August 1, 2009
Dear Team,
Greetings family and friends in the mighty name of our Lord! I (Andrew) hope this letter finds each of you well and giving your all for Christ. I wish each of you could come to St. Louis and experience one of my favorite things that we do each summer. Christian Family Day at the ball park is always a highlight for me. It is a day that World Impact receives a certain amount of free tickets to take our children and youth to a free baseball game at the St. Louis Cardinals stadium.
What a treat it is to partake in the activities of this day! This year we took 13 kids and youth to the game. The day started out with a carnival at a park downtown, where the kids played games and ate a free meal and ice cream. Then we went to the stadium where we enjoy watching baseball and eating a hot dog from the vendors.
If you had come to the game with us I would have introduced you to a nine-year-old girl named Jackie. Jackie is a girl that I met at the start of our summer program. She has been coming faithfully to our program and learning about Jesus and the love He has for us. Through her attendance and good behavior, she earned the reward to attend Christian Family Day with us. Jackie is like most of the kids that we bring to the game, in that this is the first professional baseball game that they have ever been too.
It is so neat to see the excitement on their faces as they finally reach their seats and just look around to see everything going on around them. They cheer for their team and just love being in the atmosphere of it all. I had the opportunity to sit next to Jackie that day. During the 3rd inning, I opened up my book bag and brought out some peanuts that Adria and I had brought for the kids that day. Again her eyes just lit up with joy. About five minutes into eating her peanuts, Jackie looked up at me and asked if I was having a good time. I told her I was having a great time and asked her if she was having a good time too.
Jackie looked at me with a huge smile. “I am having a good time,” she said. Then about 30 seconds later, she looks at me and said again, “I’m having a great time.” Then she sat back in her chair and said, “I’m just sitting here with Andrew eating peanuts and enjoying myself. Andrew and me are just sitting here eating our peanuts and enjoying ourselves”. In that moment, it all became clear to me how much this event had meant to Jackie.
I will never forget the day that I had the privilege to take Jackie and so many others to experience their first baseball game. Bringing joy and excitement to a kid seems to be more and more difficult these days. But that day, it was easy as a baseball game and some peanuts. Please keep praying for kids like Jackie. She has a rough home life and needs the love of Jesus Christ to come and complete her family. Pray for Adria and I as we continue to pour into these youth and children the joy that a relationship with our Lord can bring. Thank you for helping us and making this a priority for you. We value you so much and count it a joy to be on the same team as you.
All for our soon and coming King,
Andrew & Adria Medlen
