Teen Time has finally begun again and we are so happy to be back with our youth! It has been a difficult year for them and they have many questions about what God is doing in their lives. Please pray as Pete and Joyce reconnect with these amazing young people that we will be able to pour the love of God into their lives. We plan to meet with the teens throughout the summer and take them on a weekend retreat the first weekend of August.
Anne Cooney has graciously accepted bookkeeping responsibilities for OWI. She has been a major volunteer help in the past to OWI and is once again stepping into this very important role. Aimee will assist Anne in the daily posting, receipting, and balancing activities while Anne takes on the responsibility of payroll, payroll taxes, and other reporting to keep our ministry running smoothly.
Aimee Neugebauer, Administrative Assistant has accepted additional hours and responsibilities which Homer formally handeled. Joyce and Aimee will be dividing Homer’s workload and asking God to provide additional volunteers where needed. Aimee has been with our ministry for three years and is an invaluable asset to our organization.
My decision to retire from One Way International was one of the most difficult in my life. This ministry (especially through Joyce) taught me how to present the Gospel with love, how to teach spiritual lessons and how to love those whose need for Jesus was so great. I am reminded of Jesus’ words in Luke 4:18—“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” OWI certainly was also anointed to serve the poor wherever God led us. From the inner city of San Antonio, to the Riverside Apartments, to the countries of Moldova and Ni
One Way International board members, present and past wish Homer Schott a happy, healthy, and well-deserved retirement! Many have been the hats that Homer has worn during his twenty year service with OWI. From inception in 2001, he was the one to do all the paperwork to get the ministry started. One of our volunteers lovingly nick-named him our “Kid-magnet!”
We all survived the winter snow of February 2021. An outside pipe at the office broke and water had to be cut off for a couple of days. Homer’s and Aimee’s families were without power for hours at a time and temps in Aimee’s house were in the 40s. They both had broken pipes as well. Pete and I were fortunate to not lose power and no pipes were broken. Even so, it was a time to pray for others and depend wholly on the Lord. I was reminded of the many winters I spent in Moldova and the preparation God provided through those times for what we experienced here this winter.
Teen Time started in November and has already met 3 weeks at the time of this writing. Thus far, 5 middle and high school boys and 6 middle and high school girls are attending 3 sessions offered. They are grateful to be meeting again and are respectful of the guidelines we have set for them in the meeting area to keep everyone safe. Pete Velasquez, Homer Schott, and Ann Peterson are leading the groups. Temperatures are taken, masks are worn, hand sanitizer is used and social distancing is being practiced. Everything is sanitized between each session. We are sending each student home
Staff at Colonial Hills Elementary School will receive gifts of encouragement in the month of December. Bath and Body Works lotions will be delivered the second week of December and tacos and 2021 student artwork calendars will be delivered December 18. Pete Velasquez was requested to make a Christmas music video for the school’s virtual Christmas celebration. Conditions are difficult this year with daily sanitizing of numerous classrooms whenever a student becomes ill. The staff is exhausted and stretched to the limits. They need your prayers and encouragement more than you may know.