The goal of The Mercy Street 500 is to have 500 new donors by the running of the Indy 500 on May 31, 2010. These donors would give an average of $500 per year through monthly donations between $25 and $100. Below are examples of how your monthly donations will have an impact:

• a mentor & mentee’s participation in every monthly event, $25 monthly
• one week of summer camp at Kids Across America or Pine Cove, $35 monthly
• snacks for 80 children at our weekly Vision Life Bible Club, $50 monthly
• a new computer for a seasoned mentor coordinator, $50 monthly
• major monthly events, such as a TCU football game or our school kickoff at Bahama Beach, $100 monthly

Not only does each small monthly donation make a big impact, the collective impact of this campaign is a significant, steady, reliable and necessary $250,000 stream of income for Mercy Street! This sustainable income stream is vital for us to achieve our 20-year vision of raising up 2,672 leaders to make a positive, permanent change in West Dallas through its children.

To join the Mercy Street 500, please contact Sam Flores@mercystreetdallas.org or  donate online at www.mercystreetdallas.org

Sarah and Adrian Cole, a newly married couple attending Irving Bible Church, were looking for an opportunity to serve their community. One of the opportunities that they chose to explore was Mercy Street Ministries, a mentoring program in West Dallas that serves children in grades 4 through 12.

Sarah was matched with Alexis, a fourth grade student at Sequoyah Elementary, in October 2008. Since that time, Alexis has moved twice and lives about 40 minutes from Mercy Street but the two have maintained their commitment to see one another.

About nine months ago, Sarah decided that she needed to spend more time with Alexis. In the beginning, she was spending at least one time a month with her but after reevaluating their commitment Sarah and her husband decided that they would try to spend at least 3 times a month with their mentees.

“I realized that I only got to see her once a week or a couple of times a month,” Sarah said.

Alexis and Sarah usually spend time together on Saturdays. The two enjoy watching movies together, visiting local coffee shops, and work on reading or math. Alexis has also met all of Sarah’s family members.

“My parents have given me some good ideas and encouragement based on their experience of raising children. Mentoring has given me insight into how my parents handled situations with my brother and I. These conversation with my parents have helped my relationship with them,” Sarah said.

Alexis and Sarah spend significant time studying together and focusing on Alexis’ education. Alexis has been struggling in school with reading, math, spelling and grammar. Every Wednesday, Sarah tutors Alexis in these areas where she needs help.

“What I most enjoy about mentoring are the mini-victories,” Sarah said. “If Alexis knows the answer to 10 minus 5, and says it with confidence, or if Alexis can do a math problem in her head and not on her fingers. I enjoy the little victories that she and I get to experience together.”

Mentoring has not only given Sarah a chance to touch the life of Alexis but it has strengthened her relationship with her husband and family members.

“I think it is helpful when mentors are married. Mentoring has helped me in a couple of areas of my life. It has added a dimension in my life with my parents and other people in my life. I have seen God strengthen my relationship with my husband through our mentoring. When he is discouraged, I encourage him and vice-versa.” Sarah said.

Sarah also said that she has learned to trust God more and be more patient.

When asked what advice she would give a new mentor, Sarah said that she would encourage mentors to be stable, be available for your mentee, and make certain that your mentee feels important.

Sarah and Adrian want their mentees to experience life with them and see what their lives look like. Sometimes they invite their mentees over and they do chores around the house together or everyday kind of things.

Lord, thank you for sending mentors, like Sarah, that remind us of our value and see our potential. And, thank you for the chance to experience life’s small victories with one another. May we remember every day that you knew us and loved us before we were knit together in our mother’s womb. Amen.

We will have food, games, and sand volleyball. We will also be meeting the new batch of mentors and mentees from those students moving on up to High School from the 8th grade. We will also have a special time where we will recognize and reward those students who have signed up for Education is Freedom and are participating in the program.

When: Saturday, May 8th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 8th grade meeting: 11:45 a.m. – mentors & mentees
• High School Meeting: 12:45 p.m. – mentors and mentees

Where: Lloyd Park (Joe Poole Lake) in Grand Prairie

What: Food, games, sand volleyball and swimming

• Please make sure that your mentee is dressed accordingly. All must wear shorts and t-shirts when swimming
• Don’t forget to bring your lawn chairs, blankets, towels, sunscreen, balls, kits, and table games.

Who: Mentors and Mentees

• Feel free to bring your family and your mentee’s family to join the fun

Fee: The park chargest a $10 entrance fee per car.

• If you would like to car pool, please join us at Mercy Street. We will leave at 10:30 a.m.

RSVP: Please RSVP to Carlton@mercystreetdallas.org or Elizabeth@mercystreetdallas.org.

West Dallas is surrounded by a series of bridges that cross the Trinity River. There has been much ado about bridges in West Dallas lately with the coming of the new signature bridge named after Margaret Hunt Hill. The American Heritage College Dictionary defines a bridge as “a structure spanning and providing passage over a gap or barrier.”

And, a bridge is a great analogy of what happens between Mercy Street mentors and mentees.

Peter Hyndman and his mentee Kendrick have known each other since Kendrick was in the 5th grade. Peter got involved in Mercy Street through Bill Farrell, Mer- cy Street’s Director of Development. Peter had been trying to discern how God wanted him to serve and when Bill spoke at Irving Bible Church about mentoring students in West Dallas, he knew that he had found a way to fulfill his calling.

“I look forward to Kendrick calling and I know he enjoys our relationship because he calls me,” Hyndman says.

Kendrick and Peter were matched in fifth grade. And as in any good relationship, they spend time with one another. Kendrick calls Peter every Friday or Saturday night to talk or schedule time with his mentor. A typical visit for Peter and Kendrick usually includes a meal, reading a book, and talking to one another about life events.

Hyndman said that his family has been involved in his mentoring relationship with Kendrick as well. Peter’s three children have grown up with Kendrick. When Peter and Kendrick were first matched, Kendrick was two weeks younger than Peter’s youngest daughter. Peter and Kendrick have experienced the zoo, the Fort Worth Symphony, the aquarium, and hitting golf balls together. Sometimes Peter’s family or Kendrick’s friends Deion and Jaquavian join the two on outings.

Hyndman says, “When I started mentoring, I had a lot of preconceived notions about people that were disadvantaged and how they acted. Since then, I have come to know that they are people with needs and want to be loved. They are a lot more like me than I had thought.”

Understanding who Mercy Street was and the resources they offered was helpful to Peter in beginning his mentoring relationship with Kendrick. Mercy Street assigns a mentor coordinator who serves as a bridge between the men- tor, school, parents, and mentee. In addition, Mercy Street hosts monthly events for mentors and mentees. Monthly events are a great opportunity to meet other mentors and mentees on the journey of friendship. Mentees are also invited to be part of weekly Bible studies and extracurricular events like Little League sports and karate.

“Some people think that mentoring is instructing. In many cases it is listening and trying to understand the child and the parents as well. It is knowing that they too are a very important part of the process,” Hyndman says. “Listening is part of loving.”

The First 50 Hispanic females (sophomore & juniors) to sign up & return permission slips are eligible to attend. Participation in both events is mandatory to be considered for the HWNT scholarhip.The visit will include a campus tour, meals provided by university, A & A with university students, and cultural presentations. Bus departure from Pinkston is scheduled for 7 am and will return to the school at 4 pm.

To sign up visit the Education is Freedom Office at Pinkston High School. If you have questions, please contact Guadalupe M. Robles at 469-879-4562.

Over spring break, my wife Sarah and I had the pleasure of being a part of the volunteer team of eight adults that escorted 30 high school young men and young women on a college tour to Atlanta, Georgia.

The Mission and the Vision of the trip were:

Mission: To awaken the dreams of students from the West Dallas Community by exposing them to the world of further education.

Vision: See students from the West Dallas community inspired to achieve their God-given potential through:

• Visiting colleges and universities
• Visiting historical landmarks and other exciting cultural venues
• Developing relationships with Christian leaders
• Building community with peers
• Sharing Christ with students
• Discipling students where they are in their Christian walk

For most of the students on the college tour, this was their first time to leave West Dallas, to stay in a hotel, visit the largest aquarium in the country and hear from actual college students what they will need to not only to get into college but also to finish well.

We had the opportunity to walk the grounds and learn about the rich history of five major colleges in the Atlanta area: Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, Spelman, Emory and Georgia Tech.

These prestigious colleges opened the eyes of our students historically, ethnically, and educationally. Having the opportunity to see the variety of different majors and campus cultures on our visits allowed Mercy Street students to connect with college students that come from similar backgrounds. Mercy Street students could better envision themselves being a student at one of these college campus or one that would offer similar opportunities.

While in Atlanta, we also had the opportunity to visit the county’s largest aquarium, tour the Coca-Cola museum, tour the CNN Center and enjoy some good eateries such as the famous Varsity.

My personal treasures from this trip where the group discussions and one-on-one conversations throughout the bus ride, cabin time, and walks on the college campuses.

The last night “Mr. Carlton” humbly shared his testimony and shared God’s Word and direction God gives for our lives. I was encouraged and thankful for Carlton’s message and reminder that we are children of God and our lives are important to God.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Kudos to our team leaders, Mr. Carlton Oby and his wonderful wife Danita, who did a fantastic job of recruiting West Dallas high school students, raising funds for the college tour and planning the activities for the four jam packed days of educational adventures. What a joy it was for all that made this opportunity for us and to see the Lord orchestrate this once-in-a-lifetime college tour experience.

I pray that you would boldly encourage your mentee, your family, your neighbor and share the Good News that God has died and risen for us!

To view more photos from the Mercy Street Atlanta College Tour, click here. Pray for us as take students on our next college tour to Jarvis Christian College and Texas College on April 16.

Mentors and their Mentees are invited to Mercy Street’s Ice Cream Social from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22. Ice Cream socials provide mentors the opportunity to spend one-on-one quality time with their student and meet other members of the Mercy Street family. In addition, the Mercy Street game room will be open during the socials.

Tuesday’s Women’s Bible Study

Invite your mentee’s mother to attend Mercy Street’s Women’s Bible Study. The study is held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Tuesday at Mercy Street. This is a great opportunity for women in West Dallas and greater Dallas area to come together to worship, study, enjoy crafts and most importantly fellowship together. For more information, contact Annie Roberson at Annie@mercystreetdallas.org.

Treasured Ladies Tuesday begins April 6

Mercy Street high school women are invited to Treasured Ladies Tuesdays beginning April 6. The Bible study will start April 6 and will run until July 6  (15 weeks) before we take a break for the summer.  We will start back up in the Fall.

If you are interested in volunteering to help with Treasured Ladies Tuesdays, please call Elizabeth at Elizabeth@mercystreetdallas.org or 469.371-7412. Volunteers are particularly needed to prepare meals for 13 of the 15 Tuesday gatherings.

Mentors join us for the Mentor Round Table Training April 17

Mentors are asked to join us for the “The Mentor Round Table”, a mentor training event, at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 17 at Mercy Street.

Each roundtable will have at least one staff member, one experience mentor (2+ years) and 6-8 new mentors so that can voice their experiences both accomplishments and challenges.

We will also have a 30-minute session for all elementary, middle school, and high school mentors to gather with their respective mentor coordinators to go over some age-specific topics.

We truly believe in the value of this event to you, our prized mentors.  With that, we are making this a mandatory event for all mentors, so please plan your schedules accordingly.  Lunch will be provided.  Please RSVP with Garrett Smith at garrett@mercystreetdallas.org or (214) 905-1042 x105.

Ribbon Cutting & Opening for the New Baseball Field scheduled April 17

The ribbon cutting and opening events for the new field are scheduled April 17. For more information, contact Jim Riley at jim@mercystreetdallas.org.

A Day with the Pro’s scheduled April 17th

El día de los niños scheduled April 24

Dallas Park and Recreation Department and Jaycee Zaragoza Advisory Council Celebrates El Dia de los Ninos (Day of the Children) at Jaycee Zaragoza Recreation Center, 3114 Clymer St., Dallas, TX 75212 on Saturday, April 24. Admission is free.

A parade will begin at 10 a.m. starting in front of Eladio R. Martinez Learning Center and will proceed south on Bernal Dr. where it will end in front of the Jaycee Zaragoza Recreation Center.

A community festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. where residents can enjoy a special day of carnival games, food, music, balloons, face painting and more. For more information, contact 214-670-6188. In case of rain, the festival will continue indoors,

Our annual Mentor Appreciation Banquet will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 8th, at Park Cities Presbyterian Church. Each year we seek to thank those whom God has called into relationship with a West Dallas child through this dinner in their honor.

Our theme is “Neighborhood Stories”.  We seek to focus on some of the stories of God’s work in the lives of both mentors and children under the over-arching story of the wonder and grace of His “story” of redemption–the gospel.

If you are a mentor and did not receive your invitation in the mail and would like to come, please contact, Candy Hill at 214-905-1042 x. 111 or candyhill@mercystreetdallas.org