Kicking off the new year!

Lee and Dana Trotter
Prescott Community Outreach
January 2018

We made it through another year! There really wasn't much doubt, but looking back over 2017, there
were a lot of challenges and successes. There were a lot of events, conversations, opportunities to help and love our neighbors, and times with our family that we are thankful for.

As we look to 2018, I'm trying to do the usual things like eat better, exercise, lose weight, etc. We are also thinking, scheming, and praying about ways to increase our outreach and minister to our neighborhood more effectively. We have tried a lot of things to do this in the past, some failed and others are becoming staples in our communities.

Some of the things we are working on this year are:
  -Continuing La Paz House and increasing our outreach to youth.
  -Working to better host and engage mission teams that visit our community.
  -Increase our bicycle ministry and outreach.
  -Expand our summer ministry programming.
  -Continue planning and working towards developing a not-for-profit 
        community development effort.
  -Develop a movie and discussion outreach program to target young adults.
  -Try to better direct neighbors from our events and outreaches to church.

Personally, we hope to paint our house, finally remodel our bathroom that wasn't included
when we rehabbed the house 7 years ago, and deal with the piles of bike parts in my back yard.
I figure that should keep us fairly busy for this year and maybe more.

Thank you for your love and support to us and our ministry. We couldn't do it without you. We just learned that one of our supporting churches is decreasing their support to us quite a bit which may effect our day
to day lives and outreach. Please pray that God will provide like He hasfor so many years!
     We love you!
     Happy New Year!

October 2017 Newsletter

 Lee and Dana Trotter 
Prescott Community Outreach 
October 2017 

We just returned from attending the Christian Community Development Conference inspired and ready to love our neighbors more than ever! I returned to a long to do list of getting ready for a work day to replace some flooring at the church, a clothing give-away, and a Harvest Fest trunk or treat event.

 La Paz House is going well. The atmosphere has changed a little. When we opened up for the fall, we started with some behavior issues. I planned a parents meeting to deal with it. We told the kids that they were not allowed to come back to La Paz House unless their parent came to the meeting and signed a behavior contract. We figure this will help us develop relationship with more of the parents and help the kids be accountable for the way they act. The only problem was that with all my efforts to send notes home with the kids, put a letter in their mailbox, and text most of them, only one parent showed up to the meeting. I was disappointed, but not too surprised. Getting anything going or organized has been much harder in urban areas than when we were ministering in the suburbs. On to Plan B. The next day, when La Paz House was to open, I left the door locked and sat in front to meet the kids and tell them they could not attend until I personally met with their parent. Half a dozen moms came walking up the road with their youth to talk to me and fill out the permission form. A few of my worst behaving kids have not been back, which is a little disappointing, but in the long run probably best for La Paz House.

 The atmosphere has changed to a hang out with mostly junior high and high school boy. Things are calmer. We work on bikes and skateboards. We have good and much deeper conversations about just about everything. We get the chance to encourage and challenge the boys to e better. With the pressures on urban boys to get into trouble, we are blessed to be able to hang out everyday with them. Thank you for your support! We are seeing God slowly change our neighborhood! 

 We love you, Lee & Dana 

September 2017 Newsletter

 September 2017

 I have often told you about our doorbell. It rings often with neighborhood kids needing their bikes fixed. We spend time patching tires, adjusting brakes, and replacing broken or bent parts. Dana usually has a Popsicle or cold water for them as we hang out and talk. I get about 2 visits per day; some days more. Those are the easy visits. I get a lot of other visits from neighbors on a fairly regular visit. They always want or need something. Some are looking for work. Some are asking for a “loan”, although I've never gotten paid back. My policy is if you don't pay me back, I consider it a onetime gift and they will not get any more. Some need me to fix something on their car or at their house. Some of them need a ride to work, hospital, sister's house or where ever. I usually am able to drop what I'm doing and help them. 

One man Billy, showed up at church one morning. He was still high on meth. After church I drove him around to find him some help. After talking with him, I learned he was on parole, couldn't leave the county, could not be out on street, and could not stay in any of the shelters because he is a registered sex offender. I helped him that day, the next day got him into the hospital, and then got him into a rehab program in Salina. I bought him a bus ticket and sent him to Salina. He showed up a month later after not finishing the treatment program. I again helped him get food and clothes. He had a place to stay and was doing all right. A number of months went by after he ended up back in jail and won a few dollars at the casino and spent it on drugs. He was in trouble with parole and had nowhere to turn. He showed up on my front porch again. But this time he was different. He was clean and talked clearly. We had a long talk about putting his faith in God, is his responsibility in getting better, and how to get clean and rebuild his life. I spent the day getting him a new state id, some food and toiletries, getting a tv going where he was staying and getting him into a drug treatment program. By now, I was not sure that he would follow up or give up again but I have a hard time giving up on people. Pray for Billy. 

I have not seen him and am not sure where he is or if he is following up on his new faith in God. Thank you for praying for us and supporting our ministry here. It is often frustrating and hard to measure if we are making a difference, but I believe we are! We appreciate you all! 

 We love you, Lee & Dana 

August News

April 2017 Newsletter

        Lee and Dana Trotter

   Prescott Community Outreach

              April 2017

While we are busy trying to get ready for Easter and filing our taxes, life is pretty steady for the neighborhood youth.  I thought I’d take a moment and introduce you to some of my regular La Paz House kids.

Chuckie is a fairly good kid who lives with his mom.  He is 15 and learning to be responsible and is pretty good at helping repair bicycles. Nay Nay and Denisha live down the block.  Their parents are working 4 jobs to provide for their family.  They both struggle with their egos and get into arguments and sometimes fights.  Christopher and Amaris live across from the church with their dad and grandmother.  They recently have been enrolled in a Christian school, but struggle between Christian living and the way city kids act and talk.  Christopher quits swearing about once a week.  We have a lot of talks about God.  Michael gets off the bus at his dad’s house and walks up to La Paz House.  He often gets left without a way home to his mom’s house who recently moved several miles away.  Adrian just recently moved back into the neighborhood.  He lost his dad several years ago.  His mom recently got out of jail.  Through this and his ADHD, he has made a lot of improvements in his behavior, which he is proud of and I look for opportunities to encourage him.  Luis and Gilberto are brothers and seem to be able to do whatever they want.  They struggle in school but don’t seem to care much.  We try to get them to care about their future.  Miranda comes up to La Paz House to get away from here house.  She struggles with her mom and her mom’s new boyfriend.  She is trying to get back into school after trying to (unsuccessfully) home school herself.

Thank you for helping us make a difference in these kids lives.  We are blessed to be in a position to love theses kids.  Feel free to pray for our La Paz House kids!

          We love you all!

Important Note:

The address to NCF has changed.  Some of you may have had gifts returned to you.

Please re-submit them at this new address.

Thank You!

Support gifts and donations should be made out to “National Christian Foundation” and are fully tax deductible. We receive 99% of the funds you donate. Please designate “Prescott Community Outreach Fund #935502” on the memo line. Use the enclosed envelope or send to:

 Prescott Community Outreach Fund #935502

 c/o National Christian Foundation ,

7171 W 95 Street  Suite 501

Overland Park, KS 66212

Gifts can be made online at: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000OCJD6EAP