Aim Right Ministries
1013 N. 13th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85006
(602) 462-1987
info@aimright.org
Newsletter - Spring 2002
Contents:
- A Decade of Ministry
- A Trip Down Memory Lane
- All I want for Christmas is a Brand New Bike!
- What's New
- "Little" Worries... One Big God
- Old and New Church Pictures
A Decade of Ministry
Several weeks ago we celebrated 10 years of ministry at Aim Right. We invited all the former interns and those who worked with the ministry to a weekend of reminiscing. Without these people following God's call on their lives, Aim Right would never have celebrated this milestone. We have just recently passed 30 individuals who have contributed between 3 months and 3 years of their time to touch the lives of the at risk youth in Phoenix.Our workers have come from 10 different states with almost half of them coming from the Buckeye State alone. It is difficult to put a value on their contribution to the ministry. However, as I did a little calculating , those involved in the ministry of Aim Right have contributed at least 35,000 volunteer hours over the past 10 years. These rewarding, yet often difficult and challenging hours were spent investing time and energy into the lives of our youth.
Aim Right's initial focus was to minister to incarcerated youth through one on one mentoring, chapel services, and an independent living program. As these young men exited the state institutions and returned to their home environments, we saw a need to be involved with them in their community, thus making our vision of a recreation center a reality. Working in the community soon revealed the pressing needs of the young children living there. Hopefully by investing time and energy into their lives at a young age, many would make better choices, avoiding the pitfalls of their older family members. With the goal of providing direction, Bible clubs, tutoring, and a ministry to teens were initiated.
Today we continue to minister to over 175 youth and children in our various weekly programs. Currently with the help of a few short term workers, we have been able to keep the after school rec center open 5 days a week. Giving the children a safe place to go after school for a few hours, keeps them out of harms way on the streets.
Monday and Wednesday nights are devoted to Girls' Bible Clubs at the church. Girls ages 5-12 attend the weekly clubs with approximately 25 on Monday nights and 40 on Wednesday evenings. A similar boys club runs Friday afternoons.
Tuesday evenings the church transforms into a All-Star Kids tutoring site, servicing children from Garfield Elementary across the street. Each third and fourth grader is paired with one adult tutor to ensure individual instruction. Twice a month on Tuesday evenings Darrell travels to Adobe Mountain School, an all male youth juvenile detention facility, to lead a chapel service.
Thursday afternoons each teen receives a visit at home from one of the interns and a special invitation to the following nights teen program. Teen Night, as it is better known, runs every Friday evening. Approximately 30-40 teens attend the weekly event, and for many it is the only time they darken the doors of a church. JoeDee coordinates a program that includes both time for biblical instruction and recreational fun. Teen Night serves as a place for the interns to make initial contacts and further strengthen relationships. Several of the teens attend Sunday church services and participate in church functions.
Speaking life and love into the lives of youth who need positive input in their lives, was, and still is our vision. As I reflect on the goodness of God and His leading in this ministry, I am grateful to God for his blessing and provisions. I am also grateful for all of you, our partners, who have prayed for and financially supported this ministry. Lord Willing, we will continue to reflect on His goodness and mercy in decades to come.
-Darrell Bacher, Founder and President of Aim Right Ministries. Darrell also serves as pastor of Crossroads Christian Fellowship.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
All I want for Christmas is a Brand New Bike!
During this past Christmas season Aim Right was again asked to invite 5 boys and 5 girls to Jimmy Walker's annual Christmas extravaganza. The kids were overjoyed at the opportunity to play in the snow, visit the animal petting corral, get their faces painted and watch the Phoenix Suns gorilla and Meadowlark Lemon put on another show. Hundreds of disadvantaged children from all parts of Phoenix metro area were invited to come and join in on the day's festivities. Metro Phoenix firefighters and mounted police officers were there along with clowns of every size and shape. Since you can't have a party without food - there was plenty of that to go around as well. Hot dogs and chips, snow cones and popcorn, plus ice cream. What else would a kid want? 
You would think all this would have the potential to be a great party, but there was more. After the fun, the food and the short program it was time for the SURPRISE! After 15-20 minutes of getting every child into a single file line, the sides of the tent were finally pulled back and there they were! A brand new bike for every child that was invited. It was a proud moment for many of the kids to show their parents their first bike ever, and also for them to bring home a food box which included fixings for a chicken dinner that would serve a family of 6.Thank you Jimmy Walker and friends for your gracious generosity! May God's blessing continue to be upon you.
-Written by JoeDee Hostetler,
Executive Director of Aim Right
What's New
- Geoff Miller from Hartville, OH, concluded his short term service on March 13, and Beth Helmuth from Bremen, IN, will finish her 3 month term on April 1. Their willingness to jump in and help where ever needed was greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!
- New intern Charles Beachy arrived on March 1, from Plain City, Ohio, to begin a 1 year term of service with Aim Right.
"Little" Worries... One Big God
"Will the coffee be strong enough… "How will the quilts sell?"…..."Did we adequately advertise?" ……."Will the weather cooperate?"As auction day 2002 dawned little worries permeated our minds. People soon began appearing. Some heading straight for the delicious sweet rolls and coffee, others meandering quietly through the church surveying the beautifully quilted donations sent from CMC churches across the U.S., as well as, a significant amount coming from local Mennonite churches.
Promptly at 10 a.m. the auctioneer stepped to the microphone and bidding commenced. John Cadzow, from Western Sales Management of Phoenix and Steve Cross, from Middlebury, IN willingly shared in the majority of the auctioneering duties throughout the day. Wooden furniture, antiques, Amish items, and dishes were only a few of the items vying for peoples' attention. By 11 a.m. the quilt auction was underway with a record number of items. Beautiful wall hangings, baby quilts, and full sized quilts paraded across the stage, with the highest bid of the day, at $2,000, belonging to the "Country Love" quilt.
Appetites were kept at bay by a food line showcasing a bar-be-que chicken meal, and also a bake sale table with homemade items contributed by individuals from local Mennonite congregations.
Early afternoon arrived and with it the conclusion of yet another successful auction, in fact, THE most successful to date with a record $18,000 gross proceeds. Our "little" worries were taken care of by one BIG GOD!
- Written by Kim Hartzler, Current Intern
Old and New Church Pictures
