God is Good.... All The Time....

Hi Everyone!!

You know this is kinda hard trying to figure out a new opening line everytime we post a blog. :)
These past few weeks have been pretty exciting from basketball tournaments, snowfall in the desert, and a mission team from OH. God has been busy blessing NCF, the natives, and us. He has also been busy growning and teaching all of us.

 A few weeks ago NCF entered into a basketball tournament with 3 local churches. The theme of the weekend was "RISE UP". Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
The team was made of teenagers that come to NCF during the week for open gym, bible studies, and other classes. It was an all weekend event. All the games were played at Sun Valley Christian School, it started on Friday night there was actually 5 teams that played each other that night. It was kinda like a get to know you and lets see how good you are. Friday night ended with worship and the Word. We sarted again Saturday morning every team had to play each other. During the middle of the day they offered a basketball clinic to the young children, they really enjoyed it.

 After that we started the tournament which NCF was undeafeted!!! After the tournament was over we ended the night back in the chapel for awards, worship, and the Word. Yes the weekend involved a lot of basketball but it was also a weekend of worshiping and growing your relationship with the Lord. The teens all seemed to enjoy the WHOLE weekend some even responded to the alter call.  

On October the 27th Dilkon got it's first snowfall of the year. Yes, we were surprised ourselves! We would have never guessed that we would actually get snow before you all back home in IN & KY. I believe God is just keeping things interesting and we all know He does have a sense of humor! Well it was a beautiful site and a blessing because the desert out here needs moisture anyway it can get it!

Tuesday nights open gym for Joey is going really good. God is bringing in the youth! Remember this night is for the teens in the community that doesn't necesarliy attend church. There are normally between 20-30 teens and  95% of them are guys, which I believe is a good thing. They range from the ages of 15 to 28yrs old. Joey is getting more and more comfortable speeking at the end when giving his devotional. Please pray that the seeds Joey is planting will take harvest sometime in there lifes.

James Paddock Sr.,the director here at NCF, has experienced alot of things in his life time. He was police officer, worked for social services, and a pastor at the Nazarene Church here in Dilkon. He has and still continues to reach out to the natives and the children. Recently the community gathered a surpirsed James with a "Thank you & job well done party". Joey and I have only known James for a short time but during this time we can see his heart for the children and his love for Jesus Christ. He is a man of chances and doesn't like to give up on no-one. He is there when ever anyone needs him. Joey Jr. has even grown close to him. Everytime we have a staff meeting of some sort his knowledge and experience blows me away, therefore we felt very blessed to be apart of this party and to help in anyway we could.

As many of you know it really broke my heart to move to AZ without our daughter Renee'. I kept thinking of the story when God asked Abraham to sacrafice Isaac. I know this is nothing like that but this showed me just how much Abraham loved God, how obedient he was, how he put God first and the trust he had for God. I kept telling myself I need to do the same and have faith. Well God has blessed us once again. She is hear and God has spoke to her and made it clear that she is to stay hear at NCF. There was a couple of events that God showed himself to her. Renee's due date for the baby is still Dec.18th. The father of the baby will arrive here in the beginning of Dec. If it is Gods will the two of them will be working on getting married. Please pray for a healthy delivery and Gods direction for Renee and Carlos.    

The childrens home now has another teenage girl living there. We still have "Sally" and now we have another girl who is 17 and we will call her "Cory" she was sent to us due to...I guess you could say parent neglect. Her mother would allow her to "party" with her and Cory got into some trouble and is now on probabtion. From what we have noticed the drugs and alcholo starts really early in age here, I know the same thing happens back home I just don't think it happens as much/often. We just hope and pray that during our time serving here Joey and I can make a small difference in at least one persons life if not more. Please pray that God makes it all possible to use us to make a difference. Here are we...use us!!!

The team from Cobblestone Church in OH. made it here ok and was a wonderful blessing to NCF. They helped winterize the gym so we have a much better chance of running the activities all winter long. The team also painted some of the offices in the admin building. We also met with a couple of the ladies from the team who is going to help NCF come up with a one page business plan that will help us set our goals and reach them in the next 12-18months. They also asked us to make our own individual plan. I myself would like to get some kind of education in accounting. I believe this would help bennefit NCF. If anyone knows of any online courses to suggest please do so.  The ladies are also going to help us with a power point all we have to do is come up with the info and send it to them and they will do the rest. This to me is a big blessing since I don't know anything about power points!  

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. We miss you all very much and look forward to our visit home at the end January... if God willing :)  

All The Time... God is Good...