On Tuesday, July 28, FIRM hosted the first annual FIRM Summer Carnival! This event saw well over 500 people (mostly from the refugee community) come to the FIRM campus to enjoy carnival rides, games, carnival-themed food, receive backpacks/school supplies for kids going back to school and much more! The event also featured a prayer booth (prayer available in Hmong, Lao and English), a Gospel presentation (also in Hmong, Lao and English) and Child Evangelism Fellowship provided an activity booth that shared the Gospel with children in attendance. Overall, almost 350 backpacks with school supplies were given away, 650 hot dogs were eaten and over 50 volunteers helped to put on this fantastic event.
FIRM would like to thank Cornerstone Church of the Silicon Valley and Lake Grove Presbyterian Church (Lake Oswego, OR) for donating the backpacks/school supplies, providing 30 volunteers for the Carnival and staying for the long evening of cleanup/tear down! FIRM would also like to thank the following supporters and sponsors that each provided different pieces of a truly amazing day: 4141 Ministries, the Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association (Event Trailer), Child Evangelism Fellowship, The Olive Project (Live music), Gao (Live music), Rudy Crook (Carnival Rides), Councilman Clint Olivier, Lynn Bremer, Sher Moua, Pastor Rick Xiong, Lewis-Walker Rents and everyone else that made this event possible. This event would truly not be possible without the collaborative efforts of churches, organizations and community members that care about the needs of the refugee population in Fresno!
FIRM is already looking forward to next year’s event which promises to be even bigger and better!