Dear faithful friends and family,
Each week I am faced with challenges and miracles. Two weeks ago the JSAW financial account went negative and we had little hope of receiving a pay check this month. Then two days after this happened one of lovely donors sent in a wonderful donation. We were thrilled and jumped for joy upon discovering the support of our friend. What amazed all of us was there was nothing we did to prompt this donor to give at that time. We did not call him beforehand to explain our need, but rather he simply sent in the right amount we needed at the right time. Praise God!
During this same time I attended the premier of a new snowboard movie. It was held at a local skate/snow shop and it attracted many riders. It was fun to see the action sports community come out to support it’s own riders starring in these movies. For those that might not understand the importance filming has within action sports culture let me explain. Filming is a creative expression of how these athletes portray themselves. They desire to be noticed and recognized, but strive to perform individually using their own flare, style and skills. As the event kicked off I looked around and noticed a cram packed room full of people celebrating these riders accomplishments. On the surface this situation seems uplifting, but as I mingled with some of the riders I noticed that snowboarding was there all. None shared a faith in Jesus with me nor did they desire to understand their maker. Mix that with a lot alcohol and cigarettes and you have a party celebrating “happiness” without God; idolatry.
Last week at Bible study one rider gave his life to Christ! We all huddled around him in support while he dedicated himself to the holy and true God, Jesus Christ. As we concluded this Bible study one student opened up about his sister’s medical condition; she is on dialysis and fighting for her life. You could tell it was hurting him deeply by the way his confession was delivered to the group. Immediately, our hearts broke and we prayed for his sister, family and his own journey dealing with this immense hardship he is facing. Please pray for this rider and his family.
That’s all for this week’s update. Please check in next week for more stories and information about JSAW ministries. See below for JSAW needs and upcoming events.
Blessings,
Jake Tastad Program Director (651) 335-3929
Upcoming Events 1) All Night Skateboarding (10/28-29) 2) Donor Dinner (11/12/2016) 3) Parent Breakfast (12/10/2016)
Needs Currently, JSAW is need of $6,000 by next Monday in order to pay staff salaries, facility rent, and other minor expenses.