #5 was mine., it was so clean and almost empty. I hope I can come here for camp someday and I hope that we can go to Katie and Becca’s camp,(Timberlake Ranch Camp). I am so glad that they helped us if they didn’t we would still be on the camp cleaning.
Shae

Today was awesome, I learned that cleaning is not about just cleaning it is about having fun. Today I cleaned the shower, vacuumed the floors, and took the bed racks to another room. Pierrie loved the magic eraser. Today was better than yesterday, not because we had less things to do. It is I had a Blast of Fun! Jodene, Bailey and Ande helped us clean but it seemed that Jodene did all the hard work. Becca and Katie helped us and the great thing is they are sweet. Becca helped me and Savannah with the bed rack’s. The rough part is having to say good-bye to them. I loved hanging out with them they are awesome. But I wish that we wouldn’t have to leave them.
Dezhanay

When we were sweeping I couldn’t keep doing it, but I got to clean the showers. Jodene left to get some Mister magic erasers but I didn’t get to use one but Pierrie got tot, he said they clean like magic just like it says on the box.
It was hard saying good-bye to Katie and Becca so I kept giving them hugs because it was just too hard to leave them. Katie is 17teen and Becca is 18teen.
Savanah

What I learned today was that when you others with things they get done quicker. Today what I did was went into a different dorm. I went into the other restroom where the other Obasi kids were cleaning at. So I swept in the bathroom and I vacuumed each room on the right and Dez vacuumed each room on the left. After that I helped Jodene with the conference room. There used to be carpet but they tore it off. So that’s why there was a lot of dirt on the floor. There were three people, me, Jodene and Shae sweeping. And we got the job done.Kemonterious Miss Brenda's Niece cleans a toilet
Pierrie mops

Moving couches

Good bye to Becca and Katie

Our First Day of Summer

2007-06-12T11:39:00.000-04:00

Our day started off really early with a really big OOPS. I thought track camp was at 7 a.m., in years past it had been in the morning, turns out it was 7 p.m. The kids really good though they all were up and ready to go, and oh so excited to run. Miss Brenda

Well today we had a blast kicking off our first day of Summer here at Obasi. We came out to Camp Oasis to help them clean out some rooms. Man, did they have a lot of stuff, but we had fun.
First, when we got there we met Mike, Katey, and Becca. They showed us what to d o. Some stuff was really heavy. Me and Payton were having fun carrying this big box thing. Pushing it back and forth trying to make each other fall.
After we moved all the stuff out of the building named Collin Hall, Mike took us out to play a game. There wasn’t a name for the game but we made a big circle and a person was in the middle and one or two people were outside of the circle trying to break into the circle trying too touch the person in the middle of the circle. It was a pretty fun game.
Then after we played the game we carried some benches out. Me, LaMario and Icky sanded them smooth so that Icky, LaMario, and Dez could paint them, they did a really good job. When they were painting everyone else was helping put in edging in the ground. Then we had some snack and listened to Miss Brenda’s ipod, she got some new speakers so we could listen to Nicole C. Mullen while we worked.
Then finally we moved over to the volleyball court and got to pick some weeds. Man, there were a lot of weeds in there we got them all and it took us maybe 45 minutes. Then when we got back to the van Miss Brenda showed us how to fill out our weekly report card and we got in the van for the ride home and wrote in our journals.
Pierrie

What I did today was moved chairs, lamps, tables and more. The next thing I did was took a break and then I went to the volleyball field and racked. I also dug up holes then once I was done I went back to the buildings and Miss Brenda showed us what we were going to do for the Summer. We are also coming back tomorrow and I can’t wait. Also the boys and Dez painted the chairs and the tables. Icky was about to sit on the table until Miss Brenda reminded him that the table was painted.
Shae

When we went to camp we painted benches and tables then we went to the volleyball court it was made out of sand then we had to pick up weeds and we learned our verses and earned 10 green beads and one colored bead. Then we left to go home and wrote in our notebooks. Oh and while we were there we cleaned out the dorms and played a game because Mike had to leave.Savanah

Lamario moving stuff

Shae and Savanah move stuff

Playing a game, which I call an intense version of Red Rover Red Rover.

Sanding benches

Painting benches

OOPs Number 2 I forgot the spoons on the counter at home, so we had a no hands pudding eating contest.

Removing dirt from the sidewalk edge so we could put in some edging.

So to be weed free volleyball court

Ride back to Lincoln

Back to Track Camp. It ended up being a 15 hour day for some of us. But all in all it was a great day. I was really proud of the kids for all their team work thoroughout the day with no grumbling and whining. They were awesome.

Gardening

2007-05-17T10:43:00.000-04:00

We have radishes...

And weeds!!!!!!

What I learned on doing the garden is you have to pick out the weeds. I found out that the weeds are darker than the plants. When you use the hoe you have to use the left tip of the hoe to get the weeds out. When the soil gets up the weeds won’t come back in. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree that was one of our consequences-weeds. The good thing that God made gardens so that we can eat vegetables and we can put them on our other foods.
Kemonterious

What I learned about today is that when you garden you have to hoe and pick up the plants that are trying to make the other plants die. Gardening is really fun. Sometimes when you take the plant out it’s like your taking out Satan. Plants are really fun to create. You can plant a lot of things. Maybe you should try to plant some seeds or make your own garden.
Shae

I learned that weeds are like sin and they are killing the plant so that’s why we had to pull out the weeds, so it would not kill the good plant and they grow so fast and so big they take up all the water. The reason that a garden is a good because it saves your money and gas.
LaMario

When Miss Brenda announced that the girls were going to plant a garden all the girls yelled, YAH! When we headed outside I got so excited to do planting. But what I learned about planting is that you have to kill the weeds. When you take the weeds out it’s like taking Satan out of your life and having only God in your life. When we were all done we looked at the tomatoes and it felt like God was growing bigger and bigger in my heart just like the tomatoes were growing big and strong. A garden is a big responsibility, remember to always check your plants that they don’t have any sinning plants.
Alexis

Mother's Day Gifts

2007-05-17T10:27:00.000-04:00

For Mother
For Mother's Day the kids made their Moms/guardians bracelets and jewelry boxes.

I Have Many Friends.

2007-05-14T12:29:00.000-04:00

A poem by Pierrie for school, He was suppose to use colors and the same line at the end of each verse.

I used to be like a brown and white beagle puppy,
Shy before strangers.
But now I'm yellow and verbose,
Sitting in class.
I have many friends.

I used to hide in the ack of the crowd,
Grey in the shadow.
But now I am a busy little bumble bee,
Bright yellow and black.
I have many friends.

I used to peek around corners,
With my big brown eyes.
But now I stroll through the building like I own the place,
Wearing my red suede.
I have many friends.

I used to run scared,
Like a white headless chicken.
But now I carry my bald fade,
Until my black burns grow back.
I have many friends.

Talk To The HAND.

2007-05-07T10:57:00.000-04:00

Savanah and Kemonterious practice their lines and hand movements.

Sunday- Kemonterious and Savanah came over and I had a surprise for them. The Little Blue Church donated their puppets to us. A lot of puppets!!!!!! We are going to be doing a lot with them this summer. We are so grateful for their kindness, this is going to save us a lot of money and work making our own. I thought it might be kinda of fun to get a couple of kids started on the puppets rather than try to teach them all at the same time. I found a great puppet skit on the internet that talks about Hebrews 12:1, a verse we have been studying.

Kemonterious and Savanah were so excited to see the puppets. They each picked out their favorites and named them. Savanah named hers Anna and Kemonterious named his Dontavian. They practiced for about an hour, they found out moving the puppets mouth at the right time is very tricky and that talking to another hand like it is another person takes a lot of practice.

On Monday they will be surprising the rest of the kids with their skit. I am really excited, I told them it was their turn to be evangelists.

Saturday Morning

2007-05-07T10:19:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning we were supposed to go run the Mayor's Run. Just as we were leaving the house it started to down pour and the race was canceled. It was very disappointing we were so ready for that race.
Instead of taking the kids home we thought it might be fun to hang out and watch our new Veggie Tale-Lord of the Beans, and Buzzbee the Bee.
After our movie session the kids wrote the following stories.

The Lord of the Beans-
I learned that you should use your gift wisely instead on stuff like things that don't last forever. Like the needy need help with their kids and parents. Instead of helping yourself help the people who really need help. When God looks down at you and your helping somebody it brightens your day and His day. You feel like your winning a big medal for doing something for somebody else and not yourself. If you do for yourself you're letting Satan trick your mind.
Alexis

I learned from the video that you have to help yourself then help someone else. I learned that God gave you a gift, your feet, arms, eyes, ears and mouth. god made you wisely. I also learned that never trust Satan because hee will make you do the wrong thing. Never steal, don't drink or smoke, it's the wrong thing to do especially around your kids.
Shae

I learned that you should use your gift to help other people instead of just using it just fory yourself. Help those in need and don't let Satan make you do bad things and it is good to help other people.
LaMario

Ephesians 2:10 was the verse in the video. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
I learned that when you get a gift from God you should always see what it's for. God gave you that for a reason.
Don't follow Satan because he is going to try and take that gift away from. You should always help others on what they need help on and don't let Satan trick your mind. If someone wants that gift that you have don't let them get it. That means do whatever that gift is meant for.
Kemonterious

Buzzby the Bee.
Proverbs 2:12-15
Wisdom willl save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wroing and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.

God talks about following the right path. God's rules are the best to follow. Always listen to God. Never follow Satan because he doesn't follow God. You should always follow God's rules. It doesn't make you cool if you don't follow God's rules.
Kemonterious

Buzzby Bee didn't think he needed to follow the rules because he thought he was King of the bees. He said that rules aren't cool, he is cool. God don't like you to be a rule breaker. God is the King, breaking the rules is not cool. Obey the rules. God makes rules because He loves us. God is with you wherever you go. Buzzby said sorry to God and said God you are King. God makes the rules to tell us He loves us and wants our lives to be great and wants us to get an education and have a better way of life.
Savanah

Always listen to God and don't make up your own rules. Do not make someone mad because Satan is taking over you. Follow God, always talk to God. God can tell you the truth. Those who don't follow the rules they will have to learn the hard way. Breaking the rules is not cool. It is important to not break the rules. God is next to cleanliness. Don't follow Satan follow God that's the right thing to do. Always ask God what you should do. God is with you when there's a problem. Your mother gave you rules to protect you. Always ask God for forgiveness and do the right thing. God made the rules to tell us that He loves us. God wants our lives to be happy and joyful and wants us to do the right thing.
Shae.

Gone Fishin

2007-04-30T15:04:00.000-04:00

Miss Brenda said were going fishing so we went to her house and got the worms. We had this big worm as big as my first finger. It was red at the top of it's head. With this worm we put it on the hook then we threw it in the water. I caught a fish then we threw it back in the water. Then I caught another fish, it looked like it was coming apart. ( It was the gills, the kids thought something was wrong with the fish). Then Margo the dog was trying to eat it.
Kemonterious

When I was on my way fishing we first went to get the fishing tool box and the we got the poles. We sent to McDonalds to get lunch. Then we were on our way to fish. When we got there we sat down with a blue blanket on the ground. Then we were getting ready to fish. We threw the poles into the water and I caught four fish.

Shae

Hershey Track Meet

2007-04-30T12:25:00.000-04:00

We love our new track uniforms. The kids did an awesome job doing the uniforms justice. When you have a verse on your back you really got to live it. Especially when they are lime green and you can see every move from every spot in the stadium. They were great sports, very positive and excited. We even had track officials come up and compliment the kids and staff on their positive behavior. The kids came home with five 1st place ribbons and a fourth place ribbon. They all qualified for the state meet in Grand Island in June. They all broke their personal bests. We are so proud of them not only for their winnings for the way they lived out the body of Christ.
Miss Brenda

On Saturday I got up for the big race. The track meet is called the Hershey track meet. We were getting ready and I went to race first, I did the 800 meter first and I got first place. Then Alexis came to run she got first place too. Then Shae came in first too. After that I ran again and got first in the 200 meter. Alexis got fourth. Shae got first. People were cheering us on.
Kemonterious

Let me tell you about the Hershey track meet. At first I was really nervous then I got scared but once I started to run I was cool. When I was done I felt like I was going to pass out. Then it came to my second race. It was half a lap. This girl started before me and I sprinted and passed her up. I was happy and tired that was the day my dream came true.
Shae

"Oh my goodness, I'm so nervous to run the race," I told Jodene. Then she said, "Oh don't be nervous." Then we went to Brenda's house and packed. We went to the Hershey track meet. We all stretched out to get ready. Then butterflies came in my stomach. Then we ran. They called out the 800 meter and the boys and girls ran together. When they started the reace this girl got in front of me then she got so slow I got to pass her. Now I know I can run the farther distants. I got first for the girls and Kemonterious got first for the boys. Then I ran the 200 and I got 4th place.
Alexis

The Obasi Cheer Team
On Saturday I went and watched Alexis, Icky and Shae run at the track meet. At the race I cheered for them and I also took care of Hayley and Gidget. I fed them and gave them water and shade. It was fun watching them run, I can't wait until the Mayor's run so I can run too.
Teijah

After the meet we went and had some lunch on the University Campus, it was beautiful.