Here's a sneak preview (sorry it has no sound!) of more soon to come in the realm of video footage from the last playground we sent to Bolivia. Enjoy the smiles as the Bolivian children enjoy their first slides!
The guys are hard at work tearing down playground #2! We have a meeting next week to discuss a possible future home for it. Thank you to the City of Conroe for partnering with us, to all the men who donate their hard work in dismantling, restoring, and rebuilding, and to all who give so that these playgrounds can provide hours of fun to kids throughout the world!
Matt, Don, and Tim (who have been instrumental in Project Playground) following the Conroe City Council Meeting where the Conroe City Council recognized Maximizing Children's Ministries and proposed to give us 2 more playgrounds this year! They also gave each of us City of Conroe lapel pins (which the guys are holding up) as well as additional pins to send down to the city leaders in Bolivia where their park now stands and blesses hundreds of kids each week.
Thank you, Conroe City Council!
Maximizing Children's Ministries was featured in the local paper on March 20, 2013 for their work on Project Playground Bolivia - "Conroe playground shipped to Bolivia, benefits 350 children". Again on March 21, 2013, Project Playground Bolivia was featured in the Houston Chronicle online: "Conroe playground relocated to remote town in Bolivia". Then on Friday, March 22, the local Christian radio station, KSBJ, read an excerpt on air about Maximizing Children's Ministries and Project Playground!
Acts 15:41 - And he [Paul] passed through Syria and Cilicia, establishing and strengthening the churches. (AMP)
Along with our home church, we're reading on a Bible reading plan called Project 345. Recently we read Acts 15, and afterwards I carried this verse with me all day long.
Paul was a missionary, evangelist, church planter, and teacher. His mission statement for one of his trips was to "establish and strengthen the churches." This is what we as Maximizing Children's Ministries want to be for churches and children's programs throughout the world. Our goal is that because of our efforts in training and sending resources, churches will be established and strengthened. We saw this happen as a result of 2012's Project Playground in which we built a playground which resulted in establishing a church.
As Christians, we are all called to establish and strengthen the body of Christ. Isn't it awesome that we get to be a part of carrying on the vision that Paul received from the Lord so long ago? If you're not involved in serving in your church, today is a great day to start. Get involved in helping establish and strengthen your local church - and then we welcome you to get involved in helping us establish and strengthen churches thorughout the world ;).
We are excited because we (Maximizing Children's Ministries) have begun taking steps to fulfill a vision that has been in our hearts for quite some time that specifically falls under strengthening children's ministries. It began back in Botswana and was quickly dubbed "Children's Church in a Box" by the Pastor we served under there. We're putting together the first of many of these boxes which will house all a children's ministry will need to function well and serve children for one year. It will contain 1 year of curriculum lessons & activity sheets, puppets, costumes, craft materials, and game supplies.
Let's establish and strengthen churches together!
