To Jamaica and back

At Granny’s House, we love mentoring the kids in giving to help them understand that living in public housing does not exempt them from being a blessing to others.

Annually, our friends at Kent Willett Dentistry travel to Jamaica to provide dental care among the poor. Because they always encounter lots of children, we jumped at the chance to have Granny’s House kids experience the joy of brightening someone else’s life by making jewelry for the mission team to take with them. Members of “God’s Precious Jewels” and “The Princess Academy” made bracelets and cards to send.

I cannot even begin to tell you how thrilled I was to hear all the “Ooooohs,” and “Aaaaaaaahs” and “Isn’t this one cute?... Hey, look at mine!” that echoed around the room as we worked together on this project all while telling the girls about the difficulties of growing up in such deep poverty. I don’t recall ever witnessing such extreme joy coming from this group of wiggley-giggley little girls as they eagerly created gifts for Jamaican children! The, literally, turned into little “jewelry-making machines” and cranked out several dozen bracelets to send off with the missionaries.

Upon their return, the kids were visited by “Granny” Linda (Ealey) and “Granny” Libby (Grantham) who shared stories and pictures of patients who had received the Granny’s House children’s custom-made jewelry. What a thrill to see the smiling faces of those who proudly wore the jewelry created with such love and joy by their new friends from Granny’s House. It really is more blessed to give then to receive! –Granny Pam

Transformed by Love

When our little African friend came to Granny’s House from Burundi last year, we could scarcely get her to look at us, let alone squeeze out a smile.


But along came Granny’s House volunteer, Mary Kate Loring. Mary Kate heaped huge, sticky doses of God’s love on her almost every day and as the days turned into weeks and weeks into months, a dramatic transformation took place. A picture really is worth a thousand words…

When I Grow Up…

“When I grow up, I want to be a movie star… I’m going to the NBA… I’ll be a rapper…”

Anyone who works with inner city kids frequently hears these kinds of responses when asking children what they want to be when they grow up. At Granny’s House, however, we’ve started hearing different responses from kids:

“I plan to be a doctor… a teacher… a fashion designer… a paralegal…”

When we hear these kinds of desires, we take advantage of opportunities to connect Granny’s House kids with mentors whose professions mirror their own educational and career aspirations. We recently arranged for two Granny’s House kids to spend time with mentors at Stephens College and the Barton Law Firm.

Seventeen-year-old Vernita is interested in fashion design so we jumped at the chance to introduce her to Monica McMurray, Dean of Stephen’s College Fashion Department. Dean McMurry gave us a tour of the department and Stephens’ world-famous Historic Costume Collection. Vernita learned about the rigors of fashion design school and the real cost of combining a love for fashion with educational excellence.

She learned about the transition from “student designer” to professional “fashion designer” as she sat in on a session with senior students and fashion designer Camille Palmer, a Stephens alumni who now designs for GAP Clothing. In the midst of all those creative minds, bolts of glitzy fabrics, and too many dress forms to count, we had to keep reminding ourselves that we WERE NOT on the set of Bravo TV’s“Project Runway!”







Recently, fourteen-year-old Mary extensively researched the path to becoming a paralegal. After searching out the educational requirements, the accreditation process, and then designing a professional-looking business card, Mary spent the afternoon with Elaine Asmus, who has been a paralegal at the Barton Law Firm here in Columbia for more than a decade. After their two-hour visit, Mary could more easily envision the pathway that leads to becoming a successful paralegal.






At Granny’s House, it’s a joy to see the kids’ faith and their lives blossoming with tokens of God’s kindness and favor as we walk alsongside them. We know that one day, many of these precious kids will, indeed, say, “Because of God’s help, I completed my paralegal training… I got my degree in fashion design... I’m a doctor… a school teacher.” -Granny Pam

Two Hearts

There they were… two hearts. One bruised, stained, and broken. The other one was glittery red, and gorgeous enough to join the knickknacks in anyone’s curio cabinet. Thus began our recent Precious Jewels’ lesson on the “Heart.” Not the one that pumps blood, but the one that is the seat of all of our affections and emotions… all that we love and hate and struggle with. At this “Precious Jewels” meeting, we had one mission: to help these 1st through 4th grade girls understand the immeasurable gulf that exists between our hearts and the pure loving heart of the One we so love: Jesus.

“Look at all this stuff that was in Granny Pam’s heart before she gave her life to Jesus,” I said as I pulled out one after another crumpled little wad of brown paper from the tarnished heart. “Stingy… jealousy…Pride…Disobeying Mother…” I read. “Do you know that Granny Pam did some of these ugly things every single day of her life before she had a relationship with Jesus?…”

“I loved living this way and had no power to change,” I said as I unfolded and read from each little wrinkled piece of brown paper.

I so wish you could have heard all the “Ooohs” and “Aaahs” that slid out of those sweet little girls’ mouths as I revealed the beautiful, red, glittery heart. “Now this is how Lord wants to change ALL of our hearts,” I said as I unfolded each neat little slip of paper inscribed with red, swirley-lettered words that filled this heart. “Now there’s Comfort, and Friendship with God, Peace, and Generosity... Only God can make us radically different.”

With the God’s Precious Jewels group, our meetings are, typically,“3-D” to help the girls understand and get a clear, visual picture of the Bible verse or principle we’re sharing. And during this particular lesson, they learned that “hearts” are about a whole lot more than those little pastel-colored candies they pass out on February 14.
Happy Valentines Day!!

Christmas Gifts for All

Every year as we prepare our Christmas gift list for the Crossing Church, I wince as I see that our list has, again, grown. This year’s list had more than 150 names, for whom Granny’s House is their very favorite place to be after school . Not to mention all the hard work Angie Azzanni pours into preparing, not just a simple list of names on a piece of paper, but lovingly makes a wooden Christmas ornament bearing the name of each and every Granny’s House kid so that the person at The Crossing who “adopts” that kid for Christmas can keep the ornament long after the holidays as a ready reminder to continue praying for that one child throughout the year. What a blessing to know that our kids are not only being blessed with gifts for Christmas but their names are being called out in prayer to our Father throughout the year. –Granny Pam

Christmas with the G.I.R.L.S.

The G.I.R.L.S. group (Experiencing God In Real Life Situations) gathered at Granny Pam’s House to have a, somewhat, unconventional Christmas party. Rather than traditional holiday treats like sprinkled sugar cookies and fudge, they requested homemade chili with all the fixins; lemonade instead of hot cider. We huddled around the television eating as we watched “The Very First Noel,” an incredibly clever animated rendition of the Christmas story.

After eating and watching our little thirty minute movie, all the fun began. Each girl decorated their very own “designer” gingerbread house. At the end of the evening, there was, quite literally, white frosting everywhere!

To add a little nostalgia, we all sat before a crackling fire as Granny Pam read “A Special Place For Santa.” Seeing Santa kneeling before the Christ child was a scene they had never before considered.

And to conclude our precious time together, we had a gift exchange: soft, fuzzy, fun socks… all wrapped up and ready to give. What a rich time we had together!
–Granny Pam

Family Christmas Celebration!

"What car am I in?"
"Can I ride in the van?"
"I brought back my permission slip...can I pleeaaaassee go?"

These questions echoed throughout Trinity Place as twenty two Granny's House kids awaited The Crossing's "Family Christmas Celebration" on December 10th. Once the rides were arranged, the Christmas music was in the CD player, and the "let's remember to behave" talks, we were complete, we were off to the church for a fun evening!

Once we arrived, the kids ate pizza with families from The Crossing and watched a Christmas program which had them dancing in the isles, laughing in their seats, and most importantly learning more about the Lord. To finish off the evening, all the kids stuffed teddy bears which were sent to Africa for kids in The Pistis School in Kenya! The kids even included "prayer notes" with each bear and they were so excited that their bears were going to children half way around the world!

Thank you to all the "host families" from The Crossing who made the night so special for the kids. As we made our way to the parking lot, several kids said "Look! There is my church family!! Next year...can I be with them again? Pleeeaassseee?!!!"

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Christmas Caroling in the Projects

“Joy to the world the Lord is come…” and so proclaimed our little band of red-Santa-hat-wearing carolers during the first two weeks of December. Granny Pam, accompanied by the Community Compassion team from Christian Fellowship Church, went door-to-door in Douglass Park and also visited Woodhaven homes spreading the joy of the season to anyone who would open their doors to our curious little “Choir,” which surprisingly grew in numbers and excitement with each passing night.

Without orchestra or hymnal, maestro or baton, we toted our bin of gift-filled Christmas stockings and lots of joy (and sometimes, a whole lot of noise too!) from house to house. As I heard the “Oooo’s and aaah’s” and the excited “Hurry up and get the kids so they can hear this” from the residents, I found myself thinking, “Maybe we don’t sound so off-key, after all!”

Our goal in taking the kids caroling was to mentor them in the simplicity of giving. It really is “more blessed to give then to receive” and we welcomed the opportunity to show them how to give away what they do have: a voice, a song, a hug, a smile... They experienced, first-hand, the pleasure of brightening someone else’s holiday season as they belted out “Joy to the World” and “We wish you a merry Christmas …from the kids at Granny’s House.”

Each evening, we brought the kids back to Granny’s House for hot cocoa and God-stories from their new Christian Fellowship friends. How exciting for them to hear about grown-ups’ relationships with God that actually began in childhood. They listened intently as different ones shared how much God cares about and stands waiting to help with the things that concern them like anger, making good grades, and obeying their parents.

And just before we all headed home, each Community Compassion team member gathered up two or three little ones to pray with them… such a sweet time. We are so grateful for, not only the gift-filled Christmas stockings they provided, but the kindness and love they showered on all the kids… we loved every moment and can’t wait to have them back at Granny’s House again!!

From all the kids, volunteers, and staff, we hope you have a really wonderful Christmas, filled with the life and love that only He can give.
-Granny Pam

Thank you volunteers!!

A big thank you to our incredible volunteers who have spent countless hours encouraging kids, mopping floors, solving homework problems, tossing around footballs in the front yard, and modeling Christ for so many Granny's House kids this semester. "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." Hebrews 6:10.

Community Compassion

Thank you to Christian Fellowship church and Community Compassion who provided gifts for Granny' s House which included games, balls, puzzles and household items! The kids loved playing the games with members from the church, and had a great time getting creative as they made crafts for their moms! They especially loved the "treat bags" Christian Fellowship provided for the kids which included candy and Christmas pencils! Thank you to everyone who helped in such a generous way!