Happy New Year! We Hope You Had a Wonderful Christmas
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Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful Christmas. We are reminded that Jesus truly is the reason for the season. We hope the greatest gift of all this holiday season is found in what Jesus has done for each one of us. Although, an Eagles playoff berth is a pretty nice bonus gift! On December 23, we had a day to remember! We spent the afternoon with over 130 amazing children at Lawncrest Recreation Center in northeast Philadelphia. Carson, along with teammates Dallas Goedert, Boston Scott, Nate Sudfeld and Avonte Maddox, surprised the kids then joined them in football drills, Christmas decoration-making and each was served a delicious meal from Thy Kingdom Crumb. Each child also received a backpack filled with gifts to make their Christmas extra special, and the joy in the room was tangible! At the end of the event, Carson answered questions. He also shared the true reason for Christmas and the greatest gift of all time: Jesus. This event wouldn't have been possible without the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and our amazing volunteers. Before we left, a little girl pulled one of our staff members aside to ask why we picked her rec center. He shared that we wanted them to know that they are seen, valued and loved. The little girl looked him in the eye and said, “No one ever does nice things for us.” We are so grateful we were able to bring the light and hope of Jesus to these precious children and for all the opportunities we have to carry out our mission of "Uplifiting individuals and communities around the world by demonstrating God's love for His people" through our three ministries: the Outdoor Ministry, Thy Kingdom Crumb and the Haiti Sports Complex. In December, we had the privilege to take twelve-year-old Layne Billing on a mule deer hunt in Nebraska. Layne discovered he had bone cancer when he was eight years old. After receiving chemotherapy along with several months of treatment and rehab, he is now cancer-free! Layne’s grandpa, Joe, was able to join him on the hunt. Although Layne was unable to harvest a deer, it was a successful trip. Our Outdoor Ministry Director, Cole Scherbenske, was so impressed with Layne’s maturity. We love giving kids an incredible outdoor experience, but we also believe in sharing the ethical practices of hunting with them. Layne made a couple of difficult, ethical decisions during the hunt that forced him to pass on a buck near the end of “shooting light.” Doing the right thing can be hard, but it is incredible to see the teachable opportunities that come out of hunts like this. Our staff had a blast connecting with Layne and Joe. As they read the Bible together, both Layne and Joe were engaged and excited to talk about their faith. Cole said, “I love it when we get to see the ministry aspect of what we do go beyond the child on the trip and touch the entire family.” On each hunt, we gift the adventurer a jersey signed by Carson. We also give them a Bible with their name engraved on the cover. Layne loved the jersey, but he was even more excited about his new Bible. Cole said he ran his hands over it and couldn’t wipe the smile off his face; that’s what it’s all about! We know God is going to continue to move in Layne’s life as well as his entire family. On Christmas, Cole and his wife received a letter from one of the girls also involved in our Outdoor Ministry. We wanted to share a brief excerpt from the letter: “I am writing to you today to let you know how much I appreciate you both. I am forever grateful for the way you have impacted my life, and I just want to say thank you for everything. You both have taught me so much about the Lord and life in general.” "Camp Conquerors and the Mountain Movers trip to South Dakota are two experiences I will never forget. They have strengthened my relationship and understanding of the Lord. For this, I am very grateful. I have gone to church all my life but never truly understood God’s love until now." THANK YOU for being a part of what God is doing through the Outdoor Ministry! We are believing for many more stories like this in 2020 and beyond! TKC served in a variety of ways in December. Along with serving outside of Lincoln Financial Field before Monday Night Football, TKC was able to distribute free food at a community tree lighting event in East Greenwich, NJ, the Connect Church Toy Store and Lawncrest Recreation Center in northeast Philadelphia. However, the run that stood out to us most was at Rowan University during finals week. Throughout the semester, 10 Rowan University students passed away, including three by suicide. Students across campus have been hurting and haven’t had anywhere to turn. After our team heard about this, they knew we needed to act. Our team provided 330 hot meals and had the opportunity to pray with 49 students to accept Jesus Christ as their savior. Our team felt a sense of sadness as they talked with many students, but as they shared the hope of Jesus, the countenances of many students changed. Although the pain may not have vanished at that moment, many students were pointed to the ultimate healer: Jesus. Several students texted friends so they could come to the truck to get a free meal and hear what our team was sharing. We are believing that God is going to use this night as a turning point for many students and the entire Rowan University campus. Please join us in praying for the students of Rowan as many of them are looking for answers, and we know God can help bring healing to their lives. .