Friends of Angels (FOA) is a ministry in the Los Angeles area focused on serving families with children who have autism. This ministry was birthed by a member of Journey South Bay Church who has a child with autism. Once a year, in June, the Friends of Angels Ministry holds a weekend retreat at Pilgrim Pines Camp where the parents and children are invited to enjoy the beautiful and serene mountains of Yucaipa, California. They have a number of prescreened volunteers who will watch over the children throughout the weekend in order to give the parents an opportunity to have a weekend to rest and relax. A number of activities and events are available for both the children and the parents.  From guest speakers to quiet beds to sleep the day away, the choice is yours!

I participated in this ministry as a volunteer back in June of 2015 and since it was such an awesome experience, I will be participating again this year. If you are a parent with a child with autism or know someone who is, I urge you to check this out because it is such an awesome experience for everyone involved.

If you don’t know anyone affected by autism, but you want to get further information on how to volunteer or get involved, please check out the FOA website and see how to get started. If you live in the South Bay area, this ministry is in action every Sunday at my home church, Journey South Bay in Redondo Beach, CA. There is a Sunday school service specifically for autistic children and young adults so the families are able to be blessed by the service while knowing their children or loved ones are well taken care of. Whether a family comes to mind, or you suddenly feel like you want to volunteer, I urge you not to hesitate and reach out through one of these links. Be the blessing and love in action.

http://www.friendsofangels.org/

http://www.journeysouthbay.org/

rawdiscipleship4u@gmail.com