Thank You Joe Toren

A big thank you to Joe Toren and "the attic" youth group for taking 5 Bridges students on their ski trip to Michigan and plugging them into their church at Courtland Avenue Friends.

Christmas from a Bridges Board Member

“Each one should use whatever gifts he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” I Peter 4:10: As a Bridges board member I experienced various ways of people giving thanks to loved ones during this Christmas season and wanted others to know that as we devote ourselves to better ways of celebrating life, we often help make a difference in other people's lives.
I first would like to say THANKS to the Kokomo community as a whole. As Bridges embarks on it's third year of operations you have played an integral role in the development and success of the program. There would be no services or programs in Kokomo that could exist without this kind of generosity and Bridges appreciates everything each of you have provided. I would ask that you continue to support us in any way that you prayerfully have considered and please tell others about Bridges when the opportunities are presented.
Secondly, a huge THANKS to First Church of God for providing a Christmas party for our middle school students. Three different groups within the church volunteered to decorate tables and provided enough food to fill the bellies of 65 kids that were recognized for their efforts in attendance, behavior and attitude. One person from the church gave a personal testimony that hopefully will help in their decision making processes when confronted with difficult obstacles. An anonymous family provided gifts to each student and the joy on those kids faces was worth more than money could buy. I think for some of these kids it was hard for them to accept these rewards and gifts. They don't always accept compliments well either. I believe it comes from years of self-doubt and an inability to believe in their own worth. The party was just one way that the community is helping to "bridge" those gaps and begin to show these kids that they are valuable to us. "He Knows Your Name" was sung and provided a perfect message of hope, that regardless of the circumstances in our lives, God is always there and will provide what is necessary to get us through.
Thirdly, I wanted to share a story that had a profound impact on me and provided me with a sense that the mass consciousness of mankind is changing. There is far more goodness in the world than others would have us believe. Bridges was contacted by Ken Johnson, Chaplin for the Colts, and asked to bring their senior high kids to a program in Indianapolis. There would be meal, gifts, and Tarik Glenn (Offensive All-Pro Tackle) would be the guess speaker. Tarik did a wonderful job talking simply about the kids being connected to something positive in their lives and to always hang on to those strong values. After the meal and message 20 single moms that had been given special invitations were asked to sit in a circle. As the ladies sat waiting on instructions I noticed one of the moms talking with another mom. I really did not give it much thought, because in minutes little "elves" began to bring outs various gifts: dishes, vacuums, toasters, digital cameras, 40 inch TV's and a large container of food that included a frozen turkey, ham and pantry items. You could not believe the appreciation coming from these moms as the gifts were delivered to everyone of them! I watched in particular the single mom from Bridges that had been invited and although she was very grateful for each gift, she was particularly emotional about the groceries. While this exchange was going on, the kids were taken to a warehouse and given the opportunity to pick three gifts each. Not knowing exactly how the gifts would be given out, Travis had given them special instructions that if they received something they didn't like to still be grateful . Several of these kids, (some don’t have many material things) stated that if that happened, they already had people in mind that they could "give" the gifts to! Wow, how these youth have matured. As everything was being loaded into vehicles I was inquiring with the Bridges mom about what had just taken place. I specifically asked her why so much emotion escaped when the food was brought out. Her answer of hope, joy and gratitude inspired me to reflect on what is really important in our lives. She explained that while they were waiting for further instructions the lady next to her began sharing a story. This woman had lost everything in a fire before this event and having 3 small children, she did not see any way she would be enjoying the holiday season. The Bridges mom reached in her purse and gave $, which was all the money she had for groceries that week. I witnessed the hug and exchange between what only two single moms could even begin to understand. The Bridges mom explained that when she gave up her own food money she began to wonder how she would provide for her two children. When the groceries were brought out, God's marvelous promises were exposed to this woman in a personal way. He will always provide! There was four times the food in that box then what her $ would have bought!! I told her THANKS and that she had just given me a glimpse of heaven.
In closing, I wanted to again express my sincere THANKS to each of you personally. Although my interest is tied in directly as a board member and parent, I have witnessed extraordinary growth and development in these kids. Without everything this community has provided, not one child would have been transformed and that would have been a real tragedy. Bridges is making a difference not only in the lives of our children, but as you just read, in the lives of others too!!
God Bless You!
Bruce Taflinger, Bridges Board Member