Operation Christmas Child

For the past few years, BCC Youth has partnered with Operation Christmas Child to help provide shoeboxes for impoverished children around the world at Christmas time.

We are committed to helping, serving, and blessing the less fortunate throughout the year and offer multiple opportunities each season (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer)

One of our favorite has always been Operation Christmas Child.  We generally have around 30-40 students participated and over 150 from our church.

In fact, this year Bedford Community Church has been chosen to be one of the distribution centers for Westchester County and our highs school youth group will be on hand on Wednesday, Nov 17th to receive and organize all incoming donations.

A shoebox is provided and our task is to fill it with small gifts to give either a boy or girl.  These boxes then get distributed all around the world, especially to children in third-world countries.

What I like about this ministry is that each of our students has the responsibility to go out and intentionally shop for another child.

Sometimes, simply giving money can be easier, but also less personal.

However, when you are going out and spending your own money to purchase toys and gifts, it takes on a whole new meaning.

We will also be joining with the Junior League of Northern Westchester to provide a complete Christmas wish list for two entire families living in our community.

These service opportunities help make the true meaning of Christmas become real and applicable to our youth group.  These moments help unite our students with a clear sense of purpose and mission and helps them realize that they too can contribute in signficant ways to promote God’s love and the hope and joy of Jesus.

Operation Christmas Child info

Hope in the Darkness

Wednesday January 6, 2010 Sarah Esselborn                Bedford Community Church

So, it is our second full day of ministry here in Haiti. And as I reflect on yesterday, I think God was really just showing me the suffering of Haiti. It was definitely a different perspective than I have ever seen in my life; little children who do not know what it’s like to laugh or smile and just the extreme state of poverty, and hopelessness. God has already begun to show me where I may fit into this suffering, the purpose I came to Haiti this week. I know that He will continue to reveal it to me.

This morning, we headed out to a village, Simonette, which was right on the ocean. On the drive there, we truly got to see God’s beauty in nature through the trees full of fruit, and the crystal clear ocean waters.

We then got out of the trucks and prepared to head out to get children to come to our kids club. I went with Emily, Dave and Ralph. During this time, it was such a pleasure to just see Ralph talking with these children and people in his language. Even though I did not understand a word, I really loved just to see him in his element and really thriving. Ralph has truly been an amazing addition to our team here. Personally, he has helped me to better understand the culture and language, which has been extremely meaningful.

Our kids club went really well. Their energy and smiles were contagious. It is awesome to just know that we can pour out all of our energy into these kids and it makes such a big difference in their lives. We are not really sure of the long-term impact that we are leaving in this village. Did our message reach their hearts? Who in this community is the future leader? This is in God’s hands, and it is comforting to know that even though we are not there in the days to come, we left a mark on their hearts, giving them the best gift we could; it’s truly a gift filled with hope, a future and it’s found in Jesus. I know for all of us, their faces will stay with us forever.

After lunch at BB’s we went to go on our river walk to one of the villages that was higher up in the mountain. I was really looking forward to this. Immediately after we arrived at the first river crossing, all these children came out of their houses and latched. I did not even know where the two girls who were at both of my hands had come from, they just showed up. As we walked I just kept looking at the beauty of everything around me. The rows of plantain trees, the big mountains, and the two beautiful girls holding onto me with all their strength. If I for one second let go of their hand to take a picture, they would find something else to hold, like my shirt or backpack.

At this point in the walk, I was very frustrated that I could not say anything to them. My Creole had only consisted of about 5 phrases at that time, and once I ran out, I simply smiled. I had a feeling that was enough though, but it still frustrated me. I kept thinking that if only I could talk with them more, I could have more of an impact. God was going to give me insight on this later.

When we got to the village, we started our kids club under this big tree. This was truly an awesome group of kids. They were so interested and really seemed to enjoy everything that we did and played with them. Even though by this time, we were all tired, God just provided us with the strength and pushed out the tiredness. We were re-fueled to just love on them, dance like fools, and laugh a lot. One bible passage that really has impacted me this week is

Isaiah 40: 29-31. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; ³¹ but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

When I read this, the part, “will renew their strength” really hits me. When we go through long days of just pouring ourselves out, God really does renew our strength, and fill us up again to continue on.  Here in Haiti, it is easy to see this promise being fulfilled.

As we headed back down to our truck, out of the crowds came Lynda, who during kids club was in the crowd, but immediately she found me when it was time to leave. The other girl who was holding my hand joined us a few steps later.

One of the most powerful experiences of my trip was had on the way back down the mountain. Adam, one of our team members, had a box of Band-Aids and some antiseptic wipes. He was just on the side of the path, cleaning a child’s cut. It was such a simple action, but so powerful as I watched this while passing by. I have known that God is calling me into missions for a while now, but I have always thought there might be something more, and I fully trusted that when the time was right, he would continue to reveal his plans for my life. Well, this must have been a good time.

God had made it pretty clear to me through this action and the conversations with Ralph and Dan afterward that He was calling me to become a doctor and to serve the people here in that way. This has been what I have dreamed about for many years, ever since I wondered if God was going to use me in missions. I have always wanted to be a doctor, but wondered if God was going to use this desire for his Kingdom. Being with these people and physically being able to heal them, I cannot picture anything I would rather do. In these past 2 days, God has been showing me the suffering of Haiti and now, He has clarified my part in that suffering, what He is calling me to do about that suffering.

God also was showing me that, even though I was not able to say anything to Lynda, the love and smiles were enough. On the way down, He gave me just an overwhelming sense of peace and comfort. I know that the time I spent with her was precious, and as I watched her run off to her home near the end of the walk, I was sad to see her go. I did not know what she was going back to, her family situation, or if she even had a meal to eat that night. I just prayed that I the kids club impacted her just as much as she impacted me.

Today was full of learning, which will probably take me weeks and months to process. I absolutely loved every second of it. Haiti is growing on me; I love it more and more each day.

Post-Earthquake

The news of the earthquake hit really hard. I found myself on my knees, weeping; my heart was torn. It didn’t make sense why this would happen to a nation that was already in dire need. The initial desire was to go back, but what could we do there? There was really no room for extra bodies. Haiti began to consume my every thought. In school, I would get caught daydreaming about Haiti, but my teachers didn’t know the immense impact it had on me. Even though my life moved on, I went to school, did my work, spent time with my family, friends, my heart was still in Haiti with the people and my heart was for Haiti.

When I was coming home on the plane, I wrote letters to my parents and my sisters, knowing that I had a specific thing to tell each one of them, that I wanted them to preserve forever. I told my parents “I left a piece of my heart in Haiti, but this is just what God intended. Physically, and emotionally I am drained, but my heart still overflows for Haiti.” I know that God is calling me back to Haiti; maybe its next year, or maybe ten years from now, but I know I am not done. I did not realize how much my heart actually overflows for Haiti until now. We had invested so much, and this is why we feel this deep and burning heart ache now.

But this heavy heart of mine is going to be put to good use. I have come to realize there is so much more I can do for Haiti here. I can still serve them with the same heart and love, just in different ways.  So, I am pursuing that. We are so blessed here, and over the next few months, I not only hope to show others my heart for Haiti and how much it means to me, but what role they can play in restoration, and the rebuilding process of Haiti.

I am confident that God will renew the Haitians strength. He will lift them up so they can soar. I have full faith and trust that God is using this devastating situation for His plans and through this, Haiti will become stronger. It is amazing to think about the people we met just a few weeks ago. Some kids in the dump were so close to accepting Jesus. I can’t help but wonder, was this the moment? For how many others has this situation revealed a need for God just for hope and strength? I hope many.

Last week, I wrote this poem about Haiti, right around the time when I was realizing that there is hope for Haiti, so much hope. God has truly opened my eyes to the suffering of Haiti, my role in that suffering, and just the immense hope and love that He has for Haiti. And even in this time of sadness and devastation, there is an overwhelming sense of peace that I know God has given me. He has been reassuring me that He has great plans for Haiti, and those plans will be fulfilled.

Hope in the Darkness

Poverty, despair, darkness,

A child without clothes

The last bowl of rice.

Hungry, tired, desperate.

Rummaging in the trash for

Steele, glass, rubber, anything

To salvage, trade, for hope.

Simonette, “komon u ye?”

A beautiful village on the ocean

Beautiful people, in a dark place.

Pain, struggles, voodoo

Where is the hope?

He says,

As high as the highest mountain,

My Kingdom will extend.

The little smile in the orphanage,

A well dug, clean water found.

Simple phrases like “ou bel”

A new harvest.

The future leaders

With eyes that sparkle.

You may only be 9, but God declares

For I know the plans I have for you

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Little by little,

One meal at a time,

One leader at a time,

One heart at a time,

Haiti is changing.

God’s presence is evident

His plans will be fulfilled

There is hope.

Food Drive this Thanksgiving at BCC

This year, Bedford Community Church and our youth are partnering with the Katonah Community Center to help provide food for the less fortunate in our area.

Katonah Community Center of N. Westchester

Please click on the link above to learn more about the mission, vision, and purpose of the center.

Welcome to The Community
Center of Northern Westchester,
a volunteer organization that continually
seeks to improve the well-being of our
neighbors in need by providing food,
clothing and access to other resources.

Our church helped out last year during our C.S.I weekend (Consider Serving Instead) by cleaning up their yard, but they are always looking for volunteers to help sort clothes, food, and teach skills to those in need. BCC is planning on becoming a sponsoring partner in 2010.

This November, BCC Youth teens will be collecting canned foods and other non perishable items.  This Wednesday during Fusion, our High school students will spend the first part of youth group going out into the community to help raise awareness and collect food.  We hope to get as many of our friends and neighbors involved and participating as possible.

Our goal this year is to collect 500 pounds of food for the community center.

Will you help us meet our goal and join with us as we partner with this great organization this holiday season?

I have included a section from their website about the center and its volunteers:

The Community Center of Northern Westchester is a warm and caring place dedicated to helping neighbors in need. With the support of 26 sponsoring organizations, and the generosity and volunteer power of residents from all over Northern Westchester, we offer food and clothing, as well as other programs designed to meet the needs of those living in the Northern Westchester community.

Please join in opening your hearts to help and support your neighbors in need.

Our dedicated volunteers are the life-blood of the Center and make everything we do possible. We could not function without the time, energy and commitment they generously provide. Volunteers are of all ages, from teenagers eager to perform community service, to parents with school-aged children, and retirees who now have time and want to give back to their community.

Many of our volunteers work in one of three areas – the Donations Room, the Food Pantry, or the Clothing Boutique- and work alongside one or two other volunteers on the same shift. There are nine three-hour shifts per week: 10 am to 1 pm or 1 pm to 4 pm, Tuesday through Friday; and 10 am to 1 pm on Saturday. Some volunteers dedicate themselves to a regular shift each week, some come more often, and some come once a month. Others fill in when a regular volunteer is unavailable.

Other volunteers participate in the Center’s work by teaching English or computer skills, working in our garden, matching furniture donors with recipients, packing school supplies, or assisting in our fundraising efforts. We have many ways you can volunteer; we’ll try to find a way that suits your talents and inclinations. We welcome and appreciate all contributions of time and effort. If you would like to learn more about volunteer opportunities at the Center, please contact us.

$ 5 training to be held at BCC this fall

This fall (Saturday October 3), BCC has the honor of hosting Barefoot Ministries $5 youth leader training. We are one of only 8 host churches in the nation and will be representing the great NYC metro area and the North East. For more information, check out the link below.  

$5 Training

This will be a great way for youth leaders and volunteers from our area to connect, learn, network, and share with one another as we discuss the challenges, hope, dreams, and aspirations for youth ministry in our context.  If you are in the area, we would love to have to come and join us and partner together to help change the face and future of youth ministry here in the Northeast. 

Trip recap and link to pics and video presentation

 

Newark mission trip video

Click on the above link to watch the video presentation that was shown at the worship services at BCC this past weekend.

You can also check out my facebook page for a 200 picture photo album of our trip compiled from 5 different cameras.

Our trip was a wonderful experience as 45 students and adults from 3 churches in Westchester County NY traveled down to Newark, NJ to bless that city.

We worked hard on big and small projects, visited people and churches, fed the homeless, ran sports outreaches in the community, shared God’s love with people in parks, organized a Vacation Bible Club at two locations, and did everything for the Love of God.

Some of the work seemed monotonous and times, but our students realized that everything we do matters to God and we are to work at every task as if we were doing it for Jesus. This mindset completely transformed our projects into worship experiences.  We did not need to know the outcome of our work or receive recognition for we knew that God was smiling upon us.

We did our best to bring joy, laughter, and hope to the people in this forgotten city.  We served wherever a need or opportunity came up and were willing to scrub pots if it helped make someones life easier. 

Our interactions and conversations with people were all Spirit driven and lead.   While we hoped to be a blessing, the people of Newark blessed us in so many ways.   

Of course we realized that “the harvest is full but the workers are few”.  There is so much to still be done in this city.  While we were able to finish some of the projects we worked on, others remained uncompleted for who knows how long.  In addition, it is not hard to look around the community and see hundreds of needs (physically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually).  Many of our students left wondering what an additional week could have accomplished.  Some left making a promised to return to continue the work we began.  

We hope that we left a lasting mark on the city of Newark, the missionaries of World Impact, and the people between Sussex and Orange Ave.  We also hope that this experience will challenge and inspire us to look around more closely in our home communities to find similar needs.  While Newark is fairly close geographically to all 3 churches, there are cities and communities in need much closer.  What will we do about those?

From a youth pastor perspective, it was amazing to watch 3 youth groups come together and work towards common goals.  We laughed, prayed, played, and sweat together for a week in Newark and I believe bonded beyond expectations.  John Bagwell of Ridgeway Alliance and Dave Stradling of Hillside Church lead their ministries with common ideologies and vision as I do.  I appreciate their friendship and fellowship and look forward to joining together more often and bring our groups together to make an impact and difference here in Westchester.

We had the privledge of seeing our students at their very best.  Their attitudes were great, displaying humility, servanthood,, compassion, and love.  They loved God and loved others by serving God and serving others.  They worked at whatever they were doing for the glory of God.  In many ways, our students inspired and challenged us to come back home and continue to live as missionaries; be the hands, feet, and mouth of Jesus.  

“Lord, may we continue to do that things we did down in Newark.  Give us a vision and passion for our home cities and communities and use us to bring hope, healing, and salvation here just as you did through us down there.”

In Jesus,

Dan Haugh, Pastor of Student Ministries  BCC Youth

Photo album Newark Mission trip 09

Group D- Report for the week so far…

First of all Group D would like to thank those back home who are supporting us and please continue to pray for us. Group D is comprised of 2 leaders and several youth from different churches: Jon Bagwell from Ridgeway and Claudia Palacios from Bedford. Isaac and Alexej from Hillside, Haley from Bedford, and Kyra and Lila from Ridgeway.

On Sunday, we went to Cornerstone church for our Sunday service. The speaker that day was the president of World Impact, which is the organisation we are working with. He told us the story of how World Impact began and even mentioned the place we are staying at, an old school turned into an inner-city outreach center. After that, the 3 youth groups went to the park to play with some kids. We took a LONG walk to get to the park. Once there we all got into a circle and did a big group prayer. After we split up Haley went to draw with chalk,and give out princess stickers.Her and some other kids made a large hopscotch. While Claudia used her Spanish to talk to some of the children’s mothers about VBC (vacation bible club).Lila enjoyed playing soccer and blowing bubbles. Kyra played baseball with some of the kids,and Isaac and Alexej played some frisbee. Afterwards we split into several groups and went around the city inviting people to come to Vacation Bible <i>Club</i> . Afterwords we enjoyed a hearty meal and a good night’s sleep.

On Monday we had to wake up early to make breakfast. We were the pioneers of the kitchen! We got there and had to find everything. There was NOT much food there. We found eggs and four loafs of bread. Kyra and Lila made toast in the oven. We had three types of cereal. Claudia and I (haley) made the eggs in the pans, After Alexej and Isaac cracked them into the bowl. John got the pans out of the holders and helped us get the eggs into the pan and out on the table to be served. Like every morning we have a devotion time after breakfast for about a half hour. Then we get to work, on Monday we cleaned the garage in the morning and did evangelism in the afternoon. The garage in a MESS there is stuff everywhere and the lady Louise who is talking care of it wants to turn it into a thrift store and a food pantry. So as of Monday we were cleaning out half of it to be able to scrape off the old paint and repaint it. There was everything in that place, from tanks of oil to golf clubs you name and it was in there. It was a big mess but it was fun as well. After lunch we went with Dave and Kim to do evangelism in the park. Dave does a magic show in which he explains the bible and how to become and be a good christian. At the end we pray and ask if anyone would like to dedicate their life to Jesus and we had about 8 kids raise their hands. Then we talked with some people.It was a amazing day.

On Tuesday, we had fence duty all day. Luckily the group before us had already scratched off the rust so all we had to do was paint. we had buckets of thick black paint. It looked and felt like tar. We used latex gloves but there was really nothing you could do to get away from the paint. It was a VERY messy job. Alexej and Lila were on the scaffolding. It took us a while to finish but it looked good in the end, although we dropped paint on the sidewalk which was what we were trying to avoid the whole afternoon. We had to get some of the clothes from the garage and use this oil stuff that we basically bathed in ourselves to get the paint off. We had to pour it on the sidewalk and we were all scrubbing the sidewalk. We all got paint in our hair and all over our legs and arms. Lila and Kyra wrote their names in the paint on their legs. Which they regretted much later when they were showering. All in all it was a fun day and our group really bonded.

 

Today- We had garage all day and the good will food pantry. We were in the garage today scraping the old paint off the walls and repainting the walls and ceiling. Lila and myself (haley) were on the scaffolding all day doing the celling. Kyra also joined us doing the celling.  Alexej and Isaac  were scraping and painting, they also pushed us on the scaffolding. Also some of the group went to the GoodWill rescue mission and served food.   Goodwill Rescue Mission

Tommorow we have VBC (vacation bible club) we are all looking foward to seeing the kids and seeing what god has in store for us the rest of the week.

- Haley, Claudia, Alexej,Lila,Kyra,Isaac, John.