ZAO

I don't believe I have introduced ZAOkids to you yet.

Last year, we had 3-6kids at ZAO. Praise the Lord!:) We had a good year with these kids, even though it was a small group of them and enjoyed teaching them the Bible and doing activities with them.

This year is a little different. We are partnering with The Bridge (please visit  Our Family on mission) and have the privilege of tutoring the kids, teaching the kids, and feeding the kids.

Many times after school, kids find themselves getting into trouble and curiosity can get the best of them and with no adult supervision at home, there can be an ongoing cycle of getting into trouble. And when they do get home, often, no one is there to prepare a meal for that child to eat.

Our hope is to have these kids in program such as ZAO, to keep them off the streets, introduce them to people who love and care for them, and then send them home with a full belly.   

This afterschool program has the goal to strengthen these kids and their families, by teaching them biblical principles, life skills, and doing it while having fun:) 

We started our first set of "Lifeblocks" which is a block of time in the evening that we teach the kids different life skills. Praise the Lord for the volunteers we have from many different churches, small groups, organizations, and of course, BVU!! The students are wonderful to have there and are GREAT with the kids.

We had some of the kids put together some Operation Christmas Child boxes...how neat was it that these kids are from different countries from all over the world...and they were building boxes to send to those very countries!

[the boys were thrilled with the jolly ranchers and stickers they got for helping out.

[these two were fabulous workers...]

[i'm just tickled pink from how cute Akorra is in this picture!]

[sweet kipera was so involved with the boxes...took her job seriously:)]

beautiful, right?:-D

this was a pretty cool Life block...Angie is teaching a "hands-on" life block. This week, they made their own clay! and made beautiful sculptures with pretty glitter.

this is an Acting block. These gals are going to put on a Christmas skit! This is the life block I'll be teaching, but this week, two wonderful BVU students took charge of it.

Alyssa is teaching a "painting" lifeblock. They made turkey pictures! next week, they'll be making clay sculptures and will be painting them.

This lil one just likes to hang out with the Skit gals:) She posed for some pretty pictures.

This is our Sports group and Baking group, both Life blocks will start up December 2nd. Their leaders could not make it this week, but they're ready for ya'll next time! They helped Ryan out with the OCC boxes.

[the stickers represent each box they build, put together, and packed! they were so proud. it's so cool to see little ones serving.]

and of course, dinner time. Dinner time is when we all come together and have a sit down dinner, family style. The kids recieve a GREAT meal each week, this week provided by a 1:10 group! Thank you so much! We enjoyed it! 

We have the FBC men and women serving dinner in the sweetest fashion:)

and lastly, Craig spent the last part of the evening being tackled by the little boys and his daughter. It was probably one of the most fun things to watch; these little guys wrestling, giggling, and squealing!
Craig and Jay D are doing a really neat woodworking and repairs Lifeblock. the kids were pumped after cutting out the wood for their nativity scene.

well, that's a little of what goes on on Thursdays. God's opened alot of doors and we've spent alot of time and prayer over ZAO.

Know any kids that might benefit from this program? We have extra tutoring in any area of subject!

 Praise God for the work he's doing in Storm Lake with so many people from different places working together!