Not By Words but By Power

One week before we were leaving for Kids Across America summer camp, a girl who was planning to come with us found out she was unable to go.   Suzanne and I sat down and prayed for God to bring the person He had prepared to go.

As I was walking around Willow Pond a girl named Ki came up to me.  "I know it is too late this year, but what can I do to go to camp next year," she asked?

I asked Ki how old she was.  She was the exact age of the spot we needed to fill!

Ki came to camp with us and decided to give her life to Christ!

Later on we found out Ki was in the hospital room when Suzanne, a few others, and I went to pray for a young girl who had been hit by a car (there is a previous blog post telling this story).  The girl hit by the car was supposed to go to a nursing home, but a few days later Suzanne was called by the girl's grandmother, telling Suzanne the little girl was walking.  The grandmother went on to tell Suzanne how she was a believer in prayer.  Ki was this little girls aunt and she had wittnessed eeverything that God had done for her niece.  She witnessed the power of God first hand.

-- Rickey Fanning

Best Day of My Life

Two years ago, I met a child that was ANGRY. After I gained his trust, he and I sat down to talk about why. He knew excactly why. He said, "I am mad because my sister and my brother get to go spend time with their dads on the weekends. I haven't seen mine since I was five or six."  That day we prayed. From that day forward he and I bonded, and we continued to get the anger under control.

(I am particularly proud of this child because he has a serious speech impediment (stuttering).  Usually, children that stutter are quiet and have suppressed anger issues in addition to frustration from trying to express their feelings.  This child has never been shy.)

Two years later, last week, fourteen year old Davieuntay walked in the Community Center smiling from ear to ear.

"Ms. Jayda! This is the best day of my life!  Remember when we prayed two years ago about how I wish I could be reunited with my dad?  Remember how we prayed and prayed?"

"Yes." I replied.

"Well, I saw him last night!  I have his phone number!"

I had just taken a bite out of my tuna sandwich. The clump of bread and tuna got stuck in the back of my throat just as the emotion hit me. I couldn't speak.  I had to put my finger up as to say "hold on just a second". He stood there smiling and looked worried at the same time. It seemed like minutes, but seconds later after I cleared my throat, the tears rushed from my eyes and we both hugged and hugged and hugged.

That was one of the best days of my life, too!

-- Jayda Ekundayo

4th of July Celebration!

This past Saturday we celebrated our third annual 4th of July celebration at Willow Pond.  The basketball tournament went very well.  Congratulations to Four Brothers, the 2012 Willow Pond Basketball Tournament Champions.  Also, congratulations to Team Faith, the 2012 runner up.

After an action-packed basketball tournament, we opened the food line and had a great time.  Thanks to everyone who helped!

-- Behind Every Door Ministries

Behind Every Door June Update

"That's how the light gets in..."

"Ring the bells that still can ring.

Forget your perfect offering.

There is a crack in everything.

That's how the light gets in."

-- Leonard Cohen

I think of our friend at Village Oaks I've mentioned before. Keith Smith...we call him "Smitty."  He has traveled a broken road and ended up a humble man with the light of Jesus.  He was severely mistreated as a child, rejected by his father, and wound up addicted and homeless.  But if you show up to our Friday morning group these days he'll be glad to greet you with the warmth of Jesus.  He and our friend Louie set up the room, make the coffee, arrange the chairs, and then clean it all up.  They are loyal and consistent. They are both genuinely thankful.

When we go around the room to begin our times together, Smitty says things like: "I'm glad to be here and to see all of your wonderful faces."  Or "I thank God for waking me up today."  And he doesn't take himself too seriously. He'll say, "I have nothing to complain about.  And if I did, who would listen?" And we all laugh.

His broken road eventually brought him to Jesus.  The cracks let the light in. Praise the Lord.

News & Announcements

* Several kids came to Christ at Kids Across America Summer Camp this month!  35 of our Kids Club kids were able to attend on a scholarship provided by the grant we received from One Hundred Shares.  Thanks again, One Hundred Shares!
* Don't forget to check the Behind Every Door blog as well as our Facebook page!
* Join us for the 3rd annual 4th of July 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament and Cookout at Willow Pond! 4 to7pm.
* You'll notice a new "Donate" button on the top of this email as well as on our home page and blog.  If you would consider making a tax-deductible donation to Behind Every Door Ministries, we would appreciate it!

A Letter from a Resident...

LaWanda Thompson is a Village Oaks resident who recently wrote a letter to everyone involved here at Behind Every Door. Hundreds of you have prayed, volunteered, donated, tutored, planted flowers, cleaned up trash, and on and on.  So this letter is to you. "I hope when you guys get this email it finds you in the best of GOD's life, strength & health" she began. She wrote about her experience passing out our "Summer of Peace" t-shirts around the property...and then shared some of her conversations with residents along the way. She told one resident: "They are not here to judge. Plus they want to show love to everybody especially kids. No matter if we are considered hood, black folks, poor, or ghetto...see they look at us like the LORD looks at us. We are all created equal in GOD's eye sight." She went on, "They put GOD first and then they prayed about it and then they came and prayed over us and the apartment. They can't go wrong with us. They put GOD first before they planted the seed now its left up to us to let it grow....I am a living witness that GOD is real, and alive, because He sent you guys to Village Oaks and I been blessed ever since." And finally, "And I thank GOD because He made you guys and he already knew you guys together was gone come and fight that devil and stop him from destroying Village Oaks and the kids and the grown ups."

Genius on so many levels. She's got it pegged on God's eye sight, for example. And she gives the Glory for anything good to the right One...and she even respectfully spells His name with all CAPS...GOD. When we put Him first we can do anything. He answers prayer. He is real. He is alive. And He has defeated "that devil." Praise the Lord for you, LaWanda. We are privileged to be your friends and we love you as brothers and sisters in GOD.

-- Behind Every Door Ministries

Do Over

I took some of the kids to get them drinks across the street from Willow Pond.  While I was standing at the register, a mother of two of the kids in our Kids Club came into the store.  She saw one young boy, clearly thought he was there alone, and started to yell at him in very colorful language!

Then, she looked up and saw me standing at the register.  Her jaw dropped to the floor.  "Let me try that again," she said, turning around and walking outside.  She then came back in to the store, looked at the young boy and said, "Oh hi, what are you doing here?"  The entire store erupted in laughter.

-- Rickey Fanning