What a difference a day makes (follow up)…
Here’s a few excerpted responses from the various Service Day sites the External Focus Team wanted to share… If you have particular questions about how you can serve with any of these organizations, please contact us.
BUILDERS OF HOPE
posted by K.D. Mar 29th 2009 at 5:59 pm edit this
Today was awesome! I loved seeing what the Lord is doing in West Dallas. Mr. Henry’s [Norm Henry is the Founder and Director] work in the community is amazing! Better than providing affordable housing, they are transforming lives of the young men in the community. I went to a building site for Builders of Hope. Many of the Watermark volunteers helped to tear down an old house, but we had more volunteers than necessary, so many of us set out on foot into the neighborhood to pick up trash and talk to the neighbors.
The best part of the day was hearing the testimony of one of the men employed by Builders of Hope – Mohammad. Mohammad grew up in the neighborhood we were working. He told us the house we tore down was a drug house and the men who ran the house had a very profitable business. Mohammad was envious of the men who ran this house and wanted to find success like those men. Although the house looked like it was worth very little, he used to look at the house as if it were worth a million dollars. Mohammad was running with the wrong crowd and engaged in inappropriate business endeavors. After spiraling down, he ended up behind bars. About a year ago, Mohammad started working with Mr Henry for Builders of Hope. Since getting a second chance, and having good men surrounding him and encouraging him, Mohammad found a relationship with the Lord.
What an amazing day! Builders of Hope will have opportunities for volunteers to help on the build sites the second Saturday of each month. Come out and help transform West Dallas by building new houses and transforming lives.
And here’s a note from Norm Henry:
Thanks for allowing us to participate with your church. The volunteers from Watermark came to work, and everyone exceed our expectations. The Lord blessed us with beautify weather, and most of all, with beautify friends. We met some old and new friends. We accomplished everything that we had planned.
Please thank your Pastor and the leadership team for allowing the Church members to share your worship day with us.
The community of West Dallas witness a new day of Hope and Transformation. Thanks for being concerned about the least of these in our city. May the Lord richly bless your church for giving a day of service to many people.
Norman
TEXAS VISION HOUSE
from J.P.:
How can we thank you…for opening the doors for the blessings we all received today with the fine women at the Texas Vision House. Tabitha, the Executive Director, and her husband Will have such gentle, humble spirits and a missile-lock passion to help these wonderful women. The women were amazed at the love that was expressed today through our Team’s tenacious service….painting the kitchen (we are going to finish painting Tuesday night), massive cleaning overhaul of the dining room as well as the common areas of the home, and the extensive grounds cleanup and tree and bush trimming/sculpturing. One of our workers offered to donate a huge area rug for the dining room – the heart of the fellowship in the home. Mothers and fathers alike worked alongside their children – these kiddoes viewed firsthand the selfless focus on others. Countless kids came up to me and said, “What can I do next?”
I saw some of our folks ministering to the women quietly in private – tears of despair and past hopelessness were mixed with a glimmer of renewed dignity. Hearts dared to be vulnerable. Jesus was clearly present among us all and His promise of renewal and love will bless all involved.
Tabitha, God is clearly working through you, Will and others in your home to lovingly care for these fabulous women. You clearly heard God call you to service at a young age of seven and have obediently followed His calling. God bless you for your passionate pursuit of these women’s hearts. It is so apparent that you radiate Jesus’ love and His compassionate caring ways.
Thank you for the gift of being Jesus’ hands and feet. It stirred a hunger for more in the hearts of several folks.
Response from Texas Vision House Director, Tabitha
To God be the glory!!!!!!! Thank you guys so much for the opportunity. I’ve been in ahhh all day. The women were so emotional, they tend to feel that they are forgotten, so for them to see people in their home serving them it encourages them to keep believing in themselves…….thank you so much!!
We encourage the women to believe in the Lord, and to know that people do care and believe in second chances… your team confirmed that this morning. WiIl and I and 36 women are so grateful…..
…
Tabitha Pennon
www.texasvisionhouse.org
Here’s also a great 3.5 minute You Tube video showing photos from the day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhhiOhdHDkI
HOPEFUL SOLUTIONS
Hello there!
Some of you I know, some I don’t – but I am so excited to share with you all what God did yesterday at our place of service! I would really like to speak to one or two of you … about our experience serving the Hopeful Solutions ministry in South Dallas, with our point person there being the lead volunteer, Natalynne Walton….
These women are enrolled in a number of recovery programs, but don’t have any that teach them the healing and restoration that comes from a relationship with our Savior. As we know, that is the only true way to full recovery and sobriety….
M.L.
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And here’s another one from a Watermark member who served there:
I wanted to thank you for giving me and my family the opportunity to serve and be the hands and feet of Christ.
We jumped on a bus that took us to a ministry called Hopeful Solutions. This organization serves women who are single parents who have battled addictions but are striving to live a life free from drugs, alcohol and prostitution. As part of our service, we set up homes for these families so they land well and can focus on critical things like leading their families, staying clean and getting back on their feet.
I was witness to the generosity of people who had donated so much stuff for people they did not know be it mattresses, dish sets, kids toys, and furniture. I witnessed the amazing people who attend Watermark who did not judge why the people we were helping were in a precarious position in life. Rather they jumped in and loved these folks (who we may never meet) with the hope and joy that Christ showed. It was truly an empowering day.
Beyond that, while there was so much generosity on display, we all saw there is more to do. A drive is on to dig deeper into our own lives and provide more for this worthy ministry. If we all continue to extend, we can really help these families out and make God more famous.
Again, my thanks to you. The day was humbling for me and a reminder of how blessed I am and how much more I could be doing to further God’s kingdom on earth.
M.C.
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CARR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
What a blessing today was for our school, students and staff. From
changing light-bulbs to organizing our book room… we were truly
blessed. Too many volunteers is not a bad thing! I had to apologize to
your volunteers a few times, because I kept crying through my thank
yous!
…
Thank you seems so small compared to what I feel happened this morning.
And as for prayer…I truly believe this happened this morning because
of people praying for our school to receive these blessings…so I
appreciate the prayer especially for our students, our teachers and my
leadership.
Thanks again,
Mrs. Christian Ruiz
Principal
C. F. Carr Elementary School
SEQUOYAH ELEMENTARY
THANK YOU!!!!!!!
The staff and students appreciate all the time and energy you put in to
cleaning and praying over our building. Your generosity is
immeasurable, and it also serves as a special example of what we strive
to teach students each day.
Too often, our children are brought up to believe in extrinsic
motivation – that is, the idea that unless there is something tangible
in it for them, they will not help. I believe that “caring for persons,
the more able and the less able serving each other, is the rock upon
which a good society is built.” Compassion and selflessness are traits
which define great people.
So thank you for your compassion and selflessness and generosity!
Also….the students would like to say thanks…and would like to know
to whom they address their letters.
Mrs. Love
Principal
Sequoyah Learning Center
CORNERSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH
Thank you once again for making Cornerstone a part of the 2009 Watermark Day of Service. We thank God so much for all the work that was done to assist us in impacting the lives of the needy in the south Dallas community. Because of this service project, the community is cleaning, the clothing closet is better organized, and Kitchen for the Homeless is much brighter. I had plans to stop by and speak to the group but kept getting interrupted and was unable to make it over. Thank God so much for Facebook and Kristi uploading pictures of her page as I had a chance to see the awesome team working so hard!!!!!!!!!
Thanks again so much for going beyond the walls of your church to make a difference in South Dallas.
Chris L. Simmons, Pastor
Cornerstone Baptist Church
WEST DALLAS CHURCHES – Greater Mount Hebron Baptist, Jesus Ministry, and Voice of Hope’s Church cancelled services to serve alongside us:
The Lord truly blessed this event. We were absolutely amazed as to how everything worked out. We really did enjoy all the members of Watermark Church and the great fellowship. Looking forward to doing something else with you.
Thanks,
Pastor Butler
One response so far
Thanks for sharing Jeff!