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With a renewed focus being put on the KiDs Beach Club® “Lifeguards” initiative this year, several Beach Clubs are reporting they are seeing a great impact within their clubs.

KiDs Beach Club® understands that God’s power behind our ministry is achieved through prayer. We call our prayer team Lifeguards. They are people who stand in the gap on behalf of our staff, our volunteers, our churches, our schools, our kids and their families.

One club in particular was able to make a small, but significant impact through the work they do in prayer.

This club takes prayer requests from children very seriously. Each week at club, the surf team leaders take time to hear both prayer requests and praises from each child in attendance. Some weeks the children are thanking God for Beach Club and their families, while other weeks they are praising Him for creating the whole world. Prayer requests usually involve the health of a family member or prayer for them to do well in school.

One week, a little girl asked for prayer for her family to have enough money to buy food. 

This request hit hard in the hearts of the club’s volunteers. They couldn't outright approach the parents and fill the need, but they wanted to help in any way they could. To keep the prayer request confidential, but still do their part to fill the need, the club leader took action in a unique way.

The club leader was able to contact a local food pantry. A representative at the pantry and her husband just so happened to be free to attend Beach Club the very next week. Both were treated as special guests at club and both shared news with the children about the services their pantry offers. They mentioned that anyone in the community can come to the pantry to get food for free if their family is having a hard time. 

The club leader was also able to share with the children about a free lunch service the school provides. The little girl who originally gave the prayer request for food was able to be added to this service at lunch time, and her family has the means to travel to the food pantry. 

Because of this club's dedication to prayer, and each week hearing what is on the hearts of their children, these volunteers were able to make an impact. This prayer request was also heavily prayed over by the Lifeguards. As far as the volunteers are concerned, prayer is the reason all of this worked out this way. 

"I would say that God planned it all, and we just happen to serve a fabulous Father who planned for this all to work out as it did," the club leader said. 

To find out more about the KBC Lifeguard program, visit kidsbeachclub.org/lifeguard.

Trevor attends club at Ocean Springs Elementary School in Ocean Springs, Miss. Beach Club is something he looks forward to every week. His excitement about it is evident to each of his family members at home.

Trevor is consistently found sitting at the kitchen table reading his Beach Club Bible. He reads his Bible so often and talks about Beach Club so much that his sister Autumn just had to try it out. The only problem was, Autumn sang in the honor choir, which rehearsed on the same day of the week and at the same time as Beach Club during the semester.

Autumn waited patiently for her choir rehearsals to end for the spring in early April. Her mother Erica Scott was excited to see Autumn so interested in Beach Club.

“I like that my kids get to experience biblical lessons with their classmates as well as a few teachers and other staff members assisting in KBC,” Scott said. “I am happy that they can connect with and know that other people on their public school campus are believers just like them.”

Scott sent an email in to see if it was okay for Autumn to join Beach Club seeing as it was so close to the end of the year. She received a quick yes but was warned it was scheduled to be the last week of club for the year. Autumn did not mind one bit and was excited to experience Beach Club for the first time alongside her brother.

“Trevor is always interested in the (weekly take-home) Hang 10 lessons and reading his special (KBC Study) Bible. I wanted to see what this was about,” Autumn said. “After my first KBC at Ocean Springs Upper, I see why! I really liked the lesson and the games.”

Trevor was delighted his big sister could see what Beach Club was all about. He really likes getting prizes in club for getting questions right and bringing his Bible. His KBC Study Bible is special to him and is unlike other Bibles.

“My favorite part of my KBC Bible are the glossy (tip-in) pages. They tell me about biblical heroes and about God's love. Those pages explain things better,” he said.

“KiDs Beach Club® has impacted our family in a positive way,” Scott said. “Trevor will often bring up an interesting discussion based on a lesson in KBC. Autumn has only attended one session and is already eager to sign up next year. I sure hope KBC and the honor choir do not have a conflict again next year. I do not want my kids to miss out on their lessons about Jesus.”

Pantgeo Bible Church, a long-time church partner of KiDs Beach Club®, has seen hundreds of children come through the doors of its Beach Clubs in Arlington ISD. They have witnessed hundreds of children make Jesus their Forever Friend, and hundreds of children have been impacted through their ministry inside public schools.

Despite the ever-growing number of children they are able to reach for God’s kingdom, the club leaders and volunteers find joy in keeping up with their kids years after they graduate from and leave KiDs Beach Club®.

One of those kids is Austin Ondijo, who attended the Beach Club at Sherrod Elementary 10 years ago. Austin recently created a video to share his story with the children who are currently attending Sherrod’s Beach Club.

Austin and his family moved from Kenya to America when he was 9 years old in hopes of getting an education and having a better way of life. When Austin was in fifth grade, he and his friends decided to give Beach Club a try.

“I loved Beach Club and came back every week to hear more awesome stories about Jesus,” Austin said. “One of the best days came when (club leader) Miss. Susan (Jiura) called my name and gave me a Beach Club Bible.”

From reading that Bible with his leaders in club and at home, Austin learned that Jesus had a plan for him and anyone who accepted Jesus into their heart. Austin made Jesus his Forever Friend and grew in his relationship with Jesus while attending Beach Club through the end of sixth grade.

During his years in junior high and high school, Austin and his family followed the Lord and attended church together. He discovered his athletic talent in track & field and found a place to grow in the Lord with his peers in the organization Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Because of his hard work in track and in the classroom, Austin was awarded full academic and athletic scholarships to the University of Texas at El Paso. There he has sought out a place to be in scripture with his peers in Baptist Student Ministries on the UTEP campus, just like he did in Beach Club several years ago at Sherrod Elementary.

In the video he recorded for his former Beach Club, Austin said, “I want to remind you today, that just like God had a plan for me he has a plan for you. All that He asks of you is that you listen to His voice. Listen to the people that he has put in your life to lead you like your mom and your dad, your teachers at school and here at Beach Club. He has dreams for you, bigger than you could dream for yourself. But, it’s up to you to listen to Him.”

“We don’t all have the same story, but we all do serve the same mighty God who can take any story and turn it into a good story.”

Click the video to watch him share his testimony with Beach Club kids at Sherrod Elementary.

Chris Dove has been a part of KiDs Beach Club® for a long time. From getting involved with the ministry as a children’s minister in Georgia to later becoming an independent area strategist for the states of Kentucky and Ohio after starting clubs in those states. Dove is currently transitioning out of his role to serve with his family as missionaries to the Dominican Republic.

He penned the following testimony and sent it to KBC staff as a means of encouragement. We want to share it with you to see the passion he has for KiDs Beach Club® and for ministry.

Back in 2010, I heard about KiDs Beach Club® from a family that attended the church where I was the children’s pastor at in Georgia. Their elementary age son was going to a club at his public school. They told me about this thing called KiDs Beach Club® and left a flyer on my desk, where it sat for a long, long time.

I was intrigued but was way too busy to start a new ministry.

As a children's minister, it wasn’t uncommon for people to come and tell me about the latest, greatest ministry idea. Our senior pastor would say, ‘Your passion, is not my burden.’ Meaning just because it's a good idea, doesn’t mean you can do everything. That was until one day when that same family came to church and their youngest told me he was saved at school, a public school.

Now, I was more than intrigued; I was invested. I had to see KiDs Beach Club® in action. I was beyond impressed. It was run like a good children’s church program but done in the public school, and they had more than 100 kids! How priorities change.

I was now too busy not to do this.

In early 2011, I accepted the children’s minister position at a church in Kentucky and we moved. When we got settled in, I called KiDs Beach Club® and told them I wanted to start a club. But there was one issue, there was no area director for Kentucky. Through some changes, my wife became the area director for a short period and helped me launch the club. Shortly thereafter, she accepted a fulltime job and I was grateful to connect with another very talented woman, who then became the area director. The Lord blessed that club and brought some great families to our church. The following year we added another church partner and club.

Then in 2014-2015, we added two more clubs. Things were going well.

Meanwhile, while all this growth was happening, both my family and the current Kentucky area director moved out of state. Since there was no longer an area director, I asked to step into that role knowing that I could still help the clubs prosper from my new home in Ohio. During the last two-plus years, I have managed KBC operations in Kentucky from afar and was also able to get it started in Ohio. It was fun being able to introduce KBC to two different states!

As we prepare to transition to yet another role, missionaries to the Dominican Republic, when we ask our son how he feels about going overseas, he says happy and sad. That’s exactly how I feel about saying goodbye to KiDs Beach Club®. I am so happy to hand off KBC to someone that is a Kentucky lifer, who is so passionate about KBC, who you almost have to tell her to slow down to catch her breath. But I’m also sad, as KBC has been part of my life for the last eight years.

I’m still holding out hope to one day be KBC’s first international club in San Pablo, Dominican Republic.

We know you’ll be joining us in praying for Chris and his family as they head off to their next mission field this summer. Glenna Hockensmith will be taking over the reins for KiDs Beach Club® in Kentucky. She has been a fantastic club leader at Peaks Mill Elementary School in Frankfort, Ky. We will give her a proper introduction in next month’s newsletter.

Volunteers, how is sharing the gospel impacting the school where you serve and your community? Have you since seen Jesus move in the lives of the kids in you club? Parents, have your kids decided to use KiDs Beach Club® as a way to tell their friends about Jesus? We want to hear your stories about the impact of our ministry! Use #MyKBCStory in your social media posts or email us at news@kbcmail.org.

Club leaders and volunteers, do you remember the day you signed up to serve in Beach Club? You probably felt an array of emotions; excited, nervous or unsure, but expectant of the work the Lord would do through your club.

Most club leaders and volunteers are excited to begin, but they don’t know where to start. Or you might be a volunteer making the switch to club leader for the first time and you’re feeling lost in the transition. Either way, we know you have questions, but you don’t know who to ask or who has the answers you are seeking.

As a seasoned club leader or faithful volunteer, you soar in such areas as the Bible story, games, fun snacks, church involvement, Lifeguards and making Great Treasure Day special. You have ideas to share from those areas where you excel that would inspire leaders in other Beach Clubs.

We want you to know we’re listening to our volunteers. At the suggestion of many, we have created a new Facebook Group called KiDs Beach Club Leaders and Volunteers designed for you, the volunteers, to have as a place to share your ideas, collaborate, ask questions and offer encouragement!

This group is designed to be run by you and for you. If you have an idea, post it! Share your club ideas, pictures, questions for each other, prayer requests and other related things. Let this be a resource for you to encourage one another and explore new ways to do the ministry of Beach Club.

How to find this group:

1. Login to your personal Facebook page
2. Go to the search bar and type in KiDs Beach Club Leaders and Volunteers or click here
3. Click on the +1Join directly to the right of KiDs Beach Club Leaders and Volunteers

It is that simple! An administrator of the group will approve you to join, then you are free to browse through the posts of ideas, questions and pictures. Don’t forget to make posts of your own!

Also, don’t be surprised if some of your great ideas end up on our blog or in future newsletters.

Most of the kids in the Beach Club at George Bush Elementary School in Addison, Texas, received a Bible on Great Treasure Day last fall, but a small group of kids, who started attending the club after the most celebrated day in club, were eager to get a Bible of their very own.

Donors like you, who support the KiDs Beach Club® Bibles for Beach Club program, raised enough money the last two years to allow us to incorporate a second Great Treasure Day in the second semester so that everyone attending the club who had not yet received a Bible, could have one. Prior to that, if a church partner wanted to provide new kids with a Bible, they had to do so at their own expense.

For the six new children who started attending Beach Club at George Bush Elementary after Great Treasure Day last fall, this second Great Treasure Day could not have come soon enough.

Volunteers from sponsoring church, Royal Haven Baptist Church in Farmers Branch, Texas, do a fantastic job of getting these kids excited for the day they would be given their own Bible. In the four weeks prior to Great Treasure Day this spring, children are taught how the Bible is the word of God and something to be treasured. The children who already had their KBC Study Bibles would faithfully bring them to club and also use them outside of club, which helps aid the excitement of the children yet to receive theirs.

“These kids are so excited to get their Bibles,” Marty Earls, the church coordinator and family pastor at Royal Haven, said. “I wish we could have Bibles for them on day one, but with that anticipation of, ‘When are we going to get our Bibles?’ they are so excited when we have Great Treasure Day and we hand out their Bibles.”

“It’s cool because it has God’s words in it, and God’s words are in the Bible so we can read them all the time,” said Kaelynn T. after she received her Bible. She is most excited about having time reading God’s words and had already picked out John 3:16 to be her favorite verse. It helped that it was the verse she was asked to recite in front of the entire group that day.

Surf team leader Rick Gustafson has been volunteering at Dallas ISD’s George Bush Elementary since Beach Club started there seven years ago. With confidence he said, “the happiest day of the year for each and every kid in Beach Club is Great Treasure Day, when they get their Bible.”

Elijah C. could not stop sharing how thankful he was to receive his Bible. “I can’t believe that I have my own book that came from God. I’m so happy. I thank God for it. Thank you!”

KiDs Beach Club® was a deciding factor for Earls when he was considering joining the staff at Royal Haven. In talking with the head pastor, he was told the church already was doing ministry in a local elementary school. Earls was shocked that they were able to be in the school doing ministry, and even more shocked when he learned the church was able to openly share the gospel and hand out Bibles because of its partnership with KiDs Beach Club®.

Earls recognizes the gift it is for their church to be given Bibles for every child in Beach Club at no extra cost to them.

“That’s not (one of those) little paperback Bible(s),” Earls said. “This is a study Bible that has great notes and graphics and everything in it. KiDs Beach Club® has afforded us an opportunity that I do not think we would find anywhere else.”

Thank you for your generous gifts each month to ensure that we are able to provide a Bible to every child in every Beach Club, and that it is valued by us and our church partners.