At-risk New York Kids Help Iraqi
Children
Operation
Blessing’s New York Bless-A-Child program helps over 3,000 at-risk
children every year. This summer the boys and girls will “Give Something
Back – for the children of Iraq” by holding two-dozen fund raisers
that will include lemonade stands and car washes. May 17th’s Carousel
Café kicked-off the season with the help of 100 young and adult volunteers!
Here's what happened… .
On Saturday, the smell of 500 hot dogs and 500 hamburgers grilling in
the open air enticed people into using the OBI Express trolley from The
Friends of Kaiser Park Arts Fair to The Carousel Cafe. Curiosity was peaked
enough that it is estimated more than 800 guests visited throughout the
afternoon. They wandered through the food stands, flea market and plant
sale. Guests watched the Dance for Joy girls perform on the main stage.
About 100 also bought a dove ornament for $1 and adorned the “Tree
of Peace” with it. Children rode on the carousel and Ferris wheel.
All of these people kept the young volunteers busy! They helped adults
run the different stations, acted as waiters, and drink servers. Not only
did children that are currently benefiting from the Bless-A-Child program
participate, many young adults were there that received help five and
ten years ago. Young women like Alicia.
Alicia, 18, has participated for years in the children’s programs
and activities sponsored by Bless-A-Child. After her family of eight lost
their home and business to financial difficulties seven years ago, they
sought refuge at Jesus Revival Center, an OBI partner. Over the years
Alicia learned character development skills and grew. She recently received
a full scholarship at Stoneybrook University in Long Island and plans
on studying medicine!
“Operation Blessing…has only been proven beneficial to my
life, the church and the community as a whole,” she comments. “I
believe it is my duty to give something back, especially with an opportunity
like this [Carousel Café] to witness and share the love of God
through the Operation Blessing and Bless-A-Child programs.”
Carousel Café also crossed racial and religious barriers. A couple
of days after the event a Muslim man saw the sign still hanging on the
outside of Coney Island Gospel Assembly and came in. After inquiring if
we were really helping Iraqi children and reading a copy of a Iraq mission
update from the OBI Web site, he gave a $50 donation.
New York outreach center leader Jim Esposito commented, “I think
it speaks volumes when a Jew, a Muslim, a Buddhist and even a Hindu all
support something at the same time -- and they (at least one from each
religion) have all given this weekend to Operation Blessing's work.”
He continued, "A ripple effect of love begins when someone out there
sends in a contribution to Operation Blessing. Thousands of New York City
kids are helped through our Bless-A-Child programs each year. These very
kids are now giving something back to reach children in another nation.
Look how far one gift can go!"
Thanks to OBI volunteers from Majors Minors, Jesus Revival Center, Coney
Island Gospel Assembly, Salt & Sea Mission, and Franklin Street Kids,
every penny collected from Carousel Café will go to Operation Blessing
International’s Iraq relief fund. This is just the beginning!
If those living at “Ground Zero” themselves are dedicated
to raise funds to help Iraqi children and their families, how much more
should can we do!
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