| Apprenticeship to Jesus Minstry Update |
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 Life with The Dawoods
The A2J Community continues to get the privelege of loving this wonderful family from Iraq
to see more photos click the photo below:
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 Zoo Trip
We had a great time recently taking them to the Phoenix Zoo. More and more this family is becoming an intricate part of our lives and the A2J community. |
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| Apprenticeship to Jesus | July 2009 |
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"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way."
Although written 150 years ago these words of Charles Dickens can help give words to how we feel about the world around us today. Long before Dickens Isaiah spoke even more powerfully about the contrast between light and darkness and empty and purposeful life. God invites us into a life of purpose and redemption and instructs us through Isaiah the way to experience this life when he writes:
If you get rid of unfair practices,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places- -Isaiah 9-12 MSG PAR
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 Partnering with local churches
God has called us as a community to serve the church of Phoenix. We have been able to do that through different prayer and networking events we have hosted and facilitated. We also have had the privilege of helping ODF with their 24x7 prayer initiatives and working with St. Georges, as well as providing several youth groups unique opportunities of serving here downtown with us. This week, we connected with a church in the west valley and challenged them to find a way to bless the Dawood family. We also arranged a time for their youth group and the Dawoods, and some of our apprentices to have ice cream sundaes together and then hear the Dawoods share their story. It was a powerful time as they wept tears as they talked about the painful experiences of war and being a refugee and the deeep pain of losing those closest to them.
At the end of the night we ended with prayer together, it was a beautiful expression of the body of Christ coming together in love and unity honoring and serving the 'down-and-out'
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 Spotlight on the Apprentices: Amber Hunter...has been part of the A2J community for the past year. She has helped us pioneer the ministry. A deep lover of Jesus and a gifted song writer and worship leader. We have watched her deal with adversity this past year and come through more beautiful and mature. She is currently in Chicago working with Jesus People USA but will return in a few weeks to share her experiences with us. She will be an intricate part of the leadership team in this second year of A2J |
 Answered Prayer
Walking to evening prayer at the girl's house, we walk past the Refugee Property. One night as I was heading to prayer Asawer and Mustafa (in picture) were on the porch and they shouted out to me from across the street, "pray for us tonight". I saw this as a great opportunity so I walked over to them and asked for specific requests.
Mustafa, who is 18 told me he just lost his job. His father was killed in Iraq and he must work to support his mom and three brothers. He asked me to pray that he would find a new job. I told him we would pray that night for him. I didnt see him for a few days and then the next week he came up to me with excitement and said thank you. I said, "for what", "for helping me get a job", he said. He had gotten a job and saw it as a result our prayers. Praise God for Mustafa knows as well as our other Muslim friends that we pray in the name of Jesus.
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Last Month Jose Baca and Jen Flocken were engaged. It has been a joy for our the A2J community to watch these two apprentices pursue Jesus and honor God in the their dating process. We are excited for their upcoming Wedding October 17th and excited for what God has for them in this upcoming season!
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 More Refugees Living with us!
Emad is originally from Baghdad, and arrrived here several months ago. He has been living with us since July. We are still learning his story, but know that both his parents were killed in Iraq. His friend Zane, another refugee from Iraq just moved in with him and they both live in the refugee property.
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| How to get involved |
+Please join us for morning prayer or evening prayer some time
+Consider joining the A2J Prayer Team
+Consider joining the A2J Financial Support Team
+We are looking for someone who can help with the A2J web page
+We also looking for help designing and formatting the A2J training program brochure
please let us know if you have any further questions.
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| 'Making the Community livable again' |
You'll be like a well-watered garden,
A gushing spring that never runs dry.
You'll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again. -Isaiah 48:9-12 MSG PAR
With God's help we are participating in God's redeeming and restoration work as we love and serve refugees, the homeless, the poor, and those without hope among us.
If you know of anyone who might be interested in learning what God is doing downtown among usplease forward this newsletter to them.
Thanks for you love and support,
The Thurman Family
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