July 30- Aug 4th

Monday

This week our Faith Hero was Samson. Our motto was Willing to learn from your mistakes. Our verse: Psalms 145:14 The Lord sustains all who fall. And raises up all who are bowed down.

Samson was a little different for us to study this week. He started out living his life for God but then started to disobeying God and doing things his own way. He went to a blessed life to a chaotic life. He lived a long period where God didn't matter to him and he was played by a lot of people. At the end of his life he again relies on God for one last good deed. From this lesson we really wanted our kids to learn two things. One learn from your mistakes but also to see that Samson had so much potential as the strongest man. He did do some great things for God but he wasted a lot of his life when he ignored God and followed people. He eventually learned from his mistakes and came back to God, but he wasted a lot of his life. What more could have Samson done for God. We talked about how we don't want to be known as Samson's and what could have been. We don't want to waste our lives.

At one point this week the kids really opened up and shared some of their secrets. There were a lot of tears and hugs. We pray that there will be more moments of the kids being honest with each other.

What I learned from Samson this week is how he kept making the same mistake over and over again. I have that same problem. I guess I like to prejudge situations a lot and it is hard for me not to. Like this week someone asked me if I wanted to go to dinner with them. I didn’t want to go I thought it was going to be uncomfortable, boring and weird. But I went and I had a really great time, we talked about a lot of things, it was so much fun, so I learned to not prejudge people and situations.
Pierrie

I learned that Samson had long hair. Samson broke the rules that God told him. He attacked a lion with his bare hands. He went to look a that lion and he saw bee’s and honey on the dead body, he took some honey for him and his parents, they ate it , it was wrong for him to eat from unclean meat. And he married Delilah a Philistine; she asked him what made him strong. He lied, but then he said if my hair is cut that is my weakness. Then he slept on her lap and she had men come and cut his hair.
Taz

I learned that Samson had long hair and he never cut his hair because God told him not too. Cutting his hair was his weakness. So he obeyed God and so he didn’t cut his hair.
He married me married a girl named Delilah he fell in love with her and married her 7 days later. Then one day she asked him a question , what is your weakness. At first Samson told her a lie. She asked again and he told another lie. She kept asking and finally he told the truth. If I cut off my hair I will be weak.
Then she got his enemies and told his secret. So then that night he fell asleep on her lap. The rulers came in and cut his hair. Then Samson woke up and found out his hair was cut.
Jameca

What I learned about Samson is that he was the strongest person and his hair was his strength. When he was a baby, God told his mother he couldn’t eat or drink dirty things, or cut his hair. He killed a thousand people in Philistine because they were trying to attack the Israelights. Then a girl named Delilah she was his enemy and she married him. She kept asking him where his strength came from.
Kemonterious

We made homemade ice cream. We used it has an object lesson for changing and staying close to God. We used the ice to represent God, the salt Jesus and the inside paddle the Holy Spirit. The ice cream mix represents our heart. We also learned that change takes work on our part also. Cranking and more salt.

More cranking and salt.

Is it done yet?

MMM, it was worth the work and wait.

The vans Alternator went bad so Jodene shows us how to fix it.

Dez really got into the whole process, joining in, loosening bolts and getting her hands greasy. She was so proud of herself.

In witht the new Alternator. And the best part the van was up and running again.

Tuesday
Today I had so much fun because we went to the Children’s museum. We got to go to the play bank, I got $55 and I put it back in the bank. Then I got into the fire truck but first I put on the jacket and hat but not the boots. Then we did a show for Jodene, we wang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, then the Itsey Bitsey Spider. Then we did face painting.
Jameca

Constuctions worker Jada

Pizza anyone.

Babies are doing well.

We love the Children's Museum it helps our kids to learn about and dream about new careers and lives.

Showtime.

Wednesday for Crafts we made Samson pots. We painted a face on a pot , filled it with soil and grass seed.

Soon Samson will have beautiful hair.

Laura came for snack. We made Jiggler Samson's face.

Jada and Samson.

Thursday
Today we went back to camp Oasis but we didn’t work this time. We had fun. When we got there all the other kids were doing the slip and slide but we didn’t have our suits so we went and did the paddle boats. We had a great time we were splashing each other because there were 2 boats. We had fun. Then we went and did the obstacle course, it was a team thing so we had to help everyone get up or thorough or around the obstacle. Then all the other kids did the slip and slide in their clothes. I wasn’t about to get my jeans all wet but we had a great time.
Pierrie

Today I had so much fun because we went to Camp Oasis. The first thing that we did was go on the paddleboats, first we put on our life jackets. Then we got in the boats and Miss Brenda told us to take off our shoes, so we did. Then we tried to catch Pierie, Jada, Icky, Taz and Payton. Then the big girls switched spots. We went back to the deck and took our life jackets off. Then we went and did the Slip and Slide.
Jameca

We played at the camp. We rode in the paddle boat and we got on the slip and slide. I met Bailey, Ande and Payton. We played cartoon tag and Uncle Sam.
Taz

Over the wall...

through the spider web without touching rope and going through every hole.

Balance beam.

Slip sliding away.

On the way home we stopped at Laura's house and met the goats.

The dogs and the chickens.

Back From Camp

We took a teenager to camp....

And brought home a young man. He looked different, he talked different. I had to check several times to make sure it was really Pierrie. Miss Brenda

Today was my 1st day back at Obasi. I was at Camp INCLUCITY for a week. I had so much fun and learned so much about life and how to live. It was so great, I made life long friends. And now I’m able see people for who they really are. Man it was so much fun. The week was based on different ISM’s. Ageism- Faithism- Adeism- Sexism-Hetrosexism- Classism- Apperism and Racism. Each day we talked about one of these topics and it was really hard. We talked about how it was ok for guys to cry. All the guys went upstairs and we talked. It was neat to see a kid there I knew since 4th grade really open up and he wanted to get to know me. I couldn’t stand this kid before but now I see him as a person a friend, it was weird. At camp it was fun making hew friends it was weird because everyone was so open to everyone else and really wanted to get to know each other. When we got there there was a poster on the wall that said “COME AS A STRANGER, LEAVE AS ONE and that is what we did, we left as one big family. I wish everyone could go to this camp vecsue the world would be a better place. We talked about so many things tht I can’t seem to write them all down. But I would like to let you know that I’m working on a poem call “Inclucity.”
Pierrie

New Friends.

July 23-29

Monday
Our Faith Hero this week was about Rahab who was willing to change for God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. It is a good lesson for all of that no matter how many bad things we have done we have a God who is willing to forgive us. AND He can use our lives for Him if we are willing change. This story gives our kids a lot of hope because even though they are very young they have already made some big mistakes. When they start learning about God they see their sin and have a lot of shame. Many of them think that there is no way they could be a God’s kid because they are too bad. But Rahab shows us that God is bigger than our sin and loves us unconditional.

Today I learned about Rahab. Rahab was a prostitute. There was two men knocking on the door, it was the spies, she hid them. She was willing to change for God so she did.
Dez

Today I learned about Rahab, she heard about the things God had done so she changed and believed in God. Some spies came, she knew that if the King found out that they were there that he would kill her so she hid them on her roof. Then the king’s soldiers came knocked on the door and asked have you seen God’s people. Rahab lied and said No. So then she told the spies to go to the mountain and stay for three days and then go back home.
Jameca To start off our lesson we played a game called What Would Jesus Do? It asks questions about things that happen in life and you are to pick the answer that best describes what you would do. It was really good because it opened up dialogue about things that are happening or could happen and the right way to handle them.

Jameca works on her journal

Kemonterious takes a moment to snuggle with Gidget.

Savanah takes time out to smell the roses.

Tuesday

Today started out like any other, we went for a little run and then we were going to work on our chores to earn some more money for our trip. After running Kemonterious found out that LaMario's brother was having a birthday party so he invited himself to the party and ditched us. We were mainly have chore day for Kemonterious because he needed chore hours. When he left we decided to go have some fun of our own. It is a lesson that happens a lot here. The kids don't consider their commitment to God, Obasi, or other activities they have signed up for. They go hour by hour picking things that seem more fun to them, forgetting about the things they have committed too. If the kids are to be successful adults they have to learn to look at their day and be responsible in falling through with what they are supposed to be doing. That when we ditch the work or committments we also miss out in the big picture and God's blessings. When you live a life of making decisions on a whim the chances of keeping a job, or keeping up with your bills,etc is nearly impossible. This summer we have been working really hard on being people of our word and commitments. Miss Brenda

We went to play a game and ran around the F street Rec track. Thanks to Icky we went to Chuck E Cheese and played games. We ate Pizza. Me, Savannah, Jameca and Tajanay took pictures and played more games.
Dez

We went to Chuck E Cheese. I went on the roller coaster. We ate pizza. We went bowling. The pizza was delicious. Then we had lots of fun. I went in the jungle gym and played with my friends. I took pictures with my friends. With my tickets I got some lip gloss.
Tajanay

We went to Chuck E Cheese because Icky did not follow God and go on the right path. When we got to Chuck E Cheese we ate pizza then we went and played games and found tokens and tickets. I had 126 tickets so I bought me a Chuck E Cheese mini back pack for putting money in.
Savanah

Dez is trying really hard to exercise more.

Pizza

Fun

and more fun.

Wednesday
We ran around the block then came in and did crafts. We made little butterflies. Then Mrs. B came we did puppets and worked on our new play about Chocolate Cake.
Dez

Our bead butterflies to remind us to be like Rahab and change for God.

Mrs. B and puppet class

Rehearsing our Chocolate Cake skit.

Thursday-

Today I had a super fun day because we went to the lake. First, we set up the tent. Then we prayed to make sure no one drowned. Then we changed into our swimm suits. Me and Icky played Frisbee. After that me and Savanah got mad at each other. Then we made up. So we went to make sand chairs. Savanah yelled snack time about 50 times so then we came and ate . We had Oreos and something else. Then we started writing in our journals.
Jameca

What I did today was came to the lake and I went swimming. I swam until 3 o’clock. Then I ate snack after snack I came to journal about all the things I did yesterday and today. What I did on Tuesday was go to the rec center and used the track to run. If you do fifteen laps around you will have a mile but if you do thirty you will have 2 miles. Wednesday we went to Brenda’s house and we a craft. The craft was about a girl in Bible study that was a prostitute , then she learned about God and she turned her life around.
Kemonterious

We went swimming at Pawnee Lake and we made chairs out of sand and we made cup holders for our chairs and we had so much fun.
Savanah

Kemonterious relaxes in his sand chair

Fun in the sun

On Friday Jameca and Savanah went and helped Sister Lil dust her figurines.

Three things I want to change for God

my attitude
start smiling again and not having a grumpy face
be friends with people
Savanah

Exercise more
Work on eating better
Get my hair done
Dez

Stop believing what people are saying about other people, talk to that person first.
Obey my parents
Stop lying
Jameca

My attitude
My choices
Stop listening to rap music

Friday night I made a big oops. I thought the Footstock Festival was Friday night, it was Saturday. So we went and hung out out the mini car track, the girls had fun running on the track. We still had a good time getting to know each other.

Miss Brenda

Off To Camp

Please pray for Pierrie this week as he is at a Diversity-Leadership camp. He was pretty nervous as we dropped him off Sunday. He could hardly eat or talk. I am sure by today he has made many friends and is having a blast.
Before he left we talked about taking advantage of this opportunity to grow as a person. That God uses everything to help us become who we are to be, but we have to take advantage of His gifts.

Golden

Last year at the Cornhusker State Games, Kemonterious won a silver and a bronze medal. That is when he really got the bug to run more. He also really wanted to win a gold medal. He has been practicing a lot, but in close races he tends to give up if someone passes him or it gets tough. Saturday at the games Kemonterious was entered in the 2oo meter and 1500 meter race. The 200 didn't go all that well, he kinda gave up at the end and came in 5th. So we were really wondering how he would handle the 1500, it is his better event but he is in an older group this year so he would really have to be on his game this year. We had a three hour wait so we kept pumping him up for the gold. He got out there and pretty much took the lead from the start. With three big guys close behind. Several times it looked like he was going to quit, but he managed to keep going and keep the lead. The last lap was the true test. The boys behind him made several attempts to pass, each time Kemonterious would pick up the pace enough to discourage the other boy from passing him. Finally the finish line came and he was the winner. It was a great moment all around. Not just winning the race but winning his battle over giving up.

July 16- 20

This week our Bible Hero was Moses and our Motto for the week was Believe God has a plan for your life. Our Verse was Jeremiah 29:11 ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.We went through the whole story of Moses and highlighted all the ways God had a plan for Moses life and how he accomplished this plan. We talked about how our choices in life affect our accomplishing our purpose in life. That if we believe God has a purpose for us then we guard our lives and choices and make them count for God. When we make wrong choices we are kicking our purpose on the ground not really caring. We pray that our kids will start to understand the importance of living for God so that they can achieve their purpose in life. That they believe that they are that special to God that their lives matter. We also talked about how God sent Aaron to help Moses accomplish his purpose. That we need to pick friends that will help us accomplish our purpose rather than putting our purpose and life in danger. We had some really good conversations this week.

I learned about Moses he obeyed God when he didn’t think he could do what God wanted him to do. Moses saw a burning bush but then he heard it talk, it was God. He told Moses to take his shoes off because it was holy ground.
We played a fun game today but at first we didn’t want to because Brenda didn’t tell us how to play or the purpose.
Jameca

Let me tell you about what I learned about baby Moses that his mother hid him so he wouldn’t get killed she hid him by the Nile River. Then one day the kings daughter went to the Nile River to take a bath and she found baby Moses and he was crying. Since she was the kings daughter they could not kill him so she raised him good.
Shae

Today I learned that Moses had a purpose that he was to get everyone from Egypt. Then there was a burning bush but it never burnt up it was God telling Moses go back to Egypt tell a speech and God said I’ll send your brother Aaron with you because he is good at speaking.
We played a game we have 5 clothes pins on the back of our shirts and other people have to try and get them off.
Dez

We learned about Moses that he was the person who rescued the people from Egypt. He killed an Egyptian. Pharaoh looked for Moses but never found him, then the Pharaoh died.
I started to make a basket that was something about what we learned in the story about Moses. So we weaved the basket and it took us 2 days to finish it.
Kemonterious
July 17
Well today was my first day of Tennis camp at North Star High School. When I got there I was a little intimidated by all the other high school kids because they were really good. But when I went into the tennis courts and the coaches were really nice and she helped me with all of my techniques it was fun I got to meet new kids. The coach also said that I was very athletic and I caught on fast. She said I should try out for my high school tennis team.

July 19
Today was the lst day of tennis camp and I had a great time there learning new ways of how to control the ball and how much power to hit the ball with. I wish that tennis was longer because it was a lot of fun. I guess I have to get on the court more this summer- man it was fun. I met new people good people. Today we played a singles tournament and I came in 3rd place, Man this little kid named Robert came today for the first time hew as so good. I had a great time and tennis is the best.
Pierrie
One of the games we played was clothes pin tag. To drive home the need for a purpose in life I handed the kids clothes pins and a rope. Then started shouting go play, go go win the prize. They just stood there doing nothing looking confused not knowing what to do. So finally I explained the rules and the purpose of the game. Then we had lots of fun and it set up our lesson on Moses.

At the end of the day we played a fun water game. Two teams, a basket full of water and sponges. Each team tries to soak up a lot of water in their sponge and take it to some milk jugs...

...then squeeze the sponges trying to get the water into the jugs. The first team to fill up there jug saves Moses from a wet basket.

For craft we made woven baskets. When weaving it helps to have your tongue sticking out slightly.

Baskets take a lot of time and patience to make but....

they turned out beautiful.

For snack Moses in a Basket. You take a waffle cone bowel, fill it with any flavor of ice cream cover with that chocolate syrup that hardens that is his body. Then a scoop of chocolate for his head. Sprinkles for hair, pretzels for hands, some eyes and mouth. And there he is Oh so cute and delicious.

Today we played a game about our purpose. We went running with steve. He said I was really good.
Yesterday we made a puppet play, then we practices. I was the Mom, Taj was the teacher and Shae and Savanah were sisters. Then for snack we made Baby Moses in a basket.

Jameca

Let me tell you what I learned today about puppets. How to use my hands the right way and not to put the head up when you talk for the puppets. The we made some baskets about Moses but we are not all done yet. We went to Steves to run with him and his daughter Jackie.
Dez

I met a new person. Her name is Jackie. I met her at running. At first I was scared and shy. I ran and I was slow and she came back for me since I was slow. Jackie helps me get skinnier.
Today I learned my verse. I know it now I can get my little basket for my hat.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for your future says the Lord.

Our last game of the week. To bring home the idea of living out our purpose. I had each of the kids name something they wanted to be or do with their life. I put it on a card and put it at the top of some stairs. Then I made out about 12 cards for each kids. They started at the bottom of the stairs, each card had either good choices they have been making lately so they could go up the steps toward their purpose. Some of the cards had some bad choices they had been making and so then they would have to go down stairs. None of them reached their goal, the object of the game was to help the kids see that our choices even as kids affects our purpose for our life.

Taking time to enjoy the view at the sunken gardens. We finally got a break from the 100 degree weather and it was beautiful.

The Luis Palau Omaha Heartland Festival

On our way to Omaha Nebraska leaving from Lincoln, the first thing we saw was the BMX.I was scared when the boy did the back flip on his bike. Out on the skateboards I like the one that split in half. I loved the motorcycles because how fast it was going. It was going so fast It felt like I blew my head off. Me and Savanah shared the umbrella with this boy because he was pouring out sweat. And one of the bikers popped his tire from all his cool tricks. Then when all that was over we went to the car to eat some snacks then we went and got some tattoos but from all that sweat the tattoos came off of our arms. Then we went to crafts and made some crosses and some bracelets. This is what the colors meant- yellow means he loves us, green means that he is powerful, red means how much blood he shared with us and died for us. Then Jodene brought us some snow cones and we played some games and I son all together 9. I played crazy big mouth and much more. Then we got our face painted. I got a crown that said Jesus. I got a flower pot. After all that we listened to Mandisa and Toby Mac then we left.
Dezhanay

On Saturday the 14th, I went to Omaha Nebraska with Jodene and Janet and Dez. We got tattoos and watched the bmx when the motorcycles were doing back flips I thought they were going to kill themselves. We watched skateboarders and one broke his board. We listened to Mandessa. We also made necklaces and bracelets. It was blazing hot and this one boy was sweating so much so we went back and shared our umbrella with him so he had shade and so he was not hot. For dinner we ate at Cracker Barrel in Omaha, they have a store there too. Their food was awesome.
Savanah

Go here to see a picture of us in the Sun.
http://www.joepix.com/lp7johf1/index.cfm?ptd=gp.cfm&u=466408836

And The Winner Is....

Kemonterious wins the Lincoln 1 mile run and the Bike drawing!

Last Sunday I was so happy and excited because I was getting ready for my race. I was going to a one mile race downtown. When I first started with a short pace then I got close to the end I passed the person and I got in first place and I won the race. And 10 people came to watch me run. Then I got to win a free $200 bike.

This is Kemonterious' second time in a row to win the Lincoln run in his age group.

Letter-Man

This week we had speech and debate camp. I'm having fun with all the speech kids. We even got some new kids this week. Oh and today I got surprised. I lettered in Speech. It is so great. How cool!