Sunday, January 31, 2010
Jeff's Donor Report - 2009
Thanks once again to all of you who donated finances on behalf of abused kids across the country. We can not do what we do without the help of many people.
As most of you know, part of my work here is to raise my own salary. This enables us to train more camps and reach more kids with hope for their future.
This makes me a part-time trainer and a part-time fundraiser. Please see the “Summer Training Report 2009” for more info. on the training.
My first year I raised 60% of my budget, my second year goal was to raise 80%, but I only reached 73%. Last year, 2009, my goal was 80%, but I only raised 76%. The good news is that it went up in a bad economy, but the bad news is it was only 76%, and not the 80%, and certainly not the 100% that I need to get to.
Last year I had 93 donors give, which is great! Originally my goal was 100 donors per year. My adjusted goal is now to reach 120 donors for 2010 so I can reach my full budget.
Here’s some of the resources of my fundraising:
9 Speaking Opportunities
4 Church services, 2 Missions Conventions, 1 District meeting, 1 Civic Group, 1 Men’s Meeting.
Many individual opportunities to ask people for their support.
93 Donors Total -
7 Churches
4 Business donors
2 Sources as a Safety Consultant
1 Golf Tournament Sponsored by Contra Costa Electric
79 individual or family donors
Note: One donor had a bowling team lose a bet on a game and instead of paying to the other team they sent the money here for a donation instead. I happily accepted.
It’s a lot of work and a lot of travel, but it all comes down to helping hurting kids. If you were a part of that support, thank you so very much. Your part, whether it was large or small, does make a difference and it does transform lives.
If you weren’t a donor last year, please help this year. I need to add another 30 donors for 2010, large or small, a donor is a donor. I have some donors who give a lot, but some can only give 10 or 20 dollars for the year, they all count as a donor.
If many people do something,
it makes a difference for kids who need a hope and a future.
Thanks, Jeff Juhala
Summer Training Report 2009
Here's a brief report of our summer training activities for 2009
3 Directors Training Institutes
• 36 trainees
• 8 Trainers
• 3 Host Couples
• 3 Child Abuse Specialists
• 3 Host camps from:
Omaha NE., Portland OR., & Madison AL.
• 15 NEW camps trained from:
Nebraska (2), Illinois (2), California (2), Colorado, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and, Wyoming
2 Passing the Scepter classes
• 20 Trainees
• 3 Trainers
• 2 Host Couples
• 2 Host Camps from:
Tampa FL. & Costa Mesa CA.
• 12 Current camps represented
Additional resources for current existing camps:
Training Library on the web providing resources to Camp Directors for local training. www.Traininglibrary/rfkc.org
Day Trainer Program to train and provide resources for area trainers to assist new camps with their first year of training.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Caring Christians?
From the book, Quick to Listen Leaders, page 32 states…
“We recently asked more than fifty ordinary people on the street what they thought of Christians. Most people responded with colorful adjectives such as pushy, disrespectful, and judgmental. Not a single one used the word caring.”
Fifty people aren’t a large sampling but you get the point.
How would your friends, family, or more importantly, your co-workers describe you?
Does your example of being a Christian lead people to think of other Christians as caring?
“We recently asked more than fifty ordinary people on the street what they thought of Christians. Most people responded with colorful adjectives such as pushy, disrespectful, and judgmental. Not a single one used the word caring.”
Fifty people aren’t a large sampling but you get the point.
How would your friends, family, or more importantly, your co-workers describe you?
Does your example of being a Christian lead people to think of other Christians as caring?
Monday, January 25, 2010
New Report about Child Deaths in America
This info is from: http://www.everychildmatters.org/
The Growing Crisis in Child Protection
According to “We Can Do Better,” our report released in October, nearly five children die in America every day from abuse or neglect. In fact, federal data show that 10,440 children in the U.S. died from abuse and neglect between 2001 and 2007, but experts say the real number may be as many as 5,000 higher. A weak economy and resulting state budget cuts are putting even more children at risk, as evidenced by the multitude of newspaper stories from across America that link an increase in child abuse to the worsening recession. This document, entitled “The Growing Crisis in Child Protection: A sampling of news stories from across America," shows a number of these stories.
To read more and see the detials please go to:
http://www.everychildmatters.org/National/Resources/The-Growing-Crisis-in-Child-Protection.html
Thanks for caring for the fatherless,
Jeff
The Growing Crisis in Child Protection
According to “We Can Do Better,” our report released in October, nearly five children die in America every day from abuse or neglect. In fact, federal data show that 10,440 children in the U.S. died from abuse and neglect between 2001 and 2007, but experts say the real number may be as many as 5,000 higher. A weak economy and resulting state budget cuts are putting even more children at risk, as evidenced by the multitude of newspaper stories from across America that link an increase in child abuse to the worsening recession. This document, entitled “The Growing Crisis in Child Protection: A sampling of news stories from across America," shows a number of these stories.
To read more and see the detials please go to:
http://www.everychildmatters.org/National/Resources/The-Growing-Crisis-in-Child-Protection.html
Thanks for caring for the fatherless,
Jeff
Monday, December 21, 2009
Well folks, miracles still happen!
One of the three big challenges handed to me when I came to RFKC was to become a Minister.
One of the three big challenges handed to me when I came to RFKC was to become a Minister.
The other two challenges were to raise my salary through donations, and then earn a Masters Degree. Becoming a Minister will be the easiest of the three. I'm still working on the donations and the Masters Degree will come later.
I had to take 7 classes through Berean School of the Bible, I transferred 4 classes from Liberty University, and then completed all the interviews and tests. After all that, I have been officially recognized as a Certified Minister of the Assemblies of God fellowship.
I do not feel led to be a Pastor of a church, but the Minister's certification will help as I continue to speak in churches on behalf of the Orphans and Foster Children of our communities.
I still have an additional five more classes to take and I’ll be a Licensed Minister with no plans at this time to become Ordained.
I had to take 7 classes through Berean School of the Bible, I transferred 4 classes from Liberty University, and then completed all the interviews and tests. After all that, I have been officially recognized as a Certified Minister of the Assemblies of God fellowship.
I do not feel led to be a Pastor of a church, but the Minister's certification will help as I continue to speak in churches on behalf of the Orphans and Foster Children of our communities.
I still have an additional five more classes to take and I’ll be a Licensed Minister with no plans at this time to become Ordained.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Hiking with the Kids
The kids had Thanksgiving week off so on Monday we went to Pirates Cove at Corona Beach and hiked around.
Summer Training Report
Here's a brief overview of the training we did this summer.
3 Directors Training Institutes
(held in Omaha NE., Portland OR., & Madison AL.)
• 36 trainees
• 15 NEW camps from:
• Nebraska (2), Illinois (2), California (2), Colorado, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and, Wyoming
2 Passing the Scepter classes
(held in Tampa FL. & Costa Mesa CA.)
• 20 Trainees
• 12 Current camps represented
Totals
• 11 Trainers
• 5 Host Couples
• 3 Child Abuse Specialists
• 5 different training locations
• 56 total students
• 27 Camps represented
• 2 new states trained - South Carolina & Wyoming
Additional resources for current existing camps:
Training Library on the web providing resources to Camp Directors for local training.
Day Trainer Program to train and provide resources for area trainers to assist new camps with their first year of training.
3 Directors Training Institutes
(held in Omaha NE., Portland OR., & Madison AL.)
• 36 trainees
• 15 NEW camps from:
• Nebraska (2), Illinois (2), California (2), Colorado, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and, Wyoming
2 Passing the Scepter classes
(held in Tampa FL. & Costa Mesa CA.)
• 20 Trainees
• 12 Current camps represented
Totals
• 11 Trainers
• 5 Host Couples
• 3 Child Abuse Specialists
• 5 different training locations
• 56 total students
• 27 Camps represented
• 2 new states trained - South Carolina & Wyoming
Additional resources for current existing camps:
Training Library on the web providing resources to Camp Directors for local training.
Day Trainer Program to train and provide resources for area trainers to assist new camps with their first year of training.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Things to Think About
The most destructive habit.....................................Worry
The greatest Joy...................................................Giving
The greatest loss...............................Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work............................Helping others
The ugliest personality trait.............................Selfishness
The most endangered species...............Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource...........................Our youth
The greatest "shot in the arm"..................Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome............................Fear
The most effective sleeping pill...................Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease.......................Excuses
The most powerful force in life...................................Love
The most dangerous pariah.............................A gossiper
The world's most incredible computer.................The brain
The worst thing to be without.................................. Hope
The deadliest weapon....................................The tongue
The two most power-filled words............................"I Can"
The greatest asset................................................Faith
The most worthless emotion..............................Self-pity
The most beautiful attire.....................................SMILE!
The most prized possession............................. Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication.......Prayer
The most contagious spirit..........................Enthusiasm
The greatest Joy...................................................Giving
The greatest loss...............................Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work............................Helping others
The ugliest personality trait.............................Selfishness
The most endangered species...............Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource...........................Our youth
The greatest "shot in the arm"..................Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome............................Fear
The most effective sleeping pill...................Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease.......................Excuses
The most powerful force in life...................................Love
The most dangerous pariah.............................A gossiper
The world's most incredible computer.................The brain
The worst thing to be without.................................. Hope
The deadliest weapon....................................The tongue
The two most power-filled words............................"I Can"
The greatest asset................................................Faith
The most worthless emotion..............................Self-pity
The most beautiful attire.....................................SMILE!
The most prized possession............................. Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication.......Prayer
The most contagious spirit..........................Enthusiasm
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Child Abuse Deaths on the Rise
USA TODAY Article -
Abuse report: 10,440 children died 2001-07
"It's heart-wrenching that each day in America, five children will die from abuse and neglect, but what's worse is that the real number is even larger," as much as 50% higher, says Michael Petit, the fund's president. He says the deaths get too little public attention.
The report, based on data from the Department of Health and Human Services, finds that three-quarters of the children who died from abuse or neglect were younger than 4. The number of child deaths rose from 1,300 in 2001 to 1,720 in 2007, the most recent year for which figures are available. In that period, 10,440 abuse and neglect deaths were reported.
The report, based on data from the Department of Health and Human Services, finds that three-quarters of the children who died from abuse or neglect were younger than 4. The number of child deaths rose from 1,300 in 2001 to 1,720 in 2007, the most recent year for which figures are available. In that period, 10,440 abuse and neglect deaths were reported.
Read the full article at:
Msnbc article - Action urged to curb child-abuse deaths
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Sep '09 Speaking Schedule
I have a few speaking opportunities this month in the Bay Area. I thought I’d mention them in case you’re interested.
Sep. 16th 7:00 pm
Wed night service
Title – “Sharing your Faith with Royalty”
Camp stories blended in with the story of Naaman 2 Kings 5 v1-15
Oak Park Christian Center
273 Oak Park Blvd
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
(925) 934-3056
Sep. 19th 1-5 pm
Water Ski Fundraiser for RFKC
http://concord.rfkc.org/site/c.ktJUJdMOIoE/b.4169417/
No speaking here, just fun times for a good cause.
Sep 20 8:30 am
Seniors Adult class
Title – (a shorter version of) “Sharing your Faith with Royalty”
Calvary Temple Church
4725 Evora Rd.
Concord, CA 94520
925-458-9100
Sep 21, 7:00 pm
Men’s Ministry Meeting
Title – “What I’ve learned about Men from Summer Camp”.
Mountain View Christian Center
5000 Amaryllis St (school building)
Oakley CA 94561
(925) 625-9570
I’d love to see you at any of these if you have the time.
Sep. 16th 7:00 pm
Wed night service
Title – “Sharing your Faith with Royalty”
Camp stories blended in with the story of Naaman 2 Kings 5 v1-15
Oak Park Christian Center
273 Oak Park Blvd
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
(925) 934-3056
Sep. 19th 1-5 pm
Water Ski Fundraiser for RFKC
http://concord.rfkc.org/site/c.ktJUJdMOIoE/b.4169417/
No speaking here, just fun times for a good cause.
Sep 20 8:30 am
Seniors Adult class
Title – (a shorter version of) “Sharing your Faith with Royalty”
Calvary Temple Church
4725 Evora Rd.
Concord, CA 94520
925-458-9100
Sep 21, 7:00 pm
Men’s Ministry Meeting
Title – “What I’ve learned about Men from Summer Camp”.
Mountain View Christian Center
5000 Amaryllis St (school building)
Oakley CA 94561
(925) 625-9570
I’d love to see you at any of these if you have the time.
Excellence - from John Mason
(From John Mason's Enewsletter - "Nugget of the Week")
Start every task thinking how to do it better than it has ever been done before. "It is a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it" (Somerset Maugham). Think only of the best, work only for the best and expect only the best. Excellence is never an accident. Become a yardstick of quality.
Excellence measures a man by the height of his ideals, the breadth of his compassion, the depth of his convictions and the length of his persistence. People will always determine your character by observing what you stand for or fall for.
Don't seek success. Instead, seek excellence, and you will find both. Work to become, not to acquire. Do the very best you can, and leave the results to take care of themselves.
Perfection, fortunately, is not the best alternative to mediocrity. A more sensible alternative is excellence. Be easily satisfied with the very best. When you are delivering your very best is when you will feel most successful. Never sell your principles for popularity or you'll find yourself bankrupt in the worst way. Dare to be true to the best you know!- John Mason, from the book Know Your Limits, Then Ignore Them
I hope you strive for excellence...Jeff
Start every task thinking how to do it better than it has ever been done before. "It is a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it" (Somerset Maugham). Think only of the best, work only for the best and expect only the best. Excellence is never an accident. Become a yardstick of quality.
Excellence measures a man by the height of his ideals, the breadth of his compassion, the depth of his convictions and the length of his persistence. People will always determine your character by observing what you stand for or fall for.
Don't seek success. Instead, seek excellence, and you will find both. Work to become, not to acquire. Do the very best you can, and leave the results to take care of themselves.
Perfection, fortunately, is not the best alternative to mediocrity. A more sensible alternative is excellence. Be easily satisfied with the very best. When you are delivering your very best is when you will feel most successful. Never sell your principles for popularity or you'll find yourself bankrupt in the worst way. Dare to be true to the best you know!- John Mason, from the book Know Your Limits, Then Ignore Them
I hope you strive for excellence...Jeff
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
A 15 year old perspective of RFKC
The following are the ramblings and misspellings of a 15 year old who went to RFKC for the first time this summer. This is an abridged text from her blog. The full text is posted at: http://amongthethirty.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/rfkc/
27 07 2009
…a week ago I went to a camp called Royal Family Kid’s Camp that my dad had been raving on and on about. This was a camp specifically for abused children. My dad said that it was one of his favorite places on earth…
... So finally I was old enough to come, actually I wasn’t even old enough to come being only 15 but they made an exception this year. Along with me two other 15 year olds came. I was a bit iffy about going considering that my dad brought a huge bag of crap to camp every year for his lessons! =D
Well actually, camp was great! In fact it was one of the best experiences of my life. In fact, my dad’s lessons were amazing. He was creative and he really captured the kids attentions. It was truly amazing.
...As stated already its made specifically for abused children. Many were abused by their parents physically, but the greater percentage were abused in even worse ways. Most were abused in ways to graphic to write about. Honestly, how their parents did these things to these children is beyond me. A parent would have to be pretty sick minded to do such demonic things. RFKC seeks to help this kids forget all this in a week of fun, were they can just have a good time and learn about God.
On the bus ride back to the ranch were they would be saying I got to know a few of the kids. Already I was seeing how awesome these children were…
As we pulled into the ranch we were met by the children’s guides and my dad, the youth pastor. They were screaming and waving the signs that had the name of the children they would be looking after inscribed on them. My dad, always eager and truly excited about camp, had already gotten his grey hair painted with colorful polka-dots.
The rest of the week was insane! I mean donkey screaming, hair coloring, birthday throwing insane! Basically it was just really crazy, in a good way.
…Well so you get the drift, there was a lot of drama, but honestly none of that really mattered in the end. More importantly were the people and kids. As for the people I met a lot of great ones there. In fact, when I first got there my dad would be walking me around and then point at a guy and say that that was one of his favorite people in the entire world, and I would look at him and say, “Dad you’ve said that about everybody here!”. Seriously, my dad thought the people who volunteered here were great, and I saw that too. They really were awesome people.
When I thought about it and for a while I was confused about how these people were so great at RFKC, but at most other places the people their just weren’t. My dad explained it like this. Everyone that comes to RFKC to help the kids. They set aside their faults to help these kids. …Thats because we are all working towards one main goal…As my dad said, its one of the most beautiful things that you’ll ever see.
The best part of RFKC, is the whole reason that it was created, the kids. The kids top it all off, they are what makes the whole experience truly spectacular. I made friends with quite a lot of the kids, and just talking to them I knew that they were great kids. …I’ve heard some of these children’s stories, and they had to be some of the worst things I have ever heard. I’ve never heard anything as bad in movies, songs, stories, anything worse than what happened to some of these kids. I knew if I was one of these kids, I’d feel horrible, I’d be completely miserable. But when the children come to this camp, they forget all of that. They forget all of their suffering, and they have a blast! They smile all the time when their here, and its just so amazing that they could forget all the filth in their lives for a week and just have a fun.
There are so many great things that the camp did for these kids. For one, it teaches them about the bible, and thats probably its greatest purpose. If they believe what the camp is saying about God then they will find a friend that they will never lose, a friend that will always be with them. Also, these kids enjoy themselves for once and its just great.
For example, there was this one girl, a small little girl, and she would come up to my dad every day and say, “Pastor Mike, we have to do something for my birthday ok?”. Her birthday had been last week, and that hadn’t celebrated it. So she would ask, and ask, and ask. Then Thursday came, every Thursday at camp they would throw a party that was for every kid there, a birthday party for all of them because most of them didn’t get birthday parties and at the camp the workers want to let the kids know how special they really are. So we get the party set up, and then open the doors and let the kids in. As they ran in we’d all clap for them and then sing happy birthday. As you can imagine all the kids were ecstatic, but the one that was the happiest was that one small girl who had been asking and asking my dad for a party. She came up to him, weeping tears of joy, and said, “Thank you Pastor, thank you.” My dad was so touched that he couldn’t help himself from crying either. Practically, everyone that saw how happy she was ended up crying.
That being said, most of the kids effect the adults more than the adults effect them. As my dad explained during one of his sermons, helping to teach these children, and helping to give them such a good time helps those working for the children more than it actually helps the kids.
Sure, doing all this work is super hard, but its all worth it. Most of us would do anything to make these kids happy, I even colored my hair and let the girls mess around with it a little. Seeing these kids, who have suffered more than anyone should have to, enjoy our work is one of the best feelings ever. Seeing them smile brings an even bigger smile to our face, and seeing them leave causes us to weep thinking of how much were going to miss them, and thinking of the kind of life they have to go back to.
Finally, I understand why every week after Royal Family Kids Camp my dad would come back with pink colored hair and tears in his eyes.
27 07 2009
…a week ago I went to a camp called Royal Family Kid’s Camp that my dad had been raving on and on about. This was a camp specifically for abused children. My dad said that it was one of his favorite places on earth…
... So finally I was old enough to come, actually I wasn’t even old enough to come being only 15 but they made an exception this year. Along with me two other 15 year olds came. I was a bit iffy about going considering that my dad brought a huge bag of crap to camp every year for his lessons! =D
Well actually, camp was great! In fact it was one of the best experiences of my life. In fact, my dad’s lessons were amazing. He was creative and he really captured the kids attentions. It was truly amazing.
...As stated already its made specifically for abused children. Many were abused by their parents physically, but the greater percentage were abused in even worse ways. Most were abused in ways to graphic to write about. Honestly, how their parents did these things to these children is beyond me. A parent would have to be pretty sick minded to do such demonic things. RFKC seeks to help this kids forget all this in a week of fun, were they can just have a good time and learn about God.
On the bus ride back to the ranch were they would be saying I got to know a few of the kids. Already I was seeing how awesome these children were…
As we pulled into the ranch we were met by the children’s guides and my dad, the youth pastor. They were screaming and waving the signs that had the name of the children they would be looking after inscribed on them. My dad, always eager and truly excited about camp, had already gotten his grey hair painted with colorful polka-dots.
The rest of the week was insane! I mean donkey screaming, hair coloring, birthday throwing insane! Basically it was just really crazy, in a good way.
…Well so you get the drift, there was a lot of drama, but honestly none of that really mattered in the end. More importantly were the people and kids. As for the people I met a lot of great ones there. In fact, when I first got there my dad would be walking me around and then point at a guy and say that that was one of his favorite people in the entire world, and I would look at him and say, “Dad you’ve said that about everybody here!”. Seriously, my dad thought the people who volunteered here were great, and I saw that too. They really were awesome people.
When I thought about it and for a while I was confused about how these people were so great at RFKC, but at most other places the people their just weren’t. My dad explained it like this. Everyone that comes to RFKC to help the kids. They set aside their faults to help these kids. …Thats because we are all working towards one main goal…As my dad said, its one of the most beautiful things that you’ll ever see.
The best part of RFKC, is the whole reason that it was created, the kids. The kids top it all off, they are what makes the whole experience truly spectacular. I made friends with quite a lot of the kids, and just talking to them I knew that they were great kids. …I’ve heard some of these children’s stories, and they had to be some of the worst things I have ever heard. I’ve never heard anything as bad in movies, songs, stories, anything worse than what happened to some of these kids. I knew if I was one of these kids, I’d feel horrible, I’d be completely miserable. But when the children come to this camp, they forget all of that. They forget all of their suffering, and they have a blast! They smile all the time when their here, and its just so amazing that they could forget all the filth in their lives for a week and just have a fun.
There are so many great things that the camp did for these kids. For one, it teaches them about the bible, and thats probably its greatest purpose. If they believe what the camp is saying about God then they will find a friend that they will never lose, a friend that will always be with them. Also, these kids enjoy themselves for once and its just great.
For example, there was this one girl, a small little girl, and she would come up to my dad every day and say, “Pastor Mike, we have to do something for my birthday ok?”. Her birthday had been last week, and that hadn’t celebrated it. So she would ask, and ask, and ask. Then Thursday came, every Thursday at camp they would throw a party that was for every kid there, a birthday party for all of them because most of them didn’t get birthday parties and at the camp the workers want to let the kids know how special they really are. So we get the party set up, and then open the doors and let the kids in. As they ran in we’d all clap for them and then sing happy birthday. As you can imagine all the kids were ecstatic, but the one that was the happiest was that one small girl who had been asking and asking my dad for a party. She came up to him, weeping tears of joy, and said, “Thank you Pastor, thank you.” My dad was so touched that he couldn’t help himself from crying either. Practically, everyone that saw how happy she was ended up crying.
That being said, most of the kids effect the adults more than the adults effect them. As my dad explained during one of his sermons, helping to teach these children, and helping to give them such a good time helps those working for the children more than it actually helps the kids.
Sure, doing all this work is super hard, but its all worth it. Most of us would do anything to make these kids happy, I even colored my hair and let the girls mess around with it a little. Seeing these kids, who have suffered more than anyone should have to, enjoy our work is one of the best feelings ever. Seeing them smile brings an even bigger smile to our face, and seeing them leave causes us to weep thinking of how much were going to miss them, and thinking of the kind of life they have to go back to.
Finally, I understand why every week after Royal Family Kids Camp my dad would come back with pink colored hair and tears in his eyes.
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