Pray over your children at night

Here's something to pray over your children at night.

Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

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.

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?

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

Well folks, miracles still happen!

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.

Hiking with the Kids

The kids had Thanksgiving week off so on Monday we went to Pirates Cove at Corona Beach and hiked around.

More photos at:
http://www.dropshots.com/Jjuhala#date/2009-11-23/16:15:45

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.

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

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.

Read the full article at:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-10-20-child-abuse-report_N.htm?csp=usat.me

Msnbc article - Action urged to curb child-abuse deaths

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33405080/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts

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.

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