Hello friends!
Last weekend we had the first CLTD Winter Weekend of the 2010/2011 season and it was great! Thank you to all of you who came out! There were three groups that came together and everyone seemed to get along and have a great time together. I appreciate everyone’s willingness to get involved. You guys rock!!
Let me share with you a little about a ministry we serve: StreetLight. According to Maria, who heads up the ministry, “StreetLight is a mobile drop-in centre in the form of a fifth-wheel trailer and it reaches out to the homeless youth in the downtown Calgary core.”
It is a sad but true fact that there are kids who live on the streets in Calgary that are safer there than at home. It is a nightmare that few of us can even comprehend.
Every Christmas StreetLight runs Operation Backpack. “StreetLight has designed Operation BackPack as a way in which the community can get involved in meeting a survival need. We ask the community to buy backpacks and fill them with items in which homeless youth need in order to survive. At Christmas time, StreetLight goes out and hosts a big open-air party for all the homeless in Calgary and we hand out backpacks, a hot meal, coffee, and most importantly, HOPE for a better day.” Says Maria.
Last year CLTDs, staff and friends of Camp Chestermere collected over 50 backpacks for this cause. I am encouraging you to pray about participating in this cause this year. It can cost a bit to collect everything for these backpacks so you might want to get family and friends involved. These packs can make a difference in the lives of young people in huge ways. It is easy for us to confuse need and want in our day-to-day lives. We might think we ‘need’ a new ipod but anyone who goes without the basic needs of food and shelter on a continuing basis would beg to differ.
Backpacks are due at the Youth for Christ office the first Friday of December. However, I would be more than happy to help you get them there. You can bring packs with you to the November Winter Weekend, drop them at the camp by December 1st or get in touch with me to come and pick them up.
We can make a difference in this world, friends. We just have to choose to do so!
Check out the StreetLight Blog: http://streetlightcalgary.blogspot.com/
