ABCS 2018 Year-end Mailer

They are to do

good,

to be rich in good works, to Be

generous and ready to share...

1 Timothy 6:18

& Family Ministries providing hope & care

The POWER of and

giving

receiving

Debbie and Briseyda are friends who volunteer together at Casa de Amor, a community resource center of Arizona Baptist Children’s Services & Family Ministries (ABCS). Casa de Amor is a longtime food and clothing ministry in Mesa that joined the Community Resource Centers ministry of ABCS in 2015. There is a Bridge Church on campus as well as a New Life Pregnancy Center. Both Debbie and Briseyda, nicknamed Brisa for short, volunteered at Casa de Amor in the early 2000’s and are now serving again.

Brisa first learned about Casa de Amor while attending the church on campus. She remembers coming to the thrift store that was then onsite to shop for clothing, and how she received food boxes and a turkey on Thanksgiving. Receiving this extra support for her family inspired her to serve others who were in need. However, as she got busy with her young family, she stopped serving. Now that her boys are 8, 9 and 11 years-old, Brisa found herself home alone more often and saw that there are still many people in her community who need help. Brisa began volunteering again about a year and half ago at Casa de Amor, now under new leadership. Brisa sees a big difference as more people from the community are coming in.

Her life has changed a lot since she reengaged with Casa de Amor and the Bridge Church. Brisa says she has become a better person because her pastor, who also directs the resource center, shows the love of God and is teaching her how to pray and show the love of God to others. Even in her recent illness, she feels blessed and works with joy because of the prayers and blessings she receives. Brisa shared that she used to get angry often, but now she has more patience with her husband and children. And it’s a family affair at Casa de Amor! Her husband has come to help before, and her sons love the pastor. Brisa and two of her sons were recently baptized at the Bridge. The community they’ve found cares for Brisa and her family and has helped to support them in many ways.

Debbie has two grown children, and two young grandchildren who live nearby. Her son is currently incarcerated. Neither she nor Brisa have lived an easy life. She started volunteering again at Casa de Amor this summer after being encouraged to do so by Brisa. Debbie has recently been in a hard place, feeling depressed and isolated. Since she began serving, Debbie feels the joy of the Lord and is happy as she helps others. She says, “I want to make a difference in someone else’s life.” Inspired by the food boxes given out at Casa de Amor, Debbie made her own food boxes for friends in need. She doesn’t feel depressed at Casa de Amor; she feels grateful. She does not yet attend the Bridge Church, but we pray that Debbie will get planted there to further develop her faith and deepen her community.

Top: Brisa. Bottom: (L-R) Debbie & Brisa.

Debbie says, “I like giving, even if it’s my very last dollar. The blessings come back to you.” While we don’t give to be blessed, we know that it is indeed a blessing to give. In 1 Timothy 6:18-19, Paul encourages us that we “…are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” We love when ABCS clients serve and give back to the ministry that has helped them. With your support, clients like Debbie and Brisa receive the hope and care they need.

Blake's

story

A young Blake once asked a homeless man why he was so happy. The man told him it was drugs, and that introduction started a cycle of drug use for Blake that led him in and out of homelessness on the streets of Phoenix. God later drew him to a church that ministered to people with addictions where Blake gave his life to Jesus. But he still found himself surrounded by addicts with no one to help him learn how to deal with daily issues in a healthy way.

Blake eventually made his way down to Tucson and started helping at Caring Ministries, part of the Community Resource Centers ministry at ABCS. He got married and the newlyweds joined the on-site transitional program at Caring Ministries where they received support and mentoring.

However, Blake and his wife continued to struggle with making healthy choices. Things hit rock bottom in late 2017 when he and his wife experienced a relapse with their addiction and they had to move offsite as they dealt with the consequences. The leadership of Caring Ministries continued to support Blake through that rough time and encouraged him with the love of Christ.

“I’ve learned to appreciate the balance here,” says Blake. “I still have a heart to minister to people like me, who come from difficult backgrounds and don’t have a healthy view of how the world works. But the leaders here spend time helping me see the world in a healthy way, how God intended it.” Blake and his wife are now thriving in their own place and ministering to the people around them. He is committed to the transitional program at Caring Ministries. He is the dock supervisor, helping to facilitate the daily activities, and he mentors other men in the program based on his experiences and what he has learned from Caring Ministries leadership.

We marvel that, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Caring Ministries supports local communities by providing food, clothing and other resources while sharing the love and salvation of Jesus Christ to everyone they serve. For more than 40 years they have been serving families across Southern Arizona. As a separate 501(c)(3) organization, Caring Ministries is a Qualifying Charitable Organization. This means that donors may give to both ABCS and Caring Ministries and qualify for two different tax credits.

Please turn to the back page for more details.

How You can

help ABCS

clients like Debbie, Brisa & Blake Your donation helps to provide support and items like those listed below for children and families in need of hope and care:

$10

Purchases 5 hygiene kits for clients in need

$25

Provides a food box for 10 families served by our community resource centers

$50

Gifts 2 foster children with first night bags that include clothes, toys and a Bible

$100 $250 $500 $1,000

Sponsors a New Life Pregnancy Center for a day Sponsor a transitional program client for a month Blesses Arms of Love Foster Care families with the support they need Helps pay for parenting curriculum for ABCS ministry clients

Your Tax Dollars can Impact Arizona

by providing hope & care to hurting children and families A gift to Arizona Baptist Children’s Services & Family Ministries or any of our seven ministries qualifies for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of

up to $1,000 for couples

7 Ministries | 1 Mission Foster Care & Parent Aide Resource Centers

up to $500 for individuals

Missions

make a Greater IMpact...

ABCS is one of 20 organizations chosen to participate in the Impact AZ grant program. Your tax credit gift can help ABCS qualify for one of ten grants totaling $165,000. Grants are awarded based on the number of tax credit gifts received. Learn more at abcs.org/taxcredit

Counseling Pregnancy Centers Transitional Program Adult Ministry

TAX CREDIT DONATION STEP-BY-STEP to ABCS or any of our 7 ministries & We will mail you a receipt in the dollar-for-dollar tax credits 1 Donate 3 Claim Caring Ministries to qualify for both tax credits 2 January 2019. on your state income tax return.

Yes! I would like to donate to ABCS to qualify for the tax credit and help ABCS win an Impact AZ grant!

Amount enclosed:  $500  $1,000  Other $___________ Name______________________________________________________________________ Address____________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip _____________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________________ E-mail_____________________________________________________________________

Mail checks to: Arizona Baptist Children’s Services 1779 N. Alvernon Way | Tucson, AZ 85712 Yo u c a n a l s o d o n a t e o n l i n e a t a b c s . o rg / d o n a t e abcs.org | (800) 678-0648 |

MNPV ABCSministries

 I’d like to pay by credit card Credit card type: Visa Discover M/C Card #:____________________________________________ Exp._____/_____ CVV__________ Name as it appears on the card: _____________________________________________________ Signature:_______________________________________________________________ Note: By using your credit card, you authorize Arizona Baptist Children’s Services to charge your card. A complete billing address is required to process payment.

If you would like to designate your gift to ABCS or any of our seven ministries, please note which ministry or "ABCS" below.

Designate my gift to the following ministry: _______________________________ (A list of ministries can be found at abcs.org)

A gift to Caring Ministries qualifies for a tax credit of up to $800 for couples or $400 for individuals. Please make out a separate check or online donation to "Caring Ministries".

 $400  $800  Other $___________