Help is a Blessing

What if you had many hungry children all over and wanted to help them not only be fed physical food but grow in character?

We know from scripture "God hears the cry of the poor and him who has no helper". The cries of the poor are always being heard by God. We are reminded to "remember the poor". We know that the US has a flood of new migrants who have come into this country riding on the wings of desperation for a new life. They may find temporary shelter, but they don't know our language and customs. 

So if you knew an area in your state where these least of the least had come, what would you do to remember the poor?

We have been constantly reminded of the hardships of people coming from other countries to survive. They need help coming from all kinds of places, and their children need to learn English to have a basic reading and math level. But, the hidden factor is they need homework help. One thing churches across the country could do would be to liaison with a nearby elementary school, find the newest families, and start helping them.

Change happens as people who care move out of their comfort zones to bring hope to those who may be vulnerable to drugs and gangs without a net of real people providing real acts of kindness and love to the little ones whose cries ascend daily.

Camp and Outreach Food

Guatemala, Central America. 2019

Patty Cardona, our president, reports that camp in Guatemala City again happened in December 2019. The children again were happy to be at camp. A "generous gift" of camp supplies were sent
and also a Bible in Spanish for each family.


Redwood City, California. 2020
In Redwood City, the Verbo Family Service is continuing online via YouTube becasue of the Coronavirus.

The food outreach program has exploded from preparing dinner for 20 families twice a week to 100 heavy boxes for more meals. Inside each large box families find: chicken, cheese, yogurt, milk, and
basic food items. Patty is looking for more non profit and business support for this we the numbers in line for food are expected to double soon.

"The families and children we serve are without jobs and will go hungry without help." said Patty Cardona. Patty knows where the real needs are as she knows the people and the community. "We need to show the heart of Christ" she says. "We are praying for the harvest and people who don't know what to do to come to God."

At Project Lost Sheep we believe that faithful seeding into lives will produce results. Please join us with your prayers and gifts. Let us have a heart of thanksgiving for what we have been given and share and share and share remembering the poor.

Travel Plans for June, July and August

Why is it that we so look forward, or most of us do, to special times like birthday parties, holiday celebrations, and trips where we meet up with people we care about? Despite all the wonderful ways there are to communicate, there is still nothing like face to face. This summer, I am planning to be face to face on a number of trips.

In June, I travel to California for time with our family, and after that for time with many who have been involved over the years with Project Lost Sheep.

Picnic lunch with Sharon S. Lee, founder and designer of ShamikoDesign, discussing the branding and design of projectlostsheep.com social media and website.

In July, I am planning to be in CHICAGO for one week for a conference with leaders from Christian Community Development Association which will be held at Moody College. As some of you know, I have had a call from the Lord to Chicago for some time, and much prayer has been laid down. Face to face, I trust something good will happen to make a connection into the city for children.

In August, I expect to be at the 14th Touchdown Camp in Redwood City, CA. It will be thrilling to see all the children there. Also, we will be working with Patty and family and with visitors who want to have camp programs in their cities.

Kids at camp learning about the stories of Jesus.

Isn’t it interesting that when the God of the universe wanted to communicate His love, he came down via His Son, to have a face to face visit. And that continues to change everything.

Joyce Dueker,

Expansion Director

Big Oaks From Little Acorns

There is a saying that goes BIG OAKS FROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW.

When I think back many years of the tutoring program at Verbo Church in Redwood City that was launched around the needs of a camper who had no help at home who needed help. Then pastors prayed together and the program started with just a few children once a week and a few volunteers from Verbo Church mixed with other church volunteers.

Today, I learned from Patty Cardona, that the program has grown to two days a week and one day after school has extended hours that go from 1 to 6pm. This gives a great deal more time to the 20 children benefiting from all the help.

Here in Idaho, we have a seed tutoring program under Angie Daniels that is growing. One little boy was not doing well in school in any area but now with help of his tutor, he has become a "whiz kid at math". This little acorn or encouragement inside him will grow.

Now we have interest coming from a sister city called Caldwell. There are people praying for a little 8-year-old boy whose Dad left, a mother lost a job, this boy has anger issues. He needs help and we trust that soon we will have a tutoring program like in Nampa and in time both of these cities will have acorns inside children that will grow, with God, into strong oaks of righteousness.

Never forget the acorn. 

You can either scrunch it under your foot or you can plant it in a child for life!

Camp Read Opening

In the summer of 2017, we initiated a new camp called Camp Read at a public library in Boise, Idaho. Children who came into our rented room got help with reading skills and got a bag of books to take home.

We had collected over one hundred books and had extra too. In the picture – Lisa Bethel, director of camp, gives books to librarian who will get them to two elementary schools who need them. These schools have many refugee families.

Pamela Doyle, Lisa and I had met early in the summer to plan this camp. Camp Read has much potential for Idaho and beyond.

Right: Lisa Bethel giving a book to a librarian.

New Tutoring Program in Nampa

This one meeting in Nampa helped jump start a tutoring program at Ronald Reagan which is led by Angie Daniels center of picture. To her left Pamela Doyle who is district school psychologist. She has been key to work starting in this city which has a serious gang problem.

Left: Joyce Dueker, Pamela Doyle, Angie Daniels

It is important to take a tiny step in the direction you feel has a need for action. I had also visited Reagan school and seen the need for help.

In this era of instant communication, we must not forget the importance of getting to see the area and listen to people who are there. And of most importance to shape the program around the needs of the children we serve.

In the case of Nampa, we are promoting the most "at risk" children staying in school through the free tutoring by our volunteer team.

Never underestimate what one tiny 

step of a person in a meeting 

can do to change your city.

Helen Little – Volunteer Tutor

This spring Helen Little came to be trained as a volunteer tutor in an elementary school. She then got on the job training under Angie Daniels who has an organised program helping 9 of the most needy kids.

Helen enjoyed volunteering and I was happy, to my surprise she let me know that she and husband, John, we're moving to northern Idaho to the Clearwater Valley area. Would I train them both to start tutoring there?

We had a focused session. John has a job coaching in a junior high and loves to do sports. With joy and thanksgiving they are being sent to bless the children up there where 70 percent of families live on food stamps.