West End Fellowship Lancaster City was the BIG winner in the WJTL/Grauer’s Paint & Decorating Center “Ugly Side of the Church Contest”.  Kids’ Cookie Break & WJTL was there for the makeover Saturday, June 12th.  Paul from Grauer’s as well as volunteers from the church were on hand for a morning of painting and decorating.  West End Fellowship now has a new nursery AND a new kitchen paint job.  Church volunteers also worked outside the church in the parking lot to put on a mini-carnival for the kids complete with FREE snow cones, games, prizes, & a dunk tank.  Enjoy these pictures from this fun filled day and thanks to everyone who came out for the fun!

2009 – Lisa takes the Kids Cookie Break behind the scenes at the Castle Roller Rink

Stop by The Children’s Tent at Creation East and say hi if you are here!  The Kids’ Cookie Break is the official Kids’ Tent host at Creation East and today rocked!  We started off the morning with worship lead by Gretchen & Heidi.  Phredd & his son Zachary started the music at 9am.  My fave was the song “If Coffee is So Good, Why Does it Taste So Bad”.  Check out the KCB You Tube page at kidscookiebreak.com for backstage coffee talk during Fred’s song.  Steven Courtney and His Band of Friends were next.  Steve told me his fave song to perform today was “Steven the Pirate”.  Mine too!  Then Jesse shared his reptile friends.  (we hope he brings his new baby Kenny to share with everyone on Saturday).  It was great to have Mark Thompson and his friends back at Creation East.  Here is a fun video of Mark making Phredd’s son Zack act like a puppet!

Donut Man closed out the morning with fun interactive songs, dances and words of wisdom.

Thanks to all of the kids who played the KCB Cookie Eating contest game AND the hula hoop contest!

More games, PLUS-Phredd, Donut Man, Randall Goodgame of “Slugs&Bugs”, Steven Courtney Band, Mark Thompson tomorrow in the Kids’ Tent.  See you there!

LISA LANDIS – Gibby Mane of Catel Village, Guinea Bissau shares his testimony with Beryl Forrester. God is doing great things in West Africa through the work of Eastern Mennonite Missions.  Help us share Jesus with the good people of Gambia & Guinea Bissau.  Click here for how you can help! And thanks for doing what you can.

Congratulations to Kiana Haldeman of Manheim! She is the GRAND PRIZE WINNER in the Draw Your Fave Phredd Song Contest. She wins the Lanahki LU21 soprano ukulele with a lightweight case and songbook.

#1. "Zoo in Space" by Kiana

Congrats to the Top 3 winners-Kiana Haldeman, Anastasia Carroll, & Abby Samuelson!  They all won the entire PHREDD Cd & DVD collection!

Thanks again to everyone who entered.  You all did a fantastic job!!!

LISA LANDIS – This mom had a fantastic Mother’s Day Weekend.  Mind if I share?

First, I got to giveaway “Funky/Silly Bandz” on the Kids Cookie Break, making life easier for the mom’s whose kids’ are running all over creation trying to find a store that hasn’t sold out of the latest trend ( thanks to Olde Mill House Shoppe Lancaster for donating the Bandz).

Second, I got to redeem myself as an auctioneer for Friendship Community, taking on WDAC’s Mike Stike and WGAL’s Jere Gish to see who could raise the most money for Friendship.  I am happy to announce I had the highest bid ($625) for a rocking horse crafted by a Friendship resident. Hah! Even with all of the promises and bribes from the auctioneers (including my own bag of tricks aka silly bandz, cds, books), this mom worked hard to make up for brining in the least amount of money last year. Now to be honest, I did go last, which seems to be the winning spot. If the Freakonomics geeks would study this one I’m confidant they’d conclude, “the last person up to bat at the auction block always hits a home run.”  What made me most proud was that the three of us combined brought in more money for Friendship Community this year than last!!!

And finally, my Third weekend highlight (remember last hits the home run), my family spoiled me with brunch at “Wish You Were Here”, the latest “Central Market Cookbook”, an original book written and designed by my son with songs, poems, pictures, etc. and even dinner cooked by my 12-year old son Alex who is a marvel in the kitchen. It was pancakes for dinner. And we’re not talking out of the box. I’m talking the most amazing pancakes made from scratch with chocolate and cinnamon cream.

So as you see this mom had a marvelous mom’s day. And a big thanks to my mom for making it all possible 🙂

Happy post-Mother’s Day to mom’s everywhere.  I close with a few thoughts to make you smile:

Dumbwaiter: One who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.
Full Name: What you call your child when you’re mad at him.

QUOTES

A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.  ~Peter De Vries

Sing out loud in the car even, or especially, if it embarrasses your children.  ~Marilyn Penland

And funny joke:

A Sunday school teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem.  A small child replied: “They couldn’t get a baby-sitter.”

EDDIE DANIELS – This afternoon Lisa and I were in Hershey for the annual PAB (Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters) Awards. WJTL was up for (and received) two awards: Outstanding Website (and yes, this was before our big website overhaul!) and Outstanding Program Designed for Kids.

I was happy to accept the award for our website and Lisa accepted on behalf of the Kids Cookie Break! It was fun meeting other people from a variety of TV and radio stations from across the state! Here’s a quick video of Lisa and I accepting the awards for WJTL. Is it just me, or do I look scared to death? Just for the record, I wasn’t…I think I was more concerned about whether or not there would be coffee refills.

There was.

Check out Highlights from my West Africa trip with EMM!

My West Africa Trip Highlights

Check out the footage of the current Catel, Guinea Bissau School and then read how you can help the kids of Catel Village.

School building for a West African village

At least 300 children in the village of Catel, Guinea-Bissau, are elementary school age, but many of them do not attend school. Very few are literate. Currently the village has two school classrooms, but one is made of palm fronds and needs to be rebuilt each year after the rainy season, and the other building is incomplete. Providing a durable, permanent school building will be the first step in addressing the village’s educational needs, boosting children’s self-esteem, and combating poverty.

We plan to erect a four-classroom mud-brick structure with cement floors and a corrugate metal roof. The classrooms should then be furnished with student tables and benches.

The village will provide labor for the basic construction; the village will also be providing some funds through the sale of their cashews to the MEHDA cashew processing plant in Catel.

1210 Elementary school building (Catel, Guinea-Bissau)

A – $20 will provide one sack of cement for the floor.

B – $50 will help to provide windows and doors.

C – $100 will help to provide a corrugated metal roof (total cost $4,000).

Donate now and designate your funds for “West Africa project 1210.”

What an inspiring, rewarding, eye-opening experience spending time with EMM mission workers in Pirang Village, Gambia and Catel Village, Guinea Bissau.  And thanks to a volcano that most had never heard of- let alone are able to pronounce-my trip was extended 3 extra days. 

You are welcome to view my West Africa pictures here and check out some videos I shot here.  More coming soon!

I have a new respect for missionaries working in far off lands.  EMM mission worker Beryl Forrester reminded me that while there is a great need for expatriate missionaries like Beryl in West Africa, there is also a great need for people back home to support their mission work.  During my stay in West Africa I saw & experienced the many modern conveniences given up to live and work in a far off land-like electricity, or running water and it reminded me that there is much I can give up here in the states to support what people like Gary & Denise Williamson and Beryl Forrester, and the YES teams, mission interns, etc. are doing on location. 

I invite you to join me and the WJTL team & EMM is helping to build a school in Catel, Guinea Bissau and improve education there as well as in Pirang Village, Gambia.   At school the kids learn to read, have a meal, are given opportunities for advanced education that they might not otherwise have and are introduced to Christianity.   It’s through the holistic work of organizations like Eastern Mennonite Missions that communities like Pirang and Catel are given hope through followers of Jesus meeting both physical and spiritual needs.  Pleas join me in bringing hope to West Africa through EMM by clicking here.

And thanks for all of your prayers that I arrive home safely.  God is good!