Art & Coffee Nite

Hey all, well I thought I'd catch you up on what has been going on at HB. I'm a little behind, so again, I'm sorry about that, but I promise I'll bring you up to speed! Ok, so last Friday night HB hosted "Off the Beaten Path, Art & Coffee Nite". We basically turned the day center into a little coffee shop/art gallery. The youth were able to showcase their art. It was a great turnout, lots of the youth showed up, and other supporters from the community as well. You could tell the youth really enjoyed it and were having a great time.

One of the TLP residents was brave enough to get on the mic and share her story with us. She shared how she had ended up at TLP. So many times I have heard people say that many Americans are only a few paychecks away from being on the streets. That is exactly what happened to this young woman. She wasn't a bad child with no goals and just floating thru life. She just landed in a rough patch and didn't have any family that could help her get back on her feet. Her story was absolutely inspiring. To hear how she has come back from ending up on the streets. She is now in school and working two jobs trying to get back on her feet. Its times like this I am reminded of what a great thing TLP does. I also have to add that this young lady is one of the most outgoing, friendly and happy young women at TLP right now. She always greets you with a smile. I say this because I have had the privilege of working one on one with her for several weeks and have always been amazed at how driven she is. So you can imagine the surprise when she was sharing her story at the art & coffee nite and she told us that her twin sister had recently died. My heart just broke for her. To be dealing with being homeless and having to mourn the loss of her twin sister and still keep a smile on her face takes strength that I cannot imagine. This young woman is truly an inspiration and I am so incredibly excited to see what God has in store for her.

The rest of the night was very entertaining, filled with paintings, drawings, poetry readings, narratives, and even a stand up comedy routine. The night closed out with "Ms. Beats" (as she is well known) singing "I praise you for who you are". It was absolutely beautiful, and a brave if you ask me. Remember, HB is not a Christian organization. She unashamedly shared a brief version of her testimony before she sang her solo. I'm not gonna lie, I totally teared up. It was beautiful. Time and time again these kids are a reminder of what unwavering faith looks like.

Well, I think those are most of the highlights from art & coffee nite. If you're in Phoenix you should really do yourself a favor and come out to the next one. It will be in November, I'll let you know when we've confirmed the date :)