Note: We are thankful to have had Dan Stine to help us rebuild lap top computers, working in our a space in our basement especially set up for him. A special thank you also goes to John Wezeman of GVSU and Kevin Kubiszewski of Foremost Insurance Company for major equipment donations. We thank Ed VanTimmeren for allowing us to store our bus and storage trailer on his property off Front Street near Leonard NW.

Computers for Low-Income students and their families: Demand for computers this year has been reduced from the frenetic pace that we had a few years ago. We still have been busy, but not seven days a week, 12 hours a day anymore. Year 2009 has again been dominated by our effort to provide computers with Internet access to low income students ( both teenagers and many unemployed adults) and their families who can not afford to buy a computer. We also have continued to work with Eastown Ministries "Homework House" for students in and near the Eastown neighborhood. This year we have been blessed with two Calvin College students and a Calvin Seminary student who live in the homework house and give ten hours each week to the youth ministry. We have sixteen computers set up in the Homework House and in the Youth Center next door with Internet access. We continue to rebuild and give Pentium 4 1.7Ghz and better computers with 56k modems. Now, with many people getting a package deal of Television, Internet and telephone we have begun to find more people using the network connections on the computers that we give rather than a dial-up connection. We just added the question to our application: "Do you have phone line phone" We continue to install Windows XP Softpack (3) software for the operating system and Windows Office 2003 since we are able to purchase this software from Microsoft through Techsoup’s Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) program. We continue to install Open Office, a free version of Office made by Sun Microsystems since this is the program used in the public library, where many low income students have gotten their experience on that program. We continue to install Mozella FireFox as an Internet browser along with Internet Explorer, and Thunderbird as an e-mail program.

Again this year the Public Schools, Grand Rapids Community College, Davenport College, Michigan Works, United Way, churches and neighborhood associations have actively assisted students to fill out the applications and find volunteer opportunities in the community. They also refer businesses who want to donate computer equipment to us. We continue to have the Kent Intermediate School District office for home schooling (serving students expelled from school) refer parents to our program when they do not have a computer in their home. The United Way refers anyone in crisis that needs a computer to our ministry.

This year we provided computers to a program in area schools through the local CampFire program that organized parents to spend hours in the schools reading to students and helping them read. They are used getting a free computer as a reward for parents who complete the Read=Computers program. The program will also taught the parents how to use the computer, with us teaching the classes. We have been given a financial contribution for providing computers and teaching the classes to the families who participated in this program. This will helped us pay for obtaining additional hardware and software for these computers as well as pay some ministry expenses of educational scholarships for low income students.

We support and observe the computer use in the Eastown Ministries Youth Center and the Homework House.    Because Eastown Ministries has direct responsibility for the use of these computers, we have, through Wherever God Wills, developed a relationship with Covenant Eyes. Covenant Eyes is a Christian based business that helps parents and organizations monitor and block Internet web sites that are destructive to the mental and spiritual health of Internet users. Wherever God wills has been promoting the Covenant Eyes service and, if anyone subscribes to Covenant Eyes by clicking on a link on the computers that we donate or from our web site, we will receive 15% of the paid subscriptions. We have not received any income for our ministry, but the service is a good one to promote.

Bus/Youth Group Motor Home Activity Report 2009

We discovered following the financial crash of September 15, 2008 that serious economic troubles affect every aspect of life, including cut-backs on youth group service trips. Several groups who usually plan for summer service bus trips either canceled or did not reserve for Summer 2009.

Thirty-three young people and six adults from Eastown Ministries enjoyed an Overnight Lock-In at Lowell, Michigan. Activities included bowling, laser tag, karaoke and other games at the Lowell Roll and Bowl. . The girls enjoyed jewelry-making crafts at Eastown Ministries and the guys played basketball at Calvin Christian Reformed Church. . A current film about a robot"Wall-E" and an amazing documentary called "Indescribable" showed pictures from the outer-space Hubble Telescope. The Day Bible Chapel provided great treats with a speaker who offered great feasting and excellent food-for-thought . Computers and on-site games were other choices at the Ministries Chapel and a speaker for all. The Lock-In was enjoyed by all and everyone was tired by daylight. Special Thank You to Alpine Baptist Church which loaned us a bus to accommodate all the participants.

A group went to Michigan Adventures from Eastown Ministries. This is a favorite site for Eastown Ministries and everyone enjoys the fun and food .It was a good event for those who qualified to attend.

July 17-20, 2009

We went with a neighborhood family and their extended family with a dozen friends of their sons for a camping/retreat trip to the farm. The young men built a fire and stayed up until early morning mentoring each other and checking up on each individual’s spiritual growth and goals. The commentary was so instructive, and so positive, enforcing moral behavior and a close connection with God with solid advice to maintain a strong religious life obedient to God and useful to others. The boys ranged from age 9 to 21, and the older ones directly and individually instructed the younger ones, sharing their knowledge and experience, admonishing them to follow God’s way in everything. It was a unforgettable blessing to hear their words in the night air. The whole group enjoyed pick-up soccer (18 months to adult) and woods-walking, kite-flying, baseball, and great meals!

In 2009, we stayed with our son's  family as he and his wife and the older children went to Xochempic Yucatan, Mexico for an 2-week annual mission trip.

In 2009 we went to Belgium for an extended period to be with our other son and stayed with our grandchildren as he and his wife celebrated their 20^th anniversary with a trip to Norway.