Love God. Love Others.

Weekly Bible Study

2009-07-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

Although our studies have endured a few changes, our weekly gatherings are still going strong. They now consist primarily of students, as the adults go to a different summer study. We have amazing volunteers who teach the study every week. They make the lessons so interesting and applicable. The students are learning and growing in their faith on a daily basis, and it is such a blessing to see their transformations.

4th of July

2009-07-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

As the summer flies by, we are blessed to stop and honor our country on the 4th of July. We continued our tradition of a Cypress St. barbecue and fireworks outing. The community gathered together for a meal then loaded into the shuttle for a trip to the local park. There, we watched fireworks together, some for the very first time! It was a great day and night of fellowship and honoring our country as a community.

Summer Reading Club

2009-07-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

One of our main goals is to instill a value of education in our students. Because our after-school program was such a success, we decided to continue on into the summer. We facilitated a summer reading club which consists of partnering with the public library to give the kids an opportunity to check out books and improve their reading skills. We have amazing volunteers that are teachers, who thought up curriculum and work one on one with our students on a weekly basis. Our first day, we had 46 kids participate. We were floored. Even our high school students wanted in! Our students are excited about learning and truly value their education and the opportunities available to them. Please pray for this program as it expands and continues on into the school year.

June '09 Events

2009-07-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Cypress Graduates- Three of our students graduated from high school. We were so proud as the walked down the aisle in cap and gown. Congrats Grads!

Cypress St. Graduation Party- After the graduations were over, we threw the graduates a community wide graduation celebration. It was important for us to let them know how proud the community is of them, so a major bash was in store!

Calicinto Ranch Day Trip- Our students worked so hard over the course of the year in our after-school program, that we thought a congratulatory trip was appropriate. We took our students to Calicinto Ranch for a day of fun with horses, hay rides and bow and arrows. What a day to remember!

Party @ Pedro's- Lot318 partnered with Yorba Linda Friends Church on their annual water ski trip to have new, fun experiences and deepen their relationship with the Lord. Two incoming freshmen from Cypress St. attended the trip and truly felt God move. Our goal is to partner with YLFC every year to encourage and empower the students in the community.

Beach Camping- this year's annual beach camping trip was amazing. Students from Cypress St, alumni, adult volunteers and current high school students attended and engaged in a week of bonding, fun and beautiful beaches in Santa Barbara.

Movie Night- For our second movie night of the summer, we watched the family film, Toy Story. A lot of people from the community, outside of Cypress St., attended. It was a great night of fellowship and community.

Cypress Field Trip

2009-07-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

We are so blessed with many life experiences and opportunities, that it is a blessing for us to share them with the Cypress St. community. I (Savana) sing in a band and put on a show for friends and family at Citrus College. My music director really believes in and supports this ministry and gave us and our students free admission to the concert. We decided to use this concert as a tool to bless the students and give them a break from their usual evening activities, as well as a reward for working so hard at our after school homework club. We picked them up in the shuttle and did not tell them our destination until they got there. Boy were they surprised! They had no idea I was in a rock band and felt so cool and privileged to be a part of the scene. The students were on their best behavior and so supportive of me and my music. We danced, sang, and cheered together all night. When the show was done we took them to get ice cream and just celebrate our evening together. I was so blessed by their presence and support. It was cool for my friends and band mates to share in this passion of mine and to get a glimpse of what I do with most of my time. It truly was an unforgettable night for all involved. Pictures soon to come!!!

5k for Freedom!

2009-05-11T00:55:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago YLFC put on a grand 5k run, benefitting the Dalit women of India. Letty and I had the privilege of running (well...if you can call it that) and participating in the event. Our students from Cypress St. sold water and beverages to raise money for our cause. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, nice breeze blowing. It was perfect. The feeling surrounding the event was almost magical as so many community members joined together to stand for change. I am grateful to be a part of a church community that recognizes needs and injustices and actually does something to change them. All in all, we raised over one hundred and fifty dollars for Cypress St. Thank you to those who participated and made the day so special to women everywhere.

Mothers Day Movie Night!

2009-05-11T00:52:00.000-07:00

Last night we had our second movie night of the year. These are my favorite events because they mean summer is coming! We have movie nights once a month, and then every other week when summer comes. We pick a family-friendly movie, bring out our blankets and chairs, pop some popcorn and just have fun together. Talk about simple pleasures! Last night was extra special because we made Mothers Day cards for our moms! We set up a station with colored papers and art supplies and watched the kids get creative. It was a great time of fellowship and community. Letty and I always step back and just take in the moment. It is not everyday that you see a whole community enjoying the presence of each other and simple pleasures. We literally see prayers answered every time we step onto that community, and the fellowship that took place last night was a major prayer answered. All that we can ask is that you join us and check it out!

May '09 Prayers and Events

2009-05-03T18:42:00.001-07:00

Ps. 115: 1 “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”

Impact Movement Family Picnic – This year marks our 5th Annual Family Picnic. We have a list of 85 students that desire to “Love God and to Love Others” Every year we come together to celebrate Gods goodness and to remember the lives we had a chance to bless. Please pray for families to come and fellowship with one another. Pray for nice weather as well.

Movie Night on Cypress St – This month’s featured movie is “A Bugs Life”. Please pray for continual safety as we seek to bring communities together for a fun evening with friends.

Cypress St – Field Trip – We have started our off - site field trips and this month we will be visiting Citrus College. It is our desire to plant seeds in the students we work with on Cypress St to give them hopes and dreams for the future. Please pray for safety as we travel and lead these trips.

Travelling Safety as Letty travels to NY to support nieces’ college graduation – Letty will be gone for a short trip to NY to support her niece who is graduating from St Johns University. Pray for travelling mercy and for a sweet time with her family as they celebrate this great accomplishment.

3rd Annual Soccer Tournament – YLFC High School Ministry will host their annual soccer tournament on Cypress St. This has been a high light to so many in the community and we pray that this year will be a blessing again. Pray for students to sign up and for teams to have a good time playing street soccer. Pray for peace, unity and good weather.

Tutoring- Please continue to pray for our after school tutoring program. We are loosing our partnership with Biola University due to summer break and need more volunteers to help tutor our students. Please pray for our students as they continue to grow in knowledge and truth.

We also still have some needs for this program
• 18-20 bean bag chairs for a fun reading environment
• School Supplies – Pencils, erasers, sharpeners etc
• More volunteers

Bible Study- Please continue to pray for the members of the community that attend and the direction of the study. Pray for the follow-up of new believers. Pray for Guillermo (Neighborhood Pastor from our Hispanic church). We especially ask for your support here since this is where our community gets the “Meat and Potato” – JESUS!! Pray against the strongholds and spiritual attacks.

Thank you for your continued Prayer and support

Big 3 Missions Trip

2009-05-03T18:39:00.000-07:00

Big 3 – Yorba Linda Friends Church High School Missions Trip – This “Spring Break” was like no other. We had both YLFC Junior High and High School Ministry serving with LOT318. It was an amazing week. Join us as we remember what the Lord has done:

Monday: 60 Junior High students from YLFC helped cleaned up an open field on Cypress St. They along with the community worked together to pick up glass, rocks, pebbles and debre to provide a safe place for the kids in the community to play. The last part of the work day was spent installing 2 tedaball poles and 2 goal posts for soccer. In 6 hrs a safe playing field was resurrected. We now call it “Cypress Stadium” If you build it they will come and trust me they are coming. The end of the day the JH Students held a reading club for the kids in the community. What a sight it was to see students working together for the common good. It was a great beginning to great week.

Wed – Friday: 50 High School Students from YLFC hosted a VBS on Cypress St. Everyday was spent building relationships with the community. We took the kids to the park for different activities in the mornings. For lunch the local moms cooked lunch for the entire group (tamales and empanadas). In the afternoon we had a mini Bible lesson along with some songs.

“Spring Break” was spent building relationships and being the hands and feet of
God. Thank you to all who gave unconditionally!! And thank you for making the best investment ever – Pouring into people. Thank you for “Loving God & Loving Others.

Tutoring Update

2009-05-03T18:36:00.001-07:00

Tutoring- I was just reflecting on when starting a Tutoring/Homework Club was just a dream and a prayer. For nearly two years I have been praying and asking the Lord to show us how and when to start our Homework Club and we are close to completing our first semester. Gods timing is always perfect. It has been a semester filled with great joy, tears, challenges and many BLESSINGS. Our kids are learning: to enjoy homework, to manage their time wisely and they are realizing that learning can be fun. We have weekly incentives for the kids to complete their work and not only to complete it but to do the extra credits. What joy to see the kids run up to you and show you their latest test grade. Many tests are filled with smiley faces and 100% written across the top. Lives are being changed in every aspect of life. I really believe that even if you think you can succeed having someone believe that you can – can and will make all the difference in thinking you can and knowing you can!!

Here is what a Biola Tutor has to say about her tutoring experience:

I have enjoyed working with LOT318 & Cypress St. Ministry. At first, I was annoyed that our teacher assigned this. I was thinking that it wouldn’t be that much fun and it would just take time when I could be doing other things. I had just switched my major and I was not really sure if Christian Education was the major that God want me to be in. After coming to work with the kids, I felt like God was telling me that I had made the right decision. I was very nervous my first time coming out, but everyone there was really nice. It kept getting easier too, the more and more times that I went. I now look forward to going. Working with the kids has pushed me to want to learn more, so that I will have more to teach them. It has also helped me understand how to help them. It is great to see how much of an impact Letty and the other workers have made on the community.
~Sara

Bible Study Update

2009-05-03T18:32:00.000-07:00

Bible Study- If you remembered last month we ask you to pray for Guillermo (Neighborhood Pastor from our Hispanic church) – Who was feeling defeated lately. Well we see now that God was moving and stirring the hearts of the community and the enemy did not want that. I was reminded this month that Gods Word never returns void. This month four lives saw their need for Jesus and entered into a personal relationship with God. Praise the Lord! There truly is no greater investment – than investing in people. What a blessing to be a part of His Kingdom work.

Here is what Geoff (Volunteer that coordinates the kids weekly Bible Studies) has to say about his experience:

Over the last 6 months we have been working on Cypress Street every Tuesday night doing a Bible study with the youth of Cypress Street. When were first started this study we had no idea of how this was going to look or what God had in store. Our first Tuesday that we started this was one that was very challenging. We had around 15 kids that showed up on our first Tuesday. We had come to play games and also in hopes of doing some kind of Bible study. It was nothing of the sort our first week and the kids did not really want to listen or do anything structured. We had felt like this was going to be a failure and not ever going to work.
God had other plans in store! With much prayer, my wife and I felt God telling us to give it another week. The next week we were blessed to be given someone in the communities backyard to hold our study. We had less kids that week but we were able to share a story with the children from God's word. It was such a blessing because we had seen the Lord work in just one week.
We had no idea of how much God was going to bless this ministry! Over the next couple of weeks and months we were getting close to 25 kids every week coming to this study. Due to a lack of space we moved our location to the front yard of someone in the community. This location made it easier for children to see what was going on and to come join the Bible study. In addition to having more kids attend, God has been so awesome in providing us with more adult helpers. Having all of this help has allowed us to really be organized and strategic with this ministry. We have the manpower at this point to possibly do some more great things on Tuesday nights. An area of prayer that many of us feel led to do is to divide up the elementary kids and the junior high students. God will allow us to know when that time is.
The greatest joy in regards to Tuesday nights is seeing the kids get excited to come and hear a short message from God's Word. We have been in the book of Genesis and are going to continue to show the kids how God created everything and eventually raised up a Savior in Christ. Our greatest prayer is that all of these kids will take with them the love of Christ and allow it to transform their lives. I have faith that God is doing something great on Tuesdays and over this Easter season we have taken a break from Genesis to show these kids how much God loved them so much to have His son die on the cross. Please pray these kids make the connection!

Send a kid to Camp!!!

2009-05-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Faithful Supporters,

“I thank my God every time I remember you”!!!!

Savana and I would like to thank you for your partnership in the ministry God has called us to. LOT318 is a reality because of people like you that believe in “Loving Others in Truth”. We have 20 students from within the community and from near by communities on a weekly bases coming to our Tutoring Club on Cypress St. We have had about 30 volunteers helping make the Tutoring Club a success. FYI: we still need more tutors ☺ Not only do we have the support of local churches and Biola University we also have the City of Placentia, Placentia PD and Placentia library reaching out to our community.

My reason for writing is to ask you to please pray about supporting us in the following needs:

Sponsor 20 Students from Cypress St. to go on a day-trip to Calicento Ranch as a reward for their commitment to the Tutoring Club. We will also need to use the shuttle to transport our students and volunteers. - $1500.00 ($75.00 per student)

Sponsor 20 Students from Cypress St to go on an over-night trip to Calicento Ranch as a reward for committing to our “Summer Reading Program”. We will also need to use the shuttle to transport our students and volunteers. - $2500.00 ($125.00 per student)

Sponsor 2 cabins for Children’s Summer Camp – 16 kids (8 boys and 8 girls) – $5360.00 ($335.00 per student)

Sponsor 15 “At Risk” High School Students from the community and from the Yorba Linda Area for High School Summer Camp – “Party @ Pedros” - $3750.00 ($250.00 per student)

Sponsor 5 College Students from Cypress St to go to College Sumer Camp – “Party @ Pedros” - $1000.00 ($200.00 per student)

Total Summer 2009 Sponsorship: $14110.00

Your financial support will help take a child off the streets and put them in a safe environment where they can grow spiritually and as individuals.

Lives will be changed for all Eternity this summer because of your INVESTMENTS!!

Thank you again for your partnership – We look forward to celebrating the Lords provision.

Serving the King of Kings,

Letty Gali Savana Buttacavoli
(714)325-2446 (714)423-6226

Make all donations payable and mailed to:

Hill of Hope
Attn: Letty
536 Dartmouth Dr
Placentia, CA 92870

Easter Egg Hunt and Movie Night

2009-04-19T23:45:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your prayers…..God once again showed Himself faithful. Our kick-off movie night was a huge success.

We started our evening with an Easter egg hunt. This was an opportunity to let the kids have fun and for us to share the true meaning of Easter. While the kids were searching for candy they were also searching for 12 random eggs. Each egg had a piece of the story of Jesus and His final days here on earth. We shared all that Jesus did for us so that we can live with Him forever in heaven. We gave the salvation message with about 50-60 kids and their parents’ right there on Cypress. It was a great beginning to the evening.

Then the time came for us to show “The Passion of the Christ” to about 100 people. The community came out for free popcorn, punch and hot chocolate. We were so blessed to have great volunteers serving the community. Thank you to all who made the evening possible.

As I (Letty) looked around my eyes filled with tears and I was overwhelmed with Gods faithfulness. A young man from the community came up to me and said “I have never seen this before”. I said “What do you mean?” He said “in all my years living here I have never seen this community so united and so accepting of people from other communities”. God brought young and old, male and female from different cultures together for “such a time as this”. It was a great evening of thanksgiving, fellowship and remembrance.

As we journey in this thing called life…We pray we NEVER forget what our Lord and Savior did for us. He died on the cross as a ransom for our sins. He is the bridge in which we can communicate with God. He is the reason for why we do what we do…..Love God – Love Others.

Planning Retreat

2009-04-13T11:53:00.001-07:00

Letty and I had the privilege of getting away last weekend for a planning retreat. We spent the weekend planning the whole summer i.e. our weekly outings, summer reading program and 4th of July extravaganza. It is going to be an awesome summer and we are stoked to serve with you. God continuously opens crazy, amazing doors for us; all we can do is walk through. Truly God is working in this community and we are excited to embark on this journey together! Hold on tight, it is going to be a wild ride!

April 09 Prayer Request and Events

2009-04-01T23:22:00.001-07:00

Ps. 73: 25 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.”

Lot318 Staff Summer Planning Retreat – Please pray for us as we seek the Lord’s direction with our summer events. We want to be wise in how we lead and challenge those we come in contact with this summer. God is moving in big ways on Cypress St and we want to make sure we are following His lead.

Easter Egg Hunt & Movie Night on Cypress St – This is our kick-off for Summer 2009 outdoor movie nights on Cypress St. We will have an Easter Egg Hunt, where we will share the true meaning of Easter – Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice. And then we will show “Passion of the Christ”. Movie nights are a chance to bring the community together for an evening out with friends and family. Pray for hearts to be open to Gods movement and for lives to be change for all eternity.

Big 3 – Yorba Linda Friends Church High School Missions Trip – YLFC HS ministry will be serving the kids from Cypress St during “Spring Break” This is a chance for students to step outside their comfort zone for 3 days and allow Jesus to stretch them to become more like Him. Please pray for relationships to be built between each other and with the Cypress kids. We are excited to see all that God will do.

5K India Run – YLFC is hosting a 5k run around Yorba Linda to raise money and awareness to the Dalits of India. The Dalits are considered less than animals and YLFC is committed to breaking down the caste system in India. We want to help set the captives free!! Please pray for good weather, lots of runners and for eyes to be open to the devastation around us. Lot318 has been asked to help hand out water to the runners and to provide a booth to sell water as a fund raiser to our ministry. Savana will be running as well! Lots of prayer for her ☺. We will also have the opportunity to bring awareness to our own “Caste System” here in America.

Tutoring- Please continue to pray for our after school tutoring program. We will soon be loosing our partnership with Biola University due to summer break and need more volunteers to help tutor our students. Please pray for our students as they continue to grow in knowledge and truth.

We also still have some needs for this program
• 18-20 bean bag chairs for a fun reading environment
• School Supplies – Pencils, erasers, sharpeners etc
• More volunteers

Bible Study- Please continue to pray for the members of the community that attend and the direction of the study. Pray for Guillermo (Neighborhood Pastor from our Hispanic church) – He has been feeling defeated lately due to the lack of support and volunteers. We especially ask for your support here since this is where our community gets the “Meat and Potato” – JESUS!! Pray against the strongholds and spiritual attacks.

Thank you for your continued Prayers and support

Bible Study Update

2009-03-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

Bible Studies in the community are going strong. It’s nice to finally have warmer weather. There is a sense of community and fellowship. The community is sharing deeper thoughts and hurts as a result lives are experiencing freedom in Christ. They are looking out for each other and praying for one another. It is also exciting to see people from other neighborhoods driving on to Cypress St to join the Bible Study. Guillermo, the neighborhood pastor from Amigos church (Yorba Linda Friends Church Spanish ministry), is doing a great job in challenging the group in seeking God and His kingdom right where they are. We even have high school students from the community joining the studies. While the adults are growing in Christ on one side of the streets, on the other side the kids are learning about Jesus as well. Thank God for all the volunteers serving and pouring into the kids and adults every week.

Please continue to pray for these studies that take place every Tuesday night. We realize the importance of prayer and ask that you lift us up every Tuesday as we share Jesus in a very REAL way. If you are ever in the area…please join us!! COME AND SEE!

2nd Annual Fashion Show Fund Raiser

2009-03-29T22:04:00.000-07:00

Our 2nd annual Fashion Show to raise money for LOT318 and to bring awareness to Cypress St. and the ministry that is currently taking place was a huge success. We thank God for $4000 that was raised!!

This event was put on by Yorba Linda Friends Church (YLFC) High School Ministry. Each high school ministry team collaborated to make this a Top Quality event. We had teams working on advertisements, Fashion Show set-up, photographers, after party set-up, clothing sponsors and many other responsibilities. It was amazing to watch these students shine for Jesus as they went outside themselves and served the Cypress community.

On a personal note….We were blessed to see 6 models from Cypress St represent their community and strut their stuff ☺ Daisy who lives on Cypress St was bragging on how she was the first plus size model. The Cypress Models truly felt special, valued and proud to be a part of this event.

Here is what one of the models and student leader had to say about the event:

Romans 12:4-8 “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”

In Romans 12:4-8, the apostle Paul writes about the body of Christ and how each of us are given different gifts, yet we all are needed to work together as one body.
Just recently, the high school service team (or “Impact team”) from Yorba Linda Friends Church put on a Charity Fashion Show. All of the proceeds went to the “at risk kids” from the Cypress St. community in Placentia. The show was created and headed by Katelyn Brown, a freshman in high school and a natural leader with a true heart. This year, Katelyn asked for our help with the show and we were able to take on the challenge, along side our fellow student leaders and those involved in high school ministries. Each ministry team was given a task to help put the show together based on their talents and gifts. For example, the connection team was in-charge of selling tickets and advertising; while the design team worked on the stage and runway. As a student planner and model in the show, I was able to watch the creativity, triumphs, and struggles we all experienced in preparing for the show. Now, looking back, I realize how well we worked along side each other and depended on each other. Furthermore, I believe the ideas expressed in Romans 12:4-8 were beautifully played out as we planned for the fashion show.
Personally, the most fun part of the event was getting to model in the show alongside some of the kids from Cypress St. Since the show I have heard that whether you were in the show or just watching, it was an exciting, memorable night.
Although there were obstacles along the way, our church, along with God’s help, were able to raise about $4,000 with the Fashion Show. This success has brought me close to tears as I anticipate how it will bless the kids from Cypress St. Over the past few years I have been able to work with these kids and build relationships in this community. I’ve gotten a taste of their struggles and seen how lives can change with Christ’s love. I feel truly blessed to be a part of the “impact movement” and the change taking place in a community I have fallen in love with. Looking forward, I cannot wait to see how God will continue to use each of us and how He will use the success from the fashion show to further His kingdom on Cypress St.
-Written by Alexandra Hunt, “Impact Movement” Student Leader

Here is what our high school Pastor, Jay, had to say about the event:

As a high school pastor I feel so blessed to get to work with our friends from Cypress Street. God has opened a door for us to share Christ's love through serving the families in the Cypress neighborhood. But I did not realize that God has also opened a door for our new friends to impact our lives as well at Friends Church. As we continue to do service events like the Fashion Show I have seen our students at Friends Church be transformed in a variety of ways. First, the opportunity for them to get outside of themselves and serve others has helped develop a Kingdom perspective and confirm that this life is not "all about me." Second, being able to interact with people who they may not normally interact with has helped Friends students to develop a more complete worldview. I am thankful for the opportunity to minister to the families from Cypress Street and so grateful for the ministry they provide in our lives.
YLFC HS Pastor Jay

Thank you for your constant love and support to this community that has become our family. Praise God for stirring the hearts of YLFC HS ministry.

Tutoring Update

2009-03-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your continued prayer for our after school tutoring program on Cypress St. Our partnership with Biola University has been incredible, relationships are being built and our Cypress students are taking ownership of their school work. The kids will be getting their quarterly grades this week and we will evaluate their progress and how to meet specific needs.

Our goal of having one to one student teacher ratio is more and more becoming a reality. This month we had Biola students as well as adults from Friends church volunteering their time. One big “Thanks” to Friends Children’s ministry, Cal and Tony B; your hearts of service blesses us and the kids very much.

Let us share a precious story that took place this month:

Lluvia, first grader, while being tutored by a Biola student asked “Who is God?” The volunteer was not expecting that question and she said “God is the owner of the world”. After a few moments Lluvia was thinking and said “Oh….so God is your Father and my Father and that makes us sisters” The Biola Students was smiling from ear to ear and responded “That’s right and that’s why I keep coming back - to hang out with my sister.” It was a precious moment and a conversation that that volunteer will never forget.

Here is what another Biola volunteer has to say about his experience:

I started participating in Cypress Street Ministries on March 4, 2009. At first, it was only for an assignment for one of my classes. I didn’t really want to be there, and I resented the fact that I was being forced to participate in a ministry. I was also very hesitant because I don’t really like meeting new people and I have a small fear that I wouldn’t be able to relate or interact with the kids very easily. Everything changed after I got there. From the first day, helping Esther do her homework, to the multiple Tuesday night Bible studies I’ve been able to help out with, I’m glad I came. I’ve enjoyed interacting with the kids, getting to know them, and making friends with them. All my initial hesitations evaporated as the kids were open and welcoming. I’m so glad that I’ve been able to help out with Cypress, and I hope that I’m able to bless others at least half as much as God has blessed me through this ministry.
~Chris Matsuoka

It is stories like these that confirm Gods calling on our lives. God is moving and we are soo excited to be on this journey pouring Jesus into the lives of so many. To God be all Glory and Praise!!

Needs for this program
• 18-20 bean bag chairs for a fun reading environment
• more volunteers

Team Cuba

2009-03-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers as we prepared to travel and minister to Cuba. Unfortunately, our trip has been cancelled. Part of our process of preparation was to apply for a religious Visa. This is what allows us to minister in the name of Christ to the people of the country. We have never had a problem receiving these Visa's. The Cuban government decided to close all religious visa's and travel from the U.S. into the country for the month of April. We were given the option to travel through Mexico to Cuba, but we would only be recognized as tourists and would not be able to work with the church or do anything "religious." The other factor in cancelling our trip was that our financial support did not come in in full. We are feeling blessed and assured at this time. We know that as doors are opening and great things are happening on Cypress St., we need to be here for them. We are confident that the Lord has great plans for us and that He had this planned for us all along.
As with any missions trips, there are expenses necessary in the preparation of the trip. For those that have mailed us financial support, there are four options in how to handle your giving:
1. We can return your check to you.
2. We can apply it to the pre-trip expenses: domestic airline tickets, passport processing fees, support letters/stamps and other minor team expenses.
3. Apply your donation to a future Cuba trip.
4. Apply your donation to the Cypress St. ministry

We will be in contact with you individually to see how you would like to apply your donation.

Again, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT! We will keep you posted with future Cuba missions trips.

ULL Visits SoCal

2009-03-29T21:24:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your prayers of safety as the University of Louisiana women’s softball team flew to California to participate in a softball tournament hosted at Cal State Fullerton University. It is always special to Letty when she gets the opportunity to serve the team when they are in our neck of the woods.

Letty spent the weekend providing help as the coach needed…from picking them up at the airport to making reservations for 40 people at various restaurants. The best she can do for them while in CA was to serve them. Letty’s blessing for the weekend was going to church with 10 players and their parents to worship our Lord. She was so encouraged to see the spiritual awakening and spiritual growth in the team. For those wondering how they ended the weekend tournament…..2 wins and 3 loses. We challenge you to see a ULL game if you get the opportunity…the fans are loyal and fun to be with not to mention the games are exciting.

Nina's ULL Update

2009-03-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

Where do I start? How can I possibly sum up this amazing ministry trip? When I first embarked on this journey, I really had no idea what to expect. I wanted to be totally open to do the work that the Lord wanted done…in and through me. So, packed with clothes, bible study material, and a desire to be open and obedient to serving the Lord (and a love for the girls and for softball!)…and with the blessing of my boss (who let me work remotely for a month…praise God!)…off to Lafayette, Louisiana I went.

After getting settled in and connected with the right people, with the help of my roomie Letty (thank God for her wisdom and understanding!), a typical day would look something like this…I would start off with a couple of hours of working my day job (through the wonders of modern technology, I was able to practice law from another state without anyone noticing!), then go for a run…time to reflect and refresh. After the run (and a shower of course), I would continue working until it was either time to go to the team’s practice or game. Then, depending on the night, there would be a social for the team (organized by yours truly), dinner at my host home…Ms. Jessie and Mr. David were so gracious, bible study at Chi Alpha (on-campus Christian organization), bible study lead by myself, or just hang out time after a game. God really filled up the days and I soaked in every bit of it.

In the time spent with the team and the community (Ragin Cajun fans are die hard! I loved it!), there were many God stories that happened along the way. Here were a few highlights…some sharing of God’s word and prayer…a few opportunities to see the fruit from those times when the girls applied the lessons learned during bible study about focus and attitude…seeing the girls make themselves available and open to allow the Holy Spirit to work inside of them. One of the players was inspired to go out and buy a bible of her own. I am so excited for her to pour into God’s word and for it to breathe life into her. I also had the privilege of praying with one of the players right outside her locker room before a game. That same player blessed me so much when she shared how she applied one of our bible study talks during a stressful point in the game. I pray she realizes through this just how strong and confident she can be through Christ. Also, there were some precious times of just deep conversation and sharing over dinner with some others. Praise God for those moments!

There were also some fun, goofy times that were spent laughing, relaxing, and just hanging out. A few more of the players turned out for the socials, and it was nice to see the girls interact and connect as teammates off the field. Awesome skits girls! You were great sports…and so creative! God was also so faithful to provide me some one-on-one time with about 7 of the girls throughout the 3½ weeks I spent in Lafayette. During those times, it was amazing to experience God just filling me with words of encouragement and love for these girls. I have never really been what you would call a “bible warrior” as far as quoting scripture…but God was at work…so of course I was able to quote and apply scripture like never before! One particular moment stood out when I was in my car going through a bible study from my own women’s group back home…and then…not even 20 minutes later, I was encouraging one of the girls with that same scripture I was studying! The Lord was in every detail…from start to finish.

I am just so thankful for this trip…the time spent with my host family (as many little moments as I could squeeze in…thanks to them for being so understanding and flexible!)…the connections and friends made in the stands…thanks to all who fed me and gifted me with beautiful mardi gras beads and coins…thanks to all who prayed for me while I was there…and finally I pray for many blessings on the team, coaches and staff who were so open and let me hang with them during their crazy busy schedules.

I may never truly realize the impact of this ministry trip, but I trust the Lord has purposed it for the greater good of His kingdom. As I told the girls, as long as we are striving to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives, we are successful. Overall, I really learned to trust and lean on the Lord so much more and just to have a peace in knowing that He is in control…“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” – Phil 3:12

Cuba Support Letter

2009-03-06T16:18:00.001-08:00

March Prayer Requests and Events!

2009-03-06T16:17:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your continued Prayer and support….Please join with us as we ask God to lead and provide for our Ministry…..

Update from Louisiana- Pray for safety as Letty and her roommate Nina return from Louisiana. As you know Nina was working with the University of Louisiana Softball Team during the month of February doing various team bonding activities and, most importantly, having weekly Bible Studies with the team. We hope to hear a few God stories from Nina this month.

Fashion Show- Pray for our 2nd annual Fashion Show (March 7th) to raise money for Hill of Hope and bring awareness to Cypress St. and the ministry that is taking place. Please pray for our high school ministry as each ministry team collaborates to help make this event a huge success. Please visit http://www.ylfc.com/cgi-bin/NewsList.cgi?section=highschool&cat=Happenings&rec=662 for all detail information. Feel free to support this Amazing event and cause.

ULL Softball Comes to California- Pray for safety as the University of Louisiana girls softball team flies to California to participate in a softball tournament hosted at Cal State Fullerton University. Pray for ministry to continue with the coaches and team. Also pray that the teams needs will be met while in California. And for all you UL softball fans pray for safety and great success on the softball field.

Tutoring- Please continue to pray for our after school tutoring program. Our partnership with Biola University has been incredible, relationships are being built and our Cypress students are taking ownership of their school work. This is a huge answer to prayer. Our goal is still to have a one to one student teacher ratio. We also have some needs for this program
• 20 18 bean bag chairs for a reading environment
• more volunteers

Bible Study- Please continue to pray for the members of the community that attend and the direction of the study. Lives are being changed and a community is being established for Christ. Remember you are always welcomed to “Come and SEE” and “Join Him”

Cuban Team – April ‘09- Pray for our team as we prepare for our 4th missionary journey to Cuba. Pray for each member’s Spiritual walk and that the spirit of God surrounds our thoughts and speech. Also pray that each member’s financial support would come in before we leave on April 2, 2009. Please see attached support letter.

Time with Supporters-Hilton Head Island

2009-03-06T16:06:00.000-08:00

This year marks 15 years of full-time ministry for me. And one of the things I enjoy most is spending time with supporters. In 15 yrs I have met some amazing people with huge hearts to share God’s Amazing Love. The reality is that without a support team (Prayer & Financial) I would not be able to do what God has called me to do.

That is why my time in Hilton Head Island was another reminder of God’s love toward me. I spent a week with dear friends that have prayed over me and loved me while on my missionary journey. The beginning of our trip was asking the Lord to provide opportunities to serve those around us. Our week was spent sightseeing, riding bikes on the island, playing tennis as a family, flying kites, feeding sea gulls, spending time reading, kayaking on the ocean in search of dolphins and just relaxing. One day the Lord answered our prayers and we did a drama in front of a crowd of tourist. They were enjoying the sun’s heat and we asked them if we could entertain them and they said yes. So…there we were sharing Christ through mimes and skits. It was amazing and I was so blessed to do ministry as a family. But the highlights were the sunrise and sunsets the Lord gave us.

Here is what Ahna (oldest child) had to say about our week:

This week has been such a blessing. Letty has always been an important part of our family, but spending time with her at Hilton Head Island has solidified our relationship. She encouraged us all to find ways to minister to others while here. My first thought was that I might not want to spend my vacation working like I was on a mission trip, but after watching her willing heart at work my attitude completely changed. I feel that this week was not solely focused on relaxing, but on spending time enjoying God. My favorite part by far was kayaking during sunset. Everything looked gorgeous, even under water! After leaning out too far, I tipped the kayak then came to the surface to hear Letty shouting “did anyone get a picture of that?!” God has been at work here even as we enjoyed some down time.

Now…Here is a word from mama Wilseck:

Wow, what a week! Having Letty in my life has been one of my top ten blessings from God. We never get enough time to be in her presence and to have a vacation with her like this is fantastic! The thing that she always does is to draw us all closer to Christ. Her encouragement to us to service for His kingdom is always a welcome thing. Probably the best part of this week, for me, has been being able to get away and enjoy God’s creation. Water is calming to my soul and having an ocean beside me, has done wonders! During one of my quiet times God showed me, as I prayed, love. He showed me to love is to be God like - for God is love. He directed me back to 1 Corinthians 13 and showed me how all the “loves” can be changed to “God” and how through Christ we strive to be this love to a watching world. To God be all the glory for His creation and all the praise for His people and our relationship and all the honor for His great love for us, AMEN!

The Wilsecks have become my family away from home. And I am blessed every time we are together. Thank you Lord for providing great friends and support!! Phil 1:3 “I thank my God every time I remember you”

Valentines Day Outreach

2009-03-02T12:44:00.000-08:00

As February rolled around love was in the air! We sure were feeling the love from our ministry and everyone involved. Our kids cannot help but show love to us and each other and it sure is a blessing. We try to have events every month and every holiday with the Cypress Team. We are always looking for new ways to reach out to our community and give the kids and students an outlet to serve others and gain new cultural and life experiences. For Valentines Day this year, we decided to make holiday cards for the resident at a retirement and hospice facility. We took a Saturday and led the kids in making hand-made cards for the center. It was a fabulous time. On Valentines Day, we took a shuttle load of kids and bussed them and their cards to a facility in Yorba Linda. The kids delivered all of their cards to the residents and gave lots of hugs and kisses! It was a beautiful sight seeing these kids interact with the elderly and conduct themselves in such a loving manner, in this new environment. The looks on the residents faces were priceless when they got a card and a hug from these cute kids. Our friend Katy wanted to share about the experience:

"The Valentines Day event was a smashing success! We had tons of helpers whose hearts were touched by God and the children. The kids enjoyed making the cards so much! They had fun stamping and used lots of stickers.
Decorating the cookies was hilarious because of all the sprinkling and icing going on. 150 cookies were decorated, eaten and given in an hours time! Marco and his buddies helped set up the tables and the EZ-up. God was smiling as He gave us the only dry and sunny patch in North Orange County!
It was touching as we closed in prayer, seeing a couple kids and even parents join in our circle.
Faith+Work= Genuine Faith

God is good and I rejoice in His faithfulness!"

Cypress Tutoring Update

2009-02-28T18:37:00.001-08:00

After a year of prayer and God’s vision of a tutoring program on Cypress street, He answered this dream on January 26^th! We began our after school Homework/Tutoring Club. I love it when you are obedient to God’s leading. One thing that Savana and I love about serving and being on Cypress is the simplicity of life. As you notice in the pictures…tutoring is taking place in the open air, on the sidewalk with just a few tables, chairs and heating lamps. No one complains that there is no shelter or that it is cold. The kids are very appreciative that someone cares enough about them to come and help them with their homework.

Savana and I want the kids to understand that they are loved and that education is a very important part of life. One of my highlights for this week was having Omar, 4th grader, come up to me with a huge smile and show me his math test – 100% plus the extra bonus point. It was a priceless moment!! Just another confirmation from God that Cypress is where He wants us.

This week we also had 16 volunteers from Biola University (Local Christian University) come out and tutor our kids. It was awesome watching them work with the kids. They displayed the fruits of the spirit: patience, kindness, self-control and love as they helped the kids in math, writing and reading.

God has us on an amazing journey and we love the simplicity of “Loving God – Loving Others”

Cypress Bible Study

2009-02-24T14:51:00.000-08:00

Please continue to pray for our Cypress families. Life hurts, but God heals!! This month we have had 2 unexpected deaths and one of our special friends is spending some time in prison. Families are hurting emotionally and struggling financially. Some lost their jobs while others are having trouble paying their rent. But praise be to our Father in Heaven….He brings healings, stability and peace in the midst of adversities.

Every Tuesday evening 20-25 adults are eager to grow in their knowledge of God. They are learning to rely in Him in everything. This month 10 adults surrendered their lives to Christ. We are becoming one big family that truly cares for one another. I forgot to mention that while the adults are meeting for Bible study, Jesus is also getting poured into their kids’ hearts. We have 20-25 kids coming each week with their Bibles to learn about God. What a beautiful scene and a wonderful blessing to be a part of God’s movement here in Cypress.

If you are ever in town….Come and See!!

Cuban Dinner

2009-02-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your prayers!! My visit with mom was amazing. Every time I spend time with my mom it is a gift from God. You see 7 yrs ago my mom had 3 brain surgeries – two from the main artery and then finally open brain surgery. My mom was suffering from major headaches and the doctors determined that she had a leaky value in her brain stem; hence the 3 surgeries. Now, seven years later the Good Lord is still using her.

I grew up with parents living the true meaning of a servant. My parents would see a need and would do there best to meet that need. This year mom saw the need to serve the students that meet in my house for a weekly Bible study. No doubt mom has the gift of hospitality and some amazing Cuban cooking skills. J This year she cooked and served about 50 people in one week. I love spending time with mom…..she is my hero!! We had sweet fellowship and great memories were created…..THANKS MOM!! Enjoy the pictures….Maybe next year you can join in the celebration.

Moms are special….go and hug your mom, a mom or someone that’s like your mom today!!

University of Louisiana Softball Feb. '09

2009-02-15T14:16:00.000-08:00

WOW!!! What an amazing trip!! Nina and I headed on our drive to Louisiana early Thursday morning (3:30am). The first day we drove 22 hrs…we started in Orange County and ended our day just east of San Antonio. Our goal was to make it to Louisiana in time for the first game of the UL Softball season on Friday. And you know it….missions accomplished…we made it!!

As you know our purpose for this trip was to connect Nina with the team and to empower her to continue building relationships with a community that has become my family. Nina’s primary job is to pour Jesus into the team through team Bible Studies, meeting one on one with the gals and hosting team bonding events. A blessing for Nina and the team will be their partnership with my very near and dear mentors. MD & MJ have been a key part of my life and this ministry since its birth 9 yrs ago. Thanks MD & MJ for your hearts of service….and for your friendship.

Here is what my weekend looked like….Friday & Sat were spent on the softball field and showing Nina how to get around Lafayette. Sunday we went to church with a few of the players and then headed to the softball field. Sunday afternoon was “Game Time” for Nina and me. We had our first Bible Study / get together. We shared ice cream sundaes while sharing with the gals what our purpose was for our trip. We even challenged the six gals who attended to be our voices as we serve the team. They took the challenge and Nina is well on her way. (Please keep Nina and the team in your prayers….when she returns in March you will hear about her experience and some amazing God stories). On Monday we had lunch with a few players and I also had a chance to visit with a family friend. It’s always good to reconnect with friends who have been a part of Gods movement. Then Tuesday….Nina and I met with the UL coach for breakfast to let her know Nina’s intention for being there. The coach received Nina with open arms and now Nina can serve with freedom and understanding from the coach.

On a side note….When you are serving God in His right place at His right time….He shows up. In the midst of getting Nina acclimated with this new chapter in ministry for her I was able to spend time with Summar and meet the Missions pastor from the local church. Summar was a UL Softball player when I lived in LA. Summar is a transformed life for Jesus. The yr I lived in LA Summar gave her heart and life to Jesus. Since then she has grown in her spiritual walk like no one I’ve seen before. She has been on numerous missions’ trips over seas and state-side. She is discipling others and leading Bible Studies on Campus. She is a walking testimony of what God can do it we just believe and surrender to Him. What a blessing for me to spend time with Summar and to pray for her and her ministry. I also met with the mission’s pastor from the church I went to while in LA (East Bayou Baptist Church). I wanted to let them know what God was doing within Lafayette and I also offered my help on any mission’s trips they have where they may need an interpreter. I love to network and meet people who have a passion for the lost and a love for JESUS!!! This was a God ordained trip. Thanks for your prayers. Hope you enjoy the pictures……..

To God Be ALL Glory Honor and Praise!!

Fashion for Jesus!

2009-02-15T13:51:00.001-08:00

FRIENDS!
I am sorry it has been a while since I have updated. I am in school full time and working a ton so I am definitely learning time management. Wednesdays I have a combination of class and rehearsal from 7am until midnight. I do not take phone calls or emails on Wednesdays:). I wanted to let you know about a fabulous event coming up. First a little background. Last year, one of my junior highers in my small group wanted to put on a fashion show to raise money for Hill of Hope, specifically for Cypress St. She worked with different clothing stores, boutiques and other sponsors to donate clothes and items for a silent auction. The junior high students, including kids that live on Cypress St., modeled the clothes down the runway. We raised 3500 bucks and the kids from the community got to keep some of the donated clothes! It was chaotic but so fun and powerful. SOOOOOO this year we are at it again! Our fabulous student has even bigger dreams for this year's show. The high school youth group from Friends has gotten involved and expanded the event further than we could have ourselves. It is going to be a super outreach event for the community. The ministry teams have all taken charge of a part that needs to be done. We are going to have a silent auction, live bands and music and a super cool and fancy after party. We are hoping to raise 20,000 bucks this year. Our dreams and goals have expanded because God has truly opened up amazing doors for us. The event will take place March 7 at Yorba Linda Friends Church in Room 7, the after party immediately following. We hope this event raises awareness of Gods power as well as raising awareness for the forgotten areas of Orange County such as Cypress St. Tickets are $15.00 in advance and $20.00 at the door. PLEASE COME! We would love for you to see what we and this ministry are all about, as well as support our students. http://ylfc.org/cgi-bin/NewsList.cgi?section=highschool&cat=Happenings&rec=662

February '09 Prayers and Events

2009-02-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

This month is taking Letty and this ministry on many adventures. Please pray accordingly.

Trip to Louisiana- Pray for safety as Letty and her roommate Nina drive to LA to support the Univeristy of Louisiana Softball Team. The purpose behind this trip is to empower Nina to continue the ministry that began seven years ago. Letty will help build the bridge between Nina and the team. Nina will work with the team for the month of February doing various team bonding activities and, most importantly, she will be having weekly Bible Studies with the team. Pray for open hearts to receive all that God will do in and through Nina.

Cuban Meal- Pray for safety as Letty's mom comes to visit from New York. Letty gets to visit with her mother twice a year and this is one of those times. Pray for sweet fellowship and great memories while her mom is in CA. The extra blessing will be the Cuban meal that Letty's mom will cook for forty students.

Time with Supporters- Pray for safety as Letty travels to Hilton Head South Carolina as she visits with her supporters there. This family she is going to visit are very special to her. They have four kids that are home-schooled and have been involved in ministry for the last ten years. Pleasle pray for safe travels and a blessed time together.

Tutoring- Please continue to pray for our after school tutoring program. We are partnering with an Urban Ministries class at Biola University, who is providing tutors as part of their course study. This is a huge answer to prayer. We also have some adults from various communities coming to help with this program. Our goal is to have a one to one student teacher ratio. We also have some needs for this program

20 bean bag chairs for a reading environment
more volunteers

Bible Study- Last week we had 5 adults dedicate their lives to the Lord! This study is making a huge difference in the community. 11-13 adults are now attending the Spanish service every Sunday morning at our church. Please continue to pray for the members of the community that attend and the direction of the study.

Valentines Day Event- Our partners at Richfield Community Church are facilitating a Valentines Day Event with the kids on Cypress St. We are going to be making Valentines Day cards for the residents at a local convalescent home. We will then take the kids to deliver the cards to the people.

Fashion Show- One of our high school students from YLFC is putting on the 2nd annual Fashion Show to raise money for Hill of Hope and bring awareness to Cypress St. and the ministry that is taking place. We are in the planning process and things are coming along very nicely! Please pray for the process and that we keep our sanity as the planning continues.

Finally We Tutor!

2009-02-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

So this past week we FINALLY started our afterschool homework help/tutoring program on Cypress St. After many many months of planning and preparation, we were able to get this dream of ours up and running. The first Monday, we had 10 students come for help! We had 3 tutors the first day. By the end of the week we had two tables full of students ready to learn. We are still lacking on tutors, only about three a day. We are so grateful for the students who want help, but we cannot do it alone. Three tutors per 12 kids is just not enough! We are looking forward to more participation and are open as to what this program holds or us. It is a dream of Letty and mine to have a tutoring program and instill self worth and value through education in these kids. It is easy to think of school and homework as a tedious tasks, but our education is so valuable. As a college student I understand how trying school and homework can be. I wish I had a program that came to my house in junior high and high school that would help me out! It is also nice to get homework done with friends and support all around. We truly value our education and have seen how doors open when you do complete school. Please pray for and with us as we go blindly down this road the Lord has taken us down. To be honest, we really don't know what we're doing but we're doing it as God calls us. We can use all the help we can get, so if you have any desire or interest in helping students with their homework please holler at us!

Door of Faith

2009-02-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

On January 16, 2009, 24 high schoolers and 12 adult leaders from Yorba Linda Friends Church headed across the border to serve at an orphanage in Mexico. It was an AMAZING weekend. Our first morning, we started our day with a 5:30 am sunrise devotional. We hiked up to this cross on the top of a hill, where we were challenged to serve our hearts out! We were blessed to serve the orphanage in various work projects such as: our men cutting down a very large tree that was blocking construction, as well as installing a large marble counter top. Our very strong and capable :) women painted a gazebo and helped facilitate a vacation bible school for the kids. Our final service to the community was a cultural one. We all helped to set up and serve at a Quinceañera Party (sweet fifteenth birthday). This is a very special time when a Latin girl celebrates this milestone in becoming a young lady. It was educational watching and hearing the different meanings for the different gifts she received. Our evening ended with a time of reflection on our day and praised God through a time of worship and a camp fire. We were especially blessed to see students lives on fire to serve the "least of these." Here is what one student had to say about our weekend:

"On January 16, 2009, 24 students went down to La Mision, Mexico to Door of Faith Orphanage. Going down, we didn’t know what to expect, but we all knew we were going to serve our hearts out. On Friday night, we made it there safely with God’s protection and were greeted with about 100 beautiful happy faces. We hung out with the kids and had a great time. The next day, we woke up and started working at sun rise. Some painted for a Quinceañera, some demolished a unused drinking fountain, some put on a VBS, some made lunch for the whole orphanage, some got to hang out with the kids, and some did all of these. Once we all completed our jobs, we took down a huge tree that was old and not needed. Once it was put down with the help of a chain saw and a truck, we all picked it up and rolled it into a ditch. It was amazing seeing the use of a whole team together. We worked our hearts out that day and had a great time doing it. After all the jobs were complete, it was time for the Quinceañera. We all packed in the vans and headed to the church. We sat in the beautiful ceremony and then came back to the orphanage to party! We served dinners and hung out with the kids more. Then the 5 piñatas came out and we all got in the fun. After the Quinceañera, we were so tired, until we looked at the time and it was 7:30. We cleaned up after the Quinceañera and headed back to our camp site. We all sat by the fire and just hung out. We had a great time and laughed so hard. This trip was so amazing and God was with us the whole time. Through every moment, God was changing our hearts and the hearts around us. It just showed us that through our Lord, we can accomplish anything. He is so amazing and we need to live our lives for Him and Him only!"

Tori Thayer

It was truly a fantastic time and we CANNOT WAIT to go back and serve some more!

UPDATES!

2009-01-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

It is the brand new start of a brand new year, yet we have experienced so much! It is always amazing to think how much we get to do and how fast the time flies. This morning in church our pastor was talking about living a risk full life and living life to its fullest. We are so tremendously blessed to have these opportunities that open our eyes to the world and give us a glimpse of who God is. He truly has us in a marvelous place. ANYWAY! On to the month...

On January 1, we started the year off right with a one day missions trip to Mexico. A small group of us headed to an Orphanage called Estado 29. Check it out at www.friendsoftheorphanages.org! We played with the kids and delivered a car load of softball equipment that was donated from a university softball team. The orphanage is using softball as a platform to reach their community for Christ. They were excited to receive all the helmets, catcher gear, uniforms, new cleats and other miscellaneous stuff. What a blessing to be a part of Gods movement beyond our borders. We also had a chance to visit our homeless friends in Ensenada and eat tacos at our favorite taco stand. God paved the way there and back. We have a new record for crossing the border; the normal wait time to cross back to the U.S. is 1.5-3 hours. We crossed the border in 10 MINUTES!!!!! Thank you Jesus! Note to self- visit Mexico on Jan. 1, NO LINES and NO WAITING!

This year our semi-annual leader retreat was in Lake Arrowhead. We are blessed to have parents with hearts of service to our Lord as they opened their home for us to retreat. Thank you for all your prayers, they were definitely felt and answered. Our hearts were united and the spirit of wisdom and revelation was there. Our planning time was a success and we left the weekend EXCITED to be a part of all God is doing around us and through us.

The following is a brief summary from one of our seniors and her thoughts about the weekend. Be blessed and encouraged.

"This past weekend was one of the most inspiring weekends I've had in quite a while. My planning team from Friends Church went up to Lake Arrowhead and spend three days planning out our years event, and had quite a bit of fun in the process. One reason I really thought the weekend was so wonderful was the addition of four new students to our planning team. It was refreshing to see them so full of excitement and love for God to truly just want to give up their time to serve him whole-heartedly.

The weekend included hours of planning, and hours of fun! We spent around six or so hours detailing all of our plans for the rest of the school year. It was nice to have some new minds put to work in our planning. For the remainder of our time, we had devotionals, quiet times, games, talent shows and skits! I surely will be a weekend to remember!"-Kaysie Hughey

I was not able to attend due to a music gig with my rock star rock band (i wish:)) and am so sad I missed out!

So at the beginning of the month, Letty and I were approached by a grant writer who was offering his services to us. He has a ton of contacts with donors to charitable organizations who are willing to give and serve. We had the opportunity to sit down with him and write out all of our hopes and dreams for this organization and every venture we set out on. This encompassed Cypress St., Cuba, Savvy Travels (a travel company Letty and I are starting which plans vacations with service opportunities), educational scholarships, and we're still dreaming...

We are excited for 2009 and all that God has in store for us. This year started with great hopes and support for all that God has called us to. Our eyes have been opened to new vision (literally new vision- after many years of contacts and glasses I can finally see on my own! Thank you Excel laser eye surgery and mom and dad! Best Christmas present ever!) Thank you for continuing on in this exciting journey. Life is good. No risk-free life for us.

January Prayers and Events!

2009-01-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you for Praying! This is what is goin' on!

Mexico Day Trip- Please pray for our safety as we travel in and out of Mexico. Our purpose is to bring donated softball equipment to an orphanage that is starting a softball team. The orphanage will focus on sharing Christ through the sport of Softball.
Leader Retreat- Please pray for unity among the planning team, unity of the team among itself, the transition of the new members, and of course for our unity with God. Unity is an element that we need quite readily at the moment. Honestly, our cohesiveness has begun to lessen. Pray that we can reconnect, make strong new connections, and do it all for God's glory. We will be discussing the second half our the year, and would love for prayer that we may have a spirit of wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17) through our planning times. Please also pray that He will move our hearts during our quiet times, that we may feel the direction in which the Lord would like us to proceed.
Missions Trip to Mexican Orphanage- Please pray for safety and unity in our travels. Our HS ministry will be traveling to another orphanage for a weekend Serve Day. Our purpose is to provide our students an opportunity to serve outside their comfort zone. We will play with the kids and do various work projects. It is our desire for our students to capture God's heart as we serve those around us.
Serve Day- Please pray for our Friends denomination's annual Serve Day. All the Friend's churches in Southern California will participate in serving their communities. Pray that the love of Christ will be revealed as we serve our cities and neighbors. Our purpose is to be intentional in building relationships with our communities through our random acts of service.
Grant Writers- Sometimes God is funny. Honestly, sometimes His plan is so crazy that only He could imagine it happening. On the last day of 2008, our very own Letty Gali, was told a retired grant writer wanted to meet with her. Now I should say that this is more of a praise than a prayer request, however, please prayer over this meeting. That we may gain a permanent friend in the ministry, and that we may have a grant written to fund more events on Cypress St. and help expand Hill of Hope as an organization.
Tutoring on Cypress St.-Exciting news! More chances for ministry down on Cypress St.! We are beginning our after-school tutoring program on January 26th. Please pray for the tutors and students during the week. This is a tangible way that we can help the students from the neighborhood to further succeed. Pray that we will always have the man power to help all the students who desire aid during these times, and that whomever may come will create and build relationships that last.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

2008: The Year That Was Great!

2009-01-04T21:15:00.000-08:00

As I took some time away to regroup this Christmas season, I was reminded of ALL the good Lord allowed us to do. Reflect and be blessed...

January '08

Service Team New Years Party- Fellowship and fun as we brought in the New Year together.
Service Team Planners Retreat-Bonding and planning as we prepared service opportunities for our church.
Cuba Vision Trip- Took a pre-trip to Cuba to visit, pray, and plan with the local churches. I met with the local pastor and planned a future trip with students to assist in Vacation Bible School.

February '08

High School Winter Camp- took 6 kids from Cypress St. for a weekend in the mountains for Spiritual Awakening and renewal. Lives were changed for all eternity.
Letty's mom came to visit and cooked an AMAZING and delicious Cuban meal for 50 high school students.

March '08

Fashion Show Fundraiser- Raised over $5000 to support our Cypress St. ministry and help the community host events and provide funds for students to attend church functions.
Hosted the University of Louisiana Softball team while in California playing at a Cal State Fullerton. Praise the Lord! 7 softball players joined us for church while in Cali.
Spring Break Junior High Mystery Missions Trip- The students from Yorba Linda Friends Church ran a Vacation Bible School at Calicento Ranch. This ranch provides a safe place for kids whose parents are incarcerated, and are growing up in an unsafe environment.

April '08

Yorba Linda Friends Church high school ministry worked at another ranch for kids whose parents were incarcerated.
Prepared for our annual Memorial day Soccer Tournament on Cypress St.

May '08

Held our 4th annual Service Team Family Picnic. Had a chance to meet and connect with the parents of the students that serve. Created great memories!!!!
Held our 2nd annual Memorial Day Soccer Tournament on Cypress St. Over 150 participants and 300 spectators joined us. We were able to use this tournament as a tool to build relationships and to challenge people with their walk with Christ.

June '08

Letty visited supporters in Missouri.
YLFC High School Waterski Trip- took 300 kids (10 from Cypress st.) for a weekend on Lake Don Pedro. It was a weekend filled with new beginnings.
Annual Service Team Beach Camping- Great time for rest and renewal in Santa Barbara. After serving hard, we had a chance to play hard and relax!!!
Movie nights on Cypress St.-Uniting the community with a free outdoor movie, popcorn and drinks.

July '08

Summer fun on Cypress St.- movie nights, barbecues, slip n' slides, water balloon fights, and beach days.
Missions trip to Cuba- took a DREAM TEAM to Cuba and assisted with Vacation Bible School. 200 kids were impacted with the love of Christ and a community was changed forever. The church, pastor and youth leaders were encouraged with all that the Lord accomplished.

August '08

Missions Trip to Mexico-partnered with an orphanage in Mexico and built a home in 3 days for a family in need. We also held a festival for the community and ended our time with a community BBQ.
Headed to Lake Havasu for our student planning retreat. We used this time to bond, grow spiritually, and plan community service projects for the school year with our church and high school ministry.
Visited supporters in Texas. We used this time for rest and renewal after such a busy summer.
Helped YLFC with their annual Car Show. This was a community outreach event.
Held our final movie night on Cypress St.

September '08

Took 60 kids from Cypress St. Back to School shopping for clothing and uniforms for school. The partnership with a local church made this possible.
Held a neighborhood Labor Day BBQ on Cypress St. We also handed out 80 backpacks filled with school supplies to the students from the community.
YLFC High School group went to a ranch to help with maintenance. We helped paint the main building in the ranch.
Started adult Bible studies on Cypress St. This is led by our Hispanic church, "Amigos de Christo," bringing the community together through the love of Jesus Christ and His promises from the Bible.

October '08

Took over 80 people from the Placentia community to our church's fall Halloween festival. Lots of games, rides, food, and candy. After, we took the students Cosmic bowling. What a fun night!
Served at Long Beach Friends Church and fed 200 homeless people. Afterwards, we held a worship service filled with songs of praise and a message from the Bible.

November '08

Visited supporters in Tennessee and Louisiana.
Hosted a community Thanksgiving feast on Cypress St. Over 700 meals and 100 boxes of love were distributed.
Held our annual Flag Football tournament with the High School small groups. Great time of fellowship and so much fun.
Averaging 20-25 adults attending our weekly Bible study on Cypress St. Also began a kids Bible study so the parents can focus on the lesson and the kids can learn about Jesus as well.

December '08

All 114 members of the Cypress community got sponsored for Christmas gifts this Holiday season.
Our HS ministry helped prepare the floats for the Pasadena Rose Parade.
Letty's time back East was time well spent. Had a chance to visit family and friends. The trip to Pennsylvania was very encouraging as she visited a supporting church. And finally the bonus of a snow-filled white Christmas.

Be blessed and encouraged that God is moving all around us and is pleased when we join Him in His work. Thank you for an incredible 2008!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIENDS!

How exciting is it that 2008 is officially over. I have to admit, the new year brings a weird feeling. Who knows what is going to come our way over the course of this year! The start of new beginnings always brings excitement and anticipation as to where our paths will be directed. I want to begin 2009 with a massive THANK YOU to everyone that believes in the mission of Hill of Hope and supports everything we are being called to do. I hope that you find joy and passion in the new year and always remember that love is the greatest commandment and gift. AMA DIOS AMA OTROS. Love God Love others. Life gets no better that.

THANKSGIVING FEAST!

2008-12-16T13:59:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving, we had a massive feast on Cypress St. Our plan was to feed and bring festivities to at least 700 people. We are great friends with a fabulous caterer who was dreaming big and donated meals for 800 people. Early Thanksgiving morning we gathered with our volunteers in the rain. We swept the street and got it ready for the feast. We set up tables and chairs, DJ equipment for music, a bounce house and other fun activities. The afternoon began with music blaring and kids running from booth to booth. It rained on us for a few minutes but that sure didn't stop us from having fun! After a few hours of playing, we lined everyone up and distributed meals. This process was flawless, due to our amazing volunteers. By the end of the feeding, there was absolutely no food left. We fed over 700 people! God truly showed up and multiplied our meals and people and made sure everyone was satisfied. Once we began eating, our Amigos friends put on a concert and shared the true message of Thanksgiving. It reflected what I believe the true meaning of Thanksgiving is. Family and friends gathered together in fellowship and reflected on their blessings. Everything ran without a hitch and the community was so blessed. This was truly a blessed day and got our focus on what it means to be fully thankful and set the tone for the holidays to come.

PRAYER

2008-12-16T13:39:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all who keep us in your prayers. We would be nothing without your support. Because Letty has so many supporters all over the country, we maintain this blog to keep everyone updated. Here are our current prayer needs:

PRAY that all 114 members of the Cypress community get sponsored for Christmas gifts and need this season.
PRAY for the Christmas gift shopping for the community. This is a big task but we have fabulous volunteers pitching in!
PRAY for our volunteers! They have committed to us and been so faithful to help in the community. We ask a lot of them!
PRAY for Letty as she just celebrated her birthday. Pray for many more birthdays and years of ministry.
PRAY for safety as we distribute our Christmas gifts to Cypress St.
PRAY for safety as we take our service team to help build floats for the Pasadena Rose Parade. Such a fun opportunity!
PRAY for unity amongst the high school students as we serve another community together.
PRAY for Letty as she heads back East to spend Christmas with her family in New York.
PRAY for safety as she heads to Pennsylvania to visit supporters.
PRAY for wisdom as she encourages the local church in PA by sharing highlights of 2008.
PRAY for safety as we head to Mexico to serve at an orphanage and in a community that does not have sanitary bathrooms, running water or electricity.
PRAY for the leading of the Holy Spirit as we serve. Ask the Lord to give us His heart of compassion, and His eyes, hands and feet to GO and BE Jesus to a dying world.

THANK YOU for your prayers and support. Remember December 31, 2008 is the last day to make a 2008 tax-deductible donation. Payable to Hill of Hope, PO Box 436, Yorba Linda Ca 92885.

Fall Recap

2008-12-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

FRIENDS!!!!

It has been a long time since our last update. I have been crazy busy with school, finals, winter festivities, music, travelling... This month has been so full for both Letty and I. Letty is having fun in New York City as I write from my parents cozy house in Orange County. As I think back over the last few months, I feel so blessed to have a schedule full of fun activities. As an organization, we have seen new support abounding. As a missionary, Letty is able to take a break and spend quality time with her family on the East Coast. As a student, I am able to take a break from my studies and focus on our organization and making sure everyone is covered for the holidays. As I reflect, let me share with you some of our past events.

On Halloween this year, we were able to bring over 60 kids and adults from Cypress St. to our YLFC's Family Fun Fest. The service team did a fantastic job of gathering volunteers and making sure the night ran smoothly. We had high school students and volunteers from another church come and adopt the Cypress kids for the night. They took them around the festival and gave the a night to remember. After the evening was over, we took the service team cosmic bowling, in full costume. It was fabulous! There was a DJ and dance contest, which of course Vicente was the winner. We danced down the lanes and did not stop all night. This truly was a highlight.

Wanna Help?

2008-11-24T15:54:00.000-08:00

So, we are constantly asked, "how can I help?" Let me show you!!!!!!!!!

$50- provides a week of program material to keep high school students off the street.
$250- Gets one teen out of the neighborhood for a weekend trip to camp to experience a life beyond violence and fear, specifically high school camp with Yorba Linda Friends Church in February.
$300- Helps elementary age children excel in school by providing incentives that they earn from working hard on their homework.
$500- Provides groceries and meets domestic needs for families in the community.
$1000- Help cover transportation expenses and after school activities, such as transportation to and from church and our tutoring program.
$2500- This would fund our entire summer program for 2 months, and help build and continue relationships with 100 children and their families.
$5000-$10000- Will pay for a part time staff member for a year to invest their time in the lives of our families through relational programs.

All donations are tax-deductable. Make checks payable to:

Hill of Hope

PO Box 436

Yorba Linda, CA 92885

Please reference in the memo portion of the check: LOT 318. This will assure that the monies donated will go directly to the organization and Cypress St. ministry.

Check out our website to become more familiar with our mission statement and all that we are a part of.

www.thehillofhope.com

Thank you for your continuous love and support! Crazy, amazing things are happening here and none of it would be possible without you.

Prayer Requests

2008-11-16T16:56:00.000-08:00

We have so much to be thankful for. Letty and I have been blessed with an amazing organization that supports us with whatever God calls us too. We have endless resources and fabulous people to work with. I am so grateful. At the moment, our town is in a crisis. I feel it is necessary to turn our attention to our surroundings. Yesterday, a major fire broke out in Yorba Linda and surrounding areas. Never have I seen such a devastating sight. I was driving into town from Carlsbad, and it looked like the end of the world. The sky was so clear where I was, but turned completely black as I drove into Yorba Linda. Last night, my uncle stayed with us as he and his family were evacuated from their home. One of our students on the service teams backyard was engulfed in flames. A very good friend of mine's home burned down to the ground. Nothing left. The local schools are cancelled until further notice. Ash has covered our streets and the air is still full of smoke. I don't know what God is trying to tell us, but I cannot help but be so attentive to His voice at this time. It is confusing and sad and horrible, but God is so faithful. Please keep Yorba Linda in your prayers.

In the midst of tragedy, great things are happening. Here are things you can please pray for on Cypress Street.

1. Our Tuesday night bible study. Families in the community are gathering every Tuesday night to do a bible study. People are falling in love with Jesus Christ all over the place.

2. Letty is in Tennessee right now visiting supporters. Please pray for her safety as she travels, and continued support from those in Tennessee.

3. We are preparing for our HUGE Thanksgiving feast in two weeks. We are expecting to feed 500 people on Cypress Street. Things are falling into place, and time is moving quickly. I cannot wait for this day, it is my favorite holiday! What a blessing to share it with those I love!

4. Please pray for the residents on Cypress St. We are having some issues with people having to move out of their apartments. Pray for housing for them and that the landlords will be merciful with this community.

5. Pray for continued support for Hill of Hope. We are eternally grateful for you support and pray that it continues because the Lord is not finished with us! Major things are happening, Placentia is definitely being put on the map!

Words cannot express our love for our supporters as well as the work we get to do. God is just getting started here and it is an exciting ride for sure! Thank you for your prayers and support. WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!

Awakening

2008-10-31T12:25:00.001-07:00

Our eyes are continuously being opened to the work God is doing around us. Honestly, I am seeing people and my community in a completely different light since working on Cypress St. I have to share with you my most awakening moment thus far. This summer, we had a huge 4th of July slip n' slide block party. The kids were having sooooooo much fun running and sliding through the soapy/grassy/dirty water on the slide. After about an hour of the shenanigans, I noticed Eddy ( a majorly cute sixth grader) standing against the wall, watching everyone play. Now a little background. Eddy was born with one leg. He has a prosthetic that he can take on and off. I was unaware of this at the time, because he always wears long pants. I asked him what he was doing standing against the wall instead of participating in the fun. He told me he really wanted to play but was too embarrassed. I was like, "What? Why would you be embarrassed? We love you! This is your family! No shame here my friend!" He still hesitated but then disappeared into the apt. complex. About 45 minutes later, here comes Eddy in his swim trunks hopping down the grass and flopping onto the slide! He got the courage to remove his prosthetic and come play. This was a beautiful sight. I could not believe the courage this youngster mustered up to be a participant in the fun. I had to sneak away and show Letty what was happening. We both stood there teary and in awe of the power of the Lord in the most simple pleasures. I was awakened that day to the beauty of the people and the absolute power of God in my life and the lives of others. I will never forget the courage I witnessed that day. This is why we do what we do.

Love God. Love Others. Summer edition.

2008-10-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

LOVE. The greatest commandment. Our calling. If we can sum up our summer into one word, Love is what it would be. We love the community we get to work in. We love the people we work with. Above it all, Christ loves us so we can love others. We love God, we love others. It is truly that simple.

The summer started with a multitude of movie nights. We set up couches in the middle of the street and projected a kid-friendly movie onto the side of one of the apartment complexes. We made popcorn, snow cones, had barbecues. The evenings were perfectly simple and filled with fellowship and fun. These movie nights continued on through the summer, every other weekend. Our first major event took place on the fourth of July. We took advantage of the scorching heat and made a massive slip n' slide. We put together gigantic water balloon launchers and had water balloon fights from one side of the street to the other. The men in the community came out and barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers. Then in the evening, we packed the beautiful people into our trusty church shuttle and took off to watch fireworks in the park. This was a chaotic, crazy, amazing experience. There were at least 2500 people at the park, so navigating 40 kids through the masses was a little scary, but worked out wonderfully. The kids put on their best behavior and stood in awe of the show put before them. Most of them had never seen fireworks before, let alone 2500 people all in one place. The looks on their faces were absolutely priceless. The day was filled with new experiences and great awakenings. What a good day that was. Shortly after the fourth, Letty left for Cuba and left me alone to run things! Aah! I was honestly freaked out, Letty may be small but she has got huge shoes to fill! The movie nights continued as well as a few beach days with the older students. Things ran without a hitch. God was showing a lot of mercy on me :).

Letty and I recently made a new contact which is now supporting Hill of Hope in major ways. Richfield Community Church has jumped on board with our vision for Cypress Street, and has been a huge support to the cause. They raised over 8000 bucks in two weekends for Cypress St.! In addition, they "adopted" elementary and junior high students to take back-to-school shopping. One adult got one kid and took them to Wal Mart for a shopping spree. What a great experience! The kids were so grateful for not only the clothing, but the time spent. Isn't it an amazing feeling, knowing someone loves you and wants to just spend time with you? These new volunteers have really made the kids feel special. After the shopping spree, Amigos Church (the Spanish church from Yorba Linda Friends Church) donated backpacks and school supplies to the same kids. We had an end of summer BBQ/talent show in which we distributed the backpacks. All the parents came out and took pride in their children who are truly learning the value of education. One thing that Letty and I are passionate about, is showing these kids that they are worth a good education. These backpacks really made them feel special and gave them a head start on a good school year. This was a jam-packed summer, full of new opportunities for growth and friendship. I truly learned the value of people and how spending simple quality time can make such a difference in a persons life. This community is so beautiful. The people are even more beautiful. It is such a blessing to be in the midst of the great handiwork of the Lord. The thing is, it really is simple. Love God. Love Others. Ama Dios. Ama Otros.