Text Box: good popsicle. Therefore, we took advantage of the situation. Overall, it was a great day to be volunteer workers for a noteworthy event. We enjoyed ourselves tremendously and looking forward to next year! Text Box: an estimated half-million mobility-challenged and/or disabled citizens in San Diego alone. Even though the wheelchair event represented a small portion of those numbers, those in attendance were true athletes. Personally, I would be hard pressed to move and control a wheelchair while rushing to get in position to strike a ball. Truly amazing! Anyway, we reported in for duty and linked up with the proper folks. Lisa would be our supervisor and, as it was, she was in charge of the kids and their entertainment and welfare. Well, a job is a job. We were volunteers without preferences. Moreover, entertaining kids was far better than chasing tennis balls. Our first order of business was to get ice and water for the little ones. It was a very hot day, but being near the ocean was very pleasing and made for a very pleasant evening of work. Once we had the ice and water, it was a matter of rigging a container to hold the two. Thanks to Deacon Text Box: Sealie, our national men director and retiree for the City of San Diego, the situation was quickly under control. Afterwards, we proceeded to reposition and set up tables so the kids could indulge in their arts and crafts: tattoos, coloring, hair-styling and assorted games. One table was laden with one of the oldest toys in America: The Hula Hoop! Although we were tempted, the aged-old toy stayed where it was, at least until the kids took an interest. There wasn’t much work to do, so we basically set around and told war stories as we watched the kids play and have a good time. The contraption that they enjoyed most was the air-filled party bouncer (the correct terminology evades me at the moment, but you get the picture). Text Box: without warning, the entire thing collapsed. Apparently one of the kids tripped the power cable that supplied air to the bouncer. Minister Shropshire was alert and moved quickly to the bouncer to rescue any kids that might have been trapped beneath the material. Deacon Sealie and I followed closely behind, concerned for the safety of the kids. After quickly assessing the situation and finding that all the kids had managed to escape, we got the power going again and all was well. The remainder of the evening was uneventful. As we continue to sit and enjoy ourselves, we were served ice-cold popsicles. I mean ice-cold popsicles, so cold that they latched on to your tongue and wouldn’t let go. It had been ages since we had a Text Box: Guardians continues... Text Box: Guardians of The Little Ones! Text Box: Voices of Victory National Fellowship Newsletter Text Box: Volume 2, Issue 7 Text Box: Page #

On June 21, 2008, the men of Voices of Victory National Fellowship, those who were available, headed to the San Diego Annual Wheelchair Tennis & Luau at Barnes Tennis Center in Point Loma.  We weren’t going there to play tennis but, instead, to serve as volunteers to assist the contestants and facilitators with setting up, organizing and supporting the event.

The tennis event raises money for Sharp Rehabilitation Services, which helps people who have suffered spinal cord and brain injuries, trauma, strokes and other debilitating conditions.  And, of course, our vision for the national fellowship mandates that we promote righteousness and provide needful services to churches and communities while assisting other local and national agencies in providing for the spiritual, physical, and material needs of God’s people everywhere.

And being volunteers at this event was an honor and a blessings, not only for us but for those whom we supported.

According to statistics, there are

One very noticeable thing at the event was plenty of tables decorated for fine dining, served by a myriad of caterers.  Their role became quite obvious when two of them started building a feast of delectable goodies near the kiddy area.  It didn’t take us long to figure out that the food was on the house for all volunteers.  It was time to say grace!

The food was absolutely wonderful and the fresh strawberries were near perfect and difficult to describe.  The caterers did their job so professionally, it wasn’t long before we realized that the tennis matches were over and the place was burden with fine foods of every sort.  What a way to host a tennis match!

The evening wasn’t uneventful with the kids, though.  Things were going well with the bouncer and,

Barnes Tennis Center

Bishop Moore and Deacon Sealie acquisitioning ice and water

The Hula Hoop in action!

Deacon Sealie and Minister Shropshire near the strawberries. Notice the non-melting popsicle.