PROGRESS ALL OVER MESQUITE!!!

Its been a very exciting week for me to say the least and a great week for the City of Mesquite!

PEACHTREE APARTMENTS

Last Sunday my congregation held our Sunday worship service on the grounds of Peachtree Apartments! It was so beautiful--we had a lot of residents who worshipped with us and a bunch of kids! I have often seen people who sit in worship because they feel as if they have to--but I could see hope in some of their eyes! And the children were so precious! Peachtree is a difficult place for children to grow up, so we need more and more Christians to come help us show love there--just like at Allenhurst!

MY NEIGHBORHOOD

After our initial crimewatch meeting for the City Lake Park Neighborhood (thats my name for it--I don't know what the actual plat shows :) ---we had our first neighborhood crimewatch/block party. Wildwood Baptist Church hosted our event--it was an opportunity for neighbors to get to know each other so they can look out for each other! In fact, before I introduced Mayor Monaco, I told the crowd of neighbors--"Jesus said to love your neighbor." What better way to love our neighbors--than to first know each other and and look out for each other. We had hamburgers and hotdogs and Pastor Jason Tingle and some of his staff and members were sooooo very gracious and hospitable! There were so many adults just sitting and talking and getting to know each other. There were kids playing in the parking lot--riding bikes and skateboarding--and there was just a real sense of love in the air--and real community! My heart was very full and warm! I appreciated some of our Mesquite fireman and Officer Don Williams, who helps all the crimewatches get started. Mayor Monaco did a great job of encouraging everyone to be vigilant and involved in bettering our neighborhood and offered the support of city hall! The weather was so nice and it was just a wonderful night! Special thanks to Gary and Nadine Ward and Robert Drennan for all their help!

VALLEY VIEW HEIGHTS

Today, we picked up trash on Rose, Carnation, and Lilack Streets in the Valley View Heights Neighborhood. We took some time to pray for on each street--for families who are unemployed or are struggling financially. There was not near as much trash to pick up as there was a few weeks ago when we first started working to rebuild that neighborhood. And you could see progress on some of the houses that had been sitting vacant for a while--there were workers fixing and cleaning them up. When I spoke to some of the residents of Rose and Lilac Streets that we've gottent o know already--they said things have been a little quieter and they have had no more break ins lately. I believe the prayers that have been going up for that neighborhood are being answered! I went to see James, who will be our crime watch chairman on Rose Street, he was in the hospital earlier this week and has a staff infection. His wife invited us in and we tried to encourage him and pray for him. Pray for James to heal up quickly--he is a blessing to the neighborhood families in Valley View Heights! I am hopeful that we can do this again next Saturday--so we can finish up the other streets. We had one volunteer today. We need more for next time.

OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS

I was encouraged Thursday night at my neighborhood event that the mother of one of the ladies who were there from Wildwood Street--wants us to help start a crimewatch where she lives on Jardin.

Lord willing, when we finish the Valley View Heights Neighborhood--we can start on the next neighborhood--I am praying for guidance on just where that will be?

God is good! Let us rebuild the walls and thus lives of the people of Mesquite--just as Nehemiah and God's people rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem! There is much to be done!

FUTURE CHRISTIAN JOB FAIR/HOPE EVENT

I am praying about possibly putting together an event where the unemployed of Mesquite can come together and we will pray for them as well as maybe have some folks there with their computers to put together some resumes and have some business professionals there to talk about various job skills such as interviewing strategies etc. Be praying about that please.