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| Summer Wednesday Cookout Ending the evening in prayer. |
It has been a little over 2.5 yrs. since we moved into Pitcairn. When we decided to make the move here there were some who thought we were crazy, and some who thought we were amazing. We had decided not to believe any of them and just follow what we believed was God's calling for our lives.
We are so thankful that we made the move! God has shown us and taught us so much and continues to do so every day.
There are about 20 boys (6th-12th grade) that hang out with us with an average of 12 boys per week joining us for our Wednesday dinners. During the dinner we catch up, hang out and have a lesson from the Word as well as Life Lessons. We have been blessed by several men stopping by to share their life and Christ with the boys. There are a handful of boys that have been with us since the beginning and they stop by often to say "hi" or to get a drink or snack. And more than once a week someone stops by to get their bike worked on by Gary. This has been a great way for Gary to have one on one conversations with the boys and teach them a thing or two about how to fix things. Thanks to so many who donated bikes, we have been able to give a bike to almost all the boys.
Jeff continues to help a few of the boys with school work and encouraging them to read!! Dawn & Jeff Owen continue to be a huge blessing to us and constantly have kids in and out of their home too. They also have a front porch filled with books and a doll house for the little girls that live across the street from them. They also hosted "Sky VBS" in their home in August. It was great fun and we not only had neighborhood kids attend, we had neighborhood kids help out as leaders!! It is such fun to serve together with the Owens!
Dawn and I have begun meeting with three 9th grade girls. We are going through a devotional called "God Girl" we gave them Bibles, went shopping with them and bought them journals and highlighters so they can highlight things that have made them stop and think. The girls have been very open with us about their lives and sharing their struggles and joys.
Next up is a monthly brunch in my home. The plan is to gather monthly with women from New Covenant and the Pitcairn Church as well as women from my neighborhood. We will enjoy brunch, fellowship, and a time of prayer. I am looking forward to building new relationships and getting to know the women better than just a passing "hello". We have secured childcare during the brunch at the Pitcairn church which is a mere 85 steps from my front door!
Dave and Kerri Schweissing are also in town and continually show hospitality to their neighbors, you will see them up and down the street meeting and talking to everyone. Kerri will be hosting a women's weekly study in her home again this year.
Gary is on the board of Pitcairn Community Ministries and they have been leading an after school tutoring program that has been a wonderful blessing to the elementary students in Pitcairn. They average about 24 children every Wednesday. There are almost as many volunteer tutors as there are children. PCM is now adding a Thursday "Reading Clubhouse" for children grades 1st-3rd.
Gary and Jeff are hoping to meet with a friend of ours who leads a mentoring program in the City of Pittsburgh and see if we can begin something similar in Pitcairn. While we enjoy everything we do, sometimes we feel that we cannot cover everything. So we are praying for those who might consider mentoring some of the kids along with us. Above all we know that God is the one caring and providing for our neighbors and we are just thankful to be a part of it all.
As you see so much is happening in our little neighborhood. We covet your prayers and we covet your help!! If you feel called to assist in any of the above, please let me know. We would love to have you join us in this adventure :)
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