in process | a message from our director
from mark terrell
I was stuck again; stuck on a song by Mumford and Sons called “Sigh No More” on their album “Sigh No More”. I would listen to the song over and over again. It just hit me as brilliant. I knew I was supposed to write about it for you to read and as I sat at the computer to write, nothing good would come. It was too wordy or there was nothing at all.
Then Jackie (not her real name) a young woman who has been coming to CCW for several years, walked by the office where I was trying to write this article. At that instant God whispered, “Ask Jackie what she thinks of the song.”
As Jackie walked back by, I stopped her and asked her to read the lyrics to the song. When she finished reading she responded, “I love it. It describes who I am. I especially like the line, ‘My heart was never pure.’” So I asked my usual, “Why?” She responded, “Because it is me. I don’t have a pure heart.”
As I listened, I felt compelled to say, “So what I am hearing you say is that you, as a homeless young woman who is transitioning out of homelessness, understand how evil your heart is and how much evil has been done to you?” Jackie replied, “Yes.” I continued, “What do you think of the lines:
Love; it will not betray you
Dismay or enslave you, it will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be
As she re-read them she looked kind of blank and said, “I don’t know that kind of love but I am learning.” I asked, “Is that the love of God they are singing about and that you are learning about?”
“Yes,” she answered.
I continued, “Would you say that the majority of young men and women living on the streets understand that they don’t have pure hearts and that they don’t grasp just how much they are loved?”
“Yes,” she answered.
Another question from me, “Are you learning about this love of Christ that transforms you into who you were created to be from anywhere?”
“Yes, from my husband, social worker, and of course from Cup of Cool Water,” she responds with a big smile.
We chatted some more about life and then as she turned to go I thanked her for sharing her life and insights about the song. She responded, “Thank you for asking. It means a lot.”
I know what I liked about this song the most was the phrase that I quoted above about God’s love that transforms.
The Bible tells us that while we were still sinners (impure and evil) Christ died for us (Romans 5:7-8). The Bible continues to remind us that it is this love that not only brings us into right relationship with God, it also transforms us. The following verses remind us of this transforming power.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
also,
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
Philippians 3:20-21
Through Jackie’s life story we are experiencing the transforming love of Christ. We also see this transformation in the staff and in many other young men and women who come through the doors of Cup of Cool Water.
Just like the transformation you see in the kids and the staff, will you prayerfully consider experiencing this same transforming love through contributing financially to the life changing work God is performing in the lives of youth who come to Cup of Cool Water?
MUMFORD & SONS album: “Sigh No More” (2009)
“Sigh No More”
Serve God, love me and mend
This is not the end
Lived unbruised, we are friends
And I’m sorry
I’m sorry
Sigh no more, no more
One foot in sea, one on shore
My heart was never pure
You know me
You know me
But man is a giddy thing
Oh man is a giddy thing
Oh man is a giddy thing
Oh man is a giddy thing
Love; it will not betray you
Dismay or enslave you, it will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be
There is a design, an alignment to cry
Of my heart to see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be
Love; it will not betray you
Dismay or enslave you, it will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be
There is a design, an alignment to cry
Of my heart to see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be
Love; it will not betray you
Dismay or enslave you, it will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be
And there is a design, an alignment to cry
Of my heart to see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be
get out and PLAY
from sarah hennagin
“I didn’t think I could have fun without drugs, but this was awesome.” –female youth, 17, after outdoor activity with CCW staff
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Summer may have been a little shy in coming to Spokane this year, but that hasn’t stopped the staff and kids at CCW from getting out and getting active over the last two months. CCW staff love to share our passion for outdoor recreation with youth and help them to discover healthy ways of having fun (and maybe even secretly teach some life lessons along the way).
The CCW Bloomsday team was featured in the Inlander both before and after the race…hopefully many of you saw the article. Seven youth and four staff participated, and every one of them finished! One young lady beat her personal goal by 25 minutes, and although she was sore all week she was proud to tell every person she saw how well she’d done.
A few weeks later, we took 16 youth and five staff whitewater rafting on the mighty Spokane with Peak 7 Adventures. For all but two of the youth, it was their first experience with rafting. I was blessed to share a raft with half a dozen shrieking young men and women and to hear one girl exclaim as we headed into a new set of rapids, “This is better than a MOVIE!” Another young man who was terribly afraid of water went around after the trip and shook hands with every one of the Peak 7 staff, thanking them “for helping me face my fear today.”
This trip was just the first in a series of partnerships with Peak 7 this summer. CCW had the unique first-time opportunity to take two small overnight camping trips out to climb Icicle Canyon and raft the Wenatchee river. I watched a young lady progress from terrified refusal to even attempt rock climbing, to conquering her first wall, to belaying ME in a climb, to telling me that she definitely wanted to do it again. At camp, groups shared a bible study and discussion of trust in God and others that we can gain from being roped up to another person. One of the young men who went on the guys’ trip described it afterwards as “epic, epic, EPIC!” and said rafting was “the most fun thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
This last weekend, youth and staff got their game on with our third-ever CCW Hoopfest team. We had three new players and one returning, and played a good team-oriented game with great improvement from the first game to the second.
Bike rides, fishing trips, and other staff and youth favorites are also part of the fun. We’ll be taking a local climbing trip with Peak 7 in a few weeks and hope to get some more newbies out on the rock. For CCW staff, part of the joy of taking youth on outdoor adventures is just giving them the chance to be kids. The everyday grind of survival on the streets in Spokane is ugly, and for many of our youth it’s all they know. Director Mark Terrell accompanied the guys’ Wenatchee trip and told me “at one point during the rafting, I just started laughing uncontrollably. They were all having so much fun, and as I watched them, all I could do was laugh.” We’re so grateful for the chance to laugh together with kids while enjoying God’s creation…thank you to all of you who have helped us make it happen.
cool water bikes poker ride recap
from noah sutherland
I just want to say thanks again to everyone who came out to participate or volunteer at the second annual Cool Water Bikes Poker Ride on June 11. We had 85 people ride, run, or walk on the Centennial Trail (including the treacherous Mission Street construction crossing and avoiding the flooded parts of the trail on Upriver Drive). That is more than double the number of people from last year. I’m pretty sure we more than doubled the number of volunteers as well. Through the raffle, silent auction, food sales, and extra donations, we raised roughly $4000 to help us continue building relationships with youth on the streets of Spokane through riding and repairing bicycles. That is quadruple the amount from last year. God has been incredibly faithful over the last three years and this is just one more sign that He will provide what is needed to fulfill His purposes in this ministry.
I need to thank a few people specifically. Annica Graf, one of our board members, was co-chair for the event this year. That really means that she did all the work and I just had to show up. Tiffany Marshall, our development director, did a huge amount of work designing flyers and posters, soliciting raffle and auction items, and marketing the event. Sarah Hennagin coordinated all of the volunteers for the day. Topher Webber did a lot of legwork soliciting raffle and auction items and general busyness as well as running the sound equipment for the event. My wife April and my son Carsen put up with my anxiety preceding and during the event; I love you both. I also need to thank our board of directors and Mark Terrell for continuing to believe in and support this crazy idea.
We need to continue to increase funding, both through donations and through sales and service through the bike shop. Though we have not been able to move into our new location yet, I believe it will come sometime soon. With that will come increased expenses. Hopefully, it will also increase our presence in the community and allow for greater sales and donations. If you can donate monthly towards Cool Water Bikes, it would help immensely. If you need a bicycle, service, or parts please come to us. And please tell your friends. Hopefully next year we can more than double the number of people at the Poker Ride again.
current needs
○ Blankets
○ Fresh Produce
○ Sack Lunches for Outreach
○ Cases of Bottled Water
○ Men’s and Women’s Underwear – Small & Medium
○ Avery 5160 White, Easy Peel Address Labels – 3000 Count
○ #10 Security Envelopes – Double Window – 500 Count
○ 1/3 – Cut Tab Letter Size Manila Folders
○ HP Laserjet Ink Cartridge 53A
○ Stamps
in thanks
from tiffany marshall
In the beginning of May, we sent out a letter sharing with you the story of a young woman. Her story is like many who come into Cup. The doors of Cup of Cool Water have seen many youth pass through them since the letter was sent out. Many new, young faces have entered seeking something they can’t find on the street. They are looking for more. More needs filled, more support, more friendship, more love…the list goes on. The opportunity was given to you to come alongside the young people in such a way that would give them even more opportunity. We want to send a special thank you out to all of those who took that step and gave. Your support and eagerness to be involved in changing young lives is encouraging. We appreciate your willingness to give; to be an example of God’s faithfulness and blessings in your own life.
While the plans for educational and life skills classes are well underway, there is still an urgent need for continued support. The youth are looking for more opportunity to explore their gifts and to learn how to become active contributing members of the community. This need continues to grow as more young people find their way to Cup of Cool Water. The opportunity is yours. We ask that you seek out the Lord’s will for how you should help. It is a blessing to give…
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38
Please prayerfully consider giving the youth on Spokane’s streets the opportunity they are searching for. Your help is needed in reaching the goal of $20,000 in support by the end of August.
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:10-11
Blessings,
Tiffany Marshall
Development Director
volunteer spotlight
rick and ellen peller
from sara wiltermood
Age: 62 and 57
How long have you volunteered at CCW? 2 years
What do you do outside of Cup life? Rick) Electrical Engineer and (Ellen) Nurse in Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
What was something you were most surprised about when you first came to CCW? The depth of suffering in the lives of the kids who come to Cup.
What is your favorite thing about volunteering at CCW? (Rick)To see the excitement that the kids have at doing “normal” activities they probably missed as kids; for example, Bloomsday, rafting, etc., and even the small things like playing board games or cards.
(Ellen)Making cookies–filling the space with the smell of freshly baked cookies!
What do you think most people wouldn’t know about the kids that come to CCW? (Rick)How resilient they are in spite of never having had what we would consider a normal childhood.
(Ellen)They didn’t rebel and leave a mom, dad and a home–they never had a mom and dad that loved them and gave them a safe home in which to be a kid.
cool water bikes poker ride recap
