Hope Network- Northside Baptist

Friday, March 26, 2010 3:30 PM

Breanne taught warm-up class at 11:30. We all were able to sleep in due to the later performance... really nice! We left the studio in two cars. Ashley in one, and everyone else in the other car. A little ways down James St. I realized that I hadn't put the Mother India(MI) props in the car and soon found out that no one did. We forgot them! So Ashley continued onto the church while we turned around. Breanne and I retrieved the props which were hiding... So off we were to the the church and right about the same place on James St. we realized we didn't have the Lifesong streamers- so back to the studio... haha... that will never happen again!

We soon met up at Northside and went straight to setting up. The Hope Network is a ministry that offers support for families with children who have special needs. We actually performed for the Hope Club(inside Hope Network) which is a social network for teens and adults with disabilities. It was great to meet some of the people as we were setting up. One lady was helping Ashley with the sound :).
We performed MI, Lifesong, and Won't Turn Back. It was wonderful being in a larger space... so nice to move! There were some mess-ups here and there in the dancing, but overall it went really well. After we performed they came up to try some dance steps. The did really well! We had to move out pretty quickly after it was all over-quick strike- because Ashley had to teach.
Lord, may you continue to shine through every movement and smile as we dance!
To God be all the glory!
-Rachel Meis <><

Winds Of Agape

This past Monday we performed at Winds Of Agape. This is a ministry for disabled adults which uses different forms of art to help rebuild motor skills. The space was very small... 10ft by 19ft. After setting up the floor, costumes, and props, we started our performance of Mother India, Lifesongs, and Won't Turn Back. Although the "stage" was a challenge and the new spacing for choreography was still not ingrained into our bodies since recent changes, our audience of about ten people really enjoyed it! I was able to give my testimony as well as teach the five ballet arm positions between ballets. They were such a fun audience to speak to! Most of them would respond to my questions and several of them asked me questions before I even began speaking! Afterward we had them try different movements in their chairs. They enjoyed this and were again, a very responsive audience! We were then introduced to each resident or "team member". These were such precious people. The coordinator introduced us to a man who could not speak much at all. She said that while we were dancing to Won't Turn Back he kept saying, "I won't turn back, I won't turn back!" This was very exciting to the director as he does not speak much at all! He also really liked Rachel's yellow costume as that was his favorite color. He says that yellow covers everything. When he wakes up in the morning and feels discouraged he looks at the sun and that cheers him up because it covers the whole world! So yellow covers everything! Another man showed us his dance moves. :) The staff sang Amazing Grace for us. They were very good even though they said it was a bit rusty since their voices were not warmed up! Then we were shown the artwork of the team members. Different paintings, self portraits, and handmade earrings. They were beautiful. Each of us were given a pair of earrings too! It was so neat to see how God is using these people who are labeled as "handicapped". They are such talented people! I could tell that there was so much going on in each of their minds that they wanted to communicate but couldn't through speech. It was amazing to see how they communicate through their artwork as well as through sign language. Such a great morning!

Amy

Word of Life Christian Academy

Today we performed "You are Special" at Word of Life Christian Academy in Baldwinsville. I always enjoy our performances at Word of Life. The audiences are always so encouraging. I know that they are continually lifting us up in prayer. What a blessing!!!
Today's performance went well...up until the point when Ashley and Rachel both tripped over the dot and star box. Rachel covered up well by scolding the star box for being in her way (it fits right into her role as the scholarly Suzie :-), and Ashley's character is pretty clumsy so tripping over the dot box fit in quite well for her also. Our next improv challenge came during the part of the scene when Lucia comes out on stage to hold a stick for the limbo competition. As I was pulled out on stage, I glanced around looking for the stick, only to realize that it was nowhere to be found. So, my arm was dubbed the new limbo stick :-) It worked out alright...my only fear was that my arm or head might be injured as I held it out for dancers to jump over. Thank you Jesus, both arm and head are intact!
So, the performance today was very interesting. It kept us on our toes :-) I was also so blessed by the time we were able to spend ministering to the students. I shared my testimony of my struggles with being labeled as a "shy" person. How awesome that God loves us for who we are, and is able to set us free the the labels that the world tries to place on us! Afterward, we spent time praying over each student. It is such a privilege to lift up these precious lives in prayer. I'm excited to see what God has planned for them. Seems to me like there may be some future overseas missionaries at this school :-)

~Breanne

Mujeres de Virtud Hispanic Women's Retreat

March 20th, 2010
Mujeres de Virtud Hispanic Women's Retreat
Lake Champion, NY

We performed for the Hispanic Women's Retreat in Lake Champion, NY. After having class and a quick rehearsal we all piled into the van along with Mr. & Mrs. Rollinson and Deborah, Rachel's sister who was visiting. It was a tight fit and there were a few 'interesting' seats but we all fit! It was a 3 1/2 hr drive through the NY countryside with some beautiful scenery. We arrived at the retreat center and set up, we were able to have more space on the stage then we originally thought which was really good. After getting everything ready we had some time to spare so we walked around the lake and took pictures, it was so beautiful and peaceful there! We performed Alive, Lifesongs and our new Spanish Dances.There were about 60 Hispanic women and a few younger girls as well; the majority of them did not speak much English. They especially loved our Spanish dances, which were really fun to do! :) Mr. & Mrs. Rollinson introduced Lifesongs, Ashley closed the program and I shared my testimony. For all the speaking we had an interpreter and everything went very well. For our last song, we did simple arm movements to I Surrender All, the songs stared in English and then switched to Spanish and we had the ladies join us. It was a really powerful time of worship and so beautiful to see the women stepping out of their comfort zone and worshipping the Lord in a new way. After that we were available to pray with people and many ladies came up for prayer. There were a lot of prayer requests for healing and family members. I was able to talk with a group of young girls, and encourage and pray for them. We were blessed by the prayers of some of the ladies and the encouraging words spoken to us. They were so touched by our coming and by what the Lord did. After striking we ate a nice dinner that they provided and then headed back to Syracuse at 9:40pm, we arrived back at the studio at 1:20am after a long but fruitful day. I feel so privileged to be used by God to share His love with others!

Be Blessed!
Alyssa

Parkside Academy

Friday, March 12, 2010

It was a nice early morning... 5:45 for most and even some 5:30 AM. After a warm-up at the studio we headed over to Parkside. We slightly lost each other in the 'following car' process. Thankfully we all pretty much knew to get there.

Our changing room was the 'boys room'. Our performing area was a big gym without heat... it was pretty cold! We actually had 2 performances at Parkside- 9:30 and 12:00. This was our first performance with Skip and Jason for the year.

So in piled the kids with their teachers. Allot of them had mental disabilities, so there were almost as many teachers as kids. Kelli C.'s cousin William was there... he works with the kids. During our performing there was always some noise or movement with the kids. I heard from a teacher that her kids were talking the whole time and they loved it! I pray that the kids really remember the message that 'You are Special'. The actual performing went great! We had some last minute changes due to no 'cocky boy' character... but everyone did really well! After we had the kids try some moves and they loved it! Especially the jumping up and down and spinning.

In between performances we went into a spare classroom and talked. We had a fun time reminiscing over past things. Ashley told us how she and Hannah B. first met... hilarious story! I found out that my sister, Deborah, would be coming the next week for her spring break! I was ecstatic!!!

The second performance went great! We moved the stage and sound closer so the kids could hear better and be more involved. I think it went allot better than the first one. Afterwards we actually were able to talk with some of the children. They loved Jason and his 'high,low' voice. There was one boy (2 yr.) who was blind and Jason did all these animal noises to interact with the boy. So cute...

Lord, I pray that you would bring to remembrance the message of how we are each special, to these children!

Rachel Meis <><

Carousel Mall, Syracuse

Saturday, March 6th Light of the World got to perform at the Carousel Mall, right here in Syracuse, NY! This was very exciting for all of us, as we have been praying over the mall for some time now. Breanne and Rachel both work there. It was great to be able to perform there and proclaim the name of Jesus in this dark place. We even got to perform right in front of where Breanne and Rachel work!

We performed Life Songs and the Ballet level 5 from the school performed their version of won't turn back. The performance was for a "Family Times" fair, and Light of the World even had a booth and got to promote our summer camps coming up.

Unfortunately, I have been out with an injury this week, and although it was so hard for me not be dancing it was still fun to be able to watch the other girls dance and to intercede while they are dancing. I did help with sound too, so I didn't feel completely useless! But it was also nice to see the dances from a different perspective. And they all did such a good job!

We had excellent responses from the people watching, and there were even people looking down from the levels above. Even the Ballet 5s did their piece very well. It was a joy to have them there with us.

It still seems unbelievable that we were able to perform at the mall, because we have been praying for it for so long. It just goes to show you that God is faithful. What a great God we serve!

-Alyssa Coeman

Word Of Life Assembly Of God

This past Sunday we performed Alive, Mother India, and Won't Turn Back for Word Of Life Assembly Of God children's ministry. We met at the studio to warm up at 7am and arrived at the church by 8:30am. Once we arrived at the church we loaded everything up into the elevator and then started our set up process. The stage was fairly large but an unusual shape. After setting up, Light Of The World joined the VIP devotions where Breanne lead. After devotions children started arriving and we started our performance shortly after a baptism. The performance itself went well. The floor was pretty squishy for pointe but that's okay! Alyssa C. shared her testimony and found out afterward that what she had said was exactly what a specific child needed to hear. This was not what she had planned on sharing but was definitely what God wanted her to share! Ashley was also able to share the salvation message. After the performance we had children come up and try dance moves. That is always fun! We were able to talk with many children afterward. The director of children's ministries was very encouraging to us by sharing what a blessing our ministry has been to her.


God Bless!
Amy Parker