One way to do that is to join us on Saturdays! We started our first weekend of two different ministries taking place. One to walk the neighborhood and the other to our outdoor friends. Dr Phil, Rickie West, Elbert Brown joined Scott. The following is a recap of our neighborhood walk from Mr Scott:
We started on East 69th Street, across the street from Dr. Phil's house is David Williams. Address looked like 123 East 69th. He needs roof repair, hot water heater and commode. We saw Gert and Co. next. Then at 336 East 69th we met a young woman named Cassandra. She has three kids (kindergarten, 2 and an infant). She asked for the house to be blessed. Told us later she had just moved in and was praying to God and then we showed up. 344 East 69th we met an older white guy named Mr. Price. He had no special needs, said he had been saved but wasn't going to any local churches. But he had us pray for him. We also picked up about 3 full bags of trash. We talked about maybe making it a contest for neighborhood kids to see who could pick up the most trash and then have a winner. It was a good time. Need to make sure that we see those same people for several weeks.
The rest of us made our way to visit our friends. We had a young lady join us from Parkway who is doing a paper on the homeless community. Everybody is doing ok. We got to see everybody Turner, Robert, Brad, and the Macroni community, finishing our visits with Smokey. You can walk between trees and trails and find camp after camp in the Macaroni area. The thing I remember most of the morning was the mosquitos! With the rain and high humidity, the bugs were glad to see us, gathering as much blood as they could! Ouch!
Mondays and Wednesdays continue to be a treat as our college students continue to teach and instruct our neighborhood children. Great to see and hear the silence of learning and building of relationships going on.
Tuesday evening, Mr Matt let the Holy Spirit guide the men as they shared their struggles and triumphs in life. Matt read from James 5, talking about a warning to the rich, be patient, be careful what you say, the power of prayer and saving a soul. As the men were ending their time, a young man asked for prayers. Prayers for grace of not being put in jail for killing a man. Hands were laid on him for a hedge of protection from the darkness that surrounds our community. What a place the Holy Spirit is creating, where men can come and release their pain and frustrations and receive the gift of lvoe from Christ. Very powerful evening.
Thursday, with our pretty weather, it was time to open the doors of the chapel, to let God's voices and praises reign out through the neighborhood. Pastor Jackson and Wes allowed the Spirit to flow as songs were lifted up to His Glory. Tears of joy and gratitude were flowing from my face as we sang and sang, not knowing the words but allowing the Holy Spirit to flow. Wes made the comment, as he played and Pastor sang, goose bumps appeared on his arms as the Spirit took over worship. Sorry for the extended time of chapel, but to be honest, I didn't want it to end!
Good food was provided by Punkin's soriety and Abbey handling dessert. A youth group provided our good help. As I walked in, everything was under control, so I just stood back and observe the controlled mayhem of the evening. Everybody working together. What a blessing! Ms Lisa and Ms Abbie and others were busy handing out the grocery bags. Momma T challenging her young ladies with God's amazing gifts in Bible study, Ms Sarah showing the young people God's blessings in the garden for children's church. Doesn't get any better than this.
We lift up all concerns to God, knowing nothing is too great or too small for Him. We lift up prayers for comfort, healing, patience, guidance, endurance, perseverance, travel. Know you are not going through this alone, we have each other to help you along your journey.
Something that has been on my mind for years, something I don't know how to do, or where to start, but something that was reinforced this week in several instances.
Reflecting on our men's Bible fellowship of this past Tuesday, men are hurting, they have no place to turn to, nobody will listen with a caring heart without judging, needing the kind of help only God can provide. We meet once a week, but that is not enough. Life is hard, especially in our community. With no jobs, drugs, alcohol, physical abuse, Satan is running freely, life will knock you down, daily. So what do the men do? They have no where to go. The church doors are locked. So they turn to violence and alcohol. God's Kingdom's doors need to be unlocked!
In chapel this week, I look down at my watch and it was 5:45! Way past time to leave, but nobody was leaving! The songs were flowing, God was being lifted up, people were crying, lives were being touched, souls were being saved! Awesome, but that was Thursday. What about the rest of the week? When you need help, when you need God's help, where can you turn to? The church doors are locked. We tell the community, just wait until next Thursday, chapel will be open again. We all need God in our lives everyday, every hour, every minute, not just on Thursdays.
One of our families has moved from the neighborhood. Nothing new in our community. The families trash the house where they are, or they can't pay rent, or find a cheaper place and off they go. Usually they will be back at some point. Many years ago, when I was first introduced to our neighborhood and began working with the children, I was dumb founded they couldn't read or write, their manners were none existent, steal at the drop of a hat, would consume you with requests. Not until one day, it was raining, they came, felt bad and took them home, did I see what I took this little ones home to. It was appalling, our children living in conditions there were deplorable.
People coming and going in their houses, not knowing if they would have a meal or not, usually no air conditioning, sometimes no heat, sometimes no electricity. Playing outside in the dirt, because it was cooler outside the house than inside. Multiple families living in the house, drugs, alcohol running ram pet by the adults. We wonder why education takes a back seat.
That is why the elementary school where most of our children go to is failing. They have a whole school of children living in poverty, where education is not important to the children or their parents. Our children are just trying to survive day to day. No wonder our children don't want to go home when they visit us. Their time with us is calming and lvoing, something they don't have in their worlds. So what do we do?
I have seen this same story play out for almost 20 years now. Drugs, alcohol, child abuse, lack of education, no jobs, no housing, babies being born to our young girls, our young men going to prisons, when will it end? What is the answer? Who will make the change? How will it happen?
As we all know, Christ is the difference. Christ in our hearts will produce change. Christ in our hearts will provide people working together, not others doing for others. We have to get together, we have to get to know each other, we have to lvoe Christ as a community. This community is not bigger than what God can handle. He has the answer, we have to let go and let God direct us. We need to have men's Bible study every night. We need to have chapel every day. We need to have meals every day. We need to open the doors to God and never ever lock them again.
Is all of this too big for us, yes! But not for God. We need to step out in faith, He will bring people together to make it happen. We need to ask ourselves, how can God use me to bring others to Christ? And then do it! Don't wait for somebody else to take the lead, you and Christ together can change one life, Then somebody else can change one life and before you know it, we will have have changed a community!
Our challenge in the coming weeks, how can I lead somebody to Christ? And then tell us your story. God's Kingdom is waiting on us to build it up one heart at a time. Amen!
Have a great week, lvoe somebody like they've never been lvoed before! Share your story with us, inspire us!
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