Thank you for your faithfulness to Branches. We have made it through a busy summer, an active hurricane season, and a hectic new school year. This is the season of change. We don't have changes in our leaves (they are always green), but Shaq is now part of the Miami Heat and there is a new coach for the Dolphins. But, also at Branches there have been many changes.

In September we started a Family Literacy Program. We are partnering with Miami Dade College, Kendall Campus. Adults can come Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00-9:00 p.m. to learn English or study for their GED. We have also hired a teacher from Florida City Elementary to work with the children. (This is all funded through a grant that MDC received from the state). At the end of the night the parents and children come together and do an activity together. It is great!

For a long time I have been praying for something new at Branches. We do great things for our community, but I just felt the need for a new challenge. I always tell the youth to be careful what you pray for. There are about 40 adults enrolled in the classes. They are so eager to learn. After working hard all day out in the sun the adults run home and shower and then come to Branches for the classes. I love to see them learn. It is hard for many of them. Some of them have had no formal education, so we have to start at the beginning. There is an incredible mix of people and it brings me great joy to see Ginnette, an older Haitian woman, receiving help from Cruz, a young man from Mexico.

But is has been a lot of extra work for me getting it off the ground. I am not sure what I thought working with a big institution like Miami Dade College would be like, but there is a lot of red tape. Part of the program is a family outing once a month. It is funded in the grant and is meant to encourage family activities and provide opportunities to practice English. Our first trip was to be to the Miami Metro Zoo. We had everything planned for October 30. Then two days before we were to take our trip I received a phone call from the Director of the program and he told me that we couldn't go. He said the administration would not release the funds for the trip from the grant because the other two sites were not running yet. I was shocked because we had been promoting this for weeks. It was not the director's fault, and he said that he woudl come and tell the class the trip was cancelled.

I often speak without thinking. I would like to say it is divine inspiration from the Holy Spirit, but it could just be foolishness. I said we were going. I told him I was not sure how we would pay for the tickets and bus, but that there was no way we could go back on our word. Really all I could think of was Don Luis (Don is a title of respect in Spanish). He is from El Salvador and has lived here in Florida City for about 18 years. He is well into his 60s. He is the grandfather of several of our Branches kids and is faithful to the English classes. He works seven days a week in the packing house and doing odd jobs for the farmer. He has started to come to the Spanish worship service and works with my husband to run the soccer league. Don Luis took a day off work so he could go to the zoo. He had never been to a zoo, ever. I knew we must go on the trip. We made several phone calls to the zoo to no avail and then we started to call our faithful supporters of Branches. Even the teachers of the English class donated money for the trip. It was amazing. When I think of the trip and our motley crew looking at the animals my heart is warmed.

I go to the zoo all the time with Noah and Caleb, but this was a different experience. We stopped at each exhibit and talked and talked. It was great! Everyone had a wonderful time and they can't wait for the next trip. Don Luis keeps asking me when we can go back to the zoo. Wow!

Again thanks for all you do for Branches. We are making a difference in ways that we may never understand.
In Christ,

Kim