You don't have to be a young person to go to college. you just have to be a person who's teachable.
When the YWAP Director goes to Erie Community College in Buffalo, he listens and learns from the students.
After two days at the College Health Fair, the students learned about community serving opportunities at YWAP.
Plenty of ECC Teachers and students are making positive impacts on the City of Buffalo. Thank you Professor Pamela Simmeth for inviting YWAP to your college. Several students signed up to learn more about serving the Western New York Community through YWAP and the organizations we collaborate with.

  You generally don't get to see what happens behind the scenes at big events with lots of people.
  When a government official shows up, they stay for a bit, smile and leave. They're busy and attend a lot of events.
  As soon as Buffalo City Comptroller Mark Schroeder arrives, he smiles and goes to work serving people.
  Plenty of people smile, but Mark is a rare bird who smiles and serves simultaneously. Last night he delivered spaghetti dinners to folks who couldn't get out to attend our Christmas Celebration. Thanks Mark for making all of our events extra special.

You would think maybe the snow would keep folks home. Not in Buffalo!
When you gather the top collaborators in a City, the impact of compassion is extraordinary.
As the snowflakes outside fell outside on city streets, the smiles inside the Bread of Life Center of Hope grew wider.
Presents, food , blood pressure readings, Police (serving), college students, clergy, volunteers from all over WNY came to serve and pray at the 17th None Like You & YWAP Community Christmas Celebration.
     Thank you to everyone who came to get blessed and the volunteers who blessed them. 

Young guys and old-heads came together for an honest and transparent discussion on how to improve as men.
When guys are still shooting each other, disrespecting ladies and abandoning children, something has to change.
A lot of men grow up without fathers to guide them into becoming better men who are responsible dads.
Preventing future fatherlessness begins with teaching young men how they can become great dads. That was the focus of our two day conference at the Bread of Life called: "How To Be A Great Dad."
          The feedback has been positive from those who attended and those who watched the Live Video Feed. We need to be proactive in teaching young men about the benefits of becoming great dads who honor women and become responsible, nurturing and loving fathers to their children.
          Please let us know if your organization would like to sponsor a Great Dads Program. 

You could tell it was Christmas season from the lyrics and minstrels melodies on the last First Saturday of 2018. 
"What Wondrous Love Is This" was played beautifully by Miss Julie on the flute.
Alleluia, The Old Rugged Cross, I Will Testify of Love, Mary Did You Know, were among the many songs.
Plenty of food was left over from the "How To Be A Great Dad" conference held at the Bread of Life earlier in the day. The Bread of Life is a hopping place in many different ways serving the community. 

Young people can learn a lot from stories in the Bible like David and Goliath.
When a master teacher like Tom Burger brings a story alive, it's easy for them to listen and learn.
A lot of folks get prideful when they listen to people give them praise. David avoided that temptation.
Pride and picking the wrong battles can destroy the potential that God has for your life.
          Tom did a great job keeping the young people focused. He had them laughing, listening and learning. It was a beautiful night in the YWAP neighborhood! Tom is also the creator of the Bible Leadership Booklets that we use at YWAP. The young folks were impressed with Tom and let him know it with their applause.
          How To Be A Great Dad is a two day seminar being held on Nov. 30, 6-9 PM & Dec. 1, 9 AM - 3 PM at The Bread of Life, 1638 South Park Avenue in Buffalo, NY. Tom is the curriculum creator for this program as well. Thank you Tom Burger for coming all the way to Buffalo from North Carolina to help teach men how to MAN-UP and be the men that God designed them to be.

     Young men and getting older men can benefit from a prayer the size of a peanut.
     When you pray, it doesn't have to be long winded or take a lot of time.
     Asking God for help can be a small prayer with large results.
     Please pray that God would move upon the hearts of men to attend "How To Be A Great Dad."
     George Washington Carver found over 300 uses for a peanut. George was a praying man who found answers to prayer through God. [Being a godly man, he prayed that God would reveal to him the secrets of the universe. He told his friends that God replied, "Little man, you're too small to grasp the secrets of the universe. But I will show you the secret of the peanut."] - Legacy of George Washington Carver 
     The causes of fatherlessness are many, the answer to the problems caused by fatherlessness is a Father's Love.
We're asking you to prayer a small peanut sized prayer that we believe can touch the lives of countless men, women and children. We've developed a program called "How To Be A Great Dad." It teaches men how to respect themselves, honor women and be responsible for their children. God has a plan and a purpose for families - a plan that includes fathers & mothers and sons & daughters. 
     Your prayer might be as small as this: "God please help men attend How To Be A Great Dad. Amen." This will take you about five seconds - a small amount of time, but your prayer has the potential to change billions of lives - that's the ripple effect of a peanut prayer. If you plant them, they will grow. Have faith in the field.​

      A two-day conference where guys will help each other discover what it means to become a great dad.
                                Showing gratitude is an important character trait for a great Dad.
          We’d like to say thank you to the following contributors who are making this event possible:
v The Pastors, staff, volunteers and members of the Bread of Life Church.
v The Paul J. Koessler Foundation
v AnchorPoint Ministry
v The Board of Directors at Youth With A Purpose Inc.
v Tom Burger - Author of our Curriculum for “How To Be A Great Dad.”
Our Speakers:
v Rasheed Wyatt – City of Buffalo Council Member
v Mike Lafferty – Bible Teacher, Mentor & Director of the Man Cave at Life Church.
v Leroy Wiggins Jr. -  The Chapel, Cheektowaga Campus Pastor & Men’s Ministry Pastor.
v Don Schiemant – Pastor & Director of The Healing Rooms of Buffalo Niagara.
v Charles Walker – Pastor & Manager of the Back To Basics Re-entry Program,
President United Coalition of Churches and Brotherhood.
v Luther K. Robinson – Doctor, Jericho Road Community Health Center, Associate Pastor,
Spirit of Truth Urban Ministry.
v William Coplin – Pastor & Program Director, Urban Christian Ministries, Director,
Brothers With A Purpose Mentoring Program.
v Tom Burger – Director, AnchorPoint Ministry
v Bob Kuebler Director, Youth With A Purpose Inc.
      “Great Dads are born as they struggle and learn from their mistakes. Teachable men have the potential to become Great Dads.  A Great Dad is simply a Father who loves his children and desires to know how to love them more.”
      Men aren't born with a guide on how to be great dads. A dad is supposed to love children and respect women. It's fun to be a dad. It's challenging, and it takes effort. At this conference, you’ll learn how to be a dad your kids will follow as a good role model. You’ll learn how to honor women and partner with them in raising respectful children.
        
 Fri. Nov. 30, 6 PM – 9 PM Sat. Dec 1, 9 AM – 3 PM The Bread of Life Church 1638 South Park Ave, Buff, NY. This is a free event for guys 12 yrs. old and up, but we need to plan for your meals so please PRE-REGISTER 716-830-8240. Dinner Fri. 6 PM, Breakfast Sat. 9 AM, Lunch Sat. 12 PM. Your meals & the Great Dads Program Book are provided to you for free. You are welcome to donate or purchase books in support of our mentoring programs.
 
“To the fatherless he is a father. To the widow he is a champion friend.
    To the lonely he gives a family. To the prisoners he leads into prosperity until they sing for joy.”
Psalm 68:5-6 The Passion Translation
 Jesus Loves You And So Do We. #JLYASDW

outh With A Purpose attended a City of Buffalo Town Hall Meeting addressing community concerns.
When the community comes together in with the desire of collaboration, the conversation is constructive.
Ararat is the mountain where Noah's Ark came to rest after the flood. Folks came to the meeting to rest in unity.
Prayer began the meeting with Mt. Ararat Pastor Brown. Prayer changes things. Prayer moves mountains in a city.
          Violence in our community is always a concern. It's encouraging when leaders like Mayor  Byron Brown DA John Flynn and Rev. James Giles come together to listen to community leaders.       
     Policies and opinions aside, collaboration only happens when folks yield their right to be the only right.
                    The bread of consensus doesn't become a shared meal until all folks sit at the table.
                              YWAP believes change happens when we help young people become:
                                                TRU - Teachable, Reachable and Unbreachable. 

Young people will use their energies to help cook for Thanksgiving this week. (We won't be there to guide them!)
When next week rolls around however, we have a special 9 Minute Life Speaker from North Carolina.
A lot of folks in Buffalo know Tom Burger because he grew up in Lake View, NY.
Please set some time aside to come and see Tom next week.
     Next week will be one of the greatest weeks in YWAP's 18 year history! Tom will speak at Teen Action Night on Thursday. He's also written a program about the best practices of fatherhood from God's perspective. On Friday and Saturday (11/30-12/1) Tom will be one of the speakers at a conference called "How To Be A Great Dad." It's for guys 12 yrs+ who want to learn the best practices of manhood from each other. You will learn how to respect women, partner with them in raising children and how to be a role model that improves children's lives when they follow you. The program is based on the absolute truth of God's plan for men. All guys can learn something and share something that will help other men, whether you are a dad or not. 
     The event is free, the three meals are free and the booklet "How To Be A Great Dad" is free. Tom will also be speaking at the Sunday Service, 10 AM at The Bread Of Life, 1638 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, NY.
For info, call 716-830-8240. ​HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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Young people don't often get to hear from someone who has come back from the brink of death.
When Derek Murphy spoke about his life, he included his history of defeating drug addiction. 
A lot of the credit for being alive, Derek gave credit to his wife and children.
Patience and love are the foundations of comeback stories. Derek gave the greatest credit to God.
          Through his wife, the Buffalo City Mission, the Sons of God Ministry and his family's support, Derek is now living a life of giving back. Thank you Derek for sharing your hear at Teen Action Night. We know your story has left a powerful and lasting impact on young lives.
          Thursday was also special in another couple of ways. The Buffalo Police delivered 30 Free Turkey Dinners  from Day Four of Free Turkey Dinner Week. At the end of the week, 3,001 dinners were served.
​          We also had a Canisius College student come and volunteer as part of a Class Project. Thanks Jacky Lamica for all your help. You formed some beautiful relationships with the young people. We look forward to seeing you next week!