Monday, November 4, 2013

A Kingdom Kid's Halloween

Lillian and Jaime

Halloween Memory Game

Playing a Halloween card game

Jessica and Connie

Brianna at snack time

Lillian with her carved pumpkin

Jaime with his carved pumpkin

Carving pumpkins

Jessica with her carved pumpkin

Monday, October 21, 2013

Bus Tales

"knock, knock"
"who's there?"
"boo"
"boo, who?"
"don't cry, it's just a joke!"

At the beginning of the night I started to tell knock-knock jokes as we waited at various homes for children.  They love jokes and even more, they love creating their own (some of which make absolutely no sense). But everyone is laughing and enjoying the round of joke telling.

At the end of the night just a small group of girls were left as I was nearing the end of taking everyone home.  One of the girls began telling jokes again.  The girls slowly starting getting louder and more energetic as they tried to "one up" the last joke told. 

Then one girl began, "knock, knock."
Another replied, "who's there?"
The girl answered, "Bus driver!"

As I waited from the driver's seat, listening intently to see where this was going, I could not make anything out from all the girls laughing hysterically.  Apparently, that was the end of the joke.  Who knew that "bus driving" was so hilarious! :)

 

Monday, March 26, 2012

Spring Teams 2012

Here are some of my favorite photos from the past three weeks.
[Photos taken by Morgan Granberry]
Leah
Matthew
Hunnie
Daylene
Winnie
Cherisse
Me with Abraham

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

"Bus Driver"

Picking up kids for Kid's Club
One of my roles with Sacred Road includes transportation.  There are so many people that want to be involved with our church and what we are doing, but don't have a vehicle or any reliable transportation.  This is where I have come in for the past few years.  I pick up children and drive them to Kid's Club.  I drive youth to Youth Group, and I pick up adults that want to come to church.  It has been an important part of the ministry I do in the community here and it's been a great joy for me.  Many of the kids affectionately call me "bus driver" already.

Starting this Easter Sunday we will have our first "official" church service.  Currently, we are just meeting with our small core group on Sundays.  But once we begin to have church services for everyone this Easter, my transportation job will significantly grow.  I expect to transport around 80 people (adults, youth, and children) to come to worship with us on Sundays!  This is why I am beginning my training to get my commercial driver's license (CDL).  I will eventually begin driving an old school bus which will be our "Church Bus".  The training costs $2000 of which $1000 has already come in.  Would you please consider making a one-time donation to help with the cost of the training?  Anything will help and I would love for you to keep me in prayer as I study and train to get my CDL.  I'm really excited to begin this training and to be able to bring many to church. 

All gifts are tax-deductible.  Please mail to:
Sacred Road Ministries
22116 SE 51st Place
Issaquah, WA 98029
*send with a note that it is for Veronica Vasquez

Yours In Christ,
Veronica
The bus I'm going to drive for Sundays

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

"Star of Light"

Every chance I get, I try to read more of Patricia St. John's book, Star of Light with the girls in my Discipleship Group (D-Group).  We meet every Thursday nights.  I will read aloud to them at the table while they are either: coloring, scrap-booking, beading, etc.  They amaze me at how much they can remember while their hands are moving.

Star of Light is set in Morocco and is about a boy named Hamid (10 or 11 years old) who tries to save his blind sister, Kinza, from being sold to a begger by their step-father.  Hamid steals Kinza away in the middle of the night and they journey across the mountains until they reach a city where a Christian nurse lives.  When they finally reach the city, Hamid leaves Kinza at the front door step of the nurse's house where the nurse takes her in.  Hamid periodically tries to check on his sister, but keeps their relationship a secret from everyone.  It is through Hamid's interactions with the Christian nurse that he learns about Jesus and his life is radically changed.  There are really great scenes in the book and my girls have enjoyed listening to what happens next. 

Last week, I read the chapter, "Supper at the Nurse's house".  The nurse has a warm fire and dinner every night for the boys who live on the streets.  Hamid, who is now like the other street kids, goes inside the nurse's house for the first time.  He is hesitant at first because he is afraid that someone might figure out that the blind little girl under the nurse's care is his sister.  He does his best to stay silent and stay out of the way.  The nurse has a lesson that she teaches the boys every night before supper.  The first night that Hamid is there the nurse brings out a book. But the book didn't have any words or pictures - each page was a color.

"The first page was shining gold and very beautiful" because it represents the "City of God" where there is only "pure joy and brightness and goodness." The next page  was black, which the nurse explained is the "darkness and sadness of hearts that had done wrong." Then the nurse turned to the next page, which was red.  Here the nurse explained that Jesus, who loves black-hearted little boys, came into the world and died on a cross so that their sins could be forgiven and their hearts could then be like the last page- white. With white hearts they could enter into the Golden City.

After I finished reading that section, I looked up and asked the girls if they had ever heard the gospel told that way before - they way the nurse had told it using colors.  They hadn't.  I asked if we should read that part again.  They nodded their heads and listened closely.  After hearing it a second time, they were able to remember each color with smiles on their faces.  


"And the next page was spotless white; they would be made white enough to walk right into the light of the Golden City, and even that radiance would discover no spot." (Star of Light, Patricia St. John)

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Girls "D-Group" Night

Last Thursday we had all the girls in discipleship groups (D-groups) come over to Heather's and my house for a spaghetti dinner and craft night. All of the girls were excited to be together and have fun.

Girls making bracelets and necklaces with beads and hemp.


Ann Marie, Sonovia, Riatta, and Sera paining their nails.


Marisol, Tiona, and I taking a break from baking chocolate chip cookies.

I really enjoyed watching the girls talk and laugh together.  It felt really comfortable to have all the girls in our house.  I spent part of the night with Marisol and Tiona (pictured above) in the kitchen baking chocolate chip cookies.  They were glad to help and even sneak some cookie dough before everyone else.  Warm chocolate chip cookies were a perfect end to the evening.

The girls that came are from the core group of girls in Youth Group. Please pray that their understanding of the Gospel and their love for the Lord would grow deeper and stronger.

"May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace"
(Psalm 144:12)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Christmas Deliveries

“Food Boxes … check,
Candy … check,
Gifts … check,
Walmart gift cards … check”

This is what runs through our heads before we are ready to take off in the 15-passenger vans to make Christmas deliveries. Our deliveries reach from Toppenish (eastern edge of the Reservation) to White Swan (western edge of the Reservation).

Last Friday, Chris, Mary, and I loaded up one of the 15-passenger vans to make deliveries. We knew our route and the people we wanted to see, but we didn’t know then how precisely the Lord would order our steps that night.

Three visits stick out to me that night. The first was the home of a very sweet Christian woman raising two teenagers by herself. She was almost out the door to pick up her daughter as we called her to tell her we were close by. When we arrived she invited us into her home and spoke honestly of her struggles and loneliness. She said she was really glad to get a call from us and know we were coming, as she really wanted prayer. Chris reminded her of God’s Love for her and that we have hope because of his gift of Jesus.

The next home we surprised everyone by our unexpected visit. They were confused that we knew to come over, and I was confused by what they meant. Moments later we learned a family member in their home was going through a crisis. Chris and Mary went to the back of the house where prayer was taking place over the person. I stayed in the front room with some of the children. I knew clearly that God worked out the exact timing of our visit, as we could not have planned it more perfectly. The family at this home was grateful to see us and for Chris’s prayer.

Our last visit was to see a respected elder in the community. We almost missed her too! However, as we arrived to her house, she pulled in behind us. We were invited inside and sat on her couch and listened to her tell stories and what she sees happening on the Reservation because of the work Sacred Road and the teams do. I felt honored to sit and listen to her share what was in her heart, and was encouraged to know that she is loves what we are doing.

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

“ ‘And they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1:23)