"Y on the fly".

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

It has been a few days since I talked with you.

I had a busy week, but a good one. 

A week full of hard things.

A week full of fun things.

A week full of signs and wonders.

During the midst of my week, the snow cone machine came in.

Archibald had requested a snow cone machine for the Mobile Swim Lesson program.

For so many years, we had been proud that we had such a successful summer lunch program and gave away free swim lessons to those who did not have the financial means to do a "Pay for Play" program. 

We serve thousands of meals and teach hundreds of kids to swim every summer at our YMCA.

Then God nudged me; God can be annoying sometimes.

God said, "Roger, why are you making people cross a food desert to get to a food oasis? Why are you asking people to cross a swim desert to get to a swimming oasis?"

God caused me to take a good hard look around and at myself. 

I got a bus and created the Mobile food and mobile swim lesson program. 

I called it "The 'Y' without walls."

When the entire association adopted the program, marketing got involved; the name changed to "Y on the fly." 

There is a reason I am not in marketing. 

We now take meals and swim lessons across the desert and create an oasis where those in need are!

All I need is a spot to park a short bus. 

All I need is a bit of water. 

The aquatics team and I have created a relationship with a properties management group with 14 properties across Vancouver. 

I asked him, "How many of those properties have a pool?"

He replied, "All of them."

We are in Ridgefield. 

We now have more pool space and participants than we have instructors. 

We are training like crazy.

The Mobile Food bus has grown into a true oasis.

We bring our Youth Development program; we bring our Healthy Living and Aquatics program across the desert and create an oasis where people in need are in the midst of the desert.

Moses crossed a desert.

Jesus spent time in a desert.

We are in good company being in the desert.

Do you have a desert where you live?

Is there someone that can help you in the midst of your desert?

Are you that someone?

Something to Ponder.

Blessings,

Roger