Whether blowing bubbles, using bright crayons to scribble within the thick black lines, participating in the ball toss, engaging in an impromptu game of basketball, sharing snacks or listening to a Bible story, it was clear from the huge smiles on the faces of volunteers and community members alike that this past Saturday’s block parties at our Joy Fellowship, Gano and Fletcher Centers were a huge success.

This was Humble Area First Baptist Church’s second year in a row of throwing a block party at each Center — and, thankfully, they managed to escape being shut down in a torrential downpour that put a bit of a damper on last year’s events. Instead, the gyms were overflowing with noise, laughter and excited conversation this past Saturday as over 50 kids, siblings and adults from the community showed up at each of our three Centers to interact with the group from Humble. For many of the middle schoolers who came from HAFBC to participate in their DNow missions experience, noted leader and faithful volunteer, Debbie Taylor, this was their first time leaving their own neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city and coming into an inner city Houston community to see where other people lived. “Even some of the adults who helped drive the kids down said, ‘Wow, I didn’t even know this existed here!’ We were all really blessed by the opportunity.”

In addition to forming new relationships, sharing snacks, taking turns at face-painting stations and leading craft and active play times, the block parties also including a sharing of the Gospel in a fun, creative and age-appropriate fashion. Taylor’s passion, she said, is to get her church more involved on a regular basis with the inner city neighborhoods in which Mission Centers of Houston is located. “I think it’s really important to understand that there are so many missions opportunities available this close to home,” she noted.

A big thanks to Debbie Taylor, the D Now middle school students and all of the other HAFBC volunteers that joined us on Saturday!