Band of Survivors Team Update 24 - Thursday, July 17

Today was one of the best days at cfot. Ok first this morning we had worship and Pray the bible. After that we had lunch which was great, straight after lunch we started cleaning because today is our last day at CFOT. We cleaned for about three hours which was ok. Next I had a prayer shift which was great. Then my corps officers came, the wonderful Josh and Jen Polanco. They cooked for us, and the food was amazing. They are AWSOME cooks. After dinner me, Nate Irvine, Nate Holt, Lemard, Justin Rose, Ricardo, and Stephen played a game of basketball which was great. Last, but not least, we went to the classroom and watched a slide show of all the pictures that were taken of us the whole month at Band of Survivors. I have truly enjoyed Band of Survivors. I’m also extremely happy because after band of survivors I’m going to CBLI.

GOD BLESS!!! RYAN A.K.A GOOGI

Band of Survivors Team Update 23 - Wednesday, July 16

Today was pretty good. The first thing we did was morning worship and pray the bible. I also was about 5min. early which is good because sometimes I get to class a little later than I’m supposed to. After that we had free time until lunch time. Then we ate lunch which was basically at lot of different left overs but it was still delicious. After lunch we had cell groups which was pretty good like always. After cell groups we had a team briefing which was like about 5 questions that ask us: What did God reveal to us while we were at BOS? What can we do to help out at our corps? and stuff like that. After that Lisa, Liz, Ryan, Lindsay and I read Revelations just to get a better understanding about some stuff. It was kind of scary but interesting. Then I think we went to Cozy’s for dinner and Cozy’s is a Chinese restaurant. The food was so delicious.Then after that we hung out for a little, and then we we went to bed…………..love

Raven Gougis

Band of Survivors Team Update 22 - Tuesday, July 15

Well today was an interesting day. We had two speakers telling us about Human Trafficking and how is still going on now days. When I saw the video I was amazed how people are and take advantage of this world. But then I was thankful to God for guiding and being with us everyday and everywhere. Afterwards, we did a Human Trafficking Outreach. It was great! I was excited and glad I had the chance to warn people about what is going on nowadays. To be honest some people were rude but other than that I had an AMAZING time! Also, Lindsay, Liz, Addie and I helped Cathleen cook dinner. It was pretty cool hanging out with her. We had the opportunity to talk more and get closer with each other. It was a fun time. Then, we played Capture the Flag. It was pretty hilarious and fun too. Just seeing how we grown so much closer with each other. It’s amazing how God is. Ever since I got to BOS I’ve been blessed so much. I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to experience all this. It’s wonderful helping people, telling people about the good news and how they can help the community as well. Overall, this day was GREAT!!!! I know God is going to be with us and help us do His will. Also, before I end this just forgot something to write here…..I also was tackled by NATE IRVINE pretty bad but it was funny I guess…..Good time with the team.

- Maggie Garcia

Band of Survivors Team Update 21 - Monday, July 14

Dear Friends,

Today was a pretty laid back day considering the fact that it was our Sabbath day, meaning we are able to rest, relax and regroup from all the weeks work, wash our laundry, eat breakfast on our own, and last but not least “Sleep In”. After starting a morning like that I was completely ready to start my day off with a positive attitude and have tons of energy. So I headed down to the classroom in “Marshall Hall” for Michael Steinsland”s class, which was based on a book entitled “Salvation Story”. It was a pretty interesting class.

So, like after an hour or so, Mike’s class ended and we all were prepared for our highlight of the day, the time that we looked forward to. It was time to go to WHIRLYBALL, a place where “Bumper cars is kind of mixed with basketball and football”. It’s kind of hard to explain in writing, or (typing per se). So when we arrived to this place called WHIRLYBALL, we all were pretty eager to start playing because of our competitive personalities were pretty edgy at this point.

So after we actually start WHIRLYBALL, Nate and his posse which consists of (Stephen Rivero, Andres Villatoro, and Michael Steinsland) Takes the lead to create a team by the name of “TEAM KILLER PITHON” which actually has no meaning and is very much lacking intimidation, but they get into these cars and try to dominate every team that steps on the court. (See there were two options of car colors) Red and Black. The red cars were really fast and on the other hand the black cars were kind of not so fast. Nate’s team stayed in the red cars which was a huge disadvantage obviously.

So after a couple rounds of driving around, the staff comes with some pizza, and it was soooooo good. There were 3 choices, Cheese, Pepperoni, and Sausage. I ate so much. I was having the very perfect day at this point. Just as I thought my day would never decrease in excitement and joy it did. I encountered a very unfortunate series of events. Even typing it would not explain this situation well enough. See it kind of started with me having faith in a chair, and believing that the properties of gravity and the principles of the chair would hold me up as I eased in for a comfortable seating position. I knew that the 4 legs appeared sturdy enough to support my weight just as every other chair appears to be safe. So I go in and take a seat and the chair just collapses. It was excruciating pain, and furthermore I was pretty embarrassed. Not only at the fact that I was probably experiencing one of the most excruciating pains I ever felt in my life, but also at the fact that my face was kinda smuggled into Liz Brundige’s body. It was just as weird and uncomfortable as it sounds. So after this incident, My day was downcast and melancholy. I had shins that ached like crazy and my character was embarrassed.

After coming back from Whirlyball, we had a class hosted by none other than Audrey Hickman, and Kirsten Aho. It was a pretty fun classed because it was interactive. The only thing is I kind of forgot what the class was about in general, all I remember is acting like a angel in a skit. Later as the day winded down, we had Cell groups and played a really intense game of spoons, where Nate Irvine (THE NATHAN IRVINE) literally tackled someone for a spoon just so he wouldn’t be out the game. ( I won’t go into detail because I don’t have much time but just to wrap it up it was a Really really intense game. After all the day was over, we ended with dinner which was hamburgers and some other stuff, like hotdogs, and some other stuff I can’t remember. Then I went to my apartment, which I share with my cell group and we ate some junk food until we couldn’t consume anymore and we went to sleep.

So that was a brief summary of my day.

Band of Survivors Team Update 20 - Special Edition

The following Update is a Special Edition because it takes you back in time to Wednesday, June 9, 2008. Enjoy:

JAMES (that’s for you, Mom)

Getting out of bed was a little hard this morning, as we have all been pouring ourselves into the work we’ve been doing. We started off the day with cell groups, which is a time that I always look forward to. The group of girls that I have in my group is just amazing; Alejandra, Moteka, Raven, Maggie, and Lilly. I have loved watching them grow in their walk with the Lord, and it has been great watching them love each other, pray for each other, and support each other. They not only do this for each other, but for me as well. The support and love that they show to me everyday, is such a blessing from God. As we continue to go through the book of Galatians, it’s great to be able to discuss how the book is relevant to our lives today. There are so many times when I feel that I’m learning more from the girls, rather than the other way around….

Yesterday was our first day doing Vacation Bible School at Midwest corps, and it was great! The kids are all so bright and VERY full of energy, which can be a good thing and a bad thing. Many times they are so energetic, that they have a really hard time focusing. Everyday that we have with them, we start off with an opening program which includes us teaching them a new song for the day, a new bible verse for them to memorize, and a daily truth for the day. Today’s topic was “Jesus is God’s Son,” and the daily truth was “I know Jesus is God’s son. I can celebrate who He is.” The kids memorized Matthew 16:16, which says “I am the Christ, the son of the living God.”

On Tuesday, we had observed that the old kids, ages 10 and up, were not getting a lot out of what we had planned. They seemed a little too old for the crafts that we were doing, and they didn’t seem to be paying much attention during the bible lesson. We decided to change things up a bit, so we planned something totally different for them; something relevant to what they are dealing with. We chose to go over three topics: school, peer pressure, and betrayal. So that Wednesday, we talked about school and the different issues that they are dealing with; issues that involve drugs, bullying, fighting, teachers who don’t seem to care about the students. I would ask them questions to start a discussion, and the teens really seemed to enjoy being able to talk about this stuff. At the end, we presented the gospel and talked about the sacrifice that Christ made for us all. Three of the teens made the decision to accept Christ! God is so good and faithful! Lisa and I were able to take them aside, talk to them about their decision, listen to their confessions, and pray with them. I felt so blessed that God chose to use me as His vessel, even though I am so unworthy.

When we got back to the CFOT, the worship team for Friday’s Prayer and Praise night practiced, while the rest of the leaders planned out the prayer stations for Friday. We chose different issues that Chicago deals with: human trafficking, drug abuse, poverty, domestic violence, and those who are lost. We did some research on the topics, and put together the different stations. I pray that God will use these stations on Friday to make people aware of the issues around them, and to guide people in their prayers.

The time flew by! We all will be heading home in a little over a week…I pray that while we go through this last week, God will continue to work on us and prepare us to go back to our families, friends, corps, and communities and spread the gospel, as well as all of the amazing things God did through our time together.

I would personally like to wish my sister a very happy birthday, which is on July 14th. So, happy birthday, Jennie! I love you! God bless you all! Bootsma!

-Amanda Keene

Band of Survivors Team Update 19 - Sunday, July 13


Today went had the pleasure of spend a Sunday service at Midwest corps. The corps officers there are very exciting and you can tell that the want to preach the gospel. After spending a week with them we finally got to see what they do in their Sunday service. After the regular service we had a second service to wrap up VBS. That was so amazing. Looking at how much fun the kids participating in a hallelujah wind up. You had to be there to see how much fun we had. Well today was a blessing for everyone just getting to know everyone at the Midwest corps.

Make sure you check out the photos from the weekend!

- Addie Clayborne

Band of Survivors Team Update 19 - Saturday, July 12

Today we kind of had a day off. We slept in a bit and then discussed plans for tomorrow’s service at Midwest. Addie taught everyone a dance to do during the VBS closing, which is pretty much amazing. Once that was all over we had cell groups. Our group (Homeland Security) went to the lake, which was gorgeous, we were at this spot by the boats where you could see the skyline and the lake. Even on relaxing days, when you’re not even doing anything you can still see God’s power and beauty, if through nothing else His creation. Later, everyone played an intense game of dodgeball, so intense that Andres hurt his pinky and Amanda had to splint it. Some of us get into it a little too much… Over all today was a great day, and allowed us to refocus and be refreshed.

Band of Survivors Team Update 18 - Friday, July 11

For the past week, Band of Survivors has been serving at the Chicago Midwest Corps under the care of Majors Colleen and Emmanuel Michaud and Pastor Dwight Hall. The week previous, we had been serving at the East Chicago Corps doing VBS. Luckily, the Midwest Corps wanted us to do VBS as well, so we just adapted what we had already made. This was no shortcut, and indeed enabled us to be focused on more important things. Here’s what I mean:

On our first day of VBS as Midwest (Tuesday, July 8) we divided the kids up into age groups: 4-6, 7-9, and then 10+. Of course, those that were 10 and over were too cool for everything that we had planned, so we decided to take immediate action and made an entirely separate track for them for the following day (Wednesday, July 9). What happened? Three kids out of the newly established track accepted the Lord. Praise God! So, then we realized that we needed to make an entirely new track just for those three, so as to disciple them as much as possible (This started on Thursday, July 10). Then on Thursday, while the newly saved were in their discipleship class, three more kids accepted the Lord in the 10+ track. Praise God! Pray for these kids: Pray that they would get plugged in at the Corps and that they would be discipled and that they would keep with this new commitment.

Today started off just like every other day this week: after breakfast, everyone began cell groups to go through Galatians 5:13-15, after which most people were concentrating on finishing up final preparations for the day’s VBS lessons and the Prayer & Praise Night. Lunch came and went (not after a few culinary blunders, praise God). Then we headed out for the Midwest Corps.

We started VBS at 3:00pm (and I was later told, by a few team members, that today had been a particularly challenging day due to the hyperactivity of EVERY SINGLE CHILD!!!), and then headed to dinner at 5:00pm. Then, after a nice meal, we got ready for our Prayer & Praise Night Meeting. For those that are unfamiliar with those meetings, it is a monthly gathering for the high school and college students in the Salvation Army in the Chicago area that includes worship, a sermon, and prayer – all in a way that is relevant for them.

Tonight’s meeting was truly blessed by the Lord. The theme of the sermon, and really the entire service, was about being a light in the darkness, and how we are called to reflect God’s character (holiness) to the world. After the sermon, we gave a time for people to pray at different prayer stations that we had previously set up before the service. Each station represented an issue the Chicago deals with specifically (drug addiction, domestic violence, human trafficking, gang violence, poverty, and then those that don’t know Jesus yet). After a good time of prayer, we had a time for people to share what God had shown them during their prayer times.

Some rejoiced over people being saved, another over being able to pray with clients at work for the first time. All in all, everyone was encouraged to seek the Lord and to become more like Him.

Praise God,

Nate Irvine

Band of Survivors Team Update 17 - Thursday, July 10

How can I start out a recollection of the days events other than at the beginning, and so at the beginning is where we shall begin. Unfortunately for me I fell asleep with the air conditioning on last night, though at this time it is appropriate to say that I sleep with the thinnest of sheets. With this information in mind you may be able to imagine how frigidly cold I was upon awaking. It was as if a dementor had snuck into my room whilst I slept, this my friends, and you are friends, is a Harry Potter reference.

After my rude awakening I cast lots to decide if I should take a shower, and I prevailed so I did not shower, a fact that is none too shocking I am sure. It is time for an admition of guilt! I did not cast lots. After not showering I went to cell group, where I ate a bowl of scrumptious Honey Nut Cheerios, compliments of DHQ (I think). After said treat we gathered into a circle of trust. Lemard was also eating a bowl of HNC, Ricardo was playing with his toe, Ryan was playing with a cross that he aparantly glued to his Bible during arts and crafts (taught by Kiri and Lindsey), I could see too much of Stephan’s leg, and Andres had a bruise on his knee that mystified and amazed. Had I seen this bruise before? No. Where did it come from? These were the thoughts I toiled over throughout cell group time. As you may have already come to the conclusion I will admit I have a short attention span, which may lead you to a clearer understanding of a Day in The Life of a BOS’er. It is now approaching lunch time, I skip from cell groups to lunch because in the intermittent portion all we succeeded in doing was packing up our Praise Band equipment, which is if I might add very nice indeed, onto a cart. What happened to that cart will soon be explained.

TO LUNCH! Today was a day of most importance for the guys, because it was our day to cook lunch. As is most time the actual cooking portion was left to those of us who have actually lived by ourselves. This was in fact, just Nate and myself, and due to this we beseeched Kiri to help us in our task of cooking rice and chicken. With utmost grace and benevolence she agreed. We preheated the oven and started bowling the stove with a ratio of 1:1 (rice to cups o’water). Now for you seasoned cooks who have ever cooked rice I implore you to keep this secret to yourself, for I was the only one to contradict such a preposterous ratio, which should have been 2:1. A prognosis that was later proved correct. For those of you in Utah, who believe a marriage should be of a ratio of 2+:1, I remind you, marriage is not rice. I would like to mention that I first learned of the 2:1 ratio while my parents were out of town and I was cooking for myself. I called my mom and asked her how to make rice and she told me the secret, Hi MOM! While the water was boiling Nathan and I arranged the chicken onto baking pans and preheated the oven. During this time we were distracted by a dance battle that took place in the other room. This was a dance battle the likes I have never seen before. It was so intense and grandiose that I start a new paragraph.

The first thing I saw as I entered the room was Lemard and Kiri. Lemard was doing a little move called “Lean with it, Rock with it” while Kiri was doing a dance that reminded me of the old Scooby Doo cartoons. You know the one, where it looks like they’re dancing under water. Before anyone jumps to any conclusion such as that that is a bad thing I would like to clarify that I love Scooby Doo and so it was a joyous moment. I was most impressed as my dance moves consist of sporadic movements not unlike epilepsy. After said battle, Andres moved into center stage with something that can only be described with a number of references and cross references. First: A Zombie Robot. Second: Simon Birch. Third: Moves selectively and delicately copied and reproduced from Grease as well as ‘The Motorcycle’. I forgot the most important detail, the music! The music was not my taste, but not much is these days and so it is something I can not only look past but learn to live with. It was a sort of gospel hip-hop. I believe it may have been Kirk Franklin. Please do not quote me on that particular portion, however if you must and feel led you may.

Whilst being distracted from the kitchen a bag that once held our most precious chicken was set ablaze by the stove. There were only two of us (both dudes) in the kitchen at the time and it was not my fault. I feel no need to embarrass anyone by saying who let the chicken bag catch fire, but I already told you who was cooking and stated that there were 2 of dudes in the kitchen, and that it wasn’t my fault. Search this entry for the truth, however, I didn’t say a name and so my conscience has been absolved of guilt. Lunch was delicious, and believe me when I tell you that I don’t bring this up because I helped make it, for even if I had lived under a rock and knew not the name nor face of the chef, the magnificent being who had created such a feast that I would still shout to the rooftops at how delectable it was. After lunch we prepared ourselves mentally and physically for the trying times due ahead, most conveniently dubbed VBS.

I will not tell a lie, nor will I short change you with any important information pertaining to the average day of a Survivor. During our daily commutes to and from the Corps we, the drivers, have had an ongoing habit of racing. I admit sadly that I am not always the victor, but as of lately I appear to have found my niche in the winners circle, and so my van rejoices with me. On this particular day I did in fact win the race to and from the Corp, though the second can hardly be called a race and so I do not feel I should take any mention of victory for it. It is intriguing to see the streets around the Midwest Corp, which is where we are currently stationed. One street has started tearing down the old buildings and have rebuilt new apartments or condos, of which I am not sure, however the other 3 streets still display the old style of run down buildings. It is disturbing to note with such impartiality and intrigue at the streets and so I must explain. The buildings in that area, and others, are being bought and turned into new fancy apartments to draw in people who have money, if you catch my drift, and in doing so make life too expensive for the people to already live there. It is in a similar fashion to how America settled in Native territory and then took charge of it, while ostracizing the Natives and eventually casting them out. This too will happen at the Midwest Corp. Large condos will come in and take the homes of the people there, and so while it is interesting to see, I cannot say that it is something I enjoy seeing. Despite this, the people of the Corp, and the VBS (which is filled with non-Corp members), seem joyful to be in the house of the Lord.

It is an uplifting experience every day that I am there and know that this is not a thought exclusive to myself. When we arrived at the Corp we were questioned on our willingness to unload a van for the food pantry. It was a delight to give back to a Corp that has helped us so much this week. With some difficulty we found a way to get 16 people into a line and move the food into the building. After we unloaded the van Mrs. Major Michaud gathered us for prayer, as we do every day. She has been delightful and as was explained to us she is “Fiery” which is immediately apparent after the shortest of conversations with her. I praise God for the wonderful officers he has sent to us in the Metro Division. I challenge you to seek out the Michauds and talk with them, for you will not leave the same person you were.

We start out every VBS with an opening in which we sing songs with the kids. The first of which, I am not the least ashamed to admit, I despise by now. The song is called “My God is Real” and I can only claim such loathe-full feelings because we have sung it so often. There are dance motions and until recently I had thought that it was blasphemous, you see, I thought it said “I can’t believe there is no other God” which Liz has pointed out is a double meaning which in fact means “I can believe are other Gods” which is something I disagree with and would never teach a child. However, I was mistaken as the lyrics say “I can believe there is no other God” and so there is no such problem with double negatives. Today was the second day that we had a special class for the older kids. The first of which resulted in 3 saved souls, in the lingo of our Salvation Four Fathers, (I believe specifically Brengle, in a book a read, it’s a tiny red one that is all about saving souls.) The second of which resulted in 4 more saved souls. It is with this end that we see that our presence has not been in vein and that God still lives in the Chicago and that he won’t go away. Hallelujah! This is the group that the Devil has been going after the hardest, the group that is exposed to drugs and sex and other temptations of the world, and God has sent us 7, so far, who have joined his ranks. I ask you all to pray for these 7, that God would cultivate a yearning for himself inside these kids, and that they would depend on him, and that they would be a blessing to others as well as be blessed.

During this time the younger children had bible study, arts and crafts, and Gym time (led by yours truly and Andres Villatoro). I cannot say much of the other two classes other than that I know the little kids are crazy about the crafts that they bring home and that they swing them around the place like a beloved Kite. It is from this that publicly give a big thumbs up to the art teachers. The highlight of every kids day is however, with all the humbleness I have, Gym Time. I know you expect me to say this as the gym teacher but today there was a boy named Kaer, who cried when he couldn’t play with a ball anymore. Didn’t see him cry when he forgot about his craft, no offense Lindsey and Kiri, but Gym time is just a little bit better. We played Dodgeball today with the kids, by which I mean we brought dodgeballs for the kids to play with. It would be cruel for any of us adults to throw the balls at the kids, seeing as how our muscles are roughly the size of their heads, and so we let them play with eachother. This is what I will detail about each group.

4-6 year olds: During their gym time Stephan played “basketball” with one of the kids, which was really just throwing the ball into the hoop. Which started a chain reaction of balls cascading through the air like fireworks on the 4^th of a July, a day which was a week ago today (as I am writing this now at 12:01). It was during this that the most adorable thing happened to me. I was playing catch with a boy named Joseph. We would both throw our balls into the air and try to catch them. He then ran over to our bin of balls and tried to open it. I ran over to him and told him, with my most child-like voice, “Joseph, there’s no more balls in there, we took them all out already.” To which he replied “I want to cuddle with them.” I may have laughed but it was truly 2 Cute. But I got ahead of myself, this was also the group that upon seeing a single ball, which was in my hand, surrounded me and clawed and yelled and giggled. The scene was too horrific to detail as it may scar your image of the children. However one boy succeeded in climbing onto another boy and hung onto my arm. This led to the lowering of the ball, and from there it went downhill. At this point I abandoned all hope of an organized game and instead merely tossed out balls for the kids to play with. Addie however, did not know this was happening and started to take the balls away from the kids. Needless to say, the kids did not respond well, and this is when little Kaer, the prince of all that is tiny, began to cry. I tried to comfort him to find out what was wrong, though I am no good at comforting. The best I could do was to rub his back and say “Hey guy, whats wrong? Are you Okay?” When he received his ball a moment later all peace was restored and his heart became full again. This is the way I would like to leave the group as it makes them seem the most innocent.

7-9 year olds: The time I took to plan a game was well used on this particular group. They forgot the rules, but when reminded they were quick to correct themselves. This was the most well behaved group of the day. Do not let those words deceive you though, for they were still a handful. It took them around 5 minutes, which in Spanish is, I believe, Cinco minutos, for the kids to become quiet enough to explain the rules. The kids who played had a very good time for the most part, though some of the girls decided they didn’t want to play, of which I will tell a story right now. One girl who was hit with a ball became very upset and so I rushed with all the speedyness I have to resolve the situation. The problem occurred when Girl A, for I cannot remember names, threw the ball at Girl B, and got her out. Girl B explained that Girl A was on her team and so she was upset that Girl A would throw the ball at her. Then I explained that in this particular game there were no teams and so she was indeed out, despite her beliefs of safetitude. At this explanation she became very disheartened and yelled “I ain’t playen no more”.

10 Years old and over: This group was by far the most troublesome. It was during this group that I entered into my 2 hour prayer shift, but due to several things I was determined to pray while I taught the class. This class needed the extra attention/supervision/person to make sure nothing inappropriate happens. We were to play a standard game of Dodgeball but they decided to break every rule. I spent so much time correcting them and asking them to step aside to the “out-line” that it became difficult to pray. They cheated more frequently then the small kids. That is all I have to say about this group, because they are still good people and only wanted to play a game more, and so by their cheating I know that they were having a good time and would have fond memories of VBS 2008.

After VBS I stayed in the chapel and scribbled a prayer in my journal. Larry Hood arrived soon with the sound equipment for Friday’s P&P night and so we spent time setting that up. The sound system at the Corp was in pretty bad shape, and was hard to get a good sound from. Larry was able to make sense of it and remedied the situation, which I know will be a big blessing to the Corp, I will not detail the condition of the sound system previous to being Hoodified, but it was in need of great work. We began to set up the praise band equipment and Larry’s equipment, which he dutifully brings every month. In the past month and a half, since congress, I have come to realize how big a blessing Larry Hood is to this division for all of his hard work. He is humble about his work and is one the best guys I know of. I say this so that you may realize that when Larry is thanked during the meetings, that it is of the sincerest gratitude. Praise band practice was pretty good, it was the first time I have heard Nate’s voice during a meeting. Usually I just play along with the drums and bass, of which are now far away from. Also we have enough music stands for all of us, which is a novel thing to me now. It makes me think back to the good old days of last week and the week before when I had to share a music stand with Kiri, or just look off someone else’s. I miss it, but I also enjoy having a stand of my own.

I forgot to mention dinner, which will be a quick mention. It was delicious. It is always delicious when we eat at the Corp. Mrs. Major Michaud cooks us wonderful meals that seem even more extravagant after a long day. After worship practice it was time to leave the Corp, it was around 8:30sh I think, though I can’t be sure. We walked out onto the streets and stared in awe and wonder at the clouds. They were moving fast and were dark grey, cracking and streaking light throughout the sky. It started sprinkling while we walked to the vans and by the time we sat inside it was pouring rain. However Kiri’s van has a broken wiper and so Audrey and the others were trying to fix it, it would not be fixed though. It dangled like a broken arm flailing from side to side. It was due to this that the other van had to follow me all the back home, under pouring rain, and so I cannot claim victory in our race, for their safety was far more important then a game. And with the arrival of our vans back at CFOT comes the end of our work day. The rest of the night was free-time, so that we could rest up and do it all again tomorrow. I hope that this entry has shown you what an average day looks like. Please pray for the continuing strength and unity in our group, and for the people we come in contact with. I would like to end with our memory verse from this week.

He has shown you, Oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Band of Survivors Team Update 16 - Tuesday, July 8


My alarm went off at 5:45 am this morning, so that I could arrive at my prayer shift by 6 am…which was a good thing, since I fell back asleep until approximately 5:58 am, when I sprang out of bed and dashed down to the War Room to relieve Raven (at 6:01am). I really like early morning prayer shifts, since they sort of set the tone for the rest of the day, although I mostly just felt tired the rest of the day. But then we had a dance party to the song Solution by Hillsong United (we being myself, Lindsay, Audrey, Liz and Addy…) and I accidentally scraped my own arm which resulted in a heart shaped scab which I am fairly delighted about. Around lunchtime, Raven asked me if I was the one who had relieved her from her prayer shift.

We spent our first day at Midwest a little bewildered (or maybe it was just me), but also I was so happy, all these kids were really welcoming and just want to talk, these two girls made me sit in between them, and started playing with my hair and asking me all these questions about my necklace and the bible verses inside it...

The Majors Michaud fed us heartily, I think we all walked out of there so full, so so full…of food, and just all I could do in the van on the way home was moan a little and sit there waiting for it to digest. I did tell a joke, Moteka had asked me “You need to tell me about Ironic” and I said, “once upon a time there was a young man named Ironic, and on his 18^th birthday he received a wonderful gift. It was wrapped in silver and gold paper, and as Ironic unwrapped it he found more paper, and more paper and more paper, and he looked at his parents and said, “Mom, dad…” until finally he had discovered the gift and it was a small spoon.”

-Kirsten Aho

Band of Survivors Team Update 15 - Monday, July 7



Today was our Sabbath Monday which to me was well needed after a very hard working Sunday at East Chicago. It’s very exciting for me to be at a corps on Sunday morning and experiencing the holiness meeting with the soldiers and see how they worship the Lord. I also crushed my big toe with heavy drum equipment that day which thanks to some ice and some Advil I was fine and could walk. But enough about Sunday, I’m updating about Monday. I woke up and went straight to my prayer shift at 10pm. There were rumors of pancakes but I decided to skip them and sleep and then go to my prayer shift. I was blessed and then I joined the rest of the group for our morning worship. We sang songs and then prayed the bible. It was a nice change to one of my prayer shifts and it was good to worship and pray with everybody else. After, I finished my prayer shift and went straight to lunch where Mike had prepared, by himself, ravioli for the masses. Only 14 showed up. People were still full from breakfast and I wasn’t feeling all that hungry either. I ate a little though in spite of myself. Later I still couldn’t take a shower because we had Salvationism class. We are still learning about the INSANE book and today it was about how Salvationist changed the gruesome condition of England’s sex trade and a little bit about Booth’s In Darkest England. We ended up discussing about some the real dark issues of our society today. It was nice to see all of us together discussing about how we, as Christians and as Salvationists, could or should change conditions. After Salvationism Class, I finally got ready and we had cell groups. After cell groups, we had extra time to do stuff before Dinner. I called home to check up on the fam and later went to check on Dinner. Here is what happened in Dinner. Some of the girls decided to make flautas (also known as tacquitos) for everyone as well as red rice and beans. 4 flautas each. That’s about 80 flautas. We found ourselves at 6:00 and we realized that yeah. We needed more time. The rice was a little overcooked or undercooked. Me and Lilly were unable to save it but we ended up making 70+ flautas which needless to say we all enjoyed. Thanks to Maggie, Lilly, Alejandra, Lemard, and Ryan. I was then told that I always smell good. And that was nice. After Dinner we wrapped some things up for VBS this week at the Midwest corps and then had a leaders meeting. I am very excited about this week and how the Lord will use us in a corps that is truly in the middle of the least, the last, and the lost. Continue to pray for us and that the Lord may be manifested fuller in and through us, that we may be love for these children. Thanks

Don't forget to check out our photos from today!

-Andres Villatoro

Band of Survivors Team Update 14 - Sunday, July 6


Today it was Sunday I woke up and got ready at 5:45 because I had to fix my hair, NOT. I had a prayer shift so I had to wake that early, I was tired but God and I had a good time. We went today to the East Chicago corps it was pretty fun but also really long, we played some Spanish song f or example for those who talk Spanish we played “Te Alabare” for those who don’t know it’s a sweet song because it talks about how God should be the only reason for any worship and how we should worship him in all times. The sermon was about how we should live by faith and not by sight the captain use the scripture from John 5, when the man asked Jesus to heal his son and Jesus told him something, its your job to find out what and he says and study what it means, it will be fun and also tell your friends about it. After the service we ate some Puerto Rican food and it was good. Then after helping cleaning the corps we started heading back to the CFOT, everybody was pretty tired so it was nice to have some time, so then we went to Cozy and Nate Irvine burped in my face, we had a good time. Later that night we got to pray the bible and Audrey wanted to get out real fast. (Stephen is a liar!) It was awesome because the Holy Spirit within us and everybody was praising the Lord and the room felt so save and in peace, I loved it and I hope that the fire doesn’t leave from us, and I would thank anyone to pray for us so that we would be fill with the love and the Holy Spirit of God always no matter in what situation they are at. Thank you for all your prayers and may God bless you in all that you do.

Don't forget to check out the awesome photos from today!

-Stephen Rivero

Band of Survivors Team Update 13 - Saturday, July 5


This Saturday we were at the East Chicago corps for the day. When we got to the corps the Paredes’ made us some really yummy tacos for lunch. Today we were able to spend a few hours cleaning two parks that are near the East Chicago corps. But before we did that we had our cell groups after lunch. There was a lot of trash from the fourth of July being the day before, so there were a lot of fireworks all over the place to pick up. I personally wasn’t there (because I was in a prayer shift) but from what I heard there was a lot of trash to pick up. After that we headed back to CFOT for the night, where the band practiced songs for the Sunday meeting. The rest of us who weren’t in the band were able to plan VBS stuff for next week (which will be taking place at the Midwest corps) and we also did some cleaning from dinner. Please pray for our team to be able to have enough energy during the week, specially at during the VBS time. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Don't forget to check out the photos from today!

-Audrey Hickman

Band of Survivors Team Update 12 - Fourth of July

Today was a great day for The Band of Survivors, we started off our day by going out in the streets of East Chicago and doing some street outreach. It was great telling people that the Salvation Army is a church and talking to them about Christ. We were able to pray with people and invite them to come to Church. We’ll see what happens!

Right after that we headed over to Capt. Paredes’ house for a delicious 4 of July cook out. Once we were done eating and playing around, we went to the park to enjoy some awesome 4^th of July fireworks. Then we went back to CFOT and rested. Overall it was a great and blessed day.

-Ricardo Tellez

Band of Survivors Team Update 11 - Thursday, July 3, 2008

Thursday, we got to participate in the feeding program and we got a chance to talk to them once again. I had a good experience talking to the people and getting to know them. Some people were a little bit shy but we still had a small conversation. I got to know their names and some stuff about their families.

Then we did VBS once again. The lesson was about being a good samaritan. It was fun but there were three injured kids. The kids were excited about the VBS and happy they got a chance to be part of it. IT was AWESOME working with them, and teaching them new things. They learned a lot about God and they even memorized verses, songs, and dances. Being together for three days was good experiences to get know each one of them. At the end of the day even thought I was exhausted I thank God for giving me this opportunities to connect and teach them about God. IT WAS A GREAT AND FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE!!!!

Alejandra Salic

Band of Survivors Team Update 10 - Wednesday, July 2, 2008


Well today was our second day of VBS and it was a lot of fun. There were a lot of kids and I enjoyed getting to meet all of them. It was also our second day of attending the Feeding program that they had at East Chicago Corps. It is such a humbling experience to meet different people and to get to know their story. I was so deep into a conversation with two little girls that I forgot we were at the Feeding program. Captain Paredes also suggested that we should take a neighborhood tour. We went around looking at the different places. It was completely different from Chicago. We actually got a chance to see a ridiculously large steel mill. In a way it was pretty depressing seeing the poverty level. Captain Paredes was telling us how half of the people there are below poverty level. Although most of us can’t relate to them it was such an essential experience to see the difference in towns and what we can do to help those people.

Don't forget to check out the photos from today!

- Lisa Marie

Band of Survivors Team Update 9 - Tuesday, July 1, 2008


Today was a really good day. We attended the East Chicago corp and we help out in the feeding program during the morning. It was a really good experience. I had the chance to meet and interact with people that back home I would have never had the chance to approach. I had the chance to meet a lady that had gone through a really hard life. I guess the highlight of that conversation was that I had the chance to talk to her about Jesus. Then she told me she felt like she knew me for along time.

Then later on that afternoon we initiated the VBS classes. It was awesome seeing the kids sitting down one by one in the chapel. They look excited to be there and they were very joyful. Once we started the classes they where all willing to participate and learn the songs. Some of the kids seem to know quite a lot about God. I’m looking forward to seeing their passion for God grow all through out these days of VBS.

Don't forget to check out the pics from today!

-Lilly Robles

Band Of Survivors Team Update 8 - Monday, June 30, 2008


Today we prayed the bible and did worship. It was awesome. I loved the songs we sang like “Came to My Rescue” and “This is Our God”. The songs we sang were so true and empowering. Then after our quick break we had the salvation circle. If you don’t know what that is, it’s when everyone from Band of Survivors makes a circle and talks about our life, what Jesus has done for us, and what we struggle with. It was a very emotional time, but it was helpful to know what each other is struggling with and how to support one another. God moved in big ways during our time together in the circle.

We celebrated two birthdays today, Lisa’s and Audrey’s. It was fun because their parents came to a BBQ party that we had for them. The food was good! It was good to see the family love and support for the girls’ birthdays. We played all types of games, like football, Frisbee, big shorty (don’t ask).We ate and sung “Happy Birthday” to the two birthday girls.

Then after all the fun we planned for VBS, which starts tomorrow. VBS stands for Vacation Bible School. We are teaching kids about God and about different stories from the bible. It sounds like it will be lots of fun to hang out with the kids. We teach in fun and interactive ways so that they will stay excited about God. God has changed all of us so much and continues to work in us. We are very grateful and thankful for Band of Survivors. So until next time catch you later!

- Moteka Harris

Click here to see the photos from today.

Band of Survivors Team Update 7

Today, was fun we woke up kind of earlier than usual because we had to be at Templo Laramie early. It was cool because I got to help lead the children’s Sunday School: we played games and sand songs, in English and Spanish. I also learned some new Spanish words! Then after Sunday School, we had the Spanish service. I really didn’t understand a word that was spoken but I knew they were praising God, so it didn’t matter. After worship we had this AWSOME lunch. It was so good. The Captains, Enrique and Nancy Azuaje, at that corps were so nice; they really were great people. We left Templo Laramie and planned some VBS programs for the East Chicago corps. Then we came back to CFOT and had our daily devotions which are always great. Next we just relaxed until we ate pizza for dinner. Last we all sat in the hallway and just talked and had a good time. I can’t wait until tomorrow because we just get time to ourselves.

GOD BLESS,

Ryan Gougis

Band of Survivors Team Update 6

Saturday June 28, 2008

Today was a pretty low key day.

We had to be ready to go by 10:00 A.M. we were super tired from everything the night before and were expecting to be cleaning for three and a half hours. But when we asked what needed to be done, we found out that we only had a half hour of work to do. When we found this out we were all so very thankful because we needed rest! After some needed rest we made two teams; one to go to the lake and pass out water and one group went on a prayer walk. I was in the team that went on the prayer walk, and it was pretty eye opening. When we were almost done with the walk I saw this woman and man parking their moving truck. I really felt the need to help them out and unpack. I mentioned this to Amanda, my cell group leader, and she told me to mention it to Mike. I asked Mike and he was down with the idea. I asked the woman and she sounded pretty enthusiastic about us helping her move in. We all moved everything in and she couldn’t stop thanking us for the work we had done. It felt really good to help someone in need, even if it was as little as helping someone move in to their new home. When we got back from the moving we had cell groups. In cell groups we studied Galatians 2:17-21. After cell groups there was worship band practice and VBS prep. It was a good day for sure, and I’m thankful for everything I learned.

Peace Out,

Lindsay Hall

Band of Survivors Team Update 5


Today was a long and tiring day, and we had a lot of things to do. Like help the people clean CFOT ( the college for officer training) because they are rebuilding a building on their campus. Okay, first when we got started we were already tired because at about 7:00 in the morning we had to leave for CFOT and when we got there we had to unpack the vans and we really didn’t get settled in to the end of the day. And to top it off we had a Prayer and Praise Night at temple Laramie and we planned the service and we had to clean the gym from where the little kids where playing and we also had to clean the kitchen that took us like all night. We got back to CFOT at about 12:00am which is what we temporally call HOME.

But the Prayer and Praise Night was good. We heard a powerful message from Andres Villatoro, who is a leader on Band of Survivors, about the woman at the well. We learned that there were two stories going on at the same time. The woman, who didn’t want to deal with her sin, and Jesus who was pursuing this woman, and going out of his way to get at the point. It was a good night.

Love Raven Gougis

Don't forget to check out our photos!

Band of Survivors Team 4


Good news! Today was our last day to camp out! I was happy to be able to sleep in a cabin. Well, everyone was. Also, we began our 24/7 prayer shifts. To be honest the hour went by fast. It seemed like I was praying for like 10 to 15 minutes. Also, today we had our night swim 2. It’s a time were we get to get in the pool or play volleyball. It gives us the time to have fellowship with each other. I know that God is going to do great things with us in Band of Survivors. It was an excited and enthusiastic day. We also had our first Salvationism Class today (a class about the history and beginnings of the Army). One section was on the way women fought for their rights and were able to evangelize about Gods word. It gave me an idea of how we should treat every human being; how we shouldn’t forget people that are poor economically but spiritually too. It’s awesome how much we can learn about God in a day! We also got together with our cell groups this evening. It’s an awesome time to share how you feel and ask questions; to just be open with your leader and be comfortable, being able to know that we are one family and supporting each other. We are studying the book of Galatians. It talks about how Paul was saved and how God used him in such a miraculous way. I think knowing how God works can help us grow more spiritually in our lives. I know God is going to reveal himself if we are devoted to give ourselves to Him. I know God is going to do great things with us. I also know that He will bless us and give us more strength than expect.

By Maggie Garcia

Don't forget to see the photos of today!

Band Of Survivors Team Update 3



Dear Metro,

Today is the 25^th of June and we’re starting to intensify our time here at BOS. Starting the day off with a nice breakfast from the Wonderland Camp staff we were fully energized. Collette Webster stopped by and really blessed us with tips and tactics on how to study the Bible. After a nice nap we were also blessed by Captain Carol Lewis. She gave us so much information on evangelism. Today was truly an intense day. Next thing on the list was a nice planning meeting for our upcoming programs, which include Summer Prayer and Praise Night 1 (Friday June, 27, 2008 at 7:00pm), programs at Templo Laramie, and upcoming VBS stuff. On a different note it has been pretty fun and funny here because our CELL PHONES, also known as our only source of data, communication, time, and etc has been pushed to the side for a while, and considering the fact that everything we do here is on a schedule, nobody seems to know what time it is anymore. Ending the night on a cool side, we had a night swim. Although I didn’t swim I still had fun playing volleyball and just relaxing for the rest of the night. “Just Keeping In Touch”

By Lemard Fields

Check out the slideshow of photos from today!

Band Of Survivors Team Update 2


Today we did a couple of cool things. One thing we did was took a test to learn about spiritual gifts. That was a really cool thing because it’s nice to know what God is calling you to do for him. We also learned what each others spiritual gifts were. That was nice because now we how to work with each other spiritually and know what that feels like. That leads me to the next activity of the day.

We all did a high ropes course. That was cool because that really gave us a chance to really work with each other and to know what the experience could be like. We all had a good time. We all had to depend on one another for support mentally and physically. We all gave each other words of encouragement and tried to help each other across the ropes. It was a great way for us to learn one another’s strengths and weaknesses.

It was a good day overall, and there was even a theme. It was getting to know one another and just really helping each other when we know they really need it. Lifting one’s spirit is what we all want to accomplish, and we had a really good chance to do that today. With the experience we all had today, I can really say that God touched us in a new and special way.

By Addie Clayborne

Be sure to check out the slideshow of today's photos!

BAND OF SURVIVORS TEAM UPDATE 1


Good News! Band of Survivors is in full swing (and has been for two days), and is off to a fantastic start! Each day, you'll be able to check back to BandofSurvivors.com to read an informal report written by a Survivor, and view a slideshow of photos from the day. Also, if you visit MetroYouthNetwork.com, you will be able to read our Bible study (we call them RevoDevos) from that day.

*******

Today was the first day of Band of Survivors 2008! I know the Lord is going to do great things through us when we let Him. We met up at DHQ and then headed from there to camp wonderland. Then we set up tents (yes we are staying in tents, which is oodles of fun, naturally).It was really a good day for getting to know each other. We had free time and relaxed a bit, then we had our cell groups, in which we talked about Paul’s letter to the Galatians. We discussed Paul’s calling from God and the contrast between God’s calling and a worldly calling. Later we made a fire and ate s’mores, which was significant because Lisa had never had one before. We sang some praise choruses and then we prayed over each other. We talked about the areas we want to grow in spiritually and then we asked God to strengthen us and bless us in that.

By Liz Brundige

Be sure to check out the photos from today!

Well, Band of Survivors had their first day together!!! It was a blessed day in the Lord and it was an awesome time for the team to connect for the first time, pray for each other, and worship together. We were able to look at the mission of BOS (which is to grow deeper and share our faith), study the word (we looked at Matthew 5:14-16 and 2 Corinthians 5:16-21), and take a general overview of Band of Survivors.

As we looked through our Survival Guides (our manuals for the summer; it includes our schedule, RevoDevos, prayer schedules, etc) we went through our day to day schedule. Just so you know, we'll be hitting up the CFOT, Templo Laramie (Friday, June 27 and Sunday, June 29), East Chicago (Tuesday, July 1-Sunday, July 6), Chicago Midwest (Tuesday, July 8 - Sunday, July 13) and the Family Retreat at Camp Wonderland (Friday, July 18 - Sunday, July 20). Be sure to come out to both summer Prayer & Praise Nights:

Friday, June 27 at 7:00pm at the Templo Laramie Corps (for directions, click here)
Friday, July 11 at 7:00pm at the Chicago Midwest Corps (for directions, click here)

Click on the photo above to see a slideshow of the photos from our orientation, or click here.

Also, be sure to check up on bandofsurvivors.com for more updates!

BAND OF SURVIVORS 2008 TEAM ANNOUNCED!!!

Hey all! Just to keep to the dates, here is the Band of Survivors team for 2008. Please congratulate and encourage them. Praise God!

Students
Liz Brundige - Rockford Temple
Lemard Fields - Englewood
Maggie Garcia - La Villita
Raven Gougis - Mt. Greenwood/Blue Island
Ryan Gougis - Mt. Greenwood/Blue Island
Lindsay Hall - Aurora
Moteka Harris - Englewood
Lilly Robles - La Villita
Lisa Rodriguez - Irving Park
Alejandra Salic - Rockford Temple
Ricardo Tellez - La Villita

Leaders
Audrey Hickman - Oak Brook Terrace
Stephen Rivero - Oak Brook Terrace
Andres Villatoro - Rockford Temple

Interns
Kirsten Aho - CFOT/Norridge
Amanda Keene - Mt. Greenwood/Blue Island
Mike Steinsland - Mayfair

Praise God! Please pray for them as they prepare for an intense month of discipleship! God is good! Also, there are still 3 student spots available. If you would like come along for the ride this summer, you still have time. Download the application (click here) and turn it in to DHQ by Friday, May 30. If you have any questions, please email me at Nathan_Irvine@usc.salvationarmy.org.

Peace!

Dear Friends,

In the past few years, God has done awesome things in terms of creating new training opportunities in our Division. Band of Survivors is one of them. This month-long, intense discipleship and mission school will change you as you seek the Lord and grow in Him through the following: daily cell groups, 24/7 prayer shifts, corporate worship times, Salvationism classes, evangelism training, spiritual gifts training, supporting the local Corps, and much more.

Because we want to make sure this amazing opportunity is taken advantage of (in a good way..), the application deadline has been extended, but not for much longer. If you want in, you MUST have your application at DHQ by Friday, May 30th 2008.

Click here to download an application. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at Nathan_Irvine@usc.salvationarmy.org.

Band Of Survivors 2008 Promo Video



Visit metroyouthnetwork.com's home page to download the application. If you have any questions, just email Nate Irvine (nathan_irvine@usc.salvationarmy.org).

The time has come to apply for Band of Survivors 2008!

Description:

Band of Survivors is a month long summer mission school that aims to see youth love God and serve their neighbors. With a skilled and motivated team, Band of Survivors will provide access to relevant training, significant mission and authentic discipleship for the youth of the Metropolitan Division.

The project will take place from June 23 through July 20 and will be located in a safe urban environment in Chicago that will be disclosed shortly. Survivors will live in community with one another: work together, prepare meals together, pray together, worship together and serve together. There are essentially two parts to the program, teaching (studying the Bible and the history of The Salvation Army, 24/7 prayer, cell groups) and service (evangelism, youth work, supporting the Corps).

Requirements:

Applicants who are prepared for an intense month of mission, and who are passionate about God will be admitted to the program. We have space for 14 high school students (ages 14+) and 5 young adult leaders. Those who are accepted must also attend orientation on Friday, June 13 from 9:30am-3:00pm at Metropolitan DHQ.

When:

-Applications Due: before Friday, May 9

-Orientation at DHQ: Friday, June 13 from 9:30am-3:00pm

-Band of Survivors 2008: Monday, June 23 – Sunday, July 20 2008

Where:

Salvation Army Corps and Institutions within the Metropolitan Division.

Cost:

Tuition is $200; this includes all training, food, and accommodation.

Application:
2008 Band of Survivors Application (Click here to download)

Links:
http://metroyouthnetwork.com
http://justiceminute.com