Developing Leaders at the Gano Center

Mission Centers of Houston is dedicated to ministering to and developing leaders in the communities we serve. Back in 2022, we became more intentional in creating opportunities to enable and empower community members through serving as volunteers and staff members at our mission centers. This month we would like to share with you the story of Anai Cruz, one of our community members who has been empowered at the Gano Center. Anai began helping at MCH as a volunteer in 2022 in our weekly Kids Club and Senior Adult programs. For many years prior to that, Anai had been a part of our community by bringing her children to Kids Club every week.

In late 2022, Anai was offered the staff position of Community Ministry Assistant at Gano, and she's been a part of our Gano team ever since. Her duties include cooking home-cooked meals for our Homeless and Senior Adult programs every Monday and Thursday. She also helps keep the center clean for all our Gano programs, and has been a tremendous help in working with center leaders to find ways to improve our programs. A few months ago we approached Anai with an opportunity to get certified as a Food Manager, and without hesitation she accepted the challenge. She enrolled in the certification training and passed with a great score. Jeff, our Executive Director, congratulated her and named her “Jefa de la Cocina” which means 'Boss of the Kitchen'. This meant a lot to Anai and has since lived up to the title, doing her best to keep the kitchen in top shape and leading a staff of volunteers.

This is the first time one of our community members has been certified as a Food Manager. Help us in congratulating Anai for her accomplishment. Many people who participate in our programs rave about the quality of food they receive through our kitchen. Anai is now a leader that the Lord is using to touch the lives of many other people. To God be the glory!!

El Dia de Los Niños at Joy Center

In the month of April we began seeing the success of our community outreach when 52 children came to our special 'El Dia de Los Niños' or 'Day of the Child' program on April 30. It is an annual tradition that began in Mexico in 1925. This year we celebrated it at Joy with pizza, candy, gifts, a piñata, and an awesome ride in a train custom made by Pastor Ernesto!

The children also learned about how God changed Saul to become Paul, the apostle that wrote 1/3 of the books of the New Testament. They learned that, if God can change Saul’s life, he can change our lives as well. We had an amazing time and loved seeing all the kids with a smile on their faces. In fact, their happiness was so contagious that it brought the adults back to fond memories of their own childhood.

Please continue to pray that the Lord will continue to draw children and youth to the Joy Center as we reach out to the communities and schools in the area.

Compassion Through Dinnerware

This month, the Compassion Center received a donation of an entire semi-truck full of plates and bowls - 1,728 sets to be exact! At first we were a bit disappointed that we didn't receive a variety of things, but the Lord had a plan in mind. With Mothers' Day quickly approaching, our Compassion Center partners (including our own Joy and Gano Mission Centers) were excited they would have something very special to give to all the moms at their programs and outreach events in May. The Lord also set up volunteers ahead of time, knowing we would need lots of help to get the dinnerware ready for distribution. United City Church and Second Baptist Church had set dates to serve with us several months ago, so the timing was perfect for them to help us with it.

Immediately we saw what God can do with an abundance of one item. One of our churches, FBC Plum Grove - Español, used them at an outreach event in April. They were praying that at least one new family they reached at the event would come to their church the next day. When Sunday came, there was not just one, but six families from the outreach event that came to church that morning! It truly shows the power of God to take something as simple as a truckload of dinnerware to make such a positive Kingdom impact. Please pray that God continues to deliver donated goods on a regular basis to The Compassion Center to reach more and more people with the love, mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.

María Luisa Almaraz

Sister María Luisa Almaraz came to the Joy Mission Center in Houston in 2019. As a volunteer, she only attended 1 day a week since her job - caring for an older adult - did not allow her to come more often. But in her heart was a strong desire to serve God. She was patient and prayed that if God wanted her to serve more time at the Joy Center, that He would take away her job.

While she was praying one day, the people she worked for told her they could no longer pay her salary, and her response was GLORY TO GOD!! The person asked her, "Why do you thank God, since you won't have a job?" María told him, "I've been praying to God to confirm if it was His will to allow me to volunteer more days at Joy Mission Center. Today He answered my prayers!"

In the month of March 2024 María began a new Bible study at Joy and it is growing. She is very happy, knowing that God gave her what she desired in her heart. We're happy, too, because God gave us a new Joy Center team member to help make disciples.

Thanks To MCH Classic Sponsors and Donors

120 golfers enjoyed playing in our annual golf tournament at Cypresswood Golf Club's Tradition course. After a massive downpour the night before, ending about 2 hours before the event began, God cleared the skies for the 29th annual MCH Classic. The winning team, who was also crowned as this year's Church Champions, was Declaration Church. Everyone had a wonderful time, and we want to thank each and every one of you who contributed to the success of the tournament. Thanks to your support and generosity, you've been instrumental in helping us to continue making investments in the lives of those we aim to assist.

We are grateful to all the volunteers who served alongside our staff to make it a truly enjoyable event. Special thanks goes to Network Funding for once again being our lead sponsor. In addition, we thank Stellar Bank for being our shirt sponsor, Specialized Power Logistics and Champion Forest Baptist Church as our golf ball sponsors, Trinity Pines Conference Center for sponsoring golf divot tools, Joe Dutton and Lil Bros Food Truck for being our lunch sponsors, and Twin Eagle Resource Management and the Brame family for sponsoring the snacks and beverages.