We added a new partner to the team today. At church today I (Caitlin) went up to have the prayer counselors pray for the basketball camp, especially in the areas of publicity. Strangely enough, one of them works at the Evansville Christian Life Center- another inner-city ministry here in Evansville. After we finished praying, I told her more about what we are going to be doing and she offered to help us publicize the camp there. So today I E-mailed her the flier and liability form. Hold on to your hats, boys- it's gonna be a wild ride!
It's funny how networking in Christ works. In the 'secular' (I hate that word) world, people have to almost force relationships to meet people who can help them advance. In Christ's kingdom, He puts relationships in place so that we almost stumble over them and His will is done to the surprise of us meager humans. Praise the Lord for His mighty ways!
The lesson writing is going well- though the Scripture for the first lesson has changed. Instead of using 1 Samuel 15:1-23 as a lesson in obedience, Peter suggested that we talk about Sampson and how he wasn't supposed to cut his hair and the consequences of that, instead of talking about violence to a bunch of inner-city kids. It sounded wise to me.
Lastly, the t-shirts were sent in last night for a price estimate. Since we still don't know how many kids are coming, Peter N. and I decided that we would order 10 t-shirts, first come, first serve. The shirts will be orange with "Blacktop Basketball Camp" in large, black letters across the chest. To the bottom left (looking at the shirt) are the words, "Sharing the love of Christ through the love of a game," and to the bottom right is an outline of a basketball.
Please keep praying for publicity. This is probably our biggest hurdle right now. Please also pray for safe travels for Kayla and Kathryn as they return from their mission trips. Safety for the kids (and coaches) who come. Open hearts for the kids and humility for the coaches.
Thank you all so much for your prayers and partnership!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Got Milk?
OK, the title is somewhat deceptive, because we don't have milk, either, at least, not for the camp. Rather, the title should read Got Basketballs? because WE DO! Wal-Mart on the west side donated $50 for us to purchase supplies for our camp- that was enough for 11 basketballs and 22 folders (20 for the playbooks for the kids; two for the coaches to share and two because there are two courts at IMPACT). Thank you so much for the prayers- God is listening and answering!
Also, please keep praying for publicity. We're still having a hard time getting the word out. Thanks so much!
Also, please keep praying for publicity. We're still having a hard time getting the word out. Thanks so much!
Coach Peter N. is quite excited about the basketballs. :-)
Monday, July 25, 2011
Killing Giants
Hello, friends, family, and prayer partners!
It looks like the t-shirts are going to be a little more expensive than I thought they were going to be, so please be praying that the money we're hoping to get comes through. We really want the kids to be able to walk away from the camp with a basketball and a t-shirt; we want to make this experience just like any other (but more expensive and secular) basketball camp because we feel like ALL kids deserve a chance to go to a basketball camp AND hear the Word of God. We want to show the children that we love them using as many love languages we know how to. So please be praying that all of this works out.
The letter to Wal-Mart asking for basketballs is in, but I was unable to get any answers when I followed up with them today. At the moment, my contact (I feel like a secret agent) has not checked her mailbox in a few days, so she's not even sure if she has received the letter. Please be praying that (God's will be done first and foremost, but from a human stand-point...) we get the basketballs from Wal-Mart.
Lastly, God has been speaking in huge ways. First, the sermon at church yesterday was about waiting on God's timing. During communion, God told me (Caitlin) that I hadn't been waiting on His timing, but that He was going to do something big, anyway. I'm not sure if He means for the camp (that's sure my hope!) or to us the coaches, but praise the Lord! This camp is all for His glory, so let His will be done! And I will try harder to wait on His timing...
Second, I read 1 Chronicles 20 during my quiet time. We always hear about how David killed Goliath, but we never hear about this passage, about how his actions and leadership inspired people to go out and kill their own giants. We're going to see this camp through until the end. Maybe we won't even kill our own 'giant-' the obstacles and the running of the basketball camp- but maybe we'll inspire others to see the importance of social justice. Maybe others will see our passion for searching for people who are 'lost' and realize they only have one life to live for Jesus. Maybe people will see our passion for Jesus and ask questions. Whatever it is, God is going to use this basketball camp for something, so we're going to fight all the obstacles in our way, and God-willing, kill them.
Come on, y'all- let's go kill a giant! You can help through your prayerful support! Thank you all so much!
It looks like the t-shirts are going to be a little more expensive than I thought they were going to be, so please be praying that the money we're hoping to get comes through. We really want the kids to be able to walk away from the camp with a basketball and a t-shirt; we want to make this experience just like any other (but more expensive and secular) basketball camp because we feel like ALL kids deserve a chance to go to a basketball camp AND hear the Word of God. We want to show the children that we love them using as many love languages we know how to. So please be praying that all of this works out.
The letter to Wal-Mart asking for basketballs is in, but I was unable to get any answers when I followed up with them today. At the moment, my contact (I feel like a secret agent) has not checked her mailbox in a few days, so she's not even sure if she has received the letter. Please be praying that (God's will be done first and foremost, but from a human stand-point...) we get the basketballs from Wal-Mart.
Lastly, God has been speaking in huge ways. First, the sermon at church yesterday was about waiting on God's timing. During communion, God told me (Caitlin) that I hadn't been waiting on His timing, but that He was going to do something big, anyway. I'm not sure if He means for the camp (that's sure my hope!) or to us the coaches, but praise the Lord! This camp is all for His glory, so let His will be done! And I will try harder to wait on His timing...
Second, I read 1 Chronicles 20 during my quiet time. We always hear about how David killed Goliath, but we never hear about this passage, about how his actions and leadership inspired people to go out and kill their own giants. We're going to see this camp through until the end. Maybe we won't even kill our own 'giant-' the obstacles and the running of the basketball camp- but maybe we'll inspire others to see the importance of social justice. Maybe others will see our passion for searching for people who are 'lost' and realize they only have one life to live for Jesus. Maybe people will see our passion for Jesus and ask questions. Whatever it is, God is going to use this basketball camp for something, so we're going to fight all the obstacles in our way, and God-willing, kill them.
Come on, y'all- let's go kill a giant! You can help through your prayerful support! Thank you all so much!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
First Lesson Written
Wooo! We've reached a pretty exciting time- the first Bible lesson ("Obeying Coach") has been written! It's going to sit for a few days and then will be edited. It's pretty exciting, Coach Caitlin will share her testimony and the kids will be asked if they have any questions about making Jesus their 'coach.' Please pray that this lesson- and all the others- are full of the Spirit and that the kids feel His presence and are impacted in huge ways.
Also, the letter for Wal-Mart is printed and will be picked up this afternoon. Hopefully it will be delivered to Wal-Mart tomorrow. PLEASE PRAY that we get these basketballs- we're getting very close to the basketball camp and it would be great to have basketballs at a basketball camp. Funny how that works.
Another step: The fliers are in their final editing stage and preparations are being made to get them out to children. This is much later than we had intended, but God works on His own time-table, not ours. Please pray that the fliers make it into the hands of children hungry for a Savior (or in need of encouragement in their spiritual walk) and that the kids who need to be there come. Please also pray for peace for us as coaches, because some of us are starting to feel like we're being pressed for time.
Also, the letter for Wal-Mart is printed and will be picked up this afternoon. Hopefully it will be delivered to Wal-Mart tomorrow. PLEASE PRAY that we get these basketballs- we're getting very close to the basketball camp and it would be great to have basketballs at a basketball camp. Funny how that works.
Another step: The fliers are in their final editing stage and preparations are being made to get them out to children. This is much later than we had intended, but God works on His own time-table, not ours. Please pray that the fliers make it into the hands of children hungry for a Savior (or in need of encouragement in their spiritual walk) and that the kids who need to be there come. Please also pray for peace for us as coaches, because some of us are starting to feel like we're being pressed for time.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
How to Pray for Us Where We Are
I (Caitlin) apologize for any misunderstanding there might have been. The list of things we still need off to the side are not things we are asking you (readers of the blog) to donate. Instead, we are asking for you to pray that we get those things through other means. The T-shirts we are hoping to cover with money the kids pay to come to the camp. The basketballs we are hoping will be donated by a corporation like Wal-Mart or Dick's. The rest will hopefully be through donations of other kinds.
That being said, I'm sorry for not making a specific post about things we need prayer for now, so here it is...
*Pray for the word to get out to the kids. Pray for the staff of IMPACT Ministries to know who to give the fliers to. Then pray that kids COME.
*Specifically, pray that kids come with open hearts. Pray they come in peace... 7 1/2 hours (total) with children from an inner-city- please pray there are no fights. Also pray that they would trust us, despite differences in skin color or Social Economic Status (SES), and that we would mutually respect each other.
*Pray that the items we still need ARE donated and that we do not have to ask you for money or give our own money (though we do believe it would be worth it.) Especially, pray that Wal-Mart is receptive to our letter requesting basketballs.
*Pray that the basketball drills add to and do not distract from the Bible lessons; that the basketball makes the lessons more real to the kids and helps them trust us.
*Lastly (for now), I echo the prayer of Paul in Ephesians 6:19- "Pray also for me [us], that whenever [we] open [our] mouth[s], words may be given [us] so that [we] will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel." THIS is why we are here. Pray that the Spirit speaks through us, that we remain humble, and that the lessons we write are not 'ours,' but the Lord's.
Thank you so much for partnering with us in prayer!
That being said, I'm sorry for not making a specific post about things we need prayer for now, so here it is...
*Pray for the word to get out to the kids. Pray for the staff of IMPACT Ministries to know who to give the fliers to. Then pray that kids COME.
*Specifically, pray that kids come with open hearts. Pray they come in peace... 7 1/2 hours (total) with children from an inner-city- please pray there are no fights. Also pray that they would trust us, despite differences in skin color or Social Economic Status (SES), and that we would mutually respect each other.
*Pray that the items we still need ARE donated and that we do not have to ask you for money or give our own money (though we do believe it would be worth it.) Especially, pray that Wal-Mart is receptive to our letter requesting basketballs.
*Pray that the basketball drills add to and do not distract from the Bible lessons; that the basketball makes the lessons more real to the kids and helps them trust us.
*Lastly (for now), I echo the prayer of Paul in Ephesians 6:19- "Pray also for me [us], that whenever [we] open [our] mouth[s], words may be given [us] so that [we] will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel." THIS is why we are here. Pray that the Spirit speaks through us, that we remain humble, and that the lessons we write are not 'ours,' but the Lord's.
Thank you so much for partnering with us in prayer!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Dirty Details
To help you know how to best pray for Blacktop Basketball Camp, here are some of the concrete details:
The camp is going to run August 5-7, 2011 from 6:00-8:30pm on the outside (weather permitting) courts at IMPACT Ministries. The first twenty minutes will be time for the kids to check in and have an open gym. The next ten minutes will be a time to go over the rules and review what we learned the day before. The first night will be when we introduce the coaches. After that, we jump right in.
We will start by having 30 minutes of instruction and practice in basketball drills, followed by 15 minutes of Bible or life coaching. We are trying to coordinate the lessons to what we just learned about on the court. Then we will have another 30 minutes of basketball drills, and another 15 minutes of Bible and life coaching. The final 30 minutes will be an open gym, except on the last night when we will have a dessert reception and awards ceremony, in which the kids' families can come.
On the first night, our first basketball drills will involve shooting- specifically, lay-ups and bank shots. Then we're going to use 1 Samuel 15:1-23 to talk about the importance of obeying 'coach,' or any authority in our lives. Then we're going to do a little more shooting (free throws) and also dribbling. We will then talk about how the discipline it takes to become good at basketball is similar to the discipline it takes to succeed at anything.
The next night we will work on passing: chest pass, bounce pass, and the 3-man weave. We'll use Colossians 3:12-14 to talk about the importance of teamwork. We'll work on defensive moves next, such as blocking out, rebounding, and 2-3 and 3-2 defense. We'll then talk about the Good Samaritan and sportsmanship.
The last night, we will work on offensive plays. Then using the Bible as an example, we will talk about the importance of good communication. We might also talk about anger management a little. Instead of having another basketball drill session, we're going to let the kids have an open gym, so they can put everything they've learned into practice. Then, before the awards ceremony, we'll talk about integrity.
During the award ceremony, we want every kid to receive an award. Of course we will have the MVP and Most Improved awards, but we're also going to have awards like Most Godly Example, and Best Follows the Rules. We want to reward the kids for not just learning basketball, but learning how to apply the Bible in their lives. It will be during the award ceremony that we give each kid a basketball, a T-shirt, which will be orange and has "Blacktop Basketball Camp" in large letter across the chest, and something like, "Using the love of a game to share the love of Christ," with a picture of a basketball on it. The kids will also receive a playbook, which will be a simple folder with all the basketball drills we've covered as well as the Bible or life lesson that went with that basketball lesson, complete with the Scripture.
We're not sure how the lessons will be taught, yet. Right now, Kathryn and Kayla are both on mission trips, so it has been hard to communicate and plan the real dirty details. Please be praying that we get the responsibilities divided up in a fair way that plays on all of our strengths (and also for Kathryn who is in Africa, and Kayla who is in the inner-city of Chicago)
We are charging each kid $10 to participate in this camp, but that is mostly to show the kids the seriousness of the camp, not to raise money. We are hoping that the money will help cover the costs of the basketballs and T-shirts, but that was not way we wanted to charge them money. We do not want money to be an issue, so we are willing to give the kids scholarships (free passes) so there's a chance the kids won't pay at all. We're currently writing letters to places like Dick's and Wal-Mart, looking for donations of basketballs.
To see a complete list of items will still need donated, please look on the left side of your screen. You will see a complete list there.
All of the coaches thank you for your prayers. It is only through the power of God will this camp be a success!
The camp is going to run August 5-7, 2011 from 6:00-8:30pm on the outside (weather permitting) courts at IMPACT Ministries. The first twenty minutes will be time for the kids to check in and have an open gym. The next ten minutes will be a time to go over the rules and review what we learned the day before. The first night will be when we introduce the coaches. After that, we jump right in.
We will start by having 30 minutes of instruction and practice in basketball drills, followed by 15 minutes of Bible or life coaching. We are trying to coordinate the lessons to what we just learned about on the court. Then we will have another 30 minutes of basketball drills, and another 15 minutes of Bible and life coaching. The final 30 minutes will be an open gym, except on the last night when we will have a dessert reception and awards ceremony, in which the kids' families can come.
On the first night, our first basketball drills will involve shooting- specifically, lay-ups and bank shots. Then we're going to use 1 Samuel 15:1-23 to talk about the importance of obeying 'coach,' or any authority in our lives. Then we're going to do a little more shooting (free throws) and also dribbling. We will then talk about how the discipline it takes to become good at basketball is similar to the discipline it takes to succeed at anything.
The next night we will work on passing: chest pass, bounce pass, and the 3-man weave. We'll use Colossians 3:12-14 to talk about the importance of teamwork. We'll work on defensive moves next, such as blocking out, rebounding, and 2-3 and 3-2 defense. We'll then talk about the Good Samaritan and sportsmanship.
The last night, we will work on offensive plays. Then using the Bible as an example, we will talk about the importance of good communication. We might also talk about anger management a little. Instead of having another basketball drill session, we're going to let the kids have an open gym, so they can put everything they've learned into practice. Then, before the awards ceremony, we'll talk about integrity.
During the award ceremony, we want every kid to receive an award. Of course we will have the MVP and Most Improved awards, but we're also going to have awards like Most Godly Example, and Best Follows the Rules. We want to reward the kids for not just learning basketball, but learning how to apply the Bible in their lives. It will be during the award ceremony that we give each kid a basketball, a T-shirt, which will be orange and has "Blacktop Basketball Camp" in large letter across the chest, and something like, "Using the love of a game to share the love of Christ," with a picture of a basketball on it. The kids will also receive a playbook, which will be a simple folder with all the basketball drills we've covered as well as the Bible or life lesson that went with that basketball lesson, complete with the Scripture.
We're not sure how the lessons will be taught, yet. Right now, Kathryn and Kayla are both on mission trips, so it has been hard to communicate and plan the real dirty details. Please be praying that we get the responsibilities divided up in a fair way that plays on all of our strengths (and also for Kathryn who is in Africa, and Kayla who is in the inner-city of Chicago)
We are charging each kid $10 to participate in this camp, but that is mostly to show the kids the seriousness of the camp, not to raise money. We are hoping that the money will help cover the costs of the basketballs and T-shirts, but that was not way we wanted to charge them money. We do not want money to be an issue, so we are willing to give the kids scholarships (free passes) so there's a chance the kids won't pay at all. We're currently writing letters to places like Dick's and Wal-Mart, looking for donations of basketballs.
To see a complete list of items will still need donated, please look on the left side of your screen. You will see a complete list there.
All of the coaches thank you for your prayers. It is only through the power of God will this camp be a success!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Birth of a Dream
We all love basketball. I (Caitlin) had been volunteering at IMPACT Ministries in the inner-city of Evansville for over a year and getting to know the children there. I'd begun to feel God calling me to live and serve in an inner-city since my freshman year after a mission trip to the inner-city of St. Louis, but had ignored it until my junior year of college. I began to volunteer at IMPACT, had a few internships there, and began to see God directing me.
Slowly, the rest of the 'coaches' began coming to IMPACT with me. We all learned to love the children in different ways. We began to learn about stereotypes that we had that we didn't even know we had. We began to truly see the beauty of diversity. We will all admit: We have a long way to go.
Every Saturday, IMPACT has a 2-hour window in which the kids in the inner-city can come hang out in a safe place and get a 30-minute Bible/life lesson. It is taking a long time, but the children are beginning to respond. We wanted to try a new way to get the kids' attention. What a better way than to design a Bible teaching session based around a game they love?
We posed the idea to both the director of IMPACT (Greg) and the new volunteer coordinator (Lindsay) and they both loved the idea and have been very supportive since. For every 30 minutes of basketball training the children receive, they will also receive 15 minutes of a Bible-based life 'coaching' session. We have done all we can do for now- it is time to ask you all to pray.
Hence, this blog. This is our way to update you all on ways that you can pray for Blacktop Basketball Camp, us as coaches, and the kiddos. (And if you want to donate money, that's cool, too, but that's NOT the purpose of this blog!) Thank you in advance for your support of this ministry.
Slowly, the rest of the 'coaches' began coming to IMPACT with me. We all learned to love the children in different ways. We began to learn about stereotypes that we had that we didn't even know we had. We began to truly see the beauty of diversity. We will all admit: We have a long way to go.
Every Saturday, IMPACT has a 2-hour window in which the kids in the inner-city can come hang out in a safe place and get a 30-minute Bible/life lesson. It is taking a long time, but the children are beginning to respond. We wanted to try a new way to get the kids' attention. What a better way than to design a Bible teaching session based around a game they love?
We posed the idea to both the director of IMPACT (Greg) and the new volunteer coordinator (Lindsay) and they both loved the idea and have been very supportive since. For every 30 minutes of basketball training the children receive, they will also receive 15 minutes of a Bible-based life 'coaching' session. We have done all we can do for now- it is time to ask you all to pray.
Hence, this blog. This is our way to update you all on ways that you can pray for Blacktop Basketball Camp, us as coaches, and the kiddos. (And if you want to donate money, that's cool, too, but that's NOT the purpose of this blog!) Thank you in advance for your support of this ministry.