Remembering Awana Recap!

The Remembering Awana Contest officially ended November 9th and the winner was announced on the 12th. Congratulations to Jocelyn Swaan for winning the draw for the new camera! A big thank you to everyone who joined us for our Remembering Awana Contest on Facebook! It was so fun to see all the pictures and hear some of the stories of Awana throughout the years.

Jocelyn Swaan's son Dustin

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

We read testimonies of how serving at Awana has been a blessing in people's lives and how children who have grown up in Awana have gone on to serve in leadership, giving back what they had been given. We saw the joy in kid's eyes as they received awards and recognition. We smiled at the pictures of crazy theme nights and games where children get a chance to have fun and run around in a safe environment. We loved seeing all the families involved together and the amazing dedication of parents teaching their kids. And most of all we loved the joy we could see shining from the faces of young children who have been given the greatest gift - the gospel message!

So THANK YOU. This contest wasn't so much about giving a prize to one person as it was about celebrating the prize we have all been given - the gift of salvation through Christ. What a blessing that God has used Awana to speak into the lives of so many! Let's keep sharing the Good News!

Remembering Awana Contest

[Contest Deadline EXTENDED to November 9th!!]

Share a picture – WIN a camera!

Did you know that Awana has been in Canada since 1976!? We’ve been through a lot of changes since those days! Will you join us and spend some time “remembering Awana” over the years? Get out the photo albums and reminisce a little!

Remember those classy old uniforms? And the old workbooks the kids used? Whether you are a clubber from those days, or the parent of one, we’re sure the memories you have are fond ones. We’d love to see and hear all about them!

Join us  (October 21 – November 9) as we share our memories of Awana! You could WIN a new Canon Powershot so that you can keep remembering Awana!

HOW TO ENTER:

•  “LIKE” our Facebook page
•  POST A PHOTO of you or your child in their Awana uniform OR at an obviously Awana sponsored event on the Awana Canada Facebook timeline
• a.     Make sure to add #RememberingAwana in the photo description or post
• b.     Optional: describe a memory about Awana in your post!

The older, the BETTER! We’d love to see some old classics, but of course, if “remembering Awana” for you is just looking back to the beginning of this September, that’s great too! Feel free to share memories along with your photo post as well!

*Participants receive one entry per photo, up to 3 photos.

REMEMBER TO SHARE the contest and encourage your Awana friends (new and old) to participate! We need 50 eligible entries or the prize will not be awarded! 

CONTEST DETAILS: 

WIN:

Canon Powershot ELPH 520 HS

10.1 megapixels

12x optical zoom

3.0” LCD

Also Included: 4GB Micro SD card, Oak Street Hard Case

Prize is non-transferable. No substitutions or cash  equivalent of prize is permitted.

CONTEST PERIOD:

The contest will begin October 21, 2013  and end November 9, 2013 at midnight PST. The winner will be announced on November 12 at noon. (Awana Canada reserves the right to extend the deadline at their discretion.)

WINNER SELECTION:

The winner will be chosen at random from among entrants and announced on November 4, 2013. The winner will be announced on the Awana Canada Facebook page. It is the responsibility of the winner to be monitoring said page and then private message Awana Canada for details about claiming their prize. If the winner does not contact Awana within 15 days of the announcement, they shall forfeit the prize.

NOTE: Prize may not be awarded if an insufficient number of eligible entries (50) are received.

Awana office staff sporting old games director uniforms

ELIGIBILITY:

This contest is open to all residents of Canada provided they have in some way participated in Awana.

By participating, each entrant grants Awana International Canada permission to use his/her name, submitted photo, and comments for publicity purposes.

Awana International Canada and its affiliates are not responsible for any typographical or other errors in the offer or administration of the contest, including, but not limited to, errors in any printing or posting of these Official Rules, the selection and announcement of any winner or the distribution of any prize.

Awana reserves the right to edit the “Remembering Awana Contest Rules” without notice and to extend the contest beyond it’s stated timeline if deemed necessary.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the promotion will be directed to Awana International Canada, not Facebook.

By submitting an entry, you are acknowledging and agreeing to abide by these rules.

"Youth Day" Conference

This year we had our first "Youth Day" conference in Manitoba! It was a great time of teaching, games and growing. Thirty kids from Trek and Journey ages participated in the conference where they focused on the gospel and were taught at workshops on how to share the gospel with friends and at Awana. Jon Imbeau, director of Awana Canada, spoke on the "who, where, when, why, and how of the gospel".

There were games and pizza and lots of giveaways! It was a great success and we hope to build on this one for next year.

Would you like to host a "Youth Day" in your area? Contact us or your local missionary to learn more!

A Touch of Guatemala

How many people can say they have had breakfast with a "Miss World" contestant? Well last week we here at Awana Canada enjoyed a light morning meal with Monique Aparicio, "Miss World Guatemala 2012"!

Monique Aparicio

Monique and her host, Grant Saip of Food for the Hungry (FH) Canada, met us bright and early Thursday morning and shared with us their vision for Guatemala. Since the "Miss World" competition Monique has dedicated her talents and gifts to serving God and helping her country by joining FH Guatemala. (Watch this video to hear her share how FH is working in Guatemala.) She is visiting Canada to share her story and bring a little bit of Guatemala to the Canadians she hopes will continue to support FH in her country.

In Guatemala, 8/10 children have chronic malnutrition. This is the worst percentage in Latin America and number three in the world. Only 2/10 children get to middle school and only 1/10 receive a high school education. Over 50% of the Guatemalans live in poverty.

Photo Credit: Freddy Murphy

There are 14 million people in Guatemala and HALF of these live in Greater Guatemala City. Most of these urban city dwellers have no idea about the state of the rest of their country.

Monique was one of those people. When she visited the rural communities of her country and saw what was really going on in people's lives she knew she had to do something. She saw angry, bitter people, vulnerable, hostile and disadvantaged. They are used and abused by the government, bribed into voting for political parties and looked down upon by the more well-off.

But Monique also saw what FH can do and is doing in these communities. What she loves about FH is that "they are not giving compassion, they are giving inspiration!"She says that Guatemalan's don't need pity, they need hope and encouragement. FH helps the people in a way that teaches them to help themselves and Monique knows that "we [Guatemalans] can do it". She says that the communities that have been reached by FH are full of peace and trust and gratefulness. The people are empowered to make changes in their lives, the lives of their children, and the state of their country.

Photo Credit: Freddy Murphy

FH Canada is working on a three year plan for educational assistance for Guatemalan children. And this is where Awana comes in. Grant told us that "Awana is such a natural fit" for their program because it instills hope, confidence, and faith in the next generation. Awana's proven curriculum is just what FH needs to teach a biblical worldview to the children of Guatemala. Monique is excited about the prospect of using Awana because she sees that Guatemalan's have a strong belief in God but they are confused. Many abuse the Bible and use it to defend such things things as alcoholism and the inferiority of women. She hopes that with the teaching and direction they receive from the Awana program, the confusion of Biblical texts will diminish.

At Awana, we are thrilled to be working with FH Canada in this new educational proposal. That's why we are fundraising for Guatemala this year. Six dollars can send another child to an Awana Club. Six dollars can reach another child for Christ. Six dollars can effect another child's future forever.

Will you join us? Will you join Monique and Grant as they seek to implement their new proposal? Your help is needed. Find out more about the "Holla for Guatemala" campaign and start fundraising today!

10 million by 2020!

A Note from Jon...


Last week I attended the first ever Leaders Summit for Awana in Chicago. The Summit brought together Awana country directors from all over the world.  We spent the week talking about a new global goal for Awana and how to make it happen. Our goal is to reach 10 million children by 2020. What a huge dream that is! 

Currently we are reaching about 2.5 million children every week, and it took us 60 years to get that far. Is it possible to reach so many more boys and girls in a significantly less amount of time?  For me, I saw it as a God problem right away. Only the Lord could do something like this. It's a goal that we can't do just by giving it our best - we need him! And that is the kind of goal and prayer that I think God is wanting us to bring to him. Let's keep praying big prayers and depend on our big God to fulfill these goals and dreams for Awana.


Jon Imbeau
Executive Director
Awana International Canada

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What can you do to join Awana in this new goal? Start a new club? Support Awana missions internationally? Or simply tell others about the Awana program and invite them to join?

Above all, will you commit to pray for Awana and this new goal? Because it is only through God's work that it will ever come to pass. 

What are your thoughts about this goal? Let us know in the comments! 

Be filled, equipped, and strengthened so that you can STAND Committed!

As a leader, you are constantly putting OUT a  lot, giving of your time, energy and emotions in the service of your ministry. Many leaders can reach a point where they feel burnt out, used up, and empty. Perhaps you are tired and lacking vision and strength this year as you strive to serve.

This is one reason we offer the Awana Ministry Conferences. Leaders need filling up after all the hours, days, weeks and months of giving out. We also aim to equip you for the year ahead. At an Awana Conference you will experiences others coming alongside you to give you encouragement and more tools to use in your ministry. The different workshops will hone your skills in different areas and you will have the opportunity to have any of your questions answered.

This year at the Awana Ministry Conferences across the nation, we will be gathering together and focusing on the power of the gospel. The gospel must be our FOUNDATION - are you committed to STAND upon it?

Join us this year as we STAND committed to the gospel!

Find a conference near you. 

Spread the word #StandCommitted2013

What's new at Awana?

The new Awana Canada website just launched! Be sure and check it out then find us on Facebook to participate in the upcoming contests to win some awesome Awana paraphernalia!

The "Holla for Guatemala" campaign is gearing up as well. We're aiming for $35, 000 dollars this year to help send kids to Awana in Guatemala! Visit the information page to find out more!