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As we continue through this ninth year of ministry that God has entrusted us with, we can truthfully say that God is at work in and through us and that without Him we could do nothing. What an incredible summer we have experienced this year. A summer that has raised the bar as far as expectations and anticipations of what God will continue to do through this ministry.
We have never been about numbers, but we have to admit that this “God thing” that occurred this summer is worthy of revealing to those who are in awe of what God can do through ordinary folks like us and the volunteers that serve Him through CCM.
We had 880 volunteers this summer representing 12 states (SC, VA, GA, OH, FL, AL, TN, NC, TX, MS, MD, and WV). These states were represented by 30 churches (19 from out of town and 11 local churches). We continued our relationship with Mission-Fuge (M-FUGE) for the fourth consecutive year. We also had the honor of having the Church of Christ Youth from all over the southeast come and work with us again, 171 strong. They were working on 14 projects each day. Ten mission teams were repeaters from years past and several of those were here for their third time.
The most amazing thing that occurred this summer was what God did with all these people. As we know God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Well, God was on a roll this summer in Greenville, SC;
Our M-Fuge folks painted 5 City parks and 4 community centers which not only added to the beauty of our city but impacted the entire community.
We were able to visit 7 nursing homes and touch 350 residents who were lonely and needed the love of Jesus to make their lives more viable and give them hope for a better today and tomorrow.
Our volunteers worked for 10 weeks in soup kitchens and served 13,750 meals. WOW!! We served folks who live on the streets and it is the only time of day that they can feel love and get the hope that their lives mean something. What an awesome opportunity.
For the past few years we have been going to a local park and just throwing out a ball or a Frisbee and see what happens. This summer we visited parks for 8 weeks and were able to establish relationships with over 800 kids and adults. It is amazing what a simple gesture can create. Christ’s love was shared with these kids and adults and some amazing things happened. We were able to minister to single moms who were struggling and without a job and were losing hope. We ministered to teenagers who were starving for adult male attention. We ministered to kids who have no male influence in their lives. We were able to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and give them some hope for the future.
We had an FCA group from a Virginia high school come and conduct a sports camp at an inner-city community center. The impact of these young men and women was incredible. Most of these kids were raising themselves because dad was no where to be found and mom or grandma was working 2-3 jobs just to put a roof over their heads and food on the table. Great relationships were made and a difference was made in the lives of those 45 kids as the love of Christ was exhibited and His saving grace given.
We were able to conduct 6 weeks of Back Yard Bible Clubs at different community centers in the inner-city reaching over 300 kids. Many seeds were planted and many lives were impacted. We are aware of 6 salvations that we give Praise to God for.
Three of the BYBC’s were followed up with community block parties. These parties are for the kids we worked with all week, their families, and the community around them. We were able to reach out to over 450 and share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
We had 4 prayer walking teams this summer that prayed in 10 different neighborhoods and were able to talk with over 600 folks. One team did a survey for a local inner-city church and knocked on 375 doors and were able to talk with 76 families who were interested in getting a call or visit from the pastor of that church.
One team did performance ministry in downtown Greenville. The group preformed a Christian drama at one of the plazas and drew over 300 people. Several folks stayed after the performance and had questions and asked for prayer.
Our paint and repair teams were able to complete work on 15 houses this summer. These houses are located in identified low income areas and are usually owned by senior adults who are on fixed income and cannot afford the upkeep of their home. The city of Greenville buys the materials and CCM provides the labor from its volunteers. These homeowners are afforded the opportunity to bring their homes up to standards, make them handicapped accessible, and give them back some of the pride they once had in their homes. We are given the opportunity to share the love of Christ and spend time with some very lonely people.
For the past 3 summers we have been working on a facility in downtown Greenville that will eventually become a Christian Coffee House, The LIFEHOUSE. All summer long we had volunteers working on this effort and it looks like we will see the fruits of our labor come to fruition around Thanksgiving. This will be a beacon in a very vibrant downtown Greenville that has been lacking for several years. It is a Christian alternative for folks who want more out of life than hanging out at bars with their friends. The visionary who God laid this vision on is Jason Patterson and who will be providing spiritual guidance as well as a good Christian atmosphere where friends can come and hangout.
Finally, we were able to help the local homeless family ministry, GAIHN, move 3 families into permanent housing. These were families (mom kids, dad kids, mom dad kids) who had lost everything and had been living on the streets. Thru this ministry they were able to break that cycle, gain employment, and live in the safety of their own home. We had the honor of being able to move them into those homes and see the enormous happiness they were experiencing.
All of this to say that we were able to touch over 6000 lives this summer and all we can do is give God all the honor, glory, and praise for it. Thanks to all who were a part of this incredible experience and God bless each of you.
Ellis
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