Making Good and Right Choices

Jose, an eight-year-old Hispanic boy, is just one child whose life has been touched. Along with his siblings, he has been attending one of our programs at the Oak Grove Housing Development for several years. He has always been an energetic little guy, but lately he has been getting into more trouble, making some bad choices, and having some bad attitudes. Our program volunteers have been concerned for him since he has a tendency to follow others, even if they are making wrong choices. Although Jose is young, this tendency of his could get him into a lot of trouble later on down the road.

One week, Jose stayed behind after large group to talk with one of the program staff. Jose asked, "How can I do what's right when I want to do what my friends are doing and they are doing something wrong?" The staff member was able to share with him that it is important to make the right choices, even though other people are doing what is wrong. She encouraged him to stop being friends with the ones who are making bad choices and to find friends who will help him to make better choices.

It is exciting to see that, even at such a young and impressionable age, Jose is already thinking about the choices he is making. This is just one example of how Novo Ministries has had an influence on one of the children in the neighborhoods we serve. Our hope is that Jose will grow up to be a responsible adult, one who knows how to make right choices, regardless of what others in his life choose to do. We know that this same difference is being made in many more lives of the children with whom we work.

Another installment of "Interviews with Kids"!

Community Impact Initiative Starting Soon

Novo Ministries has been providing weekly and summer programming for elementary-age children living within the Oklahoma City Housing Authority’s four family housing developments in the greater Oklahoma City area since the summer of 2004.
The Oklahoma City Housing Authority believes that the programming and mentorship provided by Novo Ministries’ staff and volunteers have greatly impacted the children of their developments. In December 2009, the Housing Authority asked Novo Ministries to develop and pilot a new initiative to provide daily programming at one of the four family public housing developments. This new initiative will be completely funded by the Housing Authority through grant monies and their general operating budget.

On March 29th as part of the new “Community Impact Initiative” Novo Ministries will begin daily programming at the Oak Grove Community Center. The center will be open immediately after school for three hours each day. During the summer, the center will be open all day. Activities and programs will include Girl Scouts / Boy Scouts programming, activity centers, snacks, classes, theme days, tutoring, games, mentorship, and guided free time.
This initiative has facilitated strong partnerships between the Regional Food Bank, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Oklahoma City Housing Authority, and Novo Ministries. These organizations and the Oak Grove community are excited about these partnerships and the potential for life-change and long-lasting impact.

What the kids are saying...

Over the years Novo Ministries has seen God work in many wonderful ways. Each day is an opportunity for our staff and volunteers to go out into the inner city of Oklahoma City and share about the love of Christ. Sometimes days and weeks will go by and our staff and volunteers will not see any fruit of our hard labor, but there are times in which God has opened the eyes of one of the children that we serve and they begin to share. Recently our Education Department Director, Tara McLain, witnessed one of these exciting moments

"I've worked at the same club site for 4 years, during which I've seen a lot of kids come and go. One older girl named "Freadom" has been attending for about 3 years. She is "too old" for club, but she still comes because of the relationship that has been built. She is usually quite and reserved at club, so I began to pray for her and for our relationship to become stronger. Two weeks ago, she came to club and led the group in conversation, shared all kinds of information about herself and her personality, and talked openly about the things she had heard and learned about God and Jesus. She asked if she could work at Novo's day camp as a helper. It's amazing how much time it can take before young ones will open up and begin to share what God is doing in their lives. It was so exciting to see how God had softened her heart and how she had stored up so much knowledge over the last 3 years. Pray that she will understand truth and that her heart will be open to truly knowing her Creator."

Thank you so much for praying for the children that Novo serves and for our staff and volunteers, God is doing an incredible work!