Kelly Desmarais
September 10, 2008
Our theme this year for the Summer Missions Program was "Have you seen the Good News?" from Luke 4. Every Sunday after youth groups arrived for a week at The Boston Project, Keith would ask, what has been the greatest news you received this month? In keeping with this theme, there is so much "good news" I want to share about how God showed up in my life this summer that I can't give just one answer. Each week our summer staff came up with a top ten list of ways God worked. I thought it fitting to share my good news in a top ten list since you served with me this summer through prayer and financial support.
1. Prior to the summer I was anxious and asked for a joy and excitement- and God answered!
2. This summer my role was about pouring into staff and it was amazing to see them use Scripture or words of encouragement with youth that I had spoken into their lives, like a ripple effect. God allowed me to see that He was using me.
3. Week five, I served as a staff counselor. To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to it, but it turned into one of my best weeks- though it meant sleeping on the church floor. Connections I made with youth and the burden God gave me for them were priceless. God knew best!
4. One nightly activity was centered on John 9, where Jesus spit on the ground and made mud with saliva, putting it on the blind man's eyes. Jesus used what can be seen as disgusting to bring healing. This summer, I saw God redeem areas in my life that I saw as shameful to minister to youth and staff. God can use anything if you allow Him to.
5. At a late night meeting, a staff person I'd been praying with shared an "aha" moment. In the midst of her frustrations preparing for an activity that night, she cried out to God, and He revealed to her something we'd prayed about all summer. God brings healing.
6. In my second summer, I had the joy of seeing returning youth and leaders. I usually don't lead small groups, but both times I led one this summer, I had girls from my groups last year. God reconnects.
7. Praise that God sustained my relationship with Dan during the crazy long hours. I was truly blessed to have his support and understanding this summer. God is able.
8. In conversations with youth and staff, God is revealing new passions in me. God reveals.
9. One day interceding for my staff, I felt broken and needed someone to pour into me. God heard my cry and that day placed someone in my path. God hears my cries.
10. I received gift cards from supporters like you so I was able to bless staff by treating them to coffee or pizza as I extended my ears to listen to ways God was challenging them. Thank you! God equips us for His work.
July 7, 2008
I am in summer mode, full force! Although it is a busier time for me, I have been enjoying growing in my role this summer. One of my main responsibilities is to care for our staff team. As I mentioned in my last letter, our summer staff work intense hours, sleep on floors (when they actually get to sleep) and pour into the almost 300 youth who come to the Summer Missions Program. Our heart at The Boston Project is not only to see how God impacts the youth who come, but also to see God work in the lives of the young adults that serve with us.
And God has shown up! Staff have tried new things and through stretching experiences discovered new areas of gifting. One staff always thought since he was quiet and introverted that up-front leading wasn't for him. Through opportunities he has had to teach morning devotions and lead nightly activities for the Summer Missions Program, he is realizing he may have the gift of teaching. AMEN!
I meet with staff individually every other week to hear how they are doing and how we can be praying for them. I love listening in excitement as they share ways God is working in and through them. He has been bringing healing in staff lives' in ways they didn't expect! God has confirmed passions and life callings. Basically, God is moving- and I am blessed to be a part of it.
May 1, 2008
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:4-5
This March was full... in more than one way. In the midst of one of the busiest months for The Boston Project, I realized that it was foremost full of blessings.
Praise the Lord!
March officially marked my one-year anniversary of working with the Boston Project. The Lord has definitely grown me in leadership, used others to bring healing in my life, and continued to challenge me to seek His plans, not mine during this past year.
Praise the Lord!
I celebrated my birthday with co-workers, neighbors, fellow 'Thresholders'- and even friends from Albany. I am truly blessed with amazing people in my life. It was awesome to have people from all different parts of my life come together and share some delicious soul food, catered by one of my neighbors!
Praise the Lord!
After many months of heading up the planning for College Spring Break Trips, we had 47 college students from Michigan, Tennessee, Georgia and Boston serve and learn with us in Dorchester this month. Seeing how God used those trips to break down stereotypes and challenge the students is so incredible to be part of- well worth the late nights and sleeping on the church floor for two weeks!
Praise the Lord!
I am not sure if it was the year I waited to experience one, or my fondness for my teacher, or the sweet taste, but I must admit I have a new fascination with Dough Boys.
You are probably wondering what I am talking about? Well, Dough Boys are a New Jersey Boy Scout campfire treat.
Over the past 7 months I have been learning more about calling through Threshold. During our last retreat, I not only had the opportunity to share dough boys , but also stories of times where I felt fully alive. Out of that sharing we had to come up with core traits about ourselves. One of the core traits that I discovered in that process, is that I enjoy drawing people into my experiences and building bridges. So in that same nature I want to invite you into the Dough Boy experience.
Ingredients:
You need a fire, friends, dinner roll dough, chocolate chips, and sticks.
How to Make a Dough Boy:
1. You need to find a long stick that is a little thicker than your thumb. On one end of the stick shave off the bark for about 4 inches.
2. Start a fire- of course safely and contained.
3. Open the dinner roll container- take the dough for one roll. Place it on the shaven end of the stick. Mold it around the stick.
4. Place over fire. Cook till when you twist the dough it is no longer sticky.
5. Take the cooked dough off the stick and then fill the whole with chocolate chips. Let melt and eat.
6. Then pass along the tradition.
My prayer is that I will share and bring others into experience the Lord with an even greater excitement and fervor I have with Dough Boys.
Photo Album:
Introducing dough boys to my Threshold 'family' during a retreat this winter where we shared stories of times where we felt fully alive.
The Service Learning Team-Keith, Nithin and I enjoying Dough Boys for my birthday.
Teaching my Mom how to cook a Dough Boy over Easter weekend- I was actually still awake after two weeks of College Spring break trips.
January 28, 2008
Prayer is Powerful! That seemed to be a theme ringing throughout our debriefing with the students from the University of Connecticut that joined us for a Weekend Service Retreat.
It was awesome to listen to the students share how God used Friday Night Prayer at Global Ministries Christian Church, hands-on renovation work at a local church, and the other activities of the weekend to speak to them.
As you may remember, I was greatly impacted by a similar experience in Dorchester in 2001 with my college fellowship. Mat, my InterVarsity staff leader on that trip, was the person who later recommended to me to join the team at The Boston Project Ministries. This weekend, I had the opportunity to once again serve alongside Mat in Dorchester, as I poured into the students from the InterVarsity Fellowship he is now leading at the University of Connecticut.
So as we sat around and reflected, I wondered how God may use this weekend retreat experi¬ence in the lives of the students like He used it in mine almost 7 years ago. It is awesome how God let’s us be a part of His work in one another’s lives.
January 25, 2008
As I read my devotions before I went to bed last night- a poisonous snake bit me.
OK, well not exactly. The devotion was on Numbers 21:4-9, when the Lord sent venomous snakes amongst the grumbling Israelites. The Israelites were complaining to God and Moses about the conditions in the desert. They weren’t thanking God for bringing them out of Egypt, providing them with a leader, or the promises given to them. Rather, they complained and the snakes were sent.
I must admit that I tend to be like the Israelites, looking at the glass half empty rather than half full. In fact, yesterday morning during staff prayer, the Lord convicted me of that same thing. I was reminded of all the many things I am to be thankful of. As we prayed, I felt overwhelmed with thanksgiving for the opportunity to be sitting around the table with friends who I get to share life with as we tackle issues that are close to our hearts together. WOW~I am blessed!
The scripture tells of how the Israelites come to Moses confessing their sinfulness. The Lord tells Moses to make a bronze snake on a pole and when someone is bit by the snakes that they should look at the bronze snake and they will live. I realized that the Lord wants me to look at Him-when I feel “bit” with my attitude of complaining. When my focus is on Him, I can praise!
January 15, 2008
New Year… New Office… New Intern… New Roommate
What is new? Well, after ringing in the new year with friends in Albany, I returned to Dorchester with new as my theme. Over my Christmas break, the construction of walls for my new office at my church took place. I spent my first day back and many subsequent days, painting either yellow, green, or blue(the colors of my new office). The office is looking good, yet we are still awaiting internet access before the Service Learning team makes the official move to our new office. It is definitely a big improvement from the basement office.
The Service Learning team not only begins the new year with a new office, we also are welcoming Nithin as part of our team. Nithin worked with The Boston Project two summers ago and is joining us as an intern for his last semester of seminary.
Our Boston Project family also welcomed back, Catrina. She worked with me this summer as a program director for The Summer Missions Program. She returned to work with the youth in the neighborhood, and to have the privileged of sharing a room with me. God bless her!
So there you have it- 2008 a new year of many "news."
December 11, 2007
Many of you know, I love to ask questions, yet as I have been reuniting with people lately, I realized that I am a lot better at asking than answering questions. So I am going to go out of my comfort zone and try to attempt to answer some of the Frequently Asked Questions below:
What is the Boston Project Ministries?
It's an awesome urban ministry that serves and learns from their neighbors and invites other people to join them. Well, there is so much more to it... that was just my attempt to explain it in one sentence. I would encourage you to explore more about it at our website: https://www.tbpm.org. Or better yet, come visit me!
What exactly do you do?
To put it simply, I am living and working with staff from The Boston Project Ministries. One of my roles in this multi-faceted urban ministry is to co-lead The Summer Missions Program (SMP). The SMP is a dynamic program that invites youth groups from around the country to be challenged to serve whole-heartedly for a week in our community, to think critically about how God's Word speaks to social and spiritual issues, and to go home passionate about serving right where they live. As the Assistant Director of the program, I have the opportunity to be involved in shaping teenager's worldviews and their walk with Christ. I also have the responsibility to lead, encourage, and disciple the summer staff who join us to help facilitate the program.
What do you do when you are not running the Summer Missions Program?
Sleep, hibernate... Wrong! Although I usually do get more sleep post summer, there is plenty to do when we are not running the Summer Missions Program. In the office I tend to be categorized as the detail person, so I am often thinking through what needs to be done for the next event. During the school year, we have groups come to serve with us for a day, or a weekend or even a week. I am currently focused on planning for College Spring Break trips. You would be surprised what it takes to plan and organize short-term missions trip. But that is not all I do. Everyday is different. I could be helping set up for a neighborhood association meeting, or mowing the lawn at our future children's park down the street, or cooking for a holiday banquet for a homeless ministry, or I could be folding newsletters to send out to lovely supporters like you. The list goes on...
What do you do for fun outside of work?
You will often find me downstairs at my apartment playing with two cute boys, well a 3 year old and a 10 month old. Yep, I love hanging out with the Riddle family (you can check out their blog too.) I'm surprised that they actually let me in since Keith has to put up with me processing out loud at work all day, but they do. I love just being part of the family- bedtime stories, playing pirates, bouncing up and down, and even the every so often diaper change.
My roommates and I have also taken on the mission of exploring Boston but often we are too tired and end up chilling and watching a movie. Last night we all headed to the Boston Commons to see the annual Tree lighting and then grabbed some dessert in the North end. So I am not totally slacking on the mission.
Email me with questions at
and I will attempt to answer on my next blog.
November 27, 2007
Thanksgiving I had the opportunity to make a long overdue trip down to Baltimore. I stayed with my Godparents and had the pleasure of being visited by childhood, high school, college, and post college friends. I drew pictures, played with Lincoln logs, and ventured to the Science Center with Maeve (5) and Charlotte (3 1/2) my Godparents' grandchildren. I caught up with a long time friend as we laid on the floor of a hotel room whispering, trying not to wake her 10-month old niece that we finally managed to put to sleep. Much of my time was spent catching up with folks over delicious meals and trying to answer questions about my life here in Boston. It was such a blessing!
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