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'Superbook' Brings Fresh Start to School Kids in Virginia

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NORFOLK, Va. – As students across the country head back to school, CBN's Superbook and Operation Blessing are teaming up to give one neighborhood in Norfolk, Virginia, a fresh start.

Welcome to Park Place, Norfolk. On the outside, it looks like a community riddled with violence, poverty, and gang activity. But inside the doors of one church, hundreds of children are hearing the Gospel for the first time.

The work began many years ago when God uprooted Joe and Latisha McDaniels from Tampa, Florida, and planted them in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Norfolk.

"When we got here we walked into this wonderful mission field; we saw children -- everywhere we turned we saw children and families and young people," Joe told CBN News.

"We saw this great mission field and so we saw an opportunity to serve. That's what we've been looking for. That's what we've been training for and we're so happy to be able to do that," he said.

Superbook and Operation Blessing have ministered to people around the globe. Now they are bringing it back home as the team hands out school supplies, distributes food, shows Superbook's "A Giant Adventure," and shares the Gospel.

"The team that you see here we flew in just for this local event. It was that important to us to be active around the country but to be right here at home," Operation Blessing Vice President Jody Gettys told CBN News.

"It's our mission at Operation Blessing to share the love of Jesus in real practical ways," she continued. "We want to see him glorified and we want to be able to hand out resources, backpacks, school supplies to families who wouldn't otherwise have the money to buy them."

The Superbook character, Gizmo, brought the fun and taught the children that Jesus loves them.

"Some of these kids they don't see a future for themselves as much and they don't see themselves as more than they are right now, just like David in…'Giant Adventure,'" Superbook producer John Schafer said.

"He was plucked and people didn't see the value of him," he continued. "But God did and saw his heart and we want kids to realize that God sees them and he sees their heart. He sees their dreams and their desires and he wants to fulfill it for them."

It's a message that the McDaniels believe will draw a hurting community to Christ.

"We are a part of the body of Christ and so the objective is to bring the community back to the Lord Jesus Christ," McDaniels said.

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About The Author

Mark
Martin

Mark Martin currently serves as a reporter and anchor at CBN News, reporting on all kinds of issues, from military matters to alternative fuels. Mark has reported internationally in the Middle East. He traveled to Bahrain and covered stories on the aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Mark also anchors CBN News Midday on the CBN Newschannel and fills in on the anchor desk for CBN News' Newswatch and The 700 Club. Prior to CBN News, Mark worked at KFSM-TV, the CBS affiliate in Fort Smith, Arkansas. There he served as a weekend morning producer, before being promoted to general