Newsletter
Matthew 7:13,14
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” NIV
Traffic Jam on the Narrow Road
A few years ago The Caring Place took a group of teens to visit Levi Coffman’s home in Richmond, Indiana. As we learned about Levi Coffman and his heroic success at freeing hundreds of slaves, I was struck by story about how he was later recognized by so many he had helped to set free yet he could not remember all of their faces. This made me think about heaven. One day as we walk down the streets of heaven will there be anyone thanking us for our part in their being there?
The road to heaven is narrow Jesus told us. I trust we are all working diligently to cause a traffic jam on that road.
Scholarship Winner Able to Pursue Her Passion
Ever since Adrianna Walker was a young girl, she loved helping people when they were hurt. She’s currently doing this at The Caring Place where she builds relationships with at-risk kids. And she’s hoping to take this passion to the next level when she becomes a nurse – in part, thanks to The Caring Place Foundation.
Adrianna, 18, is one of five college freshmen who earned a $1,000 scholarship designed to help at-risk, inner city students go to school. She plans to attend Ivy Tech Community College in the fall and then go to Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis or Ball State University. Adrianna grew up at The Caring Place and plans to keep volunteering there while in college.
“I want to be there for the kids like someone was there for me when I was younger,” Adrianna says. The Caring Place helped her get through a tough time in her childhood. She began attending The Caring Place at about 7 years old and continued going with her two brothers and older sister. “When I was younger, we lost our house,” says Adrianna, who credits The Caring Place for helping her to become a strong person in God. “The people at The Caring Place helped us find another one and helped us get back on our feet. They were there through the whole experience.”
Adrianna began volunteering with The Caring Place at around age 14 and helps Saturday Program kids cheer their teammates on during games and sparks conversations with them. She remembers a particular instance when one little girl had a bad attitude because she was upset about something going on at her home. After Adrianna sat with her on the bleachers and had a heart-to-heart conversation with her, the little girl apologized for her attitude and thanked Adrianna for her attention.
“It makes me feel really good that I can calm somebody down or make them feel better,” Adrianna says. “I can help them get through their problems.”
The Caring Place has brought a message of hope to more than 20,000 children through its Saturday Program. Your financial support, volunteer efforts and prayers make success stories like those of Adrianna’s possible. With your help, we can continue to reach the local community for the glory of God.
Because of your generous giving to The Caring Place Foundation, Adrianna and other high school graduates are able to pursue higher education with financial help. Please continue supporting The Caring Place Foundation and keeping us in your prayers as we seek to touch the lives of young people in many ways for God’s Kingdom.
Keeping in Touch
Getting Louder
A recent grant to The Caring Place is music to our ears and to the ears of the
children The Caring Place serves through its “Keeping in Touch,” or K.I.T.,
summer activities program.
The Caring Place recently received a grant to purchase four sound systems for the K.I.T. ministry. For
neighborhood kids, K.I.T. means summer days filled with games, candy and speakers booming with music by Legend Entertainment Group – or L.E.G. The vans that pull into these children’s neighborhoods and apartments are filled with youth groups from area churches who have volunteered to host the summertime activities.
The goal of K.I.T. is to bring families and children of all ages to Jesus Christ and to build relationships with them in a fun environment ripe with water balloons and good summer soakings. Kids also can look forward to kickball, tug-of-war and plenty of other games that spark smiles. In addition, the children received a brief spiritual teaching that points them to hope in Christ.
The benefit of K.I.T. is that The Caring Place can continue to have a strong, positive presence in the children’s neighborhoods during the summer at no cost to them. The Caring Place also connects with many new kids who can join The Caring Place this coming fall.
Pray that K.I.T. continues to expand in its efforts to bring the gospel
to children by establishing strong bonds of love for Christ’s glory.
Sunday Munching Under Way
Families in The Caring Place neighborhoods now have a place they
can be fed both physically and spiritually on Sunday.
A new Caring Place Sunday lunch ministry, which began in March, takes place the fourth Sunday of each month. The lunch is a spin-off of The Caring Place breakfast ministry, which offers breakfast to community members on Mondays and Thursdays. The breakfast has been in place for several years and averages about 100 to 120 people each week.
During The Caring Place’s new Sunday lunch ministry, community members eat a delicious meal while watching a video of the previous week’s sermon at Calvary Temple of Indianapolis. In fact, the diners actually get involved in the video sermon by clapping or standing during prayer time.
The Caring Place can use your help if you enjoy preparing meals or can contribute financially to the purchase of food items. With your support, we can continue serving our community members every month, reaching their stomachs and their hearts for the edification of God’s Kingdom. Please pray with us as we seek to grow this ministry.
