Prayer List

***UPDATED: Monday, January 10, 2011***

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

UrbanPromise Toronto

• Please pray for food (snacks & dinners) and materials (school & arts and crafts) to still be provided because there is still zero budget for the upcoming semester.
• Praise God for three of my male youth leaders who work for me were recently baptized 
• Please pray for the upcoming semester and the growth of our team (spiritually, in numbers, teaching Bible studies, tutoring, disciplining, new incentive program, etc.) and children (spiritually, academically, behaviour) including their families (financial, domestic peace)
• All the children and leaders from all sites across the GTA were able to get a place and buses for transportation for our Christmas party on Saturday, December 11 at 'Portico - a community church' in Mississauga
• Please pray for one of my male leaders who is growing tremendously but going through a really hard time right now (details cannot be shared)
• Please also pray for the health of two of my female leaders (details also cannot be shared)
• Please pray for three of my kids and their mother...the kids' uncle recently got gunned down 24 times in front of his son. The kids just recently started behaving so much better during our After School Program but are now having a hard time going through this. Praise God though that the mother is very encouraged to hear for the very first time that people are actually praying for her and her family.

MoveIn Toronto

• We now have an official team in Jane & Finch's Milo Park Gate patch meeting weekly on Monday nights for prayer, Bible Study, and food at my apartment.
• Two of the three recently baptized as well as one of my interns from UrbanPromise Toronto have started attending as well.
• Things are still needed to fill up the apartment...but praise God that some people (from Morningstar, MoveIn Toronto, UrbanPromise Toronto and even through Craigslist, Facebook and Twitter) have already donated some things. 
• NEEDS: dining table(s) that seat 10+ people, a 10+ passenger van, rectangular kitchen table and/or cart, foldable chairs and tables, board games (chess, checkers, dominoes, poker and get-to-know-you games), several window blinds, first aid kit and fire extinguisher, djembe drum, electric piano, clothes & food for our clothing & food bank, new toaster, filter for drinking water, ice trays, books (extra Bibles, commentaries, Driver's Education Handbooks, etc.), book shelf, large area rug, all season floor matt, etc.
• We had a temporary tenant (of two months) from a local church who just moved out...where a friend from the South Flemo patch and also a former classmate of mine from Tyndale UC...who sent him to us and was recently saved. He is homeless and broke, he is still learning to get back on his feet and take care of himself. Please pray for continued growth and follow up.

Thank you Missions Teams!

Thank you so much to these two missions teams for their continued help in our After School Program at Camp Freedom...we all really appreciate it. We praise God for all of you!

Tyndale University College's Leading Edge class of 2010-2011

(http://www.tyndale.ca/)

Capernwray Quebec class of 2010-2011

(http://www.capernwrayquebec.ca/)

Christmas Party...PLEASE HELP!?!?!?!

‎-- are there any free Toronto church spaces out there who can hold 200 kids & leaders from UrbanPromise Toronto for a Christmas party on Saturday, December 11?...if there's nothing out there, it'll have to be cancelled & these kids won't be able to have a Christmas party together.

via Facebook & Twitter

UrbanPromise & MoveIn Toronto's "KUYA" [Episode 14]

"RUN FOR PROMISE!" (Post-marathon updates)

[Please click the picture above to access my Sponsor Profile Page]

On Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 7 AM... I participated in the Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon (21.1 km) for the charity I work for called UrbanPromise Toronto (UPT). It was pretty fun, hard at times, the teamwork and camaraderie was great...let's just say I'm so glad I did it and finished! I was surprised at how far I can really push myself. All I could think about was why and for who I was running for, how much more pain Jesus went through for everyone. It was an amazing experience and I plan on doing it again...but better!

I am happy to report that we had over 50 runners/walkers join our "RUN FOR PROMISE!" campaign in either the 5km, Half-Marathon and Full-Marathon events. Some of our kids, single mothers, pastors, missionaries were able to walk/run and raise over $27,000 for UrbanPromise Toronto. PRAISE GOD!!!

Now here's the thing...I am still raising money for UrbanPromise Toronto and you can still support the charity by sponsoring me..."KUYA"! 

New Fundraising Goal: $2000

Please do not feel obligated in getting involved but if you are still interested, there is still time to do so and it would greatly encourage myself, my team, and our communities. 100% of the donations go directly to the work of UPT...serving the inner-city 'at-risk' children, youth and their families living in government housing communities. Please keep us in your prayers!

Online fundraising will remain open until Friday, October 22 at 5:00 PM!!!
All pledges will receive an official tax receipt (either electronic or in the mail).

"RUN FOR PROMISE!"

[Please click the picture to access my Sponsor Profile Page]

On Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 7 AM...I will be participating in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon to raise funds for UrbanPromise Toronto (UPT).

You can support the charity by sponsoring me..."Kuya"!

All of your donations go directly to the work of UPT. 100% of the money will serve the inner-city 'at-risk' children, youth and their families living in government housing communities.

All pledges will receive an official tax receipt (either electronic or in the mail.)

New Fundraising Goal: $1500

UrbanPromise Toronto's "KUYA" [Episode 13]

UrbanPromise Toronto's "Eye on the Summer" [Episode 5]

This one highlights Camp Hope in Warden & St. Clair!

UrbanPromise Toronto's "Eye on the Summer" [Episode 4]

This one highlights Camp Hope YMAD in Scarborough...where I first started back in Summer 2006!

Mid-Summer UPdate!

Hello everyone!!!

UrbanPromise Toronto’s Camp Freedom in Jane & Finch has been going on for four weeks now and we have two more weeks left to go!

Our theme for the summer is “JUST BE!” based on John 15:4a – “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” We have been doing WordUP which basically is our Bible Study relating to the theme in different ways. The six weeks consist of “Just Be…” Alive, Free, Still, Real, Ready, The Difference. Lots of great discussions have been happening between the kids and the leaders. WORSHIP in the mornings is very energetic, having lots of fun and giving praise to God as a family.

We also do lots of crazy ACTIVITIES like Active Activity where we play lots of games in the gym and at the park. We also do Cooking where we learn new skills and prepare our snacks in a creative way. Discovery is when we learn something new and creative that most people don’t know about but have fun learning and doing it. Arts & Crafts is when we do anything creative with whatever materials we have.

God has blessed our camp tremendously; several people outside of our community including missions teams work groups have supported us through PRAYER and DONATIONS. We have had great snacks provided to us for the whole summer! Even people from the community which involves some parents have donated snacks, food, materials for arts & crafts, and toys for our whole camp. The kids, staff and families have been encouraged hearing about this, seeing them come in and seeing results. I pray those reading this will be blessed, encouraged, feel supported and feel God’s love.

We have SPECIAL DAYS that we truly enjoy like WACKY WEDNESDAYS, where we all come in as something different and fun like Favourite TV Character Day, Favourite Colour Day, Favourite Animal Day, Pajamas Day and more to come! FUN FRIDAYS is when we do activities as a camp altogether, just enjoying each others’ times, building relationships and sharing God’s love. Again, we have two more weeks left to go and in the last two Fun Fridays…all UrbanPromise Toronto Kids Summer Camps (Camp Hope from Scarborough & Camp Victory from Rexdale) will join together and have some fun! Week 5 is in Camp Freedom and Week 6 is in Anchor Park located in Holland Landing which is north of Newmarket.

***Also, the kids with their leaders have been preparing something huge and spectacular for their families and the community on Thursday, August 19 from 7 PM – 10PM. 

COMMUNITY NIGHT...

is a night where the kids will display their talents, share what they learned throughout the whole summer and share the love God has shown them. 

Everyone is invited, all are welcome, come and be blessed!***
Facebook Invitation:
(http://www.facebook.com/juliusnaredo#!/event.php?eid=109234879129955&ref=mf)

On behalf of the UrbanPromise Toronto staff, we want to thank you all for your continued support and prayers.

CAMP FREEDOM

UrbanPromise Toronto's "Eye on the Summer" [Episode 3]

This one highlights CAMP FREEDOM which is the site I supervise in Jane & Finch!!!

UrbanPromise Toronto's "Eye on the Summer" [Episode 2]

This one highlights Camp Victory in Kipling & Finch!

UrbanPromise Toronto's "Eye on the Summer" [Episode 1]

UrbanPromise Toronto's founder, Colin McCartney, has started a summer vlog as well...please view, share and enjoy!

This one highlights the Barrie Leadership Training Retreat!

UrbanPromise Toronto's "KUYA" [Episode 12]

"RUN FOR PROMISE!"

[Please click the picture to access my Sponsor Profile Page]

On Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 7 AM...I will be participating in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon (21 KM) to raise funds for UrbanPromise Toronto (UPT).

You can support the charity by sponsoring me..."Kuya"!

All of your donations go directly to the work of UPT. 100% of the money will serve the inner-city 'at-risk' children, youth and their families living in government housing communities.

All pledges will receive an official tax receipt (either electronic or in the mail.)

Fundraising Goal: $1000

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/juliusnaredo

UrbanPromise Toronto's "KUYA" [Episode 11]

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/juliusnaredo

UrbanPromise Toronto's "KUYA" [Episode 10]

Newness

So everybody, (ahem) EVERYBODY wanted to see the new haircut...so here it is!:

By the way, I also got a new intern from the late Camp Peace. I'm definitely going to miss it but I'm still going to keep in contact with them on Facebook. The new intern is from Germany and his camp name is "Beamer"...perfect really and he's fitting in really well with the kids, the team, etc. Also, he came with myself and "Madagascar" to Ignite 3 and that went really well. We all definitely enjoyed it even the Chinese food afterwards and they both wanted to go to another event like that again.

What else is new? Oh yeah, I got a new CONAIR haircut kit...hence the new haircut and since it grows waaay too fast, I have to shave it off every once in a while.

Also, new system of running Camp Freedom and so far it's working pretty well and a lot better given the numbers of kids and leaders we have. Great meeting with my other intern "Butterfly", she is growing tremendously and I am looking forward to what God has in store for her. So...

It's not a perfect camp, not a perfect program, we're not perfect leaders nor are we perfect servants but (without using God as an excuse) we do serve a perfect God with perfect ways and perfect timing who made us...those who are unworthy...worthy enough to do all of this!

UrbanPromise Toronto's "KUYA" [Episode 9]

UrbanPromise Toronto's "KUYA" [Episode 8]

Capernwray Quebec & Tyndale Leading Edge help...

Let me tell you...these guys were amazing!

Last week, eight female and two male students from Capernwray Quebec helped us out with everything at Camp Freedom: prep, gym, attendance, WordUP, snacks, homework, dishes, games, etc. They looked prepared and were intentional with the kids. The kids loved them, some didn't want to admit it sometimes, they had their ups and downs...but when they were leaving to go back to school...c'mon, you can tell.

They learned a lot from this experience and I did too. It was great teamwork and love for each other...for serving God and His children. I wish these guys were here to help ALL THE TIME!!! If there's anybody out there that wants to help, come talk to me please LOL! Oh, and I got a nice e-mail back from one of the students and it was very encouraging, I was encouraged that they were encouraged y'kno? No language barrier, cultural difference, or age difference was really an obstacle for this team.

I remembered the time when a Leading Edge class from Tyndale University College was here to help us for one night only and that was great. Even better was that one of my kids I used to coach back when I was a Sports Camp Director for my home church was part of that school. Crazy eh? Just seeing the body of Christ come together from different places helping each other out, even for just a little bit, means a lot. Not just to me, mind you, but the ministry and the kids and even the leaders. God is great and I thank God for the help He's given us. He gave the help and I hope the help that came that might be reading this can take that in.

See...what I'm re-learning too (went to another Unashamed Generation youth event with one of my leaders this past Friday and took this in)...no program or leader is perfect. And we are not to use God as an excuse for that but we still push forward and encourage each other to just be willing and obedient to God's will which is perfect and who is perfect...and still putting in some work, God is most definitely not a vending machine. Ask me about that last part if you don't understand, at least I'm trying to make this blog/vlog thing interactive somehow LOL. Also, I know I'm making a lot of unnecessary long sentences with several of "..." in there but ah well, enjoy anyway.

Hey, if you want to help out as an intern, a street leader, a missions team or a volunteer..."lemme know wassup" and/or visit the link below:

http://urbanpromise.com/apply.html

Morningstar Christian Fellowship's continued support...

Wow, today was great...let me explain.

So I'm buying groceries after church today at No Frills and buying a whole bunch of healthy stuff because I finally got back into working out. I haven't done anything physically healthy since I moved...it's been 5 months! I bought a pull up bar, resistance bands, physio/stability ball and still had my past stuff from Ultimate Martial Arts. So with this new workout comes a new diet right? I bought everything from chicken to turkey slices and cutlets, oatmeal, wild salmon, whole wheat bread and bagels, eggs, skim milk, President's Choice Chicken and Turkey Bacon, etc. I say the brand for the last one because...check this out...Morningstar had an adopt-a-missionary thing for Christmas and I got a great email with encouraging words, a love basket and other things. In the love basket though was a $25 President's Choice gift card and I had tons of groceries to stock up on. I don't like going back and forth but yeah, this really helped me out. I was somewhere in $100+ and with this card I got everything for $80+! Amazing eh?

Theeeeeeen...I went to GNC to get protein whey powder and I found out it was buy anything and get the other for half the price. I also became a gold member and got everything for cheaper and will continue to get things cheaper because of that card.

Theeeeeeen...I was also looking to buy this Black & Decker 12-speed Cyclone blender at Wal-Mart for $34+ because it was $70-$80 at Canadian Tire. I went to Scarborough Town Centre but it was all sold out!!! I was ready to give up and maybe go to Canadian Tire but instead...I went to the Wal-Mart on Morningside/401. Yooooooo, there was ONE LEFT! You think that was great?

Check this out...I saw one of the ladies from Morningstar there and she was telling me her problems about her depression and failed sponsoring of one of her relatives. She was very sad but was looking to God in everything regardless of what happened. She was encouraged that she could share this with me and was glad about what I was doing in UrbanPromise Toronto. Plus, she told me she bought the exact same blender not too long ago and that it was working great. We shared a few things then split off. I went the wrong way and turned around to the cashier but she was actually looking for me and guess what?...she paid for my blender!!! Crazy eh? I gave her a ride afterwards and it was all good. I shared with my family's connections group about the blessings and then they started sharing some other ones too.

It all worked out. Gotta give shoutouts to my home church...Morningstar Christian Fellowship! Thank God for you guys, no joke!

My 25th Birthday!

Oh yeah, Happy Birthday to me! LOL

I look forward to what God will do in and through my life for this New Year...25 years old at 2010!

BRING IT!

Gigs...

So I had a gig before New Years at James Evangelista's New Years Bash 2009 and it was the first time I had a booth at the same time as Wear Da Word. (BTW, just wanted to jot this down so I remembered this event while I still do LOL.) It was interesting but it was fun working together. I was able to share a few things with people who randomly came up to the booth but not as much as last time. I didn't get to speak in front of everybody like the last gig but it was fun and I still enjoyed it.

My next gig was actually this past Sunday at Morningstar. Pastor Bob MacGregor was on facebook chat with me asking a few things about his sermon and somehow illustrating it. Sermon points went along the lines of Christian servants and so it made sense. He asked me if I would be around for Sunday morning services and I agreed I would come. Mind you, I was house-sitting at the time and had a weekend sleepover with CJ, Kadeem and Curtis. I brought the last two to both services and it was surprisingly fun. When Pastor Bob interviewed me near the end of his sermons, it didn't feel scripted, timed, fake, pressured with expectations...but instead free, raw and real. Totally different from my past experiences with others on the stage...only at Morningstar.

In the first service, I shared more about the problems and what needed to be done...very short but in the second service it was more what I did and what's been happening. It was funnier the second time because I replied "Warzone?" to his first comment and then while he was finishing up I disturbed him to invite everybody to visit Camp Freedom at Jane and Finch then he jokingly goes, "Visit you?...We'll just pray for you!" and the whole congregation burst out in laughter. As I left the stage I mentioned to everyone to look for one of my boys whose afro is bigger than him and wish him a happy birthday...Kadeem got $50 from three random people and Curtis got $5 'cause someone felt bad for him. I got something too but not as much as Kadeem LOL.

I had encouraging conversations afterwards with a few people, some I knew and some I didn't. Some wanted to partner up, some wanted to visit. I got a nice Facebook message afterwards too. It was encouraging and Pastor Bob wanted to just put my face out there. I'm very thankful, it's probably one of the very few times I actually felt raw support from my home church. It was great!

God does things at the right time...His perfect way and His perfect timing. I'm encouraged others are encouraged. God is at work for sure! So many things I can say but I'll leave it for now and say,

"TO BE CONTINUED..."

UrbanPromise Toronto's "KUYA" [Episode 7]