Praise Reports

©      Ashley is finally at Boston College and loves it.  She is taking 15 credits this semester and is expecting to get     

    straight A’s. J

©      Joy Ministries and Christian Chapel provided school supplies in abundance

©      The buyer for Vicki’s house backed out, but we will still be able to purchase the Outreach Center

©      Our step team has a new captain: our own ShawnDera Griffin (14) who has demonstrated exemplary leadership.

Prayer Requests

©      Vehicles and gas cards

©      Blessings from area churches

©      Additional monthly supporters -               

      via check or PayPal at   

      www.unitedinhim.org

©      Ashley needs $100

for additional books

Items needed

this month:

o    Electric pencil sharpener

o    ½ -1” binders

o    Backpacks

o    Shoe rack for kids’ shoes

o    Book covers

Scripture of the Month

Isaiah 43:19

See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? 

I am making a way in the desert and streams

 in the wasteland.

to:

 Christian Chapel

for sponsoring us to stay an additional night in Stamford due to the weather and for covering ALL of the additional expenses incurred during the Boston trip!

To unite with churches and other Christian organizations to totally transform inner city communities through the love of Jesus Christ.

God provided a way in the desert and

 streams of living water in the wasteland!

During the summer 13 student leaders worked extremely hard to be 1 of the 4 students chosen to participate in the end of the summer 6-day field trip to Boston.  To earn this privilege leaders had to demonstrate outstanding leadership throughout the entire summer, memorize 20 verses, pass 4 advanced Bible tests, participate in 2 service projects, read their Bible 25 minutes everyday, pray 10 minutes a day, and be on time and prepared for all activities.

The UIH Leadership Camp is difficult and even some of the best leaders do not complete the entire summer, but this year 6 of our girls were determined to be one of the 4 chosen to participate in the move-in experience at Boston College as their dance teacher, role model & Bible study teacher, Ashley Galvez will be attending there in the fall.

Seeing the determination in the girls made us even more committed to ensuring that they had an amazing experience in Boston.  However, as the summer ended, we found that all of our finances were completely  depleted,  but our faith stood firm.  We

began contacting hotels, restaurants, and businesses in Boston

asking if they would like to partner with us to make this trip possible

for the girls. 

During that time, many people and even churches tried to discourage us saying that hotels would never be able to give us 2 rooms during the Labor Day weekend.  “But our God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can even ask or think.”(Eph 2:30)  Look at God! 

Amazed at God’s provision, we felt so overwhelmed by God’s extravagant provision for us, but little did we know that  truly the  best was yet to  come!  After receiving over

$4,000 in donations from the hotels as well as free tickets to the Boston Zoo, Swan Boats, and Boston Bowl, nothing could compare to the donations we received that allowed us to rent a 10-passenger van; which enabled us to take all 6 girls on the trip. 

Words cannot express what a difference this trip made in each of their lives. From the moment they stepped into the new 10-passenger van, they labeled the trip “God’s Extravagance.” And literally, these girls began to feel like queens as they rode in the van and stayed at the finest hotels. These girls finally began to see themselves in the future as college students and began to dream of all the places they would like to go and the things that they would like to accomplish.  The entire experience changed their lives forever! 

Marriott – The girls loved the Marriott where there was upscale everything: indoor/outdoor pool, sauna, 300-thread count sheets, free internet service, and even a restaurant on the top level that rotates.  The girls felt like princesses and their eyes were opened to a whole new world outside of the housing projects.  Special thanks to Joe Kelly the general manager of the Marriott in Stamford Connecticut for 2 rooms for two nights.

Longwood Guest Suites – The girls loved being able to have their own suite complete with a kitchen, as we had 3 suites for two nights.  It was

at the Longwood  Suites that  the girls  learned  the importance of taking time  every  night  to  have  “truth  time”  where  they  shared openly how they felt about each other, so that they could improve their friendship and work more effectively as a team.

Special thanks to Michael Manuel the general manager who provided lunch for the girls, allowed them the opportunity to step and dance for the residents of this senior living facility, and encouraged the girls to be strong in Christ.

Boston Park Plaza – To stay in such an extravagant hotel shall always remind us that God is able to open closed doors and to provide for His children in outrageous ways.  He made a way for us even when all of the hotels in Boston were completely sold out!