February 16, 2010
Catholic Charities Refugee Center
We performed Alive, Mother India and Won't Turn Back at the Catholic Charities Refugee Center downtown. After taking warm-up class at the studio we all drove together in the van to the center. We performed in the gym which was located on the second floor of the building so we had a fun time carrying the floor and everything else needed up the stairs! We performed for the children as well as their parents and whoever else happened to be there at the time, the vast majority of the people did not speak or understand English. We were not able to openly share the Gospel, at the request of the sponsor, so as not to offend people of other religions. After dancing we divided the kids up and taught them some ballet steps in groups. It was so much fun to see them move and have fun as well as try and communicate with them. Breanne was able to talk with a young lady who was from Thailand who asked if we were a Christian group and then told Breanne that she, too, is a believer and she wants to go back to Thailand someday as a missionary! Wow! There were so many different nationalities represented it felt as if we had stepped a different country where hardly anyone speaks English! It was such a wonderful experience to be able to reach the nations in our own home city.
Be Blessed!
Alyssa Ishizu
world
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Onondaga Community College-BASIC
Yesterday evening we had the opportunity to perform for a campus ministry at OCC called BASIC. It was a very enjoyable evening! The young men who were there when we arrived helped us unload, which was very much appreciated!!
We performed Alive and Lifesongs. It's amazing how much easier it is to worship during a performance when you can sense that the audience is recieving the message! Sometimes it feels like there is a wall between the dancers and the audience, but that wasn't the case yesterday. It was such a blessing to be able to come before our Lord and praise him along with the college students! Rachel shared her testimony about God's faithfulness as we trust Him with our future (a message that, I'm sure, was applicable to each person in that audience).
After dancing, Ashley shared a short message on the importance of pursuing God and spending time building relationship with Him. It's so easy to get caught up in what we're doing for God...it's so easy to forget that the most important thing we can do with our lives is spend it in pursuit of the One who made us!
Before closing, we spent some time praying for and dancing over the students. One of my favorite parts was the time we got to spend getting to know them individually afterwards. I'm excited about the things that God wants to use these Christians for in the college campus as well as wherever God may take them after graduation! My prayer is that God would set each of their hearts on fire for Him to the point where they cannot contain it. How awesome would it be to see that campus set ablaze for God?!! I am so thankful for this campus ministry that provides a way for Christians to meet, be encouraged, and reach out to those around them!
~Breanne W :-)
We performed Alive and Lifesongs. It's amazing how much easier it is to worship during a performance when you can sense that the audience is recieving the message! Sometimes it feels like there is a wall between the dancers and the audience, but that wasn't the case yesterday. It was such a blessing to be able to come before our Lord and praise him along with the college students! Rachel shared her testimony about God's faithfulness as we trust Him with our future (a message that, I'm sure, was applicable to each person in that audience).
After dancing, Ashley shared a short message on the importance of pursuing God and spending time building relationship with Him. It's so easy to get caught up in what we're doing for God...it's so easy to forget that the most important thing we can do with our lives is spend it in pursuit of the One who made us!
Before closing, we spent some time praying for and dancing over the students. One of my favorite parts was the time we got to spend getting to know them individually afterwards. I'm excited about the things that God wants to use these Christians for in the college campus as well as wherever God may take them after graduation! My prayer is that God would set each of their hearts on fire for Him to the point where they cannot contain it. How awesome would it be to see that campus set ablaze for God?!! I am so thankful for this campus ministry that provides a way for Christians to meet, be encouraged, and reach out to those around them!
~Breanne W :-)
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Westside Manor Adult Home 2-11-10
Last Thursday we had the opportunity to dance at Westside Manor adult home. And what an experience it was! This was Breanne's first booking by herself, and we are all very proud of her... yah Breanne!
Our day started bright and early with devotions and warm up class at 7:30 in the morning... maybe it was that particular morning, or the fact that we were all still waking up, but we were very cold! I guess that is what you get in snowy Syracuse. :)
We arrived at the adult home an hour before the performance. We walked in, and all the sweet adults were sitting in the front lobby area... the first thing we hear is them in their excited voices saying "Young people!" Their faces lit up. I found out later that the staff had told them a few days before that we were coming and they were so excited to see us. It was nice having such an eager audience. Latter when we were going back out to the car to start carrying in our floor they were saying, "What, are you leaving already?" Amy told me that while she and Alyssa I. were carrying flooring in one of them said "Those girls are working like dogs!" We all laughed at that one.
We ended up setting up in a living area. It was a tight space but we managed. However, we were supposed to do Life Songs, Mother India, and Won't Turn back, but because of the space we changed it last minute. Instead, we performed Alive, Mother India and Won't Turn Back, and we performed it on flat instead of on pointe. I think we were all happy about that one. We also took Amy's lift out of Mother India so she wouldn't hit her head on the ceiling... I'm sure she appreciated that change. We did manage in the space and I think the perforance went very well. The residents and the staff loved it. In fact, I could see their faces while we were dancing. They were so into it! Breanne shared her testimony, and I heard that it went really well. Ashley also did some "dance exercies" with them, which apparently they most of those excercises every morning so they were pretty good!
We had quite a bit of time to talk to people afterwards. I'm sure everyone has their own stories, but I got to met some very interesting people. I got to pray with one person that had gotten a stroke in October and her son had been diagnosed with cancer. She was so receptive to prayer. I could feel faith for her and her son growing in me while I was praying, it was a pretty good feeling! I also talked to one lady whose parent-on-laws were missionaries to China! That was pretty awesome. All the girls had great conversations with the people there. In fact, Rachel had one lady that even walked her to the dressing room. :)
Thanks be to God for allowing us to perform for the people at Westside Manor. How awesome it is to be able to share God's love with the residents there. They all have so much to share and we got to give back to them in a small way.
In Him,
Alyssa Coeman <3
Our day started bright and early with devotions and warm up class at 7:30 in the morning... maybe it was that particular morning, or the fact that we were all still waking up, but we were very cold! I guess that is what you get in snowy Syracuse. :)
We arrived at the adult home an hour before the performance. We walked in, and all the sweet adults were sitting in the front lobby area... the first thing we hear is them in their excited voices saying "Young people!" Their faces lit up. I found out later that the staff had told them a few days before that we were coming and they were so excited to see us. It was nice having such an eager audience. Latter when we were going back out to the car to start carrying in our floor they were saying, "What, are you leaving already?" Amy told me that while she and Alyssa I. were carrying flooring in one of them said "Those girls are working like dogs!" We all laughed at that one.
We ended up setting up in a living area. It was a tight space but we managed. However, we were supposed to do Life Songs, Mother India, and Won't Turn back, but because of the space we changed it last minute. Instead, we performed Alive, Mother India and Won't Turn Back, and we performed it on flat instead of on pointe. I think we were all happy about that one. We also took Amy's lift out of Mother India so she wouldn't hit her head on the ceiling... I'm sure she appreciated that change. We did manage in the space and I think the perforance went very well. The residents and the staff loved it. In fact, I could see their faces while we were dancing. They were so into it! Breanne shared her testimony, and I heard that it went really well. Ashley also did some "dance exercies" with them, which apparently they most of those excercises every morning so they were pretty good!
We had quite a bit of time to talk to people afterwards. I'm sure everyone has their own stories, but I got to met some very interesting people. I got to pray with one person that had gotten a stroke in October and her son had been diagnosed with cancer. She was so receptive to prayer. I could feel faith for her and her son growing in me while I was praying, it was a pretty good feeling! I also talked to one lady whose parent-on-laws were missionaries to China! That was pretty awesome. All the girls had great conversations with the people there. In fact, Rachel had one lady that even walked her to the dressing room. :)
Thanks be to God for allowing us to perform for the people at Westside Manor. How awesome it is to be able to share God's love with the residents there. They all have so much to share and we got to give back to them in a small way.
In Him,
Alyssa Coeman <3
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
St. Augustine Performance 2-9-10
After School Bible Program
After a nice class and run-through of Mother India we packed up the van with the floor, costumes, and props. We made such good timing that we were 15 minutes early. So, we sat in the car for a bit. Someone jokingly said... "I wonder if the doors are unlocked?" Well, Alyssa C. went and checked. Sure enough they were open... haha!!!
We unloaded and immediately moved to setting up. We decided to set up differently than our last performance here and that involved moving some giant carpets (who knows the last time they were moved.) Set up went smoothly and we started the performance around 2:30. We also were in a time crunch and had to be back in the van at 3:30.
We performed Mother India- first time with spacing changes and Alyssa C. had a new part... Great job Alyssa!!! :) In one part of the dance I stepped on my own foot prohibiting me from doing an arabesque...oops! Alyssa I. forgot to walk out in the second dance and quickly remembered- doing an amazing cover-up. :) hehe...
Amy shared her testimony and our dressing room (the bathroom) was so sound proof, we couldn't hear any of it. I'm sure it went wonderfully!
As we danced "Won't Turn Back" the kids eagerly joined in with clapping... they loved it!
Because of our time crunch, Ashley Alyssa I., and Breanne started striking the floor while Amy, me, and Alyssa C. did positions and dance steps with the kids. It worked really well. The kids were very energetic and loud. It was quite interesting rolling up the floor right by the kids trying to do moves.. this one little girl kept tripping on it :)... I think we did the entire strike and load up in 10-15 min. Way to go us! All in all it was so exciting to perform again and I pray the kids really were are encouraged in their walk with Christ and hope that they will want to seek Him more. It is such a beautiful thing to love, serve, and honor God!
Rachel Meis <><
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