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Our small group is really excited about the opportunity to serve with Araminta rescuing girls from human trafficking right here in our community. A group home is being set up to house some of these girls, and our small group helped supply some of the baby furniture needed in the home. Ten of us went to the house on Saturday, March 10 to assist in putting things together, making beds, unloading furniture, hanging blinds, and much more. We had a blast serving together and blessing these girls whom we will probably never know.

212 is about being generous in radical ways. I don’t know if spending your Saturday and a little money helping someone you’ll never meet is considered radical, but it certainly was rewarding. We had a blast hanging out together knowing we were doing something that will really make a difference in the lives of these girls. Our small group would like to challenge you to find a way to be generous today.

CCC was so generous supporting Araminta’s first action night!  Thanks to everyone who came out and asked themselves the question, “What can I do to help?”  This was a 212 moment for me and all of the Araminta team as we saw over 200 people from local churches show up on February 17^th.  We felt so blessed to be able to help guide folks that had their hearts broken over this issue of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking and to give them action steps to respond to that ache.  As a group, we all could relate to that frustration of finding out about something so dark and horrific that you think you can’t bear to look at it or be exposed to it as you hear the stories.  But then God….

This is the beautiful way that God has carried us in this.  We start with praise and worship always!  We center our hearts and minds on Christ and His redeeming love and almighty power to heal and transform.  Love that doesn’t fail and hope that won’t give up is the driving force.  And lots of prayer!  It’s a privilege and an honor to have so many members of Community Christian Church deciding to turn up the heat and live radically generous lives in this way!  God continually has blown me away with the ways He provides the right people at the right time when we need them most.  David mentioned this in the 3^rd week of the GPS series- “Principle #3- God’s plan is to have the right person in the right place for His right purposes.”  He has faithfully shown us how He does that in our journey so far.  It’s great to know that God is always with you…working even when you wait in the dark!

Thank you CCC for all your prayers, support and generosity!

There is one more opportunity to get involved this Thursday, March 8^th, Araminta is having one last Action Night before the next levels begin March 22^nd.  If this is something you wanted to check out but missed the last one, come out March 8^th 7-8:30pm to 1^st Lutheran Church, 40E Burke Ave. in Towson, MD 21286.  Registration opens at 6:30pm and space is limited so please RSVP to .

I received a phone call last week from one of CCC’s partner schools asking for our help. One of their families, who had been homeless, recently secured a residence. This is exciting news; however, they were inundated with bed bugs. The little kids were getting eaten up by the bugs, and the family was trying to save up enough money to pay for the extermination. We put a quick message out to our small groups and ministry volunteers, and people stepped up right away with donations. When I called the mother to tell her CCC was going to pay for the extermination, she was ecstatic. She could not believe it. I contacted the exterminating company to work out the details, and the salesman was amazed that our church was so generous.

One more story of how generosity is making a difference in people’s lives.  Way to turn up the heat CCC! We’re influencing our community!

Leigh Ann Hawkey