Springs of Hope Kenya Trip 2010!!!!

I'm as excited as I've ever been to write this post to the families at CMCC...

Over the last few years we have supported the construction of an orphanage in Nakuru, Kenya under the leadership of Molly and Joseph Bail (two Meadowers that moved to Kenya last year with their son and our friend Elijah).

The good news is the orphanage is completed and the furniture is now being installed!! Soon Springs of Hope will be just that...flowing with hope for children who have been orphaned by AIDS. Springs of Hope will be full of life and fun and children who now have a home with Molly and Joseph!

The great news? Cypress Meadows Student Ministry will be partnering with Paul and Jen Steinbrueck to provide an opportunity for students and their families to see, experience and do ministry first hand in Nakuru next summer!

If you're at all interested in getting more information on the work that is done at Springs of Hope and what it will take to send your student, yourself, or both to Kenya next summer you need to be at a Springs of Hope Kenya Q & A opportunity THIS Friday from 6:30-7:30 in Studio 4:12.

Attending the meeting DOES NOT obligate you to travel with us next summer. It is simply an opportunity for you to see what the trip is about and get your questions answered!

For more information about the meeting or Springs of Hope email me at hightide@cypressmeadows.org!

See you Friday!

BigStuf

Last week 10 HT students spent the week at a student leadership conference called BigStuf and God did some big stuff in us!

We were privileged to hear some fantastic speakers like Perry Noble, Andy Stanley, and Steve Furtick who challenged our faith in ways some of us had never considered. All three speakers raised the bar of commitment in our lives and presented Biblical truths in a way that inspired each and every one of us to give even more of ourselves to the cause of Christ.

Each morning and evening we were also incredibly blessed to be led in worship by the Steve Fee Band and Chrystina Fincher, two of the best worship leaders (beside Chris Cox of course) I've ever seen!

Besides the awesome line up at the conference its always good to get away and connect with one another in ways that it is impossible to do in the midst of our day to day reality.

Thanks parents and guardians for allowing your student to attend! I think (if they've not already shared with you about it) they all have stories of how God has impacted their lives through BigStuf and will continue to do so in the weeks and months ahead of them!

Remember Francis?

Remember Francis? Last Christmas you guys heard his story and responded by raising over $200 to get him out of his home and into a boarding school. Below is part of his story in case you've forgotten.

"His mother died sometime ago and his father remarried a woman with two children. His step-mother despises him and his alcoholic father violently abuses him when he drinks...which is most days. Francis showed me the scars where his father has bitten off his flesh...one wound is still open. He let me see a scar on his left leg where his dad swung a machete at him. He told me how his father recently taped his legs together and hoisted him in the air and before his dad could build a fire under him, neighbors intervened. Many days his family refuses to give him food and many nights they refuse to let him in the house so he huddles down in the bushes or garden to sleep. He told me how his father denies this bright young man the money to attend school. I could go on, but by now you more than get the circumstances of his life.Frances then went on to tell me how good God is to him. How God spared his life by sending the neighbors to his rescue..."

Well thanks to the tremendous outpouring of support from YOU, our boy Francis has begun school and is doing exceptionally well!! Here's the latest update from our friend Molly at Springs of Hope orphanage who was just with him to celebrate "Family Day".

"I wanted to share this photo of Francis at school. He is doing so well and really excited about school and his grades are getting better and better. He is so thankful for the opportunity and every time he sees us he just tells us of his plans of studying so hard and seeing how he can improve! The teachers really like him. Thanks so much!"

There are a couple of folks traveling to Kenya this next week and have volunteered to take items from YOU to Francis. If you're interested in encouraging our young Kenya friend please bring the following on Sunday morning to Paul and Jen's** table outside of service OR Sunday night where we'll be filling our cell phone bucket for Francis...

• Letters of encouragement from you to Francis


• Pictures of you and your friends labeled with your names so he can see the faces of the students that are praying for and supporting him


• Smaller, flat items like a calculator, bookmarks etc that he might like to see and/or could use at school

Thanks for making a difference in this young man's life!

**if you leave things for Francis with Paul and Jen on Sunday morning MARK THE ITEMS CLEARLY WITH FRANCIS' NAME and let Paul and Jen know it is for Francis specifically!