Gymnastics

Started Gracie in a tots gymnastics since she's such a monkey, so flexible, and is so strong. She loves it- no more mom and tots one. She goes in on her own and loves it!

Precious of Joey and Gracie

What good friends!

Update from last weekend

We had a fantastic weekend highlighting the "Plight of the Orphan". We had over 125 people fill out response cards that they wanted to be involved in some way with orphans. Over 50 families came forward to be prayed over, as they sensed God moving them to adopt! Wow! We also raised $17,000 for seed money for the adoption assistance fund. There were some awesome videos shown of testimonials of people in our church who have adopted- it was a very moving service. Kirk shared our story of Gracie- he barely made it through the first service- I thought I may have to go up and finish his sermon!

So, now the work really begins for our Miracle 1:27 Adoption Team. We've got monthly adoption support meetings planned, planning a trip to Haiti in the summer for an outreach to the orphanage, setting up people to help mentor those wanting to adopt, working with Project 127 to help with foster care, and finding out what the needs are here locally for material supplies and clothing for foster kids and group homes. I think I'm working myself into a job again! I have never been able just to be at home, without having some involvement in the church, community, or schools.

But, this has truly been a time for me of feeling like I've found my purpose here in Grand Junction. It's taken 15 months for me to final settle into being here. For the first time, I can actually say that I am enjoying being here and that Canyon View is my church. That is a big deal for me! I could have never envisioned what God had planned for an adoption ministry here, much less my involvement in it! I tell Gracie it's all HER fault- ha!

Now Kirk thinks that I should start my own adoption agency! Boy, he sure is a man of vision huh! Don't know about that one.

The Yamo Kids

Children in Crisis

For the last 10 months, I have gathered together a team of 4-5 couples to meet together to brainstorm and create vision for a new adoption/orphan ministry. We've set up our mission statement, short term and long term goals. We've talked to various churches, ministries, organizations, agencies etc. to help us form what we believe God wants us to do here at Canyon View Vineyard Church. And we've prayed! We also invited some folks from an orphanage in Haiti to come and talk to the church. (We raised over $18,000 that weekend to give to their orphanage!) God is on the move! We have an exciting weekend ahead of us! We will be having a Children in Crisis" expo to showcase 15 organizations to help people find their place in caring for orphans. Kirk has been doing a series on Social Justice and the people are GETTING IT! People are hungry and excited to do something about the injustices in the world and here at home. The staff has spearheaded a "Backpack Program" to feed children and their families on the weekends. We as a church have adopted 3 elementary schools and are giving backpacks full of food to over 600 kids each weekend. We will be partnering with the orphanage in Haiti (For His Glory Orphanage) and sending teams there to help them, as well as encouraging people to adopt kids. My vision has been to see many kids come to the same community from the same orphange- so they can continue to see each other and build community here. Our goal as a church is to adopt 100 orphans (domestically and internationally) by the end of 2010.

So, my heart is excited to see how God has used our heart for orphans (because of Gracie) to start something that could turn out to be so huge here! Praise God! Stay Tuned.

Trip to Japan and Thailand

Kirk and Joey leave on Sunday for Japan and Thailand. Here's an itinerary of their trip, if you'd like to follow them and pray for them. It's a really exciting time for both of them!

Nov 9-11 traveling from the states to Japan (leave 7 am Nov 10)
Nov 12 – go to a park to see Japanese houses, catch up on sleep, watch the Gospel Choir practice, and go out to eat with them (over ½ non Christians) By the way, these missionaries we are visiting are using black gospel music to evangelize the youth in Japan!
Nov 13 - see Tokyo, emperor's palace, Ginza, and a major youth hangout
Nov 14 – See Mt Fuji, prayer walk and Worship, prayer and Ministry time
Nov 15 – shopping, seminars on missions, servant evangelism, go to a Japanese-Brazilian meeting on that evening at a YMCA, Kirk to share at the service
Nov. 16 - we will be doing three services. in the afternoon will try to get in another seminar on Kingdom Ministry, hopefully the "Sunday Funday "program with games and bible time
Nov 17 - Prayer walk, Outreach, meeting on a church plant they are planning.
Nov 18 we will leave for Thailand. (Chang Mai)
Nov 19 we will travel to Ben Den and do the Evening service.
Nov. 20 travels to Hui Gai Pa and the School Assembly of games, skit and ministry time
Nov. 21 traveling to Burma and Worship with the Brumish people.
Nov 22. we will be doing a Seminar Day, prayer walking
Nov 23 we will be at a Local Church service, ministry time
Nov 25-26 travel back home – arrive at noon Nov 26

Lots more Pictures

Check out our gallery of pictures at http://gallery.me.com/janeyamo
I'll be uploading all of our pictures to this web site, so you can see lots more pictures of the family. You can email, download, or save any of these pictures if you'd like to. They will be in various folders that I will continue to add to. Enjoy!