Missions at FAMF:  Reaching Judea, Samaria and ends of the earth

Judea:  This is local outreaches or areas within driving distance.  Our kids are involved in the following:

• Church Under the Bridge:  Faith Academy students travel together to San Antonio to minister to the homeless at Church Under the Bridge.  Students attend worship together and then serve in food lines or on trash detail serving the homeless who attend to hear the good news.
• Adopt a Family at Christmas:  Our high schoolers adopt an area family in need.  Families who would otherwise miss out on Christmas are identified by our students.  Each class (9th-12th) raises their own funds, buys gifts for the children and gift cards for the parents, wrap the gifts and then deliver in "ding-dong-ditch" fashion.  In other words, they leave the gifts stacked neatly on the front porch, ring the doorbell and run!  A card simply states: "The Lord sees, knows, and cares.  Merry Christmas."  Faith Academy's name is nowhere on it because it's not about who gets the credit.  It's about service. 
• The Women's Shelter:  Our Elementary students are reaching out to local families in need at The Women's Shelter.  The kids will work to provide for any special need that a family may have, making a concerted effort to help at Thanksgiving and Christmas time. 

Samaria:  This involves Mission Trips to areas just outside the U.S., including:

• Costa Rica:  Students in 9th - 12th grade will go to Costa Rica in December to help build an orphanage in a small village.  Working with established Missionaries in country, FAMF students will be the work force by day and conduct Vacation Bible School by evening.
• Nicaragua:  The past three years, Faith Academy has traveled to Managua, Nicaragua to minister to orphans in a nearby village.  A school-wide effort to bring shoes and a small gift to the orphans is a powerful, Christ-like undertaking.  Students spend 3 days ministering to the orphans, mostly involving playing and loving them, followed by serving an additional 2 days helping out at a small Christian School where fixup and worship are conducted.  Nicaragua is not on the schedule for 2011-12, but is a destination possibility for years to come.

Ends of the Earth:  This would be a mission trip abroad. 

• Kenya:  The summer of 2012 will be the first attempt at EOE Missions, with a trip planned for Kenya on the continent of Africa.  This will also entail working with an orphanage, but also be heavy on evangelism.
• Future Trips:  Areas being scouted and researched include Peru and the Philippines.