Marla's Corner

15 years ago, I was introduced to four young ladies who could not read and was heading to the 5th grade. They came to our Vacation Bible School and “loved” everything we were doing, but just couldn’t read. They touched my heart and that is when God moved me and put a passion in my heart for the urban community. I would pick up two sisters weekly and tutor and mentor them. A relationship with the girls and their family grew into a love for these Hispanic families, their children and their community. (Aliens in our country as the Bible would call them.) After two years of working with these girls and their family, we found a building (Dean Hickerson, founder of “In His Service”) and we started teaching women English and working with all their children on school skills using the stories and words of the Bible; we offered crafts, music, refreshments. We put a little “sunshine” in their life each week. We have worked hard on social skills and character building. We have met needs: A refrigerator, clothing, beds, warm blankets and coats, food, help with a bill; Whatever the need, we have tried to help. Over the years our classes have evolved to meet the different needs of our women and children today.

We now have over 30-40 women learning English each week. We have three dedicated teachers who volunteer their time for our women and we work with 60-80 children each week at Bethany Community Center. On Thursday evenings we have between 15-20 volunteers who give their time, their “talents” and their love to these families. We work one on one with these children encouraging them to stay in school, do their best, make right choices and give their life to Christ. I don’t speak Spanish. I’ve tried. But I have learned over the years, when God puts a passion in your heart, when he calls you to do something….He will equip you; He will do it all through you. God has worked through this ministry and provided everything we need when we needed it. This is a God designed ministry. It is not modeled after anything else…we just do what needs to be done and we follow God’s leading and design.

The ministry has grown over the last 5 years as I took over as Director and I now work full-time in the urban community. God gave us the opportunity to be a part of and work with Good News Clubs in two of our urban schools, Quindaro Elementary and Mark Twain Elementary. Weekly, we organize and administer Clubs to 60-70 children at Quindaro and 50-60 children at Mark Twain. Words cannot begin to express how much I love these children and opportunities God gives us through these clubs to bring these children to Christ, to disciple them and help meet needs with them and their families. These children live in some pretty hard, difficult places and each week God brings them in so we can share Him and love on them! Talk about fruitful and eternal work! God gives me so much joy and I feel so honored to be able to serve Him in this way. There are many opportunities for “going” and “serving” and we always are looking for others to serve and go with us. The doors are open now, who knows how long? Each and every day, I wake up and say: God: I offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to you Lord, which is my spiritual act of worship. (Romans l2:1) I’m living each day, totally dependent on the Lord, listening to what he wants me to do and “going”. It is not easy. I don’t know what I’m doing - I just try to obey. He does it through me. There are tears. I cry and say, Lord, what can I do here, I can’t help them…please, show me what you want me to do. He does it! I invite you to come along with us and work and serve and see where God wants to take you too! You don’t have to know how or why or where. God goes before us and behind us. He doesn’t ask us to do anything that he won’t equip us to do. We just have to say “yes” and follow and obey Him. I challenge and invite you to step out and make your life here one that God will say some day- “Well done, my good and faithful servant”