THANKSGIVING FEAST!

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

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

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.