Rachel Buttig
Executive Director
East St. Louis
Dream Center | |
| October Blog Posts |
10/3: Recreation,
Relationship and
Restoration
10/7: Can I Go With You?
10/7: Healing From Pain
10/14: Like You Taught Us
10/15: Dice and Bullet
Shells
10/17: My Neighborhood
is Getting New
Clothes
10/30: He ALWAYS Has Me |
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Precious People,
Do you have times in your life that you feel like Abraham, knowing you're supposed to "GO", but you just don't know where? Yeah, I think that's exactly how God arranged it. We have an idea of His purpose for our lives, but the steps along the way are often not known to us until we get to that turning point.
Below is a story of just that. I pray that it inspires you in the journey of God's purpose for your life. Don't get discouraged. The step you are on right now, is just a step UP to the next wonderful thing He has for you.
Hebrews 11:8 (NIV) By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
In Christ,
Rachel Buttig
Executive Director
East St. Louis Dream Center |
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Teen Ministry |
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| Article Subheading
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| God is Faithful |
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When we started our Teen Ministry four years ago in October 2005, we started in a nearby park with a cheap boom box, a few basketballs, and some Little Debbie snacks. Since the beginning, we have met with the teens in five different locations. But, every time we have needed to move, God has had the perfect place that was just right at that specific time. I have often felt like Abraham, not knowing where we were going next, but always knowing that God would provide.
This has been our journey:
* October 2005 to November 2005 ~ met at Lincoln Park
* November 2005 to May 2006 ~ too cold outside, we
couldn't meet with the kids at all
* May 2006 to October 2006 ~ met again at Lincoln Park
* October 2006 to February 2007 ~ too cold outside, we
couldn't meet with the kids at all
* February 2007 to May 2007 ~ rented the Old Lincoln
Middle School gym
* May 2007- October 2007 ~ moved back to Lincoln Park
* October 2007 to October 2008 ~ rented the Old Lincoln
Middle School gym
* October 2008 to July 2009 ~ gym was vandalized,
moved Teen Ministry to my apartment
* July 2009 to October 2009 ~ began meeting on an
empty lot in the John DeShields Neighborhood
At the end of August this year, I knew that we couldn't continue meeting outside with the teens because it would be too cold and too dark. But it wasn't clear to me where we should go. I knew that God wouldn't let us down and when the time came that we wouldn't be able to meet outside anymore, He WOULD provide a place for us.
I began praying about it. Every time I would go watch the teens play basketball at a nearby community center called the Mary Brown Center, this question just kept coming up in my heart, "Is this the building you have for us God?" A year previously, I asked the director if we could rent it, but she said "No." I continued to pray about it and finally asked her again. When she found out we were a 501c3 organization and that we now had insurance, she said "YES!" God gave us so much favor with her that she is not even charging us for rent. We only have to pay the cost for one of their staff members to be there and a security guard. This cost is half the price of what we were paying at the Old Lincoln Middle School gym. The director was so open to what we do with the teens. When I thanked her, she said, "It's not a problem. We are in this together and reaching the kids for the same reasons." I knew God had changed her heart.
So Friday, October 16, 2009 was our first time using the building and it was great! It was so nice to be inside where it was warm and not dark. The kids had a great time and it was a familiar place to them since many of them already go there after school.
At times when we have had to move to different places, my heart broke because I thought the kids would feel like we weren't committed to them. But, I believe that over the past 4 years, they have seen that we are HERE TO STAY. When we met with them on October 16th, we all stood up in front of them and re-affirmed why we meet with them. We told them that we're not going anywhere and even when we have to move in six months, we are determined to meet with them, even if that means meeting outside again or back in my apartment. We told them how much we love and care about them and that they can come find us anytime for prayer or just to talk.
The Mary Brown Center agreed to let us rent it until the end of April 2010, until we can find a permanent place. I believe that God has a large and permanent place for us to meet with these teens. Will you pray that God clearly shows me this building and gives us an ABUNDANCE of His favor to get it?
I am praying that in these next six months, God will establish us. That He will knit all of our hearts together; with the kids, with each other and the kids with each other. So, when we do get an established building, we will already be an established group, a family. Thank you for agreeing with me in prayer for this as well! |
| Sowing Seed |
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A seed is exactly that...a seed. It's nothing more, UNTIL it is planted. If you believe God is prompting you to plant seed into this ministry in order to support me and what it takes to run this ministry, I encourage you to do it. I pray that you feel NO PRESSURE at all, just a leading and excitement from Him.
You can do this by making checks payable to "ESL DC" and mailing them to the address below. Or you can give by clicking the Pay Pal button below. You can also sow into this ministry by checking out the NEEDS LIST on the web site and contacting me about what you would like to give.
THANK YOU so much for your prayers and support!
Rachel
Contact Information
East St. Louis Dream Center
1235 McCasland Ave., Apt. 9B
East St. Louis, IL 62201
618.482.2791
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