Fort Bend Christian Magazine | October - November 2015

Faithfully Serving Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg and Stafford

October / November 2015 • Complimentary

FORT BEND

Fa m i l y Fr i e n d l y Ne w s w i t h a n E t e r n a l Pu r p o s e

Unlikely Texas Minister Helps Bring Hope, Help to Children of Pakistan What Makes a Good College Essay?

Inside this Issue: Choosing to Forgive in the Face of Unspeakable Tragedy Transforms Pastor’s Life Brookwood Community Creates Jobs, Sense of Belonging for Residents Bible Trivia Understanding Your Teen

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Letter from the President & Publisher-In-Chief FORT BEND

Volume II, Issue 5 7

Choosing to Forgive in the Face of Unspeakable Tragedy Transforms Pastor’s Life

18

Brookwood Community Creates Jobs, Sense of Belonging for Residents

20

Unlikely Texas Minister Helps Bring Hope, Help to Children of Pakistan

28

What Will Happen to Your Family If You Die or Become Disabled?

30

Does Trump’s Border Wall Make Sense?

34

What Makes a Good College Essay?

36

Understanding Your Teen

38

Bible Trivia

40

Holy Rosary Catholic School’s Annual Halloween Carnival

43

The Buzz About Fort Bend

48

Child Advocates of Fort Bend Offers Abused and Neglected Children All-Inclusive Services to Heal the Hurt

54

Goodbye, Child Care Costs…

Hello, College Savings Opportunities

Our Mission Statement: “Our mission is to have a magazine devoted to His glory, provide cutting-edge stories important to today’s Christian, promote Christian-Judeo values we find important, and editorial content that your entire family can enjoy.”

Joseph Menslage , President / Publisher-in-Chief joseph@houstonchristianmagazine.com Malisia Garcia, Publisher & Business Development Manager mali@fortbendchristianmagazine.com Laritza Garcia, Senior Account Executive laritza@fortbendchristianmagazine.com Mirlenis Garcia, Account Executive mirlenis@fortbendchristianmagazine.com Hannah Menslage Assistant Editor hannah@fortbendchristianmagazine.com

For advertising information, contact Joseph Menslage at (281) 497-6455 or email joseph@houstonchristianmagazine.com

© 2015 Fort Bend Christian Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication or website may be distributed or reproduced without prior written consent of the publisher. Advertisements and or editorial content published in Fort Bend Christian Magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of Fort Bend Christian Magazine.

To SUBSCRIBE: send a check or money order for 30.00 for a 12-month subscription to Fort Bend Christian Magazine, 650 West Bough, Suite 150-170, Houston, TX 77024. For EDITORIAL or calendar submissions, please mail them to Fort Bend Christian Magazine, 650 West Bough, Suite 150-170, Houston, TX 77024.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

For 24/7 service, please visit our website: www. FortBendChristianMagazine.com. You can also call

Another school year is underway! The crisp smell of fall is in the air and football season is in full swing. For many, including myself, this is the greatest time of year. Thanksgiving approaches and soon we will enjoy a savory meal with all of our loved ones. We here at Fort Bend Christian Magazine pray that you and your families will have a memorable and safe holiday gathering with blessings from the Lord.

Last issue, multiple readers sent us emails and made phone calls about an ad they felt inappropriate for a Christian and family oriented magazine. I made an error by publishing said ad and for that I greatly apologize; it will not happen again.

I greatly appreciate the fact that our readers made their feelings known to us and held us accountable to both our audience and the Lord. Even devoted Christians have lapses in judgment, and I don’t know what I was thinking at the time. The ad had no place in our magazine and we ask for your forgiveness.

On a brighter note, our sister publication, Katy Christian Magazine, celebrates its 10th anniversary on November 5! Additionally, we are so excited for our second year publishing Fort Bend Christian Magazine. We owe it all to our fine and outstanding advertisers. Thanks to them, we are graciously able to use these publications to spread the Lord’s word and promote family values. We encourage our readers to support our advertisers by patronizing their places of business and letting them know that you really appreciate them advertising with us.

Thanks Fort Bend County!

Joseph R. Menslage President/Publisher Fort Bend Christian Magazine joseph@houstonchristianmagazine.com

Letter From The Publisher In the course of over a year and a half, I have had an amazing journey as the Publisher of Katy Christian Magazine and Fort Bend Christian Magazine. In many ways, I can’t believe how quickly time has passed.

Over the past 18 months, I have been blessed by experiences and opportunities that I will always remember. The people I have met and the stories I have heard have touched my life in ways I could never have imagined; I simply cannot thank you all enough for allowing me the opportunity and for allowing me to help spread the word of God to our readers.

There is nothing in this world that brings me more happiness than to help others and spread the word of God. When I was offered the opportunity to help Christian businesses grow and spread family friendly news, I jumped on it. It just felt right; it was where the Lord directed me that season.

Now, God is calling me to a new season in life. It is with great sadness that I announce that this will be my last issue working with both publications. While I’m sad to leave, I’m continually encouraged by the mission and vision of both publications. I encourage our readers to join together and continue to support Katy Christian Magazine and Fort Bend Christian Magazine, and to help both publications continue to bring you family friendly news with an eternal purpose.

As many of you are aware, Katy Christian Magazine and Fort Bend Christian Magazine are the only Christian magazines in the West Houston area and we need your help to continue to spread the Gospel in times such as these. Understand that KCM and FBCM are ministries in our community just as much as they are businesses. We are here to help you grow your business and bring hope to your families, letting you know that God does still exist and he hears your prayers.

Please continue to pray for my family and I as we begin our new journey. Please know that I will continue to pray you, our readers, and don’t be surprise if you see a few articles occasionally from me in the future.

Be blessed, Malisia Garcia Publisher & Business Development Manager Fort Bend Christian Magazine mali@fortbendchristianmagazine.com Direct Line: 281-497-6499 Cell: 832-597-7397

(281) 497-6455 or write to us at

650 West Bough, Suite 150-170, Houston, TX 77024.

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October / November 2015

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October / November 2015

Choosing to Forgive in the Face of Unspeakable Tragedy Transforms Pastor’s Life

By Jessa McClure

The quiet of the night is interrupted by the piercing ring of Pastor Darren Frank’s phone.

Groggy and confused, the leader of the Church of Living Waters answers the call. It’s the Rosenberg Police Department, and they are urging the well-known community member to get to his parents’ house as soon as possible.

“I rush over there and there’s already crime scene tape up,” Frank said. “I keep asking what happened, but no one will tell me what happened.”

As baby-faced policeman, new to the force, exit the home of the pastor’s mother and father, their faces are pale and sickened. Despite Frank’s requests to know what is happening, veteran police officers bar him from crossing the police tape.

“I went up to an ambulance and my dad is in one of them, covered in blood,” Frank said. “I looked into his eyes and he was shaking. I knew at that point my mom was dead. But before anyone

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October / November 2015

told me that was true, my dad said three words that changed my life.

He looked up at me and grabbed for my hand and said, ‘I forgive, James.’”

Frank’s heart sank. He knew then that his brother-in-law Albert James Turner was involved in the heinous act that he soon found out took the lives of not only his mother, but his sister.

After leaving his father to be cared for in an ambulance, Frank moved towards a police officer, pressing again for information.

“They told me that James broke into the house through a window. He woke up [his] four kids and brought them into the room

where their mother was sleeping, holding her five-year-old daughter, Kennedy. He wakes her up and in front of the four kids, kills her.”

Frank’s oldest niece somehow escaped her father’s brutal attack and awakened her grandmother who was across the hall. The two called 911 and Frank’s mother, Betty Jo Frank, met her daughter’s killer at the top of the stairs.

“He brutally attacked my mom,” he said. “But the amazing thing that happened then was that in the 911 tape you can hear my mom say, 13 different times, as she’s being brutally attacked, ‘James, Jesus loves you. He’s the only way for you. James, you have to meet him.’

The very last words she said were, ‘Jesus loves you, James.’”

After killing Frank’s mother, Turner stabbed Frank’s father, longtime pastor, Gene Frank, in the back of the head and escaped out of the home.

When Frank heard what had happened to his beloved parents and only living sibling, he too was in shock. But before he had time to process any of what he’d been told, the policemen ushered him to where the children were waiting in a patrol car.

“When I opened the door and saw their little faces, I was [speechless],” he said. “They had blood from the tops of their heads to the bottoms of their feet. They were drenched in blood.”

Frank scooped them up and loaded them into his car and took them back to his home where he and his wife bathed them and sat with them while they cried. But despite the Franks best efforts to keep things calm for the frightened children, chaos was all around them.

“My dad was in the hospital, we had news people knocking on our door, and we had helicopters flying over the crime scene,” he said.

“But we just hung onto God.”

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One night when Frank brought the whole situation to the Lord in prayer and he felt that God was telling him to tell the children they were safe now. But, he didn’t know how he could tell his frightened nieces and nephews that everything would be okay when their father was still on the run.

In the next few weeks Frank had alarm systems installed and several church members and local law enforcement personnel volun-

teered to keep watch at night.

“I had a gun right here on my nightstand and then we had a gun somewhere else in case I got shot,” he said. “I can’t tell you the extremeness that we were in with this.”

Turner’s name made it to many of the state’s top ten most wanted lists and the Frank’s story soon attracted the attention of America’s Most Wanted creator, John Walsh.

“He was the first one that really came to us in any kind of media and said, ‘I’m going to help you and we’re going to find him,’” Frank said. “They interviewed my niece Karissa because they said if they put her on TV, people are going to find this guy.”

A few weeks later Walsh was promoting the program’s 1000th episode on Live with Regis and Kelly and brought a clip of the interview with Frank’s 13-year-old niece from the upcoming episode.

The exposure was enough to catch Turner, who was spotted in a mall in North Carolina.

“We get a call from the police department and they’re all cheering,” Frank said. “I told the kids that their father had been found

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and the first thing they did was run outside. It was like, ‘we can do something now.’”

But the Frank’s joy was short-lived because of Turner’s impending trial. The pastor knew he would have to come face-to-face with the man who murdered his mother and only sister and he dreaded the moment. Although Frank’s father was permanently disabled by his wounds, he told his son that the American justice system was not Turner’s ultimate judge.

“My dad said, ‘son, we don’t make the decision of what happens to him, the Lord does. We’re not his judge. It really helped me,” Frank said. “They were asking us if we wanted to try for the death penalty and all I could think was, I have his four kids now.

I’ll have to live with this decision for the rest of my life. I don’t want the kids to come back one day and say, you’re the one who [sentenced him to death].”

Despite knowing that God was Turner’s ultimate judge, it didn’t make seeing him in the courtroom any easier.

“They bring James in and he’s shackled. I can’t tell you the emotions I had,” he said. “Then he looks me eye-to-eye and laughs so loud at us that they have to remove him from the courtroom. I can’t tell you what that pierce of a laugh did to me. From that day on, I was being tormented by the enemy.”

Every night after his encounter with Turner, Frank would wake up hearing the devilish laugh.

“I was being tormented. I couldn’t sleep at night,” he said. “[The enemy] was coming after me, and I couldn’t get out of it. Just a few months later I felt like I wasn’t going to be able to get up out of bed.

I’m saying, ‘God just take me.’”

As Frank laid there waiting for death, his wife came in and spoke the words he needed to hear.

“She said, ‘Darren, I need you. I need to you get out of this bed.

You’re not the only one involved in this. We need you,’” he said. “I

can’t tell you what that did to me. It was the first time after this great tragedy that I said, I’ve lost a lot, but I’m not going to lose my bride.

I’m not going to lose these kids.”

In that moment, Frank got down on his knees and told God he needed his help. He felt as though the Lord was telling him that

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October / November 2015

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the way out of his despair was through forgiveness—something his wounded father had so freely given after losing so much.

“I came very quickly to ‘I don’t feel like forgiving James,’” Frank said. “I kind of felt like I was the only one left in my family to hold this against him. But I knew I had to forgive him because my wife needed me to get up.”

So, Frank made the decision to forgive Turner. That is what forgiveness is, he said—a decision.

“Every day, I would say, ‘God I need your help. I make a decision to forgive James, he owes me nothing. He never has to come talk to me. I take him off of my hook and I put him on your hook. Please help me, God.’”

But even armed with his prayer, Frank struggled to keep his commitment to forgive.

“I made that decision daily, but some days I didn’t want to do it,” he said. “But because I forgave him seven days, I’m going to [forgive him] eight days. I did that for 365 days and at some point I started to feel God’s love for me.”

Frank describes the feeling as a ray of sunlight, shining down, warming everything in its path. The pastor says he wishes others who are bound by the torment of unforgiveness could feel the relief and joy of this kind of love.

“The hurt and pain is a lot of different things in people’s lives,” he said. “Everything before the decision to forgive is torment. Then once you make that decision you have to stand on that for a long time. Then, eventually, with God’s help we start to overcome the hurt and pain and torment.”

The pastor has come so far in his journey to forgiveness that he

has even come to the point of praying for his former brother-in-law.

“I don’t want anybody to go to Hell. I don’t think Hell is for anybody,” he said.

Because he had come so far, Frank was able to fulfill a request his father asked of him.

“My dad was living in our home and I was taking care of him.

Because of his injuries he could no longer walk or eat by himself. He said, ‘Darren, I want to move back to my house,’” Frank said.

The pastor’s immediate thought was, no.

“He asked me to pray, but I never prayed because I didn’t want to have to tell my wife or ask her about it,” Frank said. “But the second I started praying, I felt like God was saying move back.”

Although church and community members advised against the move, the Franks, their two biological daughters, their four adopted children, and Frank’s father all settled back into the home where tragedy struck just a few years before.

“The three daughters now live in the same room where my sister was murdered,” Frank said. “But it’s a supernatural move of God that there’s so much peace in there now. Any time something goes wrong, they run into that room and meet Jesus there.”

Today, Frank’s nieces and nephews are thriving, and his oldest niece, Karissa, has even shared her testimony at several youth events.

But despite a happy ending to a tragic story, others are still baffled by Frank’s decision to forgive.

“People will tell me if you can forgive after all of that, then I can forgive,” he said. “And that’s why I share the story. I want people to know that meeting God through this tragedy has transformed my life.”

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October / November 2015

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Brookwood Community Creates Jobs, Sense of Belonging for Residents

As the Season of Christmas nears, most of us are already feeling stressed, pressed, and distressed. Another round of Christmas shopping, another dinner party at Cousin Mark’s place, another day of scheduling, another busy weekend, another this, another…pfew! Wouldn’t it be great, even if just for a few hours, your family had a place where life moves at a different pace? Where it seems there is actually enough air for our lungs to take in? Where the literal Spirit of God is welcomed, celebrated, and daily relied upon? What if that place was just 10 ten miles west on I-10? Breathe easy friend, it is.

At The Brookwood Community, we cherish the slow life. We plan our schedules around surprise conversations, unintended celebrations, or pauses for prayer. When you take just a single step on campus, God willing, you will feel it. The pent-up anxiety that plagues our society is graciously stripped from your soul as you’re allowed (as we so seldom are) to dream, to pray, to smile, and to love without abandon. Can you imagine stepping into a world where every motion is done; every word is spoken with another in mind; every action has consequences and the consequences, here, are glorious.

If you are unfamiliar with Brookwood, allow me to introduce

you. Since 1985, Brookwood has educated and enabled hundreds of men and women with intellectual and cognitive disabilities to hold full-time jobs, live in a world built around them, and most importantly give back. The Brookwood Citizens hold jobs in any of our

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nine enterprises: The Café, horticulture, ceramics, stone-casting, leather-work, and cement are just a few. With the fundamental (albeit uncommon) understanding that all humans are endowed by God with gifts and talents, Brookwood provides the tools and environment for the Citizens to contribute. When this understanding is upheld, amazing things happen. Primarily, the Citizens have become some of the proudest, happiest, and most dignified individuals on the planet.

Next, the profound gifts of our Citizens are displayed in the tens of thousands of products they craft.

These one-of-a-kind, handmade items are sold to the public and spurn profits that ALL come back to support the community. This has allowed Brookwood

to abstain from receiving ANY government funding. By freeing up government funds to be used elsewhere, we believe this freedom we hold is a benefit to all society.

We invite you to come out for a tour, stay and have lunch, to

shop, or volunteer so that you may see for the first time, or for the hundredth time, what a community built with God’s design looks and feels like.

Most visitors come expecting to bless our Citizens (and believe me they do); however, you will find yourself leaving with a renewed sense of God’s love for people, of all cultures, of all backgrounds, and across the neurological spectrum. Step into God’s world. Visit the Brookwood Community.

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Unlikely Texas Minister Helps Bring Hope, Help to Children of Pakistan

By Jessa McClure

As Pakistani-native, Pastor Afzaal Firdous, finishes up an email in his office, he hears the laughter and excited chatter of 18 children outside of his door. He gets up from his desk and greets the boys and girls he is now helping to raise in the orphanage he helped to establish after hearing of devastating bombings in his home country.

Although he is now living most of the time in his native country, and is making a lasting impact on these orphaned children, he also made his mark on the Lone Star State during his years as an ordained Methodist minister.

His life began in a bustling city in Pakistan, where he was raised in a Christian family.

“Our ancestors were Muslims from Aghanistan, but my ancestors left [the country] long ago in search of truth and peace,” Firdous said. “They found those things in Pakistan when they found Jesus Christ.”

Firdous’ ancestors settled in West Pakistan and became evangelists, telling the Good News to others who were in search of truth and peace.

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“We lived right behind the church,” he said. “I was raised and baptized in the Presbyterian Church, I did my schooling, and then I went to Christian college.”

But because of financial struggles, Firdous had to leave college. But the future pastor didn’t let that keep him from learning and using the education he already possessed.

“During that time, I started writing poetry and prose. In a few years I became a known poet and intellectual.”

But while Firdous was establishing his career and soaking up knowledge, a new regime, more violent regime took over the country and its leaders began persecuting Christians and all those who opposed their primitive viewpoints.

“I prayed that I wouldn’t be arrested,” Firdous said.

“Then I prayed that I would be able to go to a country where I would not be persecuted for my faith and that I could worship without fear.”

In 1985, the Pakistani-native secured a business visa to the US and landed in Fort Worth, TX.

“Coming here was just a miracle. It was not easy to get an American visa, even then,” he said. “But got my visa without a problem. I came here and I never wanted to go back.”

Several years went by and the violent regime in Pakistan was toppled and Firdous decided it was safe to return to his homeland.

While he was there, he married his wife and in a few months, the two returned to Texas to start their lives.

“During that time I worked as a pizza delivery man, I worked in gas stations, I worked in a convenience store. I did all kinds of jobs,”

he said. “And then I was able to start my own businesses.”

But as he began to see profits, he heard the call of the Lord.

At this time, he was supporting not only his wife, but three young daughters.

“I told my wife that I wanted to go to seminary,” Firdous said.

“Then I made my wife and daughters sit down and have a family meeting. I said, this is what I want to do, are you with me? My wife and children said, yes, we are with you. We are with you until the end.”

Soon Firdous began attending in a seminary program, while his

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wife struggled to run the family businesses.

“After six months my wife said, I can’t handle it. Come back and take care of your businesses,” he said. “But I told her that my hand was on the plow and I could not hold the oxen by looking back. All I can do is go forward.”

He told her to sell the businesses, and that they would trust God to provide for them financially. Even though the family lost more

than $100,000 in income that year, they managed to survive and stay the course towards a life a ministry.

A few years later, Firdous graduated from SMU Dallas and was appointed in southwest Houston at Bethany United Methodist Church as the associate pastor. Although the family was happy living in the city, Firdous was then asked to come and be the senior pastor of the First United Methodist Church in a small East Texas town called Newton. “[The town] was just a few miles from the city of Jasper where a racist, white man dragged a black man behind his pickup truck. My family was very fearful,” he said.

Before Firdous moved his family to Newton, he drove there to scout it out.

“There was one Dairy Queen, two gas stations and a grocery store called Brookshire Brothers. I parked my car in the parking lot of the grocery store and said, Lord, why did you bring me here? This is a racist area.

My skin is brown. I am Pakistani. I have an accent.”

Despite his apprehension, he felt the Lord telling him that he would be safe.

“The Lord said, ‘I have come before you and I have prepared the way. Do not fear.

Nothing will happen to you or your family.’”

In a matter of weeks, Firdous and his family were settling into

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their new home in East Texas. On their first night in the unfamiliar town, the pastor received a call from one of his new parishoners that a woman in the church had been sent to the hospital after suffering a heart attack.

“I said, would you please drive me to that hospital? He said, are you sure? I said, I’m sure. I’m her pastor tonight and if something happens I need to be there.”

Although his wife and children were uneasy about being left alone in the forest-lined parsonage, they agreed to let Firdous travel to the hospital.

“The man drove me to the hospital and I saw the lady and I knew she was not going to make it,” he said. “I have her final [rites] and talked with the family and stayed there until 11:30 at night. At that time, family members and church members started coning. They said, this pastor is a wonderful person.”

Three days later, Firdous, who had yet to unpack his belongings, conducted the woman’s funeral and the town and church members fell in love with him. His willingness to jump in and be who the congregation needed him to be was how he became well-loved in every church he served for the next ten years.

But, after helping to grow churches in three different towns in a little over a decade, Firdous decided God was calling him outside of

Texas.

“At that time, a bomb had gone off in a church in Pakistan and 187 people died,” Firdous said. “Many people were injured. Many children were orphaned. I saw those images and I cried and said, Lord, take me to help those children. It would be my privilege.”

The seasoned pastor was soon on a flight to his native country where he met with survivors and helped pay for their treatments. He also visited with the orphans of those who had been killed, and decided to build an orphanage that for these children which he called the House of Peace. His purpose was to not only to fill basic needs, but to also teach them in the way of the Lord.

“If these children are not raised properly, then they could be vulnerable to becoming terrorists,” he said. “My passion is to provide for their needs, send them to good schools, and raise them like my own children.”

He funds the orphanage through fundraising and through speaking and preaching engagements in Pakistan and the US. But, despite the great work he’s doing to heal the wounds of war and persecution, he does not want recognition.

“I don’t appear on TV anymore. I live a very low-key life,” he said. “It’s more important to me to minister to those children and come back alive to my family.”

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What Will Happen to Your Family If You Die or Become Disabled?

By Margaret McCullough Connolly, Attorney and Counselor at Law

Did you know that 100% of Americans will die?

Did you know that 75% of all Americans die without an estate plan?

Why? 1. Size of estate: Some people think they do not have “enough” assets to necessitate an estate plan; they think such things are only for the wealthy, not the ordinary middle class family.

2. Procrastination: Thinking, “I’ve got plenty of time for that.”

3. Discomfort: For some people, preparing estate planning documents means an uncomfortable discussion and confronting of one’s own mortality; it’s simply too scary to think or talk about.

Regardless of the reasons, 75% of all Americans die without an estate plan. They die without a plan in place to take care of their

loved ones, without a plan for the distribution of their assets after their death, and without a plan to instruct loved ones on their wishes should they become physically incapable of making decisions for themselves.

Each person’s estate plan needs are different, but almost everyone should have some sort of estate plan in place. Our office provides attorney-written estate plans that may include a trust or trusts, a will, and powers of attorney, documents covering your healthcare and financial decisions. We work closely with each client to understand their specific goals and expectations to draft estate plans that are unique to each individual and each life stage.

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Does Trump’s Border Wall Make Sense?

By Gary Gillen

While Donald Trump, who very much wants to be the Republican candidate for President, is not the first person to suggest building a wall along the entire United States border with Mexico, he has certainly brought it back into the conversation in America. Whether you agree with Trump on building the wall or not, every nation has the right, I believe the responsibility, to control its borders. The US/ Mexico border from the sister cities of Brownsville, Texas/Matamoros, Tamaulipas to San Diego, California/Tijuana, Baja California is 1,952 miles long. There are 14 pairs of sister cities that push hard against the border. American property rights and Mexico’s lax building codes in these cities have allowed development right to the line in many, if not most, cases.

In these areas where high density and close construction make securing the border difficult, a vehicle and pedestrian barrier makes sense. In fact, it is really the only way to control a border that just a generation ago was merely a formality. It is predominantly in these areas that the United States has erected the costlier pedestrian/ vehicle versions of the approximately 650 miles of various barriers built to date at a cost of $2.4 Billion. The variety of barrier along the

border ranges from the simple and relatively inexpensive vehicle barriers in New Mexico to the massive triple fence complex east of San Ysidro, California. In Texas the Rio Grande generally serves as the dividing line but with the region’s voracious appetite for water even the river proves a minor obstacle to illegal immigrants. Geography, population density and location make certain barriers advantageous.

In highly crowded settings where border crossers can quickly blend into the local population very expensive bollard or high steel fence barriers are needed. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel simply cannot respond quickly enough in these areas to stop lawbreakers without the expensive pedestrian/ vehicle barriers. But there are hundreds of miles of U.S./Mexico border that are demarcated by a five strand barbed wire fence if anything at all. There are areas of our border that are so treacherous that the land itself becomes the barrier. It is in these areas, the majority of the border in fact, that building a wall makes little practical and no financial sense at all.

Technology is changing our world and border control is no different. Just as technology allows us to x-ray entire trucks for contraband at the border and check incoming shipments for radioactive material it also allows us to see people traversing the desert for hours, sometimes days, before they arrive at the border. Ground sensors can alert border guards of approaching vehicles with plenty of time to respond. Balloons, drones and aircraft give agents a view of illegal crossers from the sky. These technologies allow those protecting our

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October / November 2015

border to do more than ever before with fewer personnel at a lower cost than an ultimately breachable fence or wall.

It isn’t the lack of a wall that keeps us from securing our border with Mexico. It is an administration that talks about controlling our borders while actually encouraging this invasion from the south with its policies. While some may try to frame those who want us to control our own borders as racists or anti-Mexican, the real national security dimensions come into focus when viewing the average of 441 Other Than Mexican (OTM) illegal border crossers apprehend-

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What Makes a Good College Essay?

By Kurt Goedecke

There are less than 75 days left before the first college application deadlines hit and then they come training in like thunderstorms on Doppler radar. College application season is open and high school seniors across the area are busy scanning the bucket loads of glossy college brochures and literature that are being stuffed into their mail boxes. Soon the annual travail of the college application essay will begin. Soon they will complete the application that is particular to the school to which the student has decided to devote four plus years and thousands of dollars. It could be the Apply Texas application, the Common Application or another. For better or worse, most of these applications have between one and three opportunities to tell the admissions office something that will hopefully make them say, “I want to meet this kid on campus someday!” Seniors know the rest of their life depends on the words they write down. This can be terrifying.

So what makes a good college application essay? Or better yet - what, Mr. or Miss Senior, do you want to avoid to insure the eyes don’t roll or even worse, someone scribbles DDI (Daddy Did It) on the essay?

The first thing to do before writing the essay is to write. Write

anything! If you have been keeping a journal, you are already ahead of the game. Writing anything gets you in the habit of writing and it is easier to face that blank screen when the habit has been established. Writing also allows you to learn your own ‘voice’ (writing in a way that is uniquely you). College admissions readers are expecting perspectives from a 17 or 18 year old. Consider what is important to you and spend some time putting it on paper.

The next thing to do is start from a positive perspective. Having

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October / November 2015

a positive mental attitude when writing will come across to the reader. You want to put on your best face. Too many students confuse maturity with cynicism and that just comes across as teenage angst.

Be upbeat, even if the subject is serious or even painful. No one wants a “Debbie Downer” in their freshman class.

Be creative in your essay. This is one of the key attributes the admissions office wants to see. However don’t be silly or gimmicky.

The admissions officer has hundreds of essays to read, and they will spend about 5 minutes on each application. Being creative will be appreciated; being silly or gimmicky will get an eye roll and a sigh. If you are a naturally funny person use that. If you are not, don’t force it.

Check the essay for errors. Spell check on computers is great, but it will not change ‘affect’ to ‘effect’ and it does not catch punctuation problems. Have others read your essay. They will catch what you don’t. Moreover, have them read it as if they do not know you and ask if they would like to meet the author of the essay based on what they read.

Now for a few DON’Ts!

Don’t be too general. The reader wants to get to know you, so if anyone could write this essay, then the point is missed. Make the essay about you, and only you. They have your transcript, SAT scores and a list of accomplishments already; tell them something they do not already know.

Don’t tell the “Dead Dog” story. Trying to pull the heartstrings will not work unless the situation is truly a sentimental event. And don’t lie or even exaggerate!!! It is way too easy between Google and social media to discover a falsehood in the essay.

Avoid writing on “The Championship Season”. Writing about

snatching victory from the jaws of defeat is best left to the professionals in Hollywood. This is overdone and boring. I am reminded of an admissions associate in Washington State who said “Who would think that a story about getting on a leaky boat, crossing the ocean to a new land where you do not know the language, people or customs, would become boring? But after about 100 “boat people” stories, I think ‘Oh no, not another one!’ “

Writing the college application essay is a unique experience, unlike any research paper you will write or have written. This is the only opportunity to put your face on the pile of statistics and numbers which make up the bulk of the application. A good essay can propel an otherwise average application into the select pile of folders, and a poor one can send it into the refuse pile.

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Understanding Your Teen

By Brian Conner

Parent-Teen relationships can be trying at times. For some, this relationship can be a very real struggle, even in a Christian home.

One of the best things you can do is understand some of the issues teens face these days. Lack of understanding or proper biblical training for either side can cause friction, and simple misunderstandings can turn into serious conflicts.

As teens move from childhood to adulthood they begin to recognize themselves more as individuals. They begin asking questions such as, Who am I? Why am I here? Am I too Short/Tall, Fat/ skinny, and even Did God make a mistake with me? They need to learn that God loves them and created them unique, beautiful, and with a purpose for their lives. The Book of Psalms tells us, For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

Teens need to learn to accept God’s standards instead of what the world tries to set as a standard. When they learn to stand with Christ and accept His standards, His plan and purpose for their lives, they can find victory in self-acceptance.

It’s amazing how difficult teen years can be. They have to deal with different philosophies held by family, friends, teachers, and people in media. A person’s philosophy is the framework from which

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they make life decisions. Teens need to learn there is a Christian world view based on the Way, the Truth, and the Life, which brings true freedom. It’s the only real philosophy to build their lives on.

Teens are learning how to relate to authority and leadership, and the more people over them, the harder it is to relate. When they see others question authority and leadership, teens find it more difficult to accept and relate. Parents need to be the example in teens lives and help guide them to others who are good examples.

Friends are a huge influence on teens. By setting the example and helping them develop a healthy Christian world view you can limit the negative effects other teens have on them. They need to know what a real friend is, what is appropriate to do with friends, how to do the right things with friends despite peer pressure. Be careful trying to isolate your teen from unsaved teens. Some times you would be surprised at the negative influence of some saved teens. Encourage you teens to be strong and stand up for their beliefs.

Teens are faced with the necessity to make decisions every day. They need to determine what the standard of truth is for their lives.

They need to know the difference between right and wrong, and principles that help them deal with gray areas in life. They need to understand the importance of seeking good counsel so they can find the right answers and joy in their lives.

Parents, Psalm 37:30-31 tells us, The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong. They have made God’s law their own, so they will never slip from his path. Your efforts to shape your teen does not go unnoticed by God. Keep setting the example and even when they are older they will not depart from it.

Brian Conner is an Army Chaplain and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate practicing at Pecan Grove Family Counseling. He can be reached at brian@pecangrovefamily.com. www.pecangrovefamily.com

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Bible Trivia Test Your Knowledge

By Answering the Trivia Questions Below

A. Palsy B. Leprosy C. Blindness D. Mute

1. In Lydda, Peter healed a man named Aeneas. What was that man’s illness?

5. How many disciples were baptized on the day of Pentecost?

A. 12 B. 3000 C. 120 D. 7 E. 500 6. Why did Peter and the other apostles disobey the high priest?

A. They disliked him B. He arrested them C. He beat them D. They wanted to obey God 7. How did the leaders of the synagogue stir up the people against Stephen?

A. With inspiring speeches B. With solid evidence C. With lies D. With honest witnesses 8. Who did Stephen talk about when he said he could ‘Not so much as to set his foot on’?

A. Moses B. Jesus C. Judas D. Abraham E. David

2. Where did Paul meet Aquila and Priscilla?

A. Corinth B. Ephesus C. Jerusalem D. Philippi

9. What prophet did the Ethiopian eunuch read when Philip met him?

A. Esaias B. John the Baptist C. Joshua D. Samuel

3. What woman came back to life after Peter prayed for her?

A. Saphira B. Dorcas C. Mary Magdalene E. Sarah

10. In what city did Philip perform miracles?

A. Jerusalem B. Sidon C. Samaria D. Egypt E. Judea

4. Who was being stoned when he saw the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God? A. Ciaphas B. Stephen C. Saul D. Alexander

Answers and references: 1.(A) Acts 9:33, 2.(A) Acts 18:2, 3.(B) Acts 9, 4.(B) Acts 7, 5.(B) Acts 2:41, 6.(D) Acts 5:29, 7.(C) Acts 6, 8.(D) Acts 7, 9.(A) Acts 8, 10.(C) Acts 8:5

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Holy Rosary Catholic School’s Annual Halloween Carnival and Hamburger Supper Set for Friday October 29th Rosenberg—Calling all princesses, pumpkins and pirates…On Thursday October 29, Holy Rosary Catholic School will host its annual Halloween Carnival from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30p.m. It is a fun filled night with tons of carnival style games, a haunted house, bouncers, put put golf, bowling, costume contest and plenty of delicious food.

Come out for a SPOOKTACULAR evening that is fun for the whole family in a safe, family friendly environment. Food tickets may be purchased at the door. For more information please call the school office at 281-342-5813.

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The Buzz About Fort Bend

The Central Fort Bend Chamber carried out the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Alpha 4 Real located at 170 Applewhite Dr. in Katy, Texas. Following the ribbon cutting, Brenda Ashaka with Alpha 4 Real addressed all guests and thanked those who helped make her family’s business possible stating, “We are in a good place today and are very grateful.” Those who attended enjoyed networking, food, cake and music.

On September 16th the Central Fort Bend Chamber hosted their Working Lunch Series- Taxes for Small Business at the Pecan Grove Country Club. Jeffrey C. McClellan, CPA, spoke about the importance of proper tax preparation, along with the different types of company structures available to businesses. McClellan also discussed penalties, interests and areas of possible savings.

Calvary Episcopal Preparatory honored grandparents and special friends at their annual chapel and program. Thanks to the creativity and enthusiasm of Paula “Ms. Cookie” Smith, who planned the program , it was moving and memorable. Guests enjoyed the service and performances by talented Crusaders who wrapped up the program with an amazing flashmob dance including students of all ages.

On Thursday, August 27th, the Central Fort Bend Chamber hosted the Leadership Welcome & Alumni Reception at The Swinging Door. The nearly 100 guests enjoyed introductions of the 2015-2016 Leadership class presented by Program Chairs Ray Aguilar of Classic Chevrolet and Wes Wittig of the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office.

There was high anticipation as everyone at Calvary Episcopal Preparatory awaited the annual reveal of the library theme. This year’s theme, “Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Fables,” certainly did not disappoint. Students from 4-18 walked through the mystically amazing decorations and were thrilled to see all the imaginative scenes prepared for their enjoyment.

This year students who have shown great aptitude in English and social sciences in grades 6-12 have an opportunity to enroll in a dual-enrollment course through Houston Baptist University. The students are taking English 1320: Writing for Wisdom I: Greeks, Romans, and Early Christianity.

October / November 2015

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The Buzz About Fort Bend

Calvary Episcopal Preparatory family celebrates first Eucharist Chapel of the school year. Students, faculty and parents gathered in the sanctuary to worship god and to experience the Holy communion.

The Central Fort Bend Chamber held the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers in Richmond. Padden Nelson, Operating Partner of Freddy’s addressed those in attendance in saying, “This has been the most successful location so far and our end plan is to have 32 locations in the Houston area serving our customers and the community.”

Recently the Gingerbread Man played a trick on Calvary Episcopal Preparatory Kindergarten students. In fact, he took all of the gingerbread-man shaped cookies and only left a cryptic note that sent htem on a school wide search. They looked all over and followed the clues, asking everyone they could. When they finally went back to their room empty-handed, the cookies were right back where they had been before the trick began. Students enjoyed the adventure and cookies at the end.

Jacob David, Founder & CEO, Happy Children Happy World, a non-profit for helping children speaks at the launch of the organization held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Pearland, Texas.

7th grade Calvary Episcopal Preparatory student, Leo Wall’s western art piece qualified for auction at the Fort Bend County Fair. Leo’s outstanding art piece auctioned off for a total of $2,800. Calvary had a total of 53 pieces of art entered in the Fair Art Contest this year, and of those 20 received first place awards and 33 received second place awards.

This months Like Minded Community Gathering honored local First Responders.

There was an overwhelming sense of support for our Law Enforcement, Fire Fighters, and EMT.

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October / November 2015

This months Like Minded Community Gathering honored local First Responders.

There was overwhelming support for our Law Enforcement, Fire Fighters, and EMTs.

RDC Executive Director Randall Malik and Rosenberg Main Street Manager Dan Kelleher presented recognition plaques to Rosenberg businesses that have recently expanded operations, renovated properties or reached milestones.

The staff at Sugar Land Health Center is ALL SMILES for their “A WINE AND FOOD PAIRING” event.

On August 22, Calvary Episcopal Prepartory’s Crusader choir members sang the national anthem for the Skeeters baseball game at Constellation Field in Sugar Land.

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Child Advocates of Fort Bend Offers Abused and Neglected Children All-Inclusive Services to Heal the Hurt

By Jessa McClure

While it is not a subject most people want to discuss or acknowledge, child abuse happens. It is so prominent in fact that statistics show that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused by the age of 18, according to Children’s Advocacy Centers ™ of Texas.

“People don’t want to think it’s happening in their neighborhoods,” said Ruthanne Mefford, Child Advocates of Fort Bend CEO. “But in fact, child abuse and neglect happens throughout the community and throughout neighborhoods and demographics.”

Parents and concerned members of the community began to see a rise in child abuse in Fort Bend in the early 90s and decided to do something about it. In 1991, with one part-time employee and 12 volunteers, the Child Advocates of Fort Bend was founded.

The first program they adopted was the Court-Appointed Special Advocates program that helps match community members with children who have been placed in foster care.

“[CASAs] can be anyone in the community who is 21-years-old or older and wants to stand up and help a child,” Mefford said.

These volunteers are an involved person in the child’s life getting to know their foster parents, teachers, doctors and family members in

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October / November 2015

order to help judges decided what is best for that child.

“CASAs make a huge difference in these children’s lives because they are watching out for their best interests and advocating on their behalf,” she said. “They make sure they don’t fall through the cracks.”

Because these are such important people in the life of a foster child, the non-profit organization offers 30 hours of free training for CASAs.

“We want people who do this to feel very comfortable and feel like they have the training and skills to be able to interact with their children on an emotional level,” the CEO said.

With the help of training and encouragement from Child Advocates of Fort Bend, there is now a CASA for every foster child in the county. But even though 100 percent of the foster children are being served by these selfless volunteers, Mefford said they are always looking for more willing community members.

“We are continually recruiting for more volunteers because we always have new children coming into the system, and we want to be able to match 100 percent of those kids,” she said.

Because this program was such a success, the organization decided to begin a new program in 1996 that was tailored more towards children who have been sexually abused. They call it the Children’s Advocacy Center or the CAC, and it its purpose is to help children and families heal.

“Children who have been sexually abused often know their abuser. They trusted this person and the person in turn abused them,” Mefford said. “There’s a lot of emotional trauma and they need very different services than those who have been placed in foster care.”

With the help of forensic interviewers and supportive volunteers, the organization allows those abused to find their voice and be able to tell their story in a safe environment.

“We have a whole team of social workers, victim advocates, criminal court advocates who will help the child prepare for court if they have to testify, and others who are there to make the experience as comfortable as possible,” she said.

“We also have a whole range of therapies we use with children including play therapy, group therapy, teen groups, therapy for parents and caregivers, and parent/child interaction therapy that helps teach parents how to

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talk to children who have behavioral issues as a result of the trauma of abuse.”

And the best part about these therapies is that they are completely free.

“It’s really important that these services are free of charge because we’ve had people say, I was abused as a child, but I never told because I never knew services were available or that I could get them for free.”

Child Advocates of Fort Bend also works alongside law enforcement agencies, Child Protective Services (CPS), the district’s attorney’s office and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), which are all housed in the same building.

“It’s really important for these children and families to have a trusted, one-stop provider that can get them through the entire process,” Mefford said.

“We don’t want them to have to navigate a very confusing system.”

In 24 years, the organization has helped more than 13,000 children on their road to recovery and continues to grow. By speaking in churches, schools, and meeting halls, and hosting annual fundraising

events, the child advocacy group hopes to keep the services coming and educate the community.

“We go out into the community and make presentations that help to bring awareness about child abuse, reach out to those who might need our services, and educate parents about safety and child abuse prevention.”

Mefford said it’s important to have organizations like the Child Advocates of Fort Bend to not only prevent child abuse, but to help those who have been abused move past the pain.

“Not only is child abuse a tragedy, but it is also a cost to society,” she said.

Many of the children who don’t get help develop mental illness, end up incarcerated or do not graduate from high school, Mefford said.

These negative outcomes end up costing society over $100 billion a year.

“That’s why it’s really important for child advocates to get involved and help these kids overcome and heal from the abuse so they can move on to a happy childhood and a productive adulthood.”

The CEO said those interested in helping the abused children of Fort Bend, can make a donation, become a volunteer, or become a trained CASA.

“Our mission is to provide a voice to heal the hurt and break the cycle of abuse and neglect for children in Fort Bend,” she said. “So, come learn what we do and get involved.”

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Goodbye, Child Care Costs…

Hello, College Savings Opportunities

By Peter Horton Edward Jones

If you’re a working parent, you know firsthand about the difficulties of finding quality, affordable care for your children. But eventually, your kids head off to school, and those child care bills go away, or at least diminish greatly. When that happens, you could start putting away money for another one of your children’s milestones: college.

Just how expensive is child care? Costs vary greatly among the 50 states, but the national average for a 4-yearold at a child care center is approximately $7,880 per year, according to Child Care Aware of America, a child care resource and referral agency sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. What could you do with this money once your child enters kindergarten?

Of course, not all schools provide all-day kindergarten, so you still may have some child care costs. For the purposes of illustration, let’s presume you can finally

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say “goodbye” to child care costs when your child is in first grade, and let’s also assume your child is attending a public school. If you invested that $7,880 every year for 12 years, until your child reaches 18, you could accumulate more than $150,000 in a tax-advantaged college savings account, such as a 529 plan — assuming the money

was placed in a hypothetical investment that earned 7% per year.

(Keep in mind, though, that the word “hypothetical” means exactly that, because whenever you put money in any variable investment, there are no guarantees.)

Actually, earnings in a 529 plan accumulate and are distributed tax free, provided they are used for qualified higher education expenses. (529 plan distributions not used for qualified expenses may be subject to federal and state income tax and a 10% IRS penalty on the earnings.) Also, your 529 plan contributions may be deductible

from your state taxes. However, 529 plans vary, so be sure to check with your tax advisor regarding deductibility.

A 529 plan offers other benefits, too. For one thing, the lifetime contribution limits are generous; while these limits vary by state, some plans allow contributions well in excess of $200,000. And a 529 plan is flexible: If your child decides against college or vocational school, you can transfer the unused funds to another family member, tax and penalty free.

A 529 plan is a widely used choice for college savings, but it is not your only option. You could also consider a Coverdell Education Savings Account, which, like a 529 plan, can generate tax-free earnings if the money is used for higher education expenses. You can typically only put in a maximum of $2,000 per year to a Coverdell account, but it lets you use the funds on K-12 and college expenses.

Whichever college-savings vehicle you choose, it will take discipline on your part to continue investing in it, year after year. And after freeing yourself from those child care bills, you can certainly think of other ways to use this “found” money. That’s why you might want to automatically move money from your checking or savings account to your 529 plan, Coverdell account or other investment earmarked for college. As your income rises over the years, you can increase the amount of these automatic transfers.

In any case, once those child care bills stop, you can put that money to work on your children’s behalf. Make the most of this opportunity.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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