What Happens Next? | Mission Centers of Houston

Maria, one of our summer interns, plays with Ernesto.

Meet Ernesto. Ernesto came to the Joy Center with his mother at the beginning of the summer. She was hoping he could be a part of Kids Club even though he cannot walk or talk. She understood he probably could not because he requires constant attention. Thankfully she came in the summer when our Centers are staffed with Summer Missionaries from all over the country. We had plenty of help to allow Ernesto to come each week and still give all the other children the attention they need. We saw Ernesto become more and more animated each week. He truly was a part of the group before the summer was over. Our missionaries made a real connection with him and both he and his mother were greatly blessed.

So now what happens to Ernesto?

Our missionaries are gone. We don’t have the volunteer force to accommodate that kind of special attention without them. This isn’t intended to be a sad commercial with mournful music playing in the background: this is just the kind of reality we face every week at Mission Centers. We are limited in the ministry we can provide because we are limited in the number of volunteers we have to provide ministry. We know that most of our needs fall during working hours. We know that makes it much more difficult for many to serve. But we also have to do ministry at the time when it best serves our communities and those times are typically mornings and after school.

Below you will see some of our volunteer needs for this fall. Would you please pray with us as we seek to fill those needs? Would you be willing to share these needs with your church family or Sunday School class? And would you be willing to consider if maybe God might be asking you to spend a little time each week serving the under-served of Houston?

We don’t want to turn away Ernesto or anyone in our communities. Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in being a part of the ministry team at Mission Centers, or call us at 713-227-0304 ext. 107.

Current Volunteer Needs:

Joy

2 people to interview adults for Food and Clothing Ministry; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9-11am; must be bilingual
1 person to help organize and run the Food Pantry; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9-11:30am; needs to be bilingual
2 people to interview Senior Adults for Senior Adult worship and food pantry; Thursdays, 9-11:30am; must be bilingual
1 person to preach Senior Adult Service; Thursdays at 10am; must be bilingual
2 people to work with Kids Club (ages 4-6) to help with games, songs, crafts, etc; Mondays, 3:30-5pm
4 people to work with Kids Club (ages 7-10), to help with games, songs, crafts, etc; Wednesdays, 3:30-5pm
2 people to work with Teen Club to help with games and build relationships; Tuesdays, 3:30-5pm; males especially needed
2 people to work with Preteen Club to help with games and build relationships; Thursdays, 3:30-5pm
1 woman to help with a monthly sewing class for girls and to build relationships with the mothers of the girls who attend; needs to be bilingual

Gano

2 nursery workers; Mondays 9-11:30am
3-5 people to work with Teen Club to help with games, teach, and build relationships; Mondays, 4-6pm; males especially needed
3-5 people to work with Preteen Club to help with games, teach, and build relationships; Tuesday and Thursdays, 3:30-5pm; males especially needed
2-3 people to work in the Food Pantry; Wednesday mornings, 9-11:30am
2 people to work with Kids Club (ages 4-9); Wednesdays, 3:30-5pm
1-2 people to do work in the garden and yard bi-monthly

Fletcher

4 people to work in the nursery for ESL classes; Monday and Wednesdays, 9-11:30am
2 people to help with Preteen and Teen Club, Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays, 3:30-5pm

Food Pantry

2 people at Joy Center to interview Senior Adults for Food and Clothing Ministry; Tuesdays – Wednesdays, 9-11am; must be bilingual
1 person at Joy Center to help organize and run the Food Pantry, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9-11:30am; needs to be bilingual
2-3 people at Gano Center to work in the Food Pantry; Wednesday mornings, 9-11:30am

Children

4 people at Fletcher Center to work in the nursery for ESL classes; Monday and Wednesdays, 9-11:30am
2 nursery workers at Gano Center; Mondays 9-11:30am
2 people to work at Joy Center with Kids Club (ages 4-6) to help with games, songs, crafts, etc; Mondays, 3:30-5pm
4 people to work at Joy Center with Kids Club (ages 7-10) to help with games, songs, crafts, etc; Wednesdays, 3:30-5pm
2 people to work at Gano Center with Kids Club (ages 4-9); Wednesdays, 3:30-5pm
1 woman at Joy Center to help with a monthly sewing class for girls and to build relationships with the mothers of the girls who attend; needs to be bilingual

Preteens and Teens

3-5 people at Gano Center to work with Preteen Club to help with games, teach, and build relationships; Tuesday and Thursdays, 3:30-5pm; males especially needed
2 people at Joy Center to work with Preteen Club to help with games and build relationships; Thursdays, 3:30-5pm
2 people at Fletcher Center to help with Preteen and Teen Club, Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays, 3:30-5pm
3-5 people at Gano Center to work with Teen Club to help with games, teach, and build relationships; Mondays, 4-6pm; males especially needed
2 people at Joy Center to work with Teen Club to help with games and build relationships; Tuesdays, 3:30-5pm; males especially needed

Senior Adults

2 people at Joy Center to interview Senior Adults for Senior Adult worship and food pantry; Thursdays, 9-11:30am; must be bilingual
1 person at Joy Center to preach Senior Adult Service; Thursdays at 10am; must be bilingual

Yard/Garden