This year one of the goals for AWO is to find fun and cultural activities for the kids to do. I want to step out of the "norm" of what we usually do and show them some things they haven't seen before. The first "different" thing we did was to take the girls to an art class. Little Leaf Studio of Valdosta blessed us with a unique opportunity and allowed the girls and I to create a one-of-a-kind art piece that we each got to take home and keep. We had so much fun and we also learned a new French painting technique. The girls laughed and clowned around, and I think we all left with a little bit of paint on us--but we all became little kids for a brief period in time, forgot all of our worries, and just allowed our inner child to express its hopes and dreams on canvas. It was an experience I am very grateful to have shared with "my girls"! We had quite a bit of chat time, too, during the course of which I got a surprise blessing. One of my girls, whose mother has been estranged from God for quite some time now, was able to come with me to the Big Daddy Weave concert in December. I gave her mother a free ticket, also, (thanks to Christ Out Loud Ministries) and encouraged her to attend with us--she did! She was moved to tears and I could tell that God was really working on her during the concert. But since then I haven't seen or heard from her. Her daughter attended the art class with me and proudly announced, "Mama K, guess what? Mom came with me to church this morning!" I almost fell out of my chair! But I said, "PRAISE GOD!" One of the original goals of AWO was to help the parents develop a relationship with Jesus, because in doing so that will improve the lives of the children and the environments they live in tremendously. But I have learned that that is a very slow, and sometimes seemingly futile, process. I am finally seeing a few parents become affected by what we do, and I am thanking God for every bit of progress!
God is doing some BIG things for AWO, but since I don't know the full extent of it yet I will not say more than that. I believe in faith that I will be sharing some very good news with you later this year! :)
Thank you all for all that you do to encourage and support us--so many kids are being blessed because of YOU!
