Today we’d like to introduce you to Vena Lewis.
Vena, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
For me, life is a great adventure. The years raising my son was full of adventure. Each day telling a new story with all its comings and goings, twists and turns, ups and downs and its array of characters.
Those years inspired my love for storytelling. Although when looking back, they seem far, far too brief; because by the time I looked around my son was all grown up.
Since then, I’ve written and published three children’s books in which my personal favorite is ‘The Adventures of Justin Fiddlesticks and the Golden Cape’. It is about a boy who meets a very crafty fox wearing a golden cape. The two go on an adventurous yet perilous journey.
I’ve also written over 20 scripts that have either been performed live or produced for video. None of those productions could have been accomplished without The Team (Hope Productions 4KIDS Ministry) and support of some of the Rock Church staff. Our current project in production is a video series for preschoolers called Zoc-a-too Village coming this summer 2018.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Surprisingly, it wasn’t until about six months before I retired from the City of San Diego as a Project Manager that I began writing down some of those stories floating around in my head. I’m blessed to use my retirement years to be an encourager to our youth through entertainment. As for obstacles/challenges in this season of my life I’ve come to expect the unexpected. When the unexpected does happen, I pray, trust God and know He’ll work it out somehow.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Hope Productions 4KIDS – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’m the ministry leader of Hope Productions 4KIDS aka JC Living Hope Puppets Ministry. All members are volunteers. The ministry operates out of the Point Loma Campus of the Rock Church in San Diego.
Our mission/goal is to encourage and equip kids to spread GOD’s love, forgiveness, and compassion through storytelling, live performance, multi-media and video production.
Our productions are either Bible stories or they contain biblical principles. Attendance to our live shows or watching our videos online are FREE.
What I’m most proud of about The Team is their community of love toward one another and their seemingly tireless dedication to accomplish a great work together.
What were you like growing up? Personality wise, interest wise, etc.
I realize today that as a native New Yorker growing up in the concrete jungle was the perfect backdrop for a dreamer like me. The effervescence of my Brooklyn multicultural self-contained neighborhood was an everyday escapade of a never-ending story.
New York City’s hustle and bustle, bright lights, assorted architecture and history inspired me to want more, to dream more. Thus, moving to California is one of my dreams come true. I’ve been living in and loving San Diego County since the eighties.
Another dream come true for me is being a writer of Plays and Children’s books. As well as seeing them come to life through live performance and video production. Two of my books were originally written as a puppets show. My future continues to look very bright because each time I complete a project I think to myself “My best story is yet to come!”
Contact Info:
- Address: 2277 Rosecrans St. San Diego, CA 92106
- Website: hopeproductions4kids.com
- Phone: 619.226.7625
- Email: hopeproductions4kids@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rock-Church-Hope-Productions-4KIDS-119306734748717/?ref=bookmarks
- Other: http://www.sdrock.com/ministries/youthproductions/
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