For Him and Them by Dean Cowles, YPN President

A monthly message from YouthPartnersNET President Dean Cowles.

For Him and Them by Dean Cowles

December 2005

The hurricane damage and relief may be out of the news but not out of our hearts. When Amy Keesee, an independent Christian artist in Ohio heard about the devastation, her heart was touched and she wanted to do something. She was just about ready to release her first CD and had a concert already scheduled at her church (Faith.Full Family Life Church) where they were expecting about 500 people to attend. She thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take up an offering for the children that were now homeless and living in shelters. She decided she wanted to give these children a Christ-centered Christmas party.

The only thing remaining was to find out whom to send them to. So she contacted Compassion International, our parent organization, to see if they had any connections. Compassion referred her to YouthPartnersNET since we are their domestic US outreach. We shared with Amy that we had already sent a grant to one of our Ministry Partners in Mississippi who quickly started four after-school programs for 160 kids that were brought to their community after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their homes. This would be the perfect match!

We contacted the Executive Director and asked if he could arrange to use the offering per the donor's wish. He was thrilled, knowing this would be a great way to show the 160 children the true meaning of Christmas and the love of Christ's family after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their homes and communities.

Not only did Amy raise $965.51 in one evening at her concert, but the children in their community made Christmas cards for the children in Mississippi. YPN was able to send all of these funds and cards to our Ministry Partner who is underway with planning four Christ-Centered Christmas parties and is hoping to have enough funds to buy Christmas presents for the kids as well.

"I was excited to find a ministry like YouthPartnersNET reaching out to children in our own cities and communities who desperately need hope. I have been involved in youth ministry myself and have seen many children coping with situations they should have never had to face. Only the restoration and love of Father God can heal these youth, and YouthPartnersNET is reaching out with this answer. I will continue to promote and support this ministry in the future."

Amy Keesee

YPN wants to thank Amy and her church community for her great idea and making this happen! You can check out more about Amy's career in music and the passion God has given her to reach out to young people at www.amykeesee.com.

Contact Shelley at swallen@youthpartnersnet.org if you, your church, or school is interested in raising funds for a specific need with children and youth in America's high-risk communities and we will work with you to make it happen!

For Him and Them,

Dean Cowles

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