Summers are busy at Dribble for Destiny.  Camps take over and when we're not running camps in the Greenville area, we're traveling to other states to run them there.  Prison work is generally peppered in.  This summer the sport of curling was added as well.  In June we had the opportunity to represent the Palmetto Curling Club (Greenville, SC) in Lansing, MI, at the National Arena Curling Championships.  Curling is a sport generally played in colder climates, so for SC to have a club is novel in itself.  Yes, we love competition.  Yes, we love to win!  But we participate in order to meet new people and to share with them what is more important in our lives.  Our team fared okay in the championships - three of us are new to the sport and only our skip was a seasoned curler.  We played four draws and competed in every one, beating Virginia.  After each draw both teams meet in a "warm room" and visit.  The next week we were heading to Richmond, VA, to run a basketball camp, so when that was mentioned, the Virginia team invited us to come to curl with them.  What a great opportunity!  Following the Virginia camp we were headed straight to Charlotte, NC, to work with Bill Glass' prison ministry, Champions for Life.

Camp in Virginia started and was filled with 40 kids.  Thursday night rolled around and we got ready to curl - 90 degrees outside and we were bundled up for the ice!  Once we got to the ice rink we were told that the curling club no longer curled at that rink.  The new rink was 40 minutes in the other direction.  By this time we were going to be considerably late and ice time is expensive.  We got in the car, plugged in the address, and the GPS said no address existed.  Tried again...6 times we tried...typed it, spoke it, typed it again...  It was becoming obvious that we were not going to curl that night.  Sherri said, "I think the Lord is telling us to go have a nice dinner and witness to the waiter." 

There was a restaurant close to our host family that offered great Mediterranean food and nothing sounded better!  As we sat down at the table, the waitress came over and asked where we were from.  When we said South Carolina she said she'd just been to Myrtle Beach for bike week and we told her that we worked with a lot of bikers in prisons.  Her face lit up and she said, "Prisons?  My co-worker here works in prisons."  It was just a few minutes and Angela, her co-worker, was at our table.  She said she'd heard we worked in prisons and she was the volunteer coordinator at a prison near Richmond.  After telling her what we did, we gave her a card, and she went back to work.  After another few minutes she was back at the table and said, "I've just looked at your website and I love what you do!  I've been praying for a group like yours to come talk to my guys.  Do you think you can work something out?" 

Do we think we can work something out?  The next day we would be with the head of Bill Glass Prison Ministry.  We would be with men and women that have given it all up in order minister to those incarcerated.  How about this question..."Do you think God is working something out?"  Sherri spoke with Tully on Friday and found out that one of Bill Glass' coordinators was now over the state of Virginia!  God was at work.

Fully prepared to curl that Thursday night, we soon learned that God had another plan.  We didn't know that plan at the time, but we were being obedient to go to the last place He told us to go.  In that obedience, He redirected us. 

You never know what is going to be right around the next corner.  If He says, "Go!", don't delay.  Go!  Your life is blessed, your faith is increased, and doors open that you could never imagine opening on your own.

We're looking forward to going back to Virginia for prison ministry!  We might even curl!

God is so good. His plans are deeply rooted in the details of our lives. Every single part of them. When my family was here this past week and a half celebrating my parents' 60th anniversary, Dad and I were talking about floaters I had in my right eye. Having recently been diagnosed with macular degeneration, he encouraged me to get my eyes checked immediately. That scared me. Going to doctors is not something I enjoy doing and researching to find the right one was something I had no time for. Sherri and I wracked our brains trying to think about kids in our program who might have a dad who was an eye doctor. I'd heard about a group of doctors in the Greenville area that were heavily involved in mission work and decided to take a look at them online. The first one listed caught my attention...grew up as a missionary kid in Brasil (I lived in Brasil and served as a missionary there); did extensive mission work in China (my oldest daughter, too, did extensive work in China); still loved serving in foreign countries (I still love going as well). Dr. Bostrom. He must be the one, so I called to make my appointment. This was on Wednesday. On Thursday we were closing a basketball camp and as I was writing names on basketballs to give away to campers, I was checking them off. Cole Bostrom. No way! Cole came in and as I handed him his basketball I asked, "Cole, what does your dad do for a living?" His answer? "He's an eye doctor." Today I visited with Dr. Bostrom and was so encouraged with not only his diagnosis, but his sweet heart for helping others gain not only physical sight, but spiritual sight as well.

In that same camp where we met Cole, we had a hearing impaired camper with a cochlear implant as well as a hearing aid. As long as he could see your face, he could read your lips and all was fine. As part of our day, we show portions of a basketball movie directly related to life issues. The first day we got the video rolling and all went great. What we hadn't realized, though, was that Spencer had had some issues earlier in the day and had been embarrassed in some games and was hoping that something in day two would help heal the wounds. When we started the video on day two, subtitles appeared out of nowhere. What Spencer couldn't understand the day before, God took care of. We didn't put subtitles on there. There was no remote to the TV/DVD player. Subtitles simply showed up. That movie has been shown numerous times at numerous camps. Never, not one other time, have subtitles shown up. Not until one little boy, precious in God's sight, needed them to appear.

These are small lessons, and yet they are great lessons. Our very beings are intricately made and designed by a Creator that cares so deeply for us. It is often in simple little measures that we are reminded of His great love for us. I am learning to not take one single thing for granted...the gift of sight and the gift of hearing. And I'm thankful for the sweet kids along the way that serve as great reminders!

Boost Post

Isaiah 61:1 – “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”
 
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me…”  What a wonderful promise! 
And what a blessing to be sent to the brokenhearted, the captives, and the prisoners! 
 
The end of that verse sounds anything but joyful and glamorous.  And yet the joy that comes from going to those people is beyond comparison.  Many times it’s dark and dirty.  In fact, most times it’s dark and dirty.  Free, clean public bathrooms don’t exist in Ukraine.  Squat pots are the norm and anyone privy to the culture will have remembered to bring along some toilet paper. Many days the meals are
unrecognizable. But to see a person’s face light up when a ball spins on their finger or they hear that God loves them and has a plan for their lives is worth any discomfort because “the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me.”
 
Sitting in a crowded bus for over eleven hours traveling from Ukraine into Poland might threaten to rip a little joy out of one’s life.  Looking into the cold eyes of a female Ukrainian guard and realizing that her name may not have ever been uttered
before the throne of God rips even deeper.  Even if you can’t talk to her because the language barrier doesn’t allow it, the greater risk is the razor sharp glare from her dares you to speak a word.  So, quietly, God’s Sovereign Spirit is asked to rest upon her life.  The joy returns in knowing that He hears.  His ability to touch her heart is far greater than any we can imagine.  How we long for her to know His Joy!
 
To walk where over one million Jews were led to horrific living conditions and eventual death brought closer to home the message that we are commissioned to share.  Even 68 years after the last prisoners were liberated, Auschwitz still has an effect on lives.  The stories are heartbreaking and the pictures are gut wrenching.  There are other stories, however, of those that proclaimed freedom while held captive by the Nazis in concentration camps.  We were privileged to visit Corrie ten Boom’s home in Haarlem, Holland, and stand in the Hiding Place where she and her family hid Jews from the Nazis before they themselves were imprisoned.  Even in prison they continued to proclaim freedom for the captives.  
  
That is the freedom we long to share.  That is the message we proclaim.  And we are blessed!

Thank you for a fabulous week of basketball camp at BSUMC.  You do an amazing job of sharing the love of Christ through basketball.  Mary Frances learned so much about teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship in one short week.  Blessings to you and your staff as you minister to children in the Upstate this summer.

You guys capped off our season perfectly.  I heard so many positive comments from so many parents, grandparents, and others.  My son said he had a great night and was practicing his ball spinning the whole way home  :)  The Upward Celebration always leaves me on such a high!  An exhausted high, but a high no less.  Thank you for all your do...

Jim

I just wanted to thank you again for coming out to Centreville Friday night. The 
kids (and adults) absolutely loved the show - I heard parents talking in the 
hallways on Saturday about how impressed they were. I know we briefly talked 
about doing some banners for Dribble 4 Destiny. I am definitely interested
and am eager to help you all in any way I can. Thanks again and I look
forward to hearing from you!

Zack

This is a letter from a sweet grandmother we had the privilege to meet during a recent prison week-end.  She was at the caretaker's portion of Forgiven Ministry's program while her granddaughter was behind prison walls visiting her dad for the day.  Thank you for joining us in praying for precious mothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others that are caring for the children as their dad is incarcerated.  They truly are heroes!

Sherry and Lisa thank you so much for giving of yourself to make our day with dad a wonderful experience. My grandaugter had not been able to do this since 2005 with her dad. And her mother is serving a 18 flat sentence.  My granddaughter will be 24 when she gets out. I have had her since she was 2 and a half.  My precious angel, my son, my sister and myself truly enjoyed you both. Thanks for loving our inmates.

This letter is from the wife of an inmate we recently met while ministering behind prison walls.  What a sweet testimony!  Names have been changed...

Hello,                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
 
My  Name is Tonya, my son and I were at  the camp this weekend in Texas. I would just like to say Thank you so much for this great day! There was a lot of emotion for us this weekend. I cried all day at the camp that we had at the  church. Hearing other stories was just so sad, I learned a lot. I would like to share a story that I couldn’t really say out loud without me just crying there at the church. Here is my story:  I had just got a new home with my husband and everything was as happy as can be when I moved into my house I found out that I was pregnant, it was the happiest time in our lives. When my son was
6 ½ months old my husband when out with friends and had a lot to drink made the biggest mistake of his life and ended up in prison with a 35 year sentence. I went into shock; I started to have anxiety attacks, depression, hate, anger. I
was very upset with GOD and couldn’t understand why this had happened, why I was feeling this way? There was a lot whys? I had to sell a lot of things from our home and do lots of changes. It was a very difficult time for me. One day my
sister-n-law told me GOD wouldn’t give you anything you could not handle. I didn’t really understand that, I was like what do you mean? She said there are always people in this world that have it worse than us. And things could have
been a lot worse. It was just hard for me to understand what she was trying to tell me. She said I know my brother is in prison but he’s still alive. I said ok to myself and thought she has a point. Even though I have all this pain in me I decided hey GOD gave me a son just as this happened. And I know that I have to be strong and move forward with my life and do everything in my power and strength to be a good mom to my son. No matter what happened I have always tried my best to take my son to visit his dad and to be there for him. There was times when I was so angry at him but just kept everything inside of me, because we have a son that needs all the love that he can get. 
 
God has given me a wonderful son.  He is 8 years old right now; an “A” Student who loves school very much his favorite
subject is math. He loves and can play basketball like you couldn’t believe. He is a big Kobe Bryant fan from the Los Angeles Lakers. I get letters from school that he is a great student, respectful, organized and receives many awards. We
are very proud of him. My parents, brothers, grandmas, in-laws, have been very supported of me and have helped me with my son very much. Without them I don’t know what else what have kept me so strong. We are all very much involved in his
life and keep him busy with his sports and activities.

Well the main part I wanted to share with you was that when this camp came up my husband signed up for it was very excited, there was a sign or letter or something there at the prison at had a list of inmates that where approved. He did not see his name and was very disappointed. My son and I have been going to church and been praying a lot that one day my son would have another opportunity like that to go spend time with his dad as the one my husband had mentioned about. All of a sudden One day I’m here at work and I had a voice mail from a lady named Brenda with a prison ministry. When I heard the message she says “just calling to confirm that your son will be able to attend the one day camp with his father”. When I heard this message I just couldn’t believe it. I called back right away and was like really is he approved. Brenda called me back
and said let me call the prison and make sure everything is ok and I’ll call you back in about a week or so. I was still very nervous and didn’t know if I should tell my son or not. Brenda actually called me back later that day and said yes
your husband is approved. After that call I was in the internet trying to get a flight out to San Antonio. I couldn’t believe it the flights where $69 each way to go out there. Everything was happening so fast, My parents and brother where
excited and decided to fly up there with me to make sure my son and I were going to be ok, they didn’t want us to go by ourselves cause it was a long way that we came. As they day got closer I called Brenda again, She probably that I was
crazy cause I was like ok so we are approved right. I guess I just wanted her to tell me a hundred times. Well as the day comes we are finally here at the  Church, my mom drops my son and I off. As we are going in my son and I are very
nervous. My mind is going like a hundred miles an hour. Because this is the first time my husband and Son are going to have a lot of time, and bond with each other. All my son has ever had was to talk to him though a glass window in
jail and then when we would have to travel very far to see him for 2 days for  four hours in prison, sure he got to hug him and hold him but never do anything else with him. He was nervous also he didn’t want to eat he just wanted to go
with his dad. Well we get all registered in and we meet two wonderful volunteers that were to be with my son the whole time their names are Rhonda and Jack, very very nice people. We got to talk and get to know each other. Then they took my
son to see his dad. I gave my son a big hug and kiss and told him you have a great day with your dad son. As I sat in the First Baptist Church all I could think of what my son was doing, and feeling.  Getting this chance to be with his dad was like all of our dreams come true. We watched the videos and I just started to cry and cry there in my chair. I just really listened to everything that was going on in there.  Everyone was so nice, everyone going through pain in their lives in different ways but all they
same emotion. As I sat there I felt GOD next to me, as all these years I have blinded myself to realize that he has also been there for me. I mean yes I’m a single parent but I have a great Gift my son. I realized GOD brought me here today, he approved this visit for us, and one thing I couldn’t get over was a lot of the camp dealt with basketball. My son is really a great basketball player and he has always wanted his dad to see him play. As it was time to see pictures of the kids with their dads, I see basketballs going and I’m in complete shock , GOD has gave my son the chance to at least dribble the ball for
his dad. Then they say there are girls from the Olympics that are performing basketball tricks. I was just blown away. I was like my son is there with his dad and there is basketball involved, wow GOD did all this for him. I was just so happy and in tears about the whole time I was there in church. This weekend was very powerful for me I felt GOD right next to me, to give my son the opportunity to bond with his dad was just amazing I can’t even begin to explain it. GOD is so powerful! This was something that just hit me like a lighten bolt, everything was just so nice, made me see life in a whole different view. I feel a lot of pain, hate and anger that has been lifted off my back. 
 
When my son came out of the prison he walked up to me hugged me so tight and just cried and cried his eyes out. He couldn’t even explain to me what kind of day he had with his dad, for the first time in his life he had that chance to just eat, play, and enjoy his dad. He was so thankful, he told me he had the best day in his life….Jack told me as he gave me my son, he said you have a wonderful son; it was an amazing day for all of us. He said your son is good with a basketball; he did get a little disappointed that he couldn’t make a basket for his dad. But he had a great time. I gave Jack and Rhonda a big hug
and told them thank you so much. Everyone was so wonderful. The next day I got to visit with my husband he was so happy, I have never seen a big smile on his face like I did this Sunday. I just wanted to thank you Scottie from the bottom
of my heart, my husband’s heart, and my sons heart for putting this program together, you’re a wonderful person, I wish I had the chance to personally thank you and give you the biggest hug ever. You have really impacted our lives with
great happiness, and so many others in this world. In these 8 years that my husband has been in prison, I have never felt the way I feel now. We have accepted GOD into our hearts and lives and will never turn back; we will continue to move forward.  Thank you for all the wonderful gifts and for you being the person you are!! I could keep going on and on. But I will end this long letter now. 
                         
Love, 

Tonya