As many of you know, one of the most important ministries of Istoria is a partnership with other non-profits to provide educational, social, financial, and cultural assistance to the largest ethnic minority group in northwestern Oklahoma.
My close friend and fellow minister, Pastor Yohanes Arwakon, has shared with me over the last few months his desire to have a Community Center and Athletic Facility dedicated to our ministry to Pacific Islanders in northwest Oklahoma.
If you don’t know Yohanes’ story, you can read it here.
Istoria Ministries, a 501 C-3 non-profit with the desire to make the Good News of Jesus Christ known to the world that everyone’s story might revolve around His Story, is excited to partner with Pastor Yohanes Arwakon to build a Community Center and Athletic Facility dedicated the educational and economic advancement of Pacific Islanders in northwest Oklahoma.
Pastor Yohanes and his three sons – Jonathan, Paul, and Noel – with help from college superstar JamesOn Curry and NBA superstar Brent Price – are teaching life skills to Pacific Islanders in Enid through basketball.
But they need a gym. The churches that allow them to use their facilities often get busy during the school year. When Pastor Arwakon calls to request time in the gym to practice, he often discovers the gym is booked.
Enter Istoria.
We wish to help Pastor Yohanes raise funds to build a facility dedicated to the advancement of the largest minority ethnic group in Enid, Oklahoma. The ministry is already occurring. The gym is yet to come.
Current Program
Pastor Yohanes and his boys currently have a youth and children development program which aims to help the children and youth identify their dream of life and also help them how to reach the dream.
The purpose is character development programs, skills, sports, and art talents as well as motivation to achieve dreams in life.
This program also helps the children with their academic problems in schools that need help such as homework, mathematics, science, English, reading, etc.
Here are some after-school programs already in place.
- Basketball practice: Thursday 15 – 6.30 pm (Drummond HS Gym) and Tuesday 5 – 7 pm (Emmanuel Gym)
- Homework Assistance: Monday & Tuesday 30 – 4.30 pm
- Bible and General Meeting: Wednesday 5.30 – 7 pm
Future Program (The Partnership with Istoria
A Multi-Purpose Community Center (MPCC) or Youth Multi-Purpose Center (YMPC).
Vision:
To become a center for the development and capacity building such as character development based on the faith of Jesus Christ, explore the potential and talents of the young generation in the fields of sports, music, arts and academics. And encourages students to realize their best potential.
Mission:
- Improving students’ academic competence in the fields of Mathematics, Science, English, etc.
- Develop students’ insight and social intelligence by cultivating values of respect for differences, the spirit of cooperation, solidarity/compassion, noble character, namely self-confidence, disciplined, independence, responsible, humble and loving God.
- Helping students to reach their “unreachable star” (dream in the future)
- Conducting some youth activities such as sports events (basketball tournament, volleyball, etc), dance (traditional and modern), singing contest, art, and cultural things..
- Provide places and activities for the community to gather, engage and assimilate interculturally.
Stay Tuned!
this sounds like a wonderful venture, Wade
may the Good Lord guide you in all you do in the future
Wade,
I got my Grandson, Sam, to find your new post. I’ve yet to see any improvement over the one I liked. Why do you want my email, and I don’t have a website?
Your old Post had ideas that was shared with everyone. We shared ideas, problems, and hardships. (Like this is the first day we had electricity in 3 days.)
Is your new post just to show what you’re doing with young people? Well, that’s a good thing you’re doing, but until there’s another subject, this will be my last comment.
OK, I stand corrected. Sam showed me your other post. So, there’s hope after all. 😊
Rex and Christiane,
Great to see you again! Please be patient with me. I am working on writing new posts – and all those posts will be available on this website. It’s a slow process. I’ll be focusing on theology, teaching, and non-profit work, and the posts may not be as numerous in the first few weeks. We are still working on the podcasts and will be hosting our first Bible Study – teaching – in the new building in a couple of weeks.
Blessings to you both!
Wade
P.S. – Until we get our comment moderation figured out, it may take a while before a new comment appears.
Wade,
Written 2-4-22.
When my Grandson, Sam, worked at Chick-fil-A, there was a sign showing how to do the Heimlich maneuver. He never used it until today. I was eating my favorite fruit, avocados. I swallowed too large of bites and got choked.
I couldn’t breathe. I was standing in front of the sink, and couldn’t say a word, but was making gasping noises. Sam quickly grabbed me from behind and did the Heimlich maneuver. The bottom of the sink was filled with chewed avocados.
Without him, I wouldn’t be here today.
REX RAY,
thank God for Sam 🙂