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Investing In Children
Feeling Life In A Numbing Environment
Los Angeles, California -- Do you ever have that numbing pins and needles feeling in one of your limbs? Some may say in this situation, "My foot's asleep." Eventually it's shaken out and the blood begins to flow again. Over fifty-five years have passed since Fred Jordan Mission (FJM) staff and volunteers began relieving the pins and needles feeling of the men, women and children living in Skid Row's numbing existence of poverty. Through the Bless A Child program, OBI partners with FJM in investing in these children's futures.
The multiple story building doesn't look like anything special from the outside, but step inside and up into the fourth floor. Each week-day, more than fifty school-age children can be seen participating in Fred Jordan Mission's year-round after-school program. FJM encourages participants to remain in school, providing keys for academic and social success including tutoring, homework assistance, discussion groups, field trips, recreation, park outreaches and personal counseling. The program also introduces the children to Jesus Christ, teaches biblical principles, and provides them with Bible based solutions to today's problems.
"These special activities help children living in a numbing environment pervaded with drugs, drop-outs and hopelessness, see an exciting world to which they may aspire outside of the square mile that is Skid Row," shared Willie Jordan, FJM's President.
The majority of these children live in crime infested government housing projects and welfare hotels. Children like sixth grader Yvette. She struggles with math and began receiving free tutoring at FJM. "It's helped me with my grades," she said with great excitement! "I used to get four [problems] correct out of ten and now I get nine!"
"We couldn't provide services day-in and day-out for the children of Skid Row, helping them through these difficult times, without the caring partners like Operation Blessing, " said Willie Jordan. "Together, we can help them [children] to focus on the task they must undertake to grow beyond their circumstances."
This inspiring woman and her husband Fred have invested in children not only in the United States but also in countries including Japan, Hong Kong and Ghana. With comforting community and family support, Willie has continued reaching out even after Fred's passing in 1988. In fact, her son Joseph and wife Kris head up the Coachella Valley Kids Klub Programs at the Jordan Outreach Ministries International mission ranch located in the California desert.
Through weekly activities, it serves impoverished children, at-risk youth and needy families from Indio Coachella, Thermal, Mecca, Oasis and other outlying migrant-farm working communities and ranches within the eastern Coachella Valley. Kids Klub provides a safe haven for many participants living in abusive homes or are surrounded by vulgar language and violence.
Each week approximately sixty children are transported to weekly fun. Numerous activities including last summer's four-week swimming lessons catch the attention of the children aged 5-18. The favored ping-pong, tetherball and kick ball games teach good sportsmanship and kids improve coordination, agility and score-keeping skills. During this packed time, they can also play board games, watch entertaining but educational videos in the mini-theater as well as eat a hot delicious meal.
"Thank you, Operation Blessing for blessing our Kids Klub ministries and, in turn, blessing dozens of families living within the Coachella Valley," Joseph expressed.
Operation Blessing believes in the importance of investing in children in the United States and around the world. Countless children live in numbing environments worldwide. Helps us shake out poverty and get the blood flowing!
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