Praise be to God!!! Where do I even begin? Well, first I should start off by thanking Hannah Groves for providing me with a username/password to access AT&T WiFi at McDonalds so I won't have to pay everytime I use the internet here.
Other than that, lots have happened... let me try to organize this. Okay, first... a follow up report with Yvette (the woman who went from saying she was going clubbing to passing out bibles/gospel tracts the next day). Before I came back up, I cleaned out my room and brought lots of clothes, games, and books to donate to the Salvation Army. A couple books I found were those "Chicken Soup for the ____ Soul." So I thought I'd give those to her--give her some encouraging stories to read as a mother. So I walked over and gave those to her (she really appreciated them), but then she kind of spilled her heart. She told me that since the gospel rap shows, she's had to tell her friends "no" to lots of things because, as she put it, she "don't feel right doing it anymore." The spirit of God is moving her. However, the power of Satan is attacking her. Since those nights, she has had numerous bills come her way that she is unable to pay (she is a Nurse's Assistant, but they only schedule her for weekends). She is struggling to make ends meet and they are threatening to cut off her electricity and water. Please pray that God meets her needs... As a matter of fact, if you would like to help in some way just call me (859) 539-7838. I will talk with our pastor to see if the church can help somehow. I am currently getting her an application to work in the after school program with our church--hopefully a position will open up for her. Pray for her.
Okay, next on the list: Sunday services! At last, my fourth time here and I finally was able to make it to a Sunday service. We had a turnout of 20 or so (they tell me the attendance is 60 when it's not summer)--but this crowd of 20 was a blessing to me... I was given the chance to testify to what God had me doing and my plans for the summer. I am proud to tell you that one member is going to donate lots of water to aid my basketball ministry! I also have a father who wants to get together with me to talk and hang out and all the others were so kind to me, welcoming me as family. I especially want you to pray for Amani (I don't know how to spell his name)... he must be about 10 years old and he came to church on his own will--he had no family or friends with him. Then when I talked about starting a discipleship group with young adults, he asked where and when cause he wants to come!!! That boy there is going to be a leader for Christ in this community, pray for him. We also had the Soup and Salvation service this afternoon at 3. At this service we had about 35-40, all adults who are homeless, alcoholics, drug addicts, etc... Many of these are currently in rehab and a volunteer picks them up from the center to bring them. We have a group come in, sing songs and give a message and then we feed them. Interestingly, of these 40 or so people, only 3 were women (something to think about). I had the privilege to meet Frank (his first time there because one of the ladies was walking behind him on the streets and told him to go!--imagine that, look what happens when you talk to people, haha!). Frank shared some burdens and we got to talk about some spiritual matters and then I gave him a ride home--hopefully there will be more rides home to come.
Don't stop reading yet, this is where my main ministry comes into play. There's still so much more to say! I have seen my "target group" a few times this past week. I open the gym every night and some nights they come, some nights they don't. Occasionally I get a call from one of them to go play ball with them. So the relationships are being established. However, I wish there was more consistency--but I'm sure that will come. Okay, now I want to explain a little scenario. Every thursday another church uses our gym... this guy John has a group of about 13 kids come in to play and he tells me he's been trying to start a league. Well... twice now I've had "my gang" in to play when they've been there and they scrimmaged. So I talked to John and said, "let's make it official! Let's start the league next Thursday!" So, first games are this Thursday. I hope to have 2 teams and he will have 2 teams. I have also been gathering contacts with surrounding areas/churches so I can get them to put a team together and I will go to other parks nearby to start teams (well, really just one other park I know is a big hit). I plan on getting jerseys for my teams, something they can have pride in and feel unity (the second time they scrimmaged, one of the guys told me at the end "they've been getting our hopes up about this league for nothing."--getting jerseys will show them how serious I am about being intentional with them, etc.). To do that, I know I will have to sacrifice some things (limit how often I buy drinks to use as ministry at the parks, etc... I don't have the funds for everything... if you still want to donate, not too late!) I also need to get a scoreboard or somthing like that to make it as much of a "recreational league" as I can. So... how am I going to tie all this into ministry? Glad you asked! I'll break from this part to explain my "bible studies."
I currently have 3 bible studies in the making:
1) "Journey of a Disciple"--learning what it means to be a Disciple of Christ (the call, the cost, the change, the commitment and life that follows). This starts Wed. June 11 at 6 PM and is for members of the church. Originally I was targeting young adults, but I've had some older age and younger age at church this morning wanting to go... so it'll be interesting to see the age range that comes! I hope to equip them with a "Great Commission" attitude to take to the streets.
2) "Walking in Your Salvation"--This is for the youth that dedicated their life to Christ at the gospel rap concerts. Neat story... Karen, a worker at the church and young lady who drove all these kids to the show, told me that they were all upset she didn't pick them up for church last week (it would have been their first time there). So I'll be coordinating with her to start this bible study for them. This will be about growing them in Christ, understanding what it means to be a Christian, having Christ at the center of your life, etc.
3) "Who is Jesus?"--Discovering who Jesus is through encounters people had with Him and the claims/confessions about him. This was my favorite bible study I've covered (lead by Tommy Johnson, my campus minister), so I will use it to be a seekers study for non-Christians. This is the bible study I hope to begin with "my gang" and through that basketball league starting up, I hope to use that as a venue to my bible study--taking time before the game or before any open gym to do a 45 min bible study with them. PRAY PRAY PRAY for them and for that study. On the note of this bible study, check out what just happened an hour ago:
So I went to Franklin park (my original park and where the heart of my ministry is) a couple hours ago and found a whole new gang (most came from 8 blocks away). So I played with them and really got to know a few guys, specifically Mark. I start to tell them how I'll have the gym open at night if they want to play (they loved that idea--some of these guys are tryng to stay out of trouble so it gives them something to do at night). And then I told them about the league. Well Mark's cousin is a co-pastor at a church and so Mark called him up and his cousin wants to help out! I've got his # and I'll be calling him tonight. But even better, I proceeded to tell these guys I'm starting a bible study if they want to join right before playing ball at the church. Guess what? Our first study is Tuesday at 8:00 PM. I had one guy say, "Man, I need something like that." So, I'm going to do the "Who is Jesus" with them and try to integrate "my gang" into it... PRAISE GOD, can I get an "AMEN"? AMEN!
Now, I don't know yet how to upload pictures onto here, but as soon as I find out, I will... I've taken pictures of the church and I will take some of the neighborhood so you can get an idea of where I am and what kind of place I'm in.
If you want to make a donation, check out my blog title: "how to donate"... I guess that's all until next week!
P.S. I couldn't tell you how many times I've heard "you're in a very dangerous place... you know what you're getting yourself into?" Well, I hope my mom and my fiancee don't read this! It's crazy where God will put you when you dare to make a difference and to carry the cross... heck, my brother is going to Darfur Sudan in November! It's all good though. :) PRAY PRAY PRAY
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Trip 3--Hip Hop Ministry
My third trip was a victory for God's kingdom, and now I have even more work to do! I arrived in Philly on Tuesday May 13 in my big 15 passenger caravan donated from Loucon Training and Retreat Center (loaded with donated baseball eqiupment from PLD and WKU and sound eqiupment) and got started on Wednesday. That Wednesday I went to the court at 3 and played basketball until 7 (It's been a long time since I played like that). Luckily, almost all the guys from the month 1/2 before were there and of course, they remembered me. That day was a big bonus because I exchanged phone #s with several of them (so you know that's a big step).
The next morning there was an advisory board meeting--a group of 4-5 adults meet every 3-6 months to discuss how to raise money or what they can do for the community, etc. One of the members is Phyllis, who works for Impact Services, a company next door to the church (not faith-based). Though they are not "faith-based" they have served alongside of the Salvation Army because of all that the army does for the community and Impact Services job is essentially "community development/improvement." Major had me meet with the group and explain what I've been doing. Phyllis loved the idea and the next day called and asked if she could print an Ad in the newspaper, calling it "The Good Word in Gatorade" (haha)... she explained that it would let the neighborhood know that good things are happening and that there could be potential people who would donate money to my ministry (I think we can call that another step).
Then came Thursday afternoon where I picked up my "California Christian Rappers." From all the money I raised I was able to purchase 5 plane tickets for 4 rappers and a minister to come do a Christian Hip Hop show (Friday and Saturday). In the four days I was with them, I really don't know if I've ever had more fun. These were some of the funnest guys I've been around and the most genuine Christians! Their first day there I took them out for hoagies (no one makes sandwhiches like they do in the North... mmmm!) and showed them around the neighborhood as they passed out fliers and free CDs. As I showed them around, I quote one of the rappers (Explicittrell), "Man, the harvest is definitely here" and from another (N.I.C.), "This neighborhood puts Cali to shame" (these guys were from rough neighborhoods/backgrounds in Cali too). That kind of gives an idea of what this neighborhood is like--a troubled area ridden with drugs, etc but also ready to be harvested for the kingdom. One thing that makes the ministry easier there is almost EVERYONE sits on their porch outside (they have nothing else to do), so the people are right there in front of me! So thursday was spent passing out fliers for the show and spending time in bible study and prayer. The guys also came over that night to play ball in the gym!
Then came the shows. We had hoped to do it outside, but it rained all day Friday. So we cleared out the chapel and set up for inside. Saturday, however, we trusted God and put the equipment outside despite 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms. As the show went on, storms were all around us, but never over us :). When people asked me how the shows went, I tell them, "Quantity not as big as expected, but the impact it had on people greater than I expected." Friday we had 20 and Saturday about 40... so not as many as I had hoped for, but lives were changed in one night. Several people invited Christ into their lives and several others saw for the first time that there is more to it than just believing in a Christ who died for their sins--they saw the idea of "walking in their salvation." That's why I say there is now more work for me. Several people there were outside of my "target group" and now there is potential for an additional bible study/discipleship. What I loved about these two nights is that I saw that I truly did have the best group of Christian rappers--they didn't care how many showed up (and it is common that I would see worship leaders be upset over a 20 person attendance and thus not care so much). These guys were simply there to glorify God and minister--I've never seen people so excited to witness (even during the day, outside of the show). After the show they praised God for the work that had been reaped, "Hallelujah this, hallelujah that"...
One example of a life changed over night is Evette. Evette is a woman (probably in early 40s) who lives a few doors down from the church. A couple of the rappers visited her to invite her to the show. She bluntly replied, "I'm not going to that, I'm going clubbing tonight." Guess where she was that night? Yup... at our show. She heard the music coming from the church so she came over, and brought her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend! She went from saying she was going clubbing to.... the next day standing outside at our show again, only this time passing out bibles and gospel tracts to everyone who walked by!
To close out, I should probably tell you who this group is and how I came to contact them. The four rappers are N.I.C. (Noticed in Christ also called Nicolodean), B Fade, Explicittrell, and Brotha Ruff (aka "Gospel Gorilla") and the minister is Jnezz who started the "Pray Area Movement" which brought these rappers together. I met them online through a friend from another mission trip. A few years ago I went to Jamaica on a mission trip and met Acacia, who was from Cali. Well after she sent out an e-mail to all the Jamaica missionaries about 9 months ago, I responded explaining what I had been up to (part of it was about Philly). She then replied and told me about her friend NIC who would be good to have come out... so then I contacted him. To be honest, neither one of us thought it would actually happen; but hey, God likes to slap you in the face sometimes. They not only helped kickstart my ministry in Philly, but it also helped their ministry. Several people heard them and loved them, and these people have further contacts for future potential shows (they've also had kids e-mail them asking when they were coming back!). I hope to have pictures posted next week... If you want to find out more about Pray Area Movement, they have a myspace web page: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=370124781 (you can even see an interview with Evette).
Well... I'm now getting ready to get on the road to head back for the next 8 weeks! Pray for me and I'll keep things posting once a week. :)
The next morning there was an advisory board meeting--a group of 4-5 adults meet every 3-6 months to discuss how to raise money or what they can do for the community, etc. One of the members is Phyllis, who works for Impact Services, a company next door to the church (not faith-based). Though they are not "faith-based" they have served alongside of the Salvation Army because of all that the army does for the community and Impact Services job is essentially "community development/improvement." Major had me meet with the group and explain what I've been doing. Phyllis loved the idea and the next day called and asked if she could print an Ad in the newspaper, calling it "The Good Word in Gatorade" (haha)... she explained that it would let the neighborhood know that good things are happening and that there could be potential people who would donate money to my ministry (I think we can call that another step).
Then came Thursday afternoon where I picked up my "California Christian Rappers." From all the money I raised I was able to purchase 5 plane tickets for 4 rappers and a minister to come do a Christian Hip Hop show (Friday and Saturday). In the four days I was with them, I really don't know if I've ever had more fun. These were some of the funnest guys I've been around and the most genuine Christians! Their first day there I took them out for hoagies (no one makes sandwhiches like they do in the North... mmmm!) and showed them around the neighborhood as they passed out fliers and free CDs. As I showed them around, I quote one of the rappers (Explicittrell), "Man, the harvest is definitely here" and from another (N.I.C.), "This neighborhood puts Cali to shame" (these guys were from rough neighborhoods/backgrounds in Cali too). That kind of gives an idea of what this neighborhood is like--a troubled area ridden with drugs, etc but also ready to be harvested for the kingdom. One thing that makes the ministry easier there is almost EVERYONE sits on their porch outside (they have nothing else to do), so the people are right there in front of me! So thursday was spent passing out fliers for the show and spending time in bible study and prayer. The guys also came over that night to play ball in the gym!
Then came the shows. We had hoped to do it outside, but it rained all day Friday. So we cleared out the chapel and set up for inside. Saturday, however, we trusted God and put the equipment outside despite 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms. As the show went on, storms were all around us, but never over us :). When people asked me how the shows went, I tell them, "Quantity not as big as expected, but the impact it had on people greater than I expected." Friday we had 20 and Saturday about 40... so not as many as I had hoped for, but lives were changed in one night. Several people invited Christ into their lives and several others saw for the first time that there is more to it than just believing in a Christ who died for their sins--they saw the idea of "walking in their salvation." That's why I say there is now more work for me. Several people there were outside of my "target group" and now there is potential for an additional bible study/discipleship. What I loved about these two nights is that I saw that I truly did have the best group of Christian rappers--they didn't care how many showed up (and it is common that I would see worship leaders be upset over a 20 person attendance and thus not care so much). These guys were simply there to glorify God and minister--I've never seen people so excited to witness (even during the day, outside of the show). After the show they praised God for the work that had been reaped, "Hallelujah this, hallelujah that"...
One example of a life changed over night is Evette. Evette is a woman (probably in early 40s) who lives a few doors down from the church. A couple of the rappers visited her to invite her to the show. She bluntly replied, "I'm not going to that, I'm going clubbing tonight." Guess where she was that night? Yup... at our show. She heard the music coming from the church so she came over, and brought her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend! She went from saying she was going clubbing to.... the next day standing outside at our show again, only this time passing out bibles and gospel tracts to everyone who walked by!
To close out, I should probably tell you who this group is and how I came to contact them. The four rappers are N.I.C. (Noticed in Christ also called Nicolodean), B Fade, Explicittrell, and Brotha Ruff (aka "Gospel Gorilla") and the minister is Jnezz who started the "Pray Area Movement" which brought these rappers together. I met them online through a friend from another mission trip. A few years ago I went to Jamaica on a mission trip and met Acacia, who was from Cali. Well after she sent out an e-mail to all the Jamaica missionaries about 9 months ago, I responded explaining what I had been up to (part of it was about Philly). She then replied and told me about her friend NIC who would be good to have come out... so then I contacted him. To be honest, neither one of us thought it would actually happen; but hey, God likes to slap you in the face sometimes. They not only helped kickstart my ministry in Philly, but it also helped their ministry. Several people heard them and loved them, and these people have further contacts for future potential shows (they've also had kids e-mail them asking when they were coming back!). I hope to have pictures posted next week... If you want to find out more about Pray Area Movement, they have a myspace web page: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=370124781 (you can even see an interview with Evette).
Well... I'm now getting ready to get on the road to head back for the next 8 weeks! Pray for me and I'll keep things posting once a week. :)
Friday, May 23, 2008
Trip 2 bridging to Trip 3
This still deals with my 2nd trip but I gave it its own post because of its significance. While passing out fliers for the Thursday night show down, I came across one guy who looked at the flier. He was surprised that the gym was going to be open. My first time there, the church had open gym every thursday night, but this second time there, they were no longer having it. I thought it was because the recreation director had left, but I found out the real reason from this one guy.
He proceeded to tell me that his brother had gotten in a fight at the open gym and next day he was shot and killed. Well, I didn't realize it at first, but after connecting the dots, I came to realize that I had met this victim from my first trip. Not only did I meet this victim, I shared the gospel, my testimony, and gave him a gospel tract... He was shot and killed a month later. I wonder--did he make some sort of decision in that month? It really convicted me more that my ministry there needs to be longer than a week. So while sharing the gospel that night over pizza, in the back of my mind I was thinking how I need to stay longer. God was drilling it in my mind and heart. After sharing the gospel, Major Phil (head pastor) told me it was great and hoped he could find someone to keep it going. That's when I told him that I would like to. I was already staffed to work Camp Centrifuge in NC, so we agreed that if he could work it out on his end and I could work it out on mine, I could stay all summer. Well... sure enough, camp released me and he did his part. I am now staying there until July 20. In these two months, my first focus is starting bible studies. One is for the teens already members of the church to equip them with an evangelistic attitude and carrying out the Great Commission. The other(s) is a seekers bible study for the kids I have been meeting. So I will be living on the 2nd floor of the church in my own little room!!!
Now, I have already been there for my 3rd time (which was the main thing I raised money and what I planned all along). I had told people I would post updates, but I did not have any access to internet. Looks like I will only have access on weekends when I can go to McDonalds for wireless. So tomorrow I will post this past week's ministry (my 3rd trip... I did that, then came home and will go back Monday). Look for what happened last week! Good stuff!
He proceeded to tell me that his brother had gotten in a fight at the open gym and next day he was shot and killed. Well, I didn't realize it at first, but after connecting the dots, I came to realize that I had met this victim from my first trip. Not only did I meet this victim, I shared the gospel, my testimony, and gave him a gospel tract... He was shot and killed a month later. I wonder--did he make some sort of decision in that month? It really convicted me more that my ministry there needs to be longer than a week. So while sharing the gospel that night over pizza, in the back of my mind I was thinking how I need to stay longer. God was drilling it in my mind and heart. After sharing the gospel, Major Phil (head pastor) told me it was great and hoped he could find someone to keep it going. That's when I told him that I would like to. I was already staffed to work Camp Centrifuge in NC, so we agreed that if he could work it out on his end and I could work it out on mine, I could stay all summer. Well... sure enough, camp released me and he did his part. I am now staying there until July 20. In these two months, my first focus is starting bible studies. One is for the teens already members of the church to equip them with an evangelistic attitude and carrying out the Great Commission. The other(s) is a seekers bible study for the kids I have been meeting. So I will be living on the 2nd floor of the church in my own little room!!!
Now, I have already been there for my 3rd time (which was the main thing I raised money and what I planned all along). I had told people I would post updates, but I did not have any access to internet. Looks like I will only have access on weekends when I can go to McDonalds for wireless. So tomorrow I will post this past week's ministry (my 3rd trip... I did that, then came home and will go back Monday). Look for what happened last week! Good stuff!
Trip 2
So originally, my plan was to head out for one week right after the school year ended, but the Baptist Campus Ministry at WKU asked me to lead a group there during Spring Break. So my second time was with a group of 3 freshmen girls, one Junior girl, 2 freshmen guys, myself, and the campus minister. It was very exciting getting others involved and seeing the area God called me to for the time being.
Through the week we put together several outreach events and community service projects. For two mornings, we spent two hours passing out free hot chocolate and praying for/over people. Several gained the courage to take hot chocolate to some street corners and under the el-train at Kensington (one of most poverty-stricken neighborhood in America). Seeing young Christians step up is a great sight--very encouraging. We also spent a day or two painting the bathrooms for the after school program (blue for boys and pink for girls... there's no other way in America!).
But the highlight of the week (and I'm sure the others will agree) were the two major initiatives put on--one for the mothers/families of kids who attend the after school program, and one for the teens from the streets/hood. Of all the kids who attend the after school program, only a couple mothers attended church there. So the girls decided to prepare a big dinner for the mothers and other family--they could come pick up their child, but then stay for dinner. Originally, 13 said they would come... good thing we bought extra because 23 showed up! The girls were able to cook and serve them and then share some testimonies. I know God's love was witnessed because when I was recently there for my 3rd time, a mother commented on how much it meant to her (when she commented on this it was 1 1/2 months later).
As for us guys, we planned a basketball and free pizza night. All week we had been playing at the park I was at the year before (unfortunately, I only saw one guy that was the same) so on Thursday night we invited them to the church for basketball and pizza... we actually passed out hundreds of fliers to teens (girls and boys) and so the plan wasn't to play ball, but the only ones that came were those we played with all week and some friends they brought (meaning, relationships had already been established). After playing ball, we brought them down for pizza. While eating, one of the freshman guys shared his testimony, and I gave a gospel message. I first asked what they wanted out of life. The majority answer? "To get rich." Well... looks like a lot of work needs to be done. No one confessed Christ that night, but But they did see something they're not accostomed to: A God who loves and his servants who care and express that love. Hearing that a white boy from Kentucky would come all that way to do all this for them spoke loud volumes.
Through the week we put together several outreach events and community service projects. For two mornings, we spent two hours passing out free hot chocolate and praying for/over people. Several gained the courage to take hot chocolate to some street corners and under the el-train at Kensington (one of most poverty-stricken neighborhood in America). Seeing young Christians step up is a great sight--very encouraging. We also spent a day or two painting the bathrooms for the after school program (blue for boys and pink for girls... there's no other way in America!).
But the highlight of the week (and I'm sure the others will agree) were the two major initiatives put on--one for the mothers/families of kids who attend the after school program, and one for the teens from the streets/hood. Of all the kids who attend the after school program, only a couple mothers attended church there. So the girls decided to prepare a big dinner for the mothers and other family--they could come pick up their child, but then stay for dinner. Originally, 13 said they would come... good thing we bought extra because 23 showed up! The girls were able to cook and serve them and then share some testimonies. I know God's love was witnessed because when I was recently there for my 3rd time, a mother commented on how much it meant to her (when she commented on this it was 1 1/2 months later).
As for us guys, we planned a basketball and free pizza night. All week we had been playing at the park I was at the year before (unfortunately, I only saw one guy that was the same) so on Thursday night we invited them to the church for basketball and pizza... we actually passed out hundreds of fliers to teens (girls and boys) and so the plan wasn't to play ball, but the only ones that came were those we played with all week and some friends they brought (meaning, relationships had already been established). After playing ball, we brought them down for pizza. While eating, one of the freshman guys shared his testimony, and I gave a gospel message. I first asked what they wanted out of life. The majority answer? "To get rich." Well... looks like a lot of work needs to be done. No one confessed Christ that night, but But they did see something they're not accostomed to: A God who loves and his servants who care and express that love. Hearing that a white boy from Kentucky would come all that way to do all this for them spoke loud volumes.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Day 6--March 15, 2007
Again, I started the day off doing chores for Bill—scraped, painted, and trash. Nothing big, but when I was done I went to the prayer room. The prayer room is real neat. It’s a room on the second floor with candles, oil, and then posters and maps to write prayer requests on. On the right side of the room, there was a window overlooking the sanctuary/altar, and on the left side of the room were windows looking out into the streets of Philadelphia. I thought this was real cool, to be able to pray for both the church and the streets while looking at them. I sat down and wrote out a prayer, asking God to show us something big—something we had never seen before. I asked God to bring a revolution, and break down barriers—asking him to find favor with me for being a faithful and obedient servant. I was getting more excited.
As I waited on Major to take me out for a real Philly Cheese Steak (yes, the real thing at the original place where it all started), I opened up my Bible to read a little. I had been starting to read the Bible straight through from beginning to end. I had read up to Deuteronomy. But I just felt like skipping that book for now and read some of Joshua, the book after. What I read in the first few verses was basically, “Moses died; Joshua you will now take the people to the promise land.” I immediately thought, “Well that’s not fair.” Moses was faithful in going to the Pharoah and leading his people out of Egypt. God said he was going to lead them to the Promise land where it flows with milk and honey. But they’ve been stuck out in some desert all this time, leaving Moses anxious to finally see the glory promised—he’s just waiting with hope. Then… Moses just dies? He dies before ever seeing the Promise land? After all that he did and how he faithfully served God, he doesn’t even get to see the promise fulfilled! To me that didn’t seem fair. But at the same time, I just thought about the prayer I had just prayed and wondered if God was telling me something. That maybe, yes, a revolution would come—a promise was made about this trip (and I felt there to be a true promise), but that I would not get to see it. If big things didn’t happen tonight (at least what I was expecting), then that doesn’t mean it won’t happen after I leave.
After going back to Franklin to pass out fliers about tonight, I went to McDonald’s to pick up my order. I had gone in the morning to put in an order for 30 double cheeseburgers, 30 crispy ranch snack wraps, and 30 small fries. I figured with such a big order, it’d only be fair to give it to them in advance. When I came for my pickup, they started piling it all in boxes and as they were doing that, the manager in charge asked what it was for. I explained to her what I had been doing throughout the week, why I was doing it, and then what was going on tonight. “Aww, how nice, that’s awesome,” she told me. Then, without even thinking about what I was doing, I reached into my wallet and asked her how many were working. She counted off 17 employers and then for some reason I just pulled out 80 dollars, gave it to her, and said, “Here, divide this up as tip for everybody. I know it was a big order to put through. Will you just tell them it’s a gift from Jesus Christ and they need to check out the Salvation Army on Allegheny Ave?” As I walked out I heard her shout, “We just got a tip Y’all!” and saw her waving the money in the air. I know I ordered a lot of food, but I didn’t want to underestimate my God—I was dreaming big. And even if hardly any gotten eaten, at least I got to do that (tip them).
So then it’s all going down. I set up the McDonalds and simply wait. Mike called me and said he got my message and said he was on his way. I waited—45 minutes, 1 hour, 1 ½ hours… no one was showing up. But this open gym wasn’t something I planned. The SA has open gym every Thursday and Friday and I was told that usually 11 guys come. Well Luke came to me in the front and said, “There more guys than usual. About 20 of them are playing back there, maybe some of them are your guys.” I doubted it, because they had never been to the SA and wouldn’t know to go through the side door to get to the gym, but I went back there to check. There was one guy there that I had met/played with at the park. The rest were all new to me. I caught a few guys getting ready to walk out the door to leave and before they could make it all the way out the door I told them there was free McDonald’s for them downstairs. “Free McDonald’s! Hell yeah!” was their response. They came rushing up the steps and started telling everyone else that there was McDonald’s. I guess for tonight, God intended me to talk to different people. I brought the food and Gatorade up, passed them out, and then passed out gospel tracts. I had so many people thank me and as they thanked me, I sat down and started to share. I gave them a gospel tract, saying that this book changed my life and it can change yours. I started to share my testimony. I moved on down the bench to talk so more guys. The last guy I talked to I had gotten out of jail last August after being there for a year. He told me that while he was there, someone gave him the Book of John to read also, and he said he started to, but couldn’t understand it. I was able to outline it for him, and encourage him to come to a church and ask questions. Later, I took someone home and when I came back all the guys had left. But Luke told me that as they were leaving, each and every person there asked him who I was. This reminded me of a verse in John about “When Jesus entered the temple, whole town was stirred and asked ‘Who is this man?’” No, I am not Jesus, but Jesus is why I was there doing what I did and because of that, “the whole gym was stirred and asked ‘Who is this man?’” One more thing happened later that night. I got to put my money somewhere I didn’t expect to. Luie’s brother, Patrick, stayed overnight with me at the SA to just chill and have a good time. I spent a lot of time with him and spent most of his time telling me how he had a band, but no bass guitar. He had been wanting a simple, 4-string bass guitar for years, but his family can’t afford it (nor can he). I was going to make a donation to the SA for all their help, but I changed my mind. I set aside 70 dollars for myself to make it home; the remaining 111 dollars was put in an envelope addressed to Major Phill… in it, I explained that I wanted it to go toward a bass guitar for Patrick. I was 140 short, but I figured it would help.
As I waited on Major to take me out for a real Philly Cheese Steak (yes, the real thing at the original place where it all started), I opened up my Bible to read a little. I had been starting to read the Bible straight through from beginning to end. I had read up to Deuteronomy. But I just felt like skipping that book for now and read some of Joshua, the book after. What I read in the first few verses was basically, “Moses died; Joshua you will now take the people to the promise land.” I immediately thought, “Well that’s not fair.” Moses was faithful in going to the Pharoah and leading his people out of Egypt. God said he was going to lead them to the Promise land where it flows with milk and honey. But they’ve been stuck out in some desert all this time, leaving Moses anxious to finally see the glory promised—he’s just waiting with hope. Then… Moses just dies? He dies before ever seeing the Promise land? After all that he did and how he faithfully served God, he doesn’t even get to see the promise fulfilled! To me that didn’t seem fair. But at the same time, I just thought about the prayer I had just prayed and wondered if God was telling me something. That maybe, yes, a revolution would come—a promise was made about this trip (and I felt there to be a true promise), but that I would not get to see it. If big things didn’t happen tonight (at least what I was expecting), then that doesn’t mean it won’t happen after I leave.
After going back to Franklin to pass out fliers about tonight, I went to McDonald’s to pick up my order. I had gone in the morning to put in an order for 30 double cheeseburgers, 30 crispy ranch snack wraps, and 30 small fries. I figured with such a big order, it’d only be fair to give it to them in advance. When I came for my pickup, they started piling it all in boxes and as they were doing that, the manager in charge asked what it was for. I explained to her what I had been doing throughout the week, why I was doing it, and then what was going on tonight. “Aww, how nice, that’s awesome,” she told me. Then, without even thinking about what I was doing, I reached into my wallet and asked her how many were working. She counted off 17 employers and then for some reason I just pulled out 80 dollars, gave it to her, and said, “Here, divide this up as tip for everybody. I know it was a big order to put through. Will you just tell them it’s a gift from Jesus Christ and they need to check out the Salvation Army on Allegheny Ave?” As I walked out I heard her shout, “We just got a tip Y’all!” and saw her waving the money in the air. I know I ordered a lot of food, but I didn’t want to underestimate my God—I was dreaming big. And even if hardly any gotten eaten, at least I got to do that (tip them).
So then it’s all going down. I set up the McDonalds and simply wait. Mike called me and said he got my message and said he was on his way. I waited—45 minutes, 1 hour, 1 ½ hours… no one was showing up. But this open gym wasn’t something I planned. The SA has open gym every Thursday and Friday and I was told that usually 11 guys come. Well Luke came to me in the front and said, “There more guys than usual. About 20 of them are playing back there, maybe some of them are your guys.” I doubted it, because they had never been to the SA and wouldn’t know to go through the side door to get to the gym, but I went back there to check. There was one guy there that I had met/played with at the park. The rest were all new to me. I caught a few guys getting ready to walk out the door to leave and before they could make it all the way out the door I told them there was free McDonald’s for them downstairs. “Free McDonald’s! Hell yeah!” was their response. They came rushing up the steps and started telling everyone else that there was McDonald’s. I guess for tonight, God intended me to talk to different people. I brought the food and Gatorade up, passed them out, and then passed out gospel tracts. I had so many people thank me and as they thanked me, I sat down and started to share. I gave them a gospel tract, saying that this book changed my life and it can change yours. I started to share my testimony. I moved on down the bench to talk so more guys. The last guy I talked to I had gotten out of jail last August after being there for a year. He told me that while he was there, someone gave him the Book of John to read also, and he said he started to, but couldn’t understand it. I was able to outline it for him, and encourage him to come to a church and ask questions. Later, I took someone home and when I came back all the guys had left. But Luke told me that as they were leaving, each and every person there asked him who I was. This reminded me of a verse in John about “When Jesus entered the temple, whole town was stirred and asked ‘Who is this man?’” No, I am not Jesus, but Jesus is why I was there doing what I did and because of that, “the whole gym was stirred and asked ‘Who is this man?’” One more thing happened later that night. I got to put my money somewhere I didn’t expect to. Luie’s brother, Patrick, stayed overnight with me at the SA to just chill and have a good time. I spent a lot of time with him and spent most of his time telling me how he had a band, but no bass guitar. He had been wanting a simple, 4-string bass guitar for years, but his family can’t afford it (nor can he). I was going to make a donation to the SA for all their help, but I changed my mind. I set aside 70 dollars for myself to make it home; the remaining 111 dollars was put in an envelope addressed to Major Phill… in it, I explained that I wanted it to go toward a bass guitar for Patrick. I was 140 short, but I figured it would help.
Day 5--March 14, 2007
Well this morning I came in and mopped again. Finished the stairwells and then mopped the gym. What I got from this was joy in doing service. We should always rejoice in doing work; serve with a happy and cheerful heart. Doing the “low, menial, blue collar job” allowed me to practice humility, but also to practice it with joy.
After mopping, Major introduced me to Hector. I was introduced to Hector so that we could maybe work something out with me taking some homeless out to eat. Hector is the SA’s social worker so he knows who is going through what and who needs what. I expressed interest in taking a big group out to eat somewhere nice, but unfortunately I was too late in addressing this desire because, as he explained, homeless do not have addresses and are basically transient and hard to find them! However, he did know of one who could really use it and said he would get in touch with her (though she is homeless, she did have a phone—she’s homeless because though she has a house, she lives with someone else and she does not own it; basically, she’s in extreme poverty). I hope it works out… That’s one thing I would correct if I were to do this again—get in touch before I even get there so that something can be planned (and more than once).
Around noon, I took Luie out to lunch at Burger King to present my thoughts and my concern about what will happen when I leave. I found out he hasn’t been back to Franklin in 11 years because he was shot 6 times in the leg by a BB gun. 11 years! He lives blocks away now, the SA is 1 block away, and he hasn’t been in 11 years! I encouraged him to go back with me, but also told him that if he really felt like the park on Richmond St. had a lot of potential (he had told me that yesterday) then I would buy more gatorade and him and Luke could go there while I go back to Franklin. At first he said he really didn’t want to go back there (but more so because of the place, not the people). But then he said pretty clear, “Jeff… we are here to support you and what you’re doing. If you want to go to Franklin, I’ll go.” Awesome! What a huge step for Luie, which will surely take him further in his faith. Even if nothing big happens today, at least I will take comfort in knowing that when I leave, Luie, who lives in the area may find himself ministering there and leading them in a Bible Study or something. So, on to Franklin we went.
Franklin was different today. I couldn’t get a hold of Mike and he wasn’t there. The guys I had been playing with were my age, these guys were younger (14-17). Still, it was awesome. Here’s what happened. I pull up and walk to the courts and see one guy who played yesterday. He calls me “Duke” because I put some “Duke moves” on him. They had about 12 guys out there just shooting around so when he asked if I was playing I said, “Yeah, you all go ahead, I’ll get winners.” He replied, “Nah man, we were waiting for you!” How rewarding was it to hear those words! He had told all these other guys (his friends) about me and brought them to the courts to play. Because they had heard about my moves from their friend, some of them wanted to play against me—some wanted to be on my team and throw me oops (I did throw one down). It was great. I had a lot more confidence in sharing the gospel. This time I brought a box of gospel tracts (Book of John) that Major gave me and was able to pass them out and share the story. I also went ahead and told them about this “McDonald’s” thing I was planning. This had been in my mind, but I was unsure of how I would do it. At first, I thought I would just bring all this McDonalds out to the court tomorrow, but I heard it was going to be a little chilly and raining. So what I told them was, “If you don’t see me tomorrow, go to the SA at 6:00 and we’ll have McDonald’s and then open gym” (and I explained where the SA was). After I left, I thought about it more and decided to do it at the SA regardless; that way they could actually step inside a church and get acquainted with the place, meet guys at the church, and feel more comfortable. And what happened later that afternoon definitely reaffirmed this decision. Luke and Luie brought me to the park on Richmond St. which is a middle-class Polish neighborhood.
Right as we parked and got out of our car a whole group was leaving. “Well that sucks,” I thought, “we just missed our chance.” But, great things did happen. We saw a couple younger teens still at the court, so Luke went to go get a ball from the SA while Luie and I sat down. Once Luke had gotten back, a bunch of Polish teens came just minutes after him. We got to play a few games with them. After the first game, I told them there was Gatorade for free. They went over and got some. As they got some, I got a gospel tract for the kid who dropped the “F bomb” 500 times and gave it to him saying, “This story changed my life and this is why I’m doing what I’m doing. I’m not even from around here. I came all the way from KY to tell you this story.” Before I continued, I noticed that at least 6 guys crowded around me to hear what I had to say. They all listened and when I said there are more tracts by the cooler, they actually jogged over there to get one for themselves! People were wanting to get their hands on the story of Jesus! Seeing this made reminded me of a verse in John when the Pharisees said, “Look, this is getting us nowhere, see how the whole world has gone after him.” I know 6 or so guys isn’t the whole world, but that’s what it felt like. I was so pumped and already felt a friendship connection with them, like I could joke with them (and I did). Luke, Luie, and I proceeded to invite them to open gym at the SA tomorrow. This is when I absolutely confirmed my decision to have McDonalds at the SA… I told them, “Yeah, and McDonald’s at 6:00!” A few said they would definitely come. This could possibly be a huge breakthrough here in Philly. You see, the first day here, Major told me that each neighborhood is distinctly cut off. One block this way you have the K&A with poverty and violence and 4 blocks this way you have a purely Hispanic neighborhood, and 6 blocks this way you have a middle class, well-off neighborhood (or however it is). These guys, especially in the K&A do not leave their territory. They don’t cross into the other hood. These guys are just blocks away from each other and they have no idea what life is like on the other side! If both these groups come to the SA tomorrow, we’re talking about two neighborhoods and lifestyles within blocks of each other mingling for the first time! I text most people in my phone asking for prayers—this could be huge. He especially helped when Bill offered me 80 dollars to help with the McDonald’s and pay for my first gas fill-up. God’s ministry functions on people serving others, Christians and non-Christians alike!
One last thing worth mentioning: the Weather. Talk about God having a hand in all of this and making it perfect timing, just look at the weather aspect. I already said that if my Spring Break week had been the same as the past two years I would never have met Mike, who became my inside man sort of. Well the change in Spring Break dates also had an impact because of weather. Luie jokingly told me he doesn’t want me to leave so that the weather will stay nice. The reason he said this is because the day I got here was the first day Philly had nice warm weather in a long time (I guess this year)… All four days I’ve been here the weather has been in the upper 60’s and Friday, when I leave it’s supposed to drop to the 30’s and snow! They’re going to have a snow storm this weekend! How crazy… and I was worried about coming here a week earlier than my usual Spring Break for fear that it would not be as warm as it could be. Shame on me for not trusting God in that area.
After mopping, Major introduced me to Hector. I was introduced to Hector so that we could maybe work something out with me taking some homeless out to eat. Hector is the SA’s social worker so he knows who is going through what and who needs what. I expressed interest in taking a big group out to eat somewhere nice, but unfortunately I was too late in addressing this desire because, as he explained, homeless do not have addresses and are basically transient and hard to find them! However, he did know of one who could really use it and said he would get in touch with her (though she is homeless, she did have a phone—she’s homeless because though she has a house, she lives with someone else and she does not own it; basically, she’s in extreme poverty). I hope it works out… That’s one thing I would correct if I were to do this again—get in touch before I even get there so that something can be planned (and more than once).
Around noon, I took Luie out to lunch at Burger King to present my thoughts and my concern about what will happen when I leave. I found out he hasn’t been back to Franklin in 11 years because he was shot 6 times in the leg by a BB gun. 11 years! He lives blocks away now, the SA is 1 block away, and he hasn’t been in 11 years! I encouraged him to go back with me, but also told him that if he really felt like the park on Richmond St. had a lot of potential (he had told me that yesterday) then I would buy more gatorade and him and Luke could go there while I go back to Franklin. At first he said he really didn’t want to go back there (but more so because of the place, not the people). But then he said pretty clear, “Jeff… we are here to support you and what you’re doing. If you want to go to Franklin, I’ll go.” Awesome! What a huge step for Luie, which will surely take him further in his faith. Even if nothing big happens today, at least I will take comfort in knowing that when I leave, Luie, who lives in the area may find himself ministering there and leading them in a Bible Study or something. So, on to Franklin we went.
Franklin was different today. I couldn’t get a hold of Mike and he wasn’t there. The guys I had been playing with were my age, these guys were younger (14-17). Still, it was awesome. Here’s what happened. I pull up and walk to the courts and see one guy who played yesterday. He calls me “Duke” because I put some “Duke moves” on him. They had about 12 guys out there just shooting around so when he asked if I was playing I said, “Yeah, you all go ahead, I’ll get winners.” He replied, “Nah man, we were waiting for you!” How rewarding was it to hear those words! He had told all these other guys (his friends) about me and brought them to the courts to play. Because they had heard about my moves from their friend, some of them wanted to play against me—some wanted to be on my team and throw me oops (I did throw one down). It was great. I had a lot more confidence in sharing the gospel. This time I brought a box of gospel tracts (Book of John) that Major gave me and was able to pass them out and share the story. I also went ahead and told them about this “McDonald’s” thing I was planning. This had been in my mind, but I was unsure of how I would do it. At first, I thought I would just bring all this McDonalds out to the court tomorrow, but I heard it was going to be a little chilly and raining. So what I told them was, “If you don’t see me tomorrow, go to the SA at 6:00 and we’ll have McDonald’s and then open gym” (and I explained where the SA was). After I left, I thought about it more and decided to do it at the SA regardless; that way they could actually step inside a church and get acquainted with the place, meet guys at the church, and feel more comfortable. And what happened later that afternoon definitely reaffirmed this decision. Luke and Luie brought me to the park on Richmond St. which is a middle-class Polish neighborhood.
Right as we parked and got out of our car a whole group was leaving. “Well that sucks,” I thought, “we just missed our chance.” But, great things did happen. We saw a couple younger teens still at the court, so Luke went to go get a ball from the SA while Luie and I sat down. Once Luke had gotten back, a bunch of Polish teens came just minutes after him. We got to play a few games with them. After the first game, I told them there was Gatorade for free. They went over and got some. As they got some, I got a gospel tract for the kid who dropped the “F bomb” 500 times and gave it to him saying, “This story changed my life and this is why I’m doing what I’m doing. I’m not even from around here. I came all the way from KY to tell you this story.” Before I continued, I noticed that at least 6 guys crowded around me to hear what I had to say. They all listened and when I said there are more tracts by the cooler, they actually jogged over there to get one for themselves! People were wanting to get their hands on the story of Jesus! Seeing this made reminded me of a verse in John when the Pharisees said, “Look, this is getting us nowhere, see how the whole world has gone after him.” I know 6 or so guys isn’t the whole world, but that’s what it felt like. I was so pumped and already felt a friendship connection with them, like I could joke with them (and I did). Luke, Luie, and I proceeded to invite them to open gym at the SA tomorrow. This is when I absolutely confirmed my decision to have McDonalds at the SA… I told them, “Yeah, and McDonald’s at 6:00!” A few said they would definitely come. This could possibly be a huge breakthrough here in Philly. You see, the first day here, Major told me that each neighborhood is distinctly cut off. One block this way you have the K&A with poverty and violence and 4 blocks this way you have a purely Hispanic neighborhood, and 6 blocks this way you have a middle class, well-off neighborhood (or however it is). These guys, especially in the K&A do not leave their territory. They don’t cross into the other hood. These guys are just blocks away from each other and they have no idea what life is like on the other side! If both these groups come to the SA tomorrow, we’re talking about two neighborhoods and lifestyles within blocks of each other mingling for the first time! I text most people in my phone asking for prayers—this could be huge. He especially helped when Bill offered me 80 dollars to help with the McDonald’s and pay for my first gas fill-up. God’s ministry functions on people serving others, Christians and non-Christians alike!
One last thing worth mentioning: the Weather. Talk about God having a hand in all of this and making it perfect timing, just look at the weather aspect. I already said that if my Spring Break week had been the same as the past two years I would never have met Mike, who became my inside man sort of. Well the change in Spring Break dates also had an impact because of weather. Luie jokingly told me he doesn’t want me to leave so that the weather will stay nice. The reason he said this is because the day I got here was the first day Philly had nice warm weather in a long time (I guess this year)… All four days I’ve been here the weather has been in the upper 60’s and Friday, when I leave it’s supposed to drop to the 30’s and snow! They’re going to have a snow storm this weekend! How crazy… and I was worried about coming here a week earlier than my usual Spring Break for fear that it would not be as warm as it could be. Shame on me for not trusting God in that area.
Day 4--March 13, 2007
Today was just four more hours of basketball plus a few hours of cleaning. I came into the Salvation Army for a cooler in the morning and while I was there I figured it’d be good to help out around the place. I knew I had a few hours before Mike would call me. Major told me it would be of great help if I could clean the stairwells. He explained that they had a janitor, but he is only part time and usually cannot get around to everything. He also told me that a Catholic school from a somewhat rich neighborhood was coming next week to help clean the corps (windows and new curtains). I hope that when they come they also spend some time in the streets in ministry, but I doubt that will happen due to “safety precautions”—one reason I did not do this through an organization. Screw safety—that hinders God’s ministry. But I understand when you take a group of kids/students or whatever you do have an obligation to keep them safe for their parents and all. But still, it stands in the way, in my opinion.
When I took a break from cleaning the stairwells, I again hear the phrase “Man, you are crazy.” This time it came from Luie Colon. Luie is a member of the SA and around my age. He grew up in Kensington, but as I soon found out, he got away from the place. When I talked to him about how my day went yesterday and how some people called me crazy, he said that’s exactly what he told Major after Major told him what I did. He then proceeded to tell me that he used to play ball at the same court until some shootings started going on there. Wow—and that’s where I was playing? Sweeeet. He seemed interested in what I was doing, but a little hesitant about going back to Kensington. He suggested that me and him go to this court off of Richmond Street tomorrow (he’s off work tomorrow). I was unsure of whether I should do that or not. It’s tough to get two courts in at once because they show up to play at the same time. Should I do this at more than one court and reach as many people as I can, or do I invest my time into one court and the people there? I think what I’ll do is either set Luie up on the same mission at that court and give him money for Gatorade, if he feels led to do so or encourage him to come back to the K and A court and get reconnected with his hood. He told me he knew Omar and Mike and when I asked them about Luie, they didn’t know who I was talking about at first. After thinking bout it, they finally knew who it was and said it had been that long since they seen Luie. If I could encourage Luie to just go there with me, I would feel more comfortable about these guys’ future after I left. Luie could serve as guidance for them and get them in a bible study.
After spending an hour or so on the stairwell, Mike called me up and told me to come play. So I dropped what I was doing, agreed to finish it tomorrow morning as well as mop the gym floor, got some ice for the Gatorade, and made my way to the courts. This time when I got there, a game was already going. Yesterday, Mike and I started playing at 1 and had to wait till 2:30 or 3 to play full court game. Mike had told all these guys to come play (at least at this time of day—it was 1 when I got there) cause I had sparked interest. This time all the Gatorade ran out and I got to use it as a ministry tool. Guys said no one had done something like this and some expressed true appreciation and asked if I would be back out tomorrow! Yesterday seemed like the topic was “I fear God, no man.” Today the topic was “Jesus came to serve, not to be served.” I was encouraging some guys to check out the SA or any church and explaining how much support they would get there. I explained that the cooler I got came from the SA because they supported me and them and wanted to help out. Well then one kid asked if I bought the Gatorade and when I responded “Yes” he asked how much it cost. And I told him—50 dollars a day for the Gatorade at least. I explained that I wasn’t rich, I just set aside a lot of the money I made over the summer for them. I told them, “This isn’t about me. This is for you all. I’ve spent one dollar on myself here (actually 60 cents) and the rest has been for you all. I’m resting on 76 dollars in my bank account at home, the other 600 came here. Jesus came to serve, not be served.” The expression on their face was rewarding, to know that dying to myself is what’s bringing God glory. I shared with a Muslim and I shared with a Christian. The Christian was a great witness. He said he works two jobs to keep him off the streets and out of trouble. But said he hadn’t been to church in 3 years, not since his pastor died. I was able to encourage him to go back to a church and he sounded interested in the SA. I reassured him of the hope he has and reaffirmed his faith. He got reasons to keep on truckin!
My talk with Dan tonight was very comforting as well. I explained to him the difficulties I was having. It revolved around this one question: “What’s gonna happen when I leave?” I felt bad knowing that I’m leaving Friday and when I leave, they’ll have heard the gospel, but will they have anywhere to turn for spiritual support and guidance? It’s hard for them to leave their territory/neighborhood so to get them to go to church is difficult. I’m hoping for the church to come to them with spiritual guidance and bible studies and what not—I pray that Luie can play a part in this. But Dan comforted me by reminding me not to put God in a box. God knows I was only called to go for a week and God will know what to do when I leave. I need to trust God with it all. He also gave me the idea to get some Bibles to bring out and encourage them to read them (how did I not think of that???) Hopefully the SA has some to give away, if not then guess I gotta find a store that sells them. Mary also comforted me by telling me what the prophet at her church said. The prophet there had a couple visions of me and claims he can feel this great anointment coming from me. This encourages me to continue in the Spirit.
When I took a break from cleaning the stairwells, I again hear the phrase “Man, you are crazy.” This time it came from Luie Colon. Luie is a member of the SA and around my age. He grew up in Kensington, but as I soon found out, he got away from the place. When I talked to him about how my day went yesterday and how some people called me crazy, he said that’s exactly what he told Major after Major told him what I did. He then proceeded to tell me that he used to play ball at the same court until some shootings started going on there. Wow—and that’s where I was playing? Sweeeet. He seemed interested in what I was doing, but a little hesitant about going back to Kensington. He suggested that me and him go to this court off of Richmond Street tomorrow (he’s off work tomorrow). I was unsure of whether I should do that or not. It’s tough to get two courts in at once because they show up to play at the same time. Should I do this at more than one court and reach as many people as I can, or do I invest my time into one court and the people there? I think what I’ll do is either set Luie up on the same mission at that court and give him money for Gatorade, if he feels led to do so or encourage him to come back to the K and A court and get reconnected with his hood. He told me he knew Omar and Mike and when I asked them about Luie, they didn’t know who I was talking about at first. After thinking bout it, they finally knew who it was and said it had been that long since they seen Luie. If I could encourage Luie to just go there with me, I would feel more comfortable about these guys’ future after I left. Luie could serve as guidance for them and get them in a bible study.
After spending an hour or so on the stairwell, Mike called me up and told me to come play. So I dropped what I was doing, agreed to finish it tomorrow morning as well as mop the gym floor, got some ice for the Gatorade, and made my way to the courts. This time when I got there, a game was already going. Yesterday, Mike and I started playing at 1 and had to wait till 2:30 or 3 to play full court game. Mike had told all these guys to come play (at least at this time of day—it was 1 when I got there) cause I had sparked interest. This time all the Gatorade ran out and I got to use it as a ministry tool. Guys said no one had done something like this and some expressed true appreciation and asked if I would be back out tomorrow! Yesterday seemed like the topic was “I fear God, no man.” Today the topic was “Jesus came to serve, not to be served.” I was encouraging some guys to check out the SA or any church and explaining how much support they would get there. I explained that the cooler I got came from the SA because they supported me and them and wanted to help out. Well then one kid asked if I bought the Gatorade and when I responded “Yes” he asked how much it cost. And I told him—50 dollars a day for the Gatorade at least. I explained that I wasn’t rich, I just set aside a lot of the money I made over the summer for them. I told them, “This isn’t about me. This is for you all. I’ve spent one dollar on myself here (actually 60 cents) and the rest has been for you all. I’m resting on 76 dollars in my bank account at home, the other 600 came here. Jesus came to serve, not be served.” The expression on their face was rewarding, to know that dying to myself is what’s bringing God glory. I shared with a Muslim and I shared with a Christian. The Christian was a great witness. He said he works two jobs to keep him off the streets and out of trouble. But said he hadn’t been to church in 3 years, not since his pastor died. I was able to encourage him to go back to a church and he sounded interested in the SA. I reassured him of the hope he has and reaffirmed his faith. He got reasons to keep on truckin!
My talk with Dan tonight was very comforting as well. I explained to him the difficulties I was having. It revolved around this one question: “What’s gonna happen when I leave?” I felt bad knowing that I’m leaving Friday and when I leave, they’ll have heard the gospel, but will they have anywhere to turn for spiritual support and guidance? It’s hard for them to leave their territory/neighborhood so to get them to go to church is difficult. I’m hoping for the church to come to them with spiritual guidance and bible studies and what not—I pray that Luie can play a part in this. But Dan comforted me by reminding me not to put God in a box. God knows I was only called to go for a week and God will know what to do when I leave. I need to trust God with it all. He also gave me the idea to get some Bibles to bring out and encourage them to read them (how did I not think of that???) Hopefully the SA has some to give away, if not then guess I gotta find a store that sells them. Mary also comforted me by telling me what the prophet at her church said. The prophet there had a couple visions of me and claims he can feel this great anointment coming from me. This encourages me to continue in the Spirit.
Day 3--March 12, 2007
The K-Mart I went to today was quite a shock for me. As you exit the store, you first have to check out with a security guard who signs off your receipt. Then, you can’t even bring your cart to your car! Just 5-10 feet from the exit doors, there are bars/gates that carts can’t fit through. You have to place your cart in a “slot,” get your car, drive your car up to the “slot” and then finally load your car with what you got! That certainly says something about the trust and danger of the people in this neighborhood (which was not K&A). Before I left, I asked the security guard, who was around my age, if he knew if anybody would be out playing ball and where I could find a court. Now he knew I was from KY because when I was leaving I didn’t know I was supposed to check out with him and when he stopped me I told him I wasn’t familiar with the routine because I was from KY. He was shocked that I would be in this area, especially after revealing that I did not move here, I was just in for the week. He told me he didn’t think guys would be playing ball in that particular area because it was a neighborhood known for problems. There were a lot of blacks and foreign immigrants in the neighborhood and they didn’t like strangers very much. So he suggested not playing there, but instead directed me to a court where “nicer people” play. I thanked him for the directions and left disappointed that I would not find a court in that area. But, as I soon found out later, God had plans for me to be at a court in the K&A.
I searched out 3 or 4 courts with no success. No one playing and no one around to get to play. I was certain the main reason was that because school was in session, but at least now I knew where parks would be. All this time I was sort of avoiding the K&A, but more so because I was already on the other side of the area and had directions to these parks. I finally decided with no luck at these courts that God was telling me to just go to K&A. I drove around and found nothing. Then I drove back through because the first time through I noticed some guys on the streets. Something told me to go back and asked if they played ball. I went back through, saw some guys standing on the corner so I parked my car and walked up to them. “You looking for something?” Was the first thing that came out of Mike’s mouth (if you notice, I gave his name… so yes, I got to talk to him. That, and play basketball for 4 hours with him). I was just explaining that I was looking for somewhere to ball and if he wanted to play with me. He said he would, but the others backed down. He wanted to walk to the courts, so I got the ball and all the Gatorade I could carry out of my trunk. As we walked to the courts, he told me he was known around the area for his balling skills and said that he wasn’t sure if people would come out to play or not. Many may come and few may come, it all depends on how they feel. We got to the court at around 1:00. Mike said people come after school around 2:30 and then it gets real crowded around 4. We played some one on one, then two guys showed up and we played two on two. Then we played a game of h-o-r-s-e and a game of around the world. As we played, he got more curious about me. I didn’t tell him the real reason I was in Philly all alone for a week at first. I wanted to gain his trust and earn respect first. When it seemed that he was alright with me, I told him the real reason I was there. I told him how the guy in Lexington said no one would ever bring Gatorade to the courts in Philly. Mike said this was true. Then I shared my testimony and the love of Christ. But I don’t think it was my testimony that stood out the most. It was this statement: “I fear God, not people.” I had the honor of saying that several times today. The most common phrase I heard was, “Man, you crazy.” Mike told me that. Mike’s twin brother Omar told me that. Chris told me that. (Those are a couple of the guys who showed up later and we played 4 on 4 and then 5 on 5). They told me I was crazy because I just walked to the “corner.” They said that now-a-days people who look my type come that come to the streets are cops. As a matter of fact, that was the first thing Mike’s friend thought as I walked up to them. Mike had told me people will go around playing ball, doing ministry like me, but he said never alone. The fact that I would drive 11 hours to do this alone seemed to impress them. So when they tell me I’m crazy for just walking up to a corner like that, I tell them “I fear God, not people.” I began to say I would rather present the gospel and save a soul if it meant losing my own life. I quoted Mark 8:35. I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to hear the words “I can tell” after making it known you are a Christian. Before I ever witnessed or shared my story, Mike knew I was a Christian. Remember when I said I didn’t tell him the real reason I was there until after a while? Well, when I first told him why and how I was a Christian, before I could go any further he said, “I can tell.” I got to share with a few people today, and they all appreciated the Gatorade. Before I left, Mike got my number and I got his. He’s going to call me tomorrow when he gets out of school. I hope this connects me to more people. Praise Jesus.
I searched out 3 or 4 courts with no success. No one playing and no one around to get to play. I was certain the main reason was that because school was in session, but at least now I knew where parks would be. All this time I was sort of avoiding the K&A, but more so because I was already on the other side of the area and had directions to these parks. I finally decided with no luck at these courts that God was telling me to just go to K&A. I drove around and found nothing. Then I drove back through because the first time through I noticed some guys on the streets. Something told me to go back and asked if they played ball. I went back through, saw some guys standing on the corner so I parked my car and walked up to them. “You looking for something?” Was the first thing that came out of Mike’s mouth (if you notice, I gave his name… so yes, I got to talk to him. That, and play basketball for 4 hours with him). I was just explaining that I was looking for somewhere to ball and if he wanted to play with me. He said he would, but the others backed down. He wanted to walk to the courts, so I got the ball and all the Gatorade I could carry out of my trunk. As we walked to the courts, he told me he was known around the area for his balling skills and said that he wasn’t sure if people would come out to play or not. Many may come and few may come, it all depends on how they feel. We got to the court at around 1:00. Mike said people come after school around 2:30 and then it gets real crowded around 4. We played some one on one, then two guys showed up and we played two on two. Then we played a game of h-o-r-s-e and a game of around the world. As we played, he got more curious about me. I didn’t tell him the real reason I was in Philly all alone for a week at first. I wanted to gain his trust and earn respect first. When it seemed that he was alright with me, I told him the real reason I was there. I told him how the guy in Lexington said no one would ever bring Gatorade to the courts in Philly. Mike said this was true. Then I shared my testimony and the love of Christ. But I don’t think it was my testimony that stood out the most. It was this statement: “I fear God, not people.” I had the honor of saying that several times today. The most common phrase I heard was, “Man, you crazy.” Mike told me that. Mike’s twin brother Omar told me that. Chris told me that. (Those are a couple of the guys who showed up later and we played 4 on 4 and then 5 on 5). They told me I was crazy because I just walked to the “corner.” They said that now-a-days people who look my type come that come to the streets are cops. As a matter of fact, that was the first thing Mike’s friend thought as I walked up to them. Mike had told me people will go around playing ball, doing ministry like me, but he said never alone. The fact that I would drive 11 hours to do this alone seemed to impress them. So when they tell me I’m crazy for just walking up to a corner like that, I tell them “I fear God, not people.” I began to say I would rather present the gospel and save a soul if it meant losing my own life. I quoted Mark 8:35. I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to hear the words “I can tell” after making it known you are a Christian. Before I ever witnessed or shared my story, Mike knew I was a Christian. Remember when I said I didn’t tell him the real reason I was there until after a while? Well, when I first told him why and how I was a Christian, before I could go any further he said, “I can tell.” I got to share with a few people today, and they all appreciated the Gatorade. Before I left, Mike got my number and I got his. He’s going to call me tomorrow when he gets out of school. I hope this connects me to more people. Praise Jesus.
Day 2--March 11, 2007
“I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.” I said those same words yesterday when I was miles away, but it definitely had a different meaning when I was stuck in traffic 10 miles away. Yesterday it was said out of excitement. Today it was said out of despair! I got to Philly around 4 PM, later than I wanted to, but with plenty of time to meet some people. The first man I met was Bill Tyes, the guy who opened his home to me. This was another area God worked out for me. I was told that I got lucky because the original plans fell through so they hustled to get me a place—Bill was the answer. His sister had just moved out of her house and so her house was vacant. Bill moved in for the week and allowed me to stay with him. The reason this was a blessing is that I was able to get a house within minutes of the Salvation Army and the K&A! Bill was a wonderful man who provided me comfort and a friend at night before bed.
As I waited for Major Wittenberg, the man whom I contacted to get connected to the area, I experienced the work Salvation Army does. The first man I met was a homeless man just released from the hospital who had been given the wrong pair shoes and wanted some that fit him right. Bill went downstairs and brought up a brand new pair of Velcro shoes. Homeless were coming in and out, and it was because every Sunday they feed a big lunch in the afternoon.
Finally, I got to sit down with Major Wittenberg. He told me a little bit about the corps (SA) and what they do as a ministry, inviting me to help with anything I wanted. He then asked for what my vision was and I proceeded to tell him. He offered support and assistance and said that if anything changes as far as my vision or plans then to talk to him. His one line advice for me was, “Here we walk with no fear, but with caution/wisdom/discernment.” Before he left, I finally met Luke Barney. Luke was the building director or recreation coordinator or something. Wittenberg wanted me to get in touch with him to see if I wanted to get involved with him at all (he knew I was doing something with basketball and Luke coordinates open gym basketball Wed, Th, and Friday nights). Luke showed me around the corps, the basketball court, dance studio, after school program area—they do a lot there. I stuck around for the youth worship they have on Sunday nights. The youth had just gotten back from a weekend retreat, so not many youth came; however, I did meet one man whom Mary tells me is an answered prayer. His name is Danny. He told me he grew up in the SA, even played bass guitar in the worship band. But he hadn’t been there in 25 years. The day I came to Philly happened to be the day he stepped in the SA in a long time. He went there for the morning service and said the message was so powerful he wanted to come back at night. I got to know a little about his background and his family. Mary calls him an answered prayer because Danny… is a cop. He said he would like to kind of cover my back and watch over me from a distance as I do my ministry. He said he would give Wittenberg a call and see how he could help. I may be doing this alone, but it’s possible I will have someone watching over me. He said he would watch over me because I told him something that shocked him. I had told him I was here to do this “basketball ministry” and asked if he knew if many guys played during the day at the park. He said, “Well, since I’m a cop, I don’t know many nice guys to play with. I deal with people with problems and in trouble; so I don’t know where you can find nice guys to play with.” What I said next took him by surprise. I said, “I’m not concerned about nice people. Give me the roughest of the rough.”
As I waited for Major Wittenberg, the man whom I contacted to get connected to the area, I experienced the work Salvation Army does. The first man I met was a homeless man just released from the hospital who had been given the wrong pair shoes and wanted some that fit him right. Bill went downstairs and brought up a brand new pair of Velcro shoes. Homeless were coming in and out, and it was because every Sunday they feed a big lunch in the afternoon.
Finally, I got to sit down with Major Wittenberg. He told me a little bit about the corps (SA) and what they do as a ministry, inviting me to help with anything I wanted. He then asked for what my vision was and I proceeded to tell him. He offered support and assistance and said that if anything changes as far as my vision or plans then to talk to him. His one line advice for me was, “Here we walk with no fear, but with caution/wisdom/discernment.” Before he left, I finally met Luke Barney. Luke was the building director or recreation coordinator or something. Wittenberg wanted me to get in touch with him to see if I wanted to get involved with him at all (he knew I was doing something with basketball and Luke coordinates open gym basketball Wed, Th, and Friday nights). Luke showed me around the corps, the basketball court, dance studio, after school program area—they do a lot there. I stuck around for the youth worship they have on Sunday nights. The youth had just gotten back from a weekend retreat, so not many youth came; however, I did meet one man whom Mary tells me is an answered prayer. His name is Danny. He told me he grew up in the SA, even played bass guitar in the worship band. But he hadn’t been there in 25 years. The day I came to Philly happened to be the day he stepped in the SA in a long time. He went there for the morning service and said the message was so powerful he wanted to come back at night. I got to know a little about his background and his family. Mary calls him an answered prayer because Danny… is a cop. He said he would like to kind of cover my back and watch over me from a distance as I do my ministry. He said he would give Wittenberg a call and see how he could help. I may be doing this alone, but it’s possible I will have someone watching over me. He said he would watch over me because I told him something that shocked him. I had told him I was here to do this “basketball ministry” and asked if he knew if many guys played during the day at the park. He said, “Well, since I’m a cop, I don’t know many nice guys to play with. I deal with people with problems and in trouble; so I don’t know where you can find nice guys to play with.” What I said next took him by surprise. I said, “I’m not concerned about nice people. Give me the roughest of the rough.”
Day 1--March 10, 2007
As I pulled out of PLD’s baseball field parking lot I began bumping to Jeremy Camp’s Worship Album. It wasn’t until I got on I-64 that it hit me that I was actually doing this. I was actually going to Philadelphia by myself. Not only would I be going by myself to a major city, but I was going to be located at one of the most dangerous neighborhoods of America—the K&A, Kensington and Allegheny intersection. I had heard of Kensington before from a video I watched in class. Just weeks after seeing that video and hearing it talk about a poverty-stricken neighborhood, I discovered that the connection I had in Philly (Salvation Army) would be just a few blocks down. As I drove on I-64 I was screaming with excitement on the inside with this huge grin on my face. I got this feeling on the inside, sort of like when your heart flutters when you’re in love. I was excited yet I didn’t have one clue as to what to expect. I had never been in the city, I don’t know what the city or the people are like. I was oblivious to what could come my way. Any insecurities I felt was comforted by a depiction of cavalry’s hill somewhere along I-64 off to my left. The sun was just going down as I looked to my left and saw three crosses—they stood out as if I was in a 3D movie with those special glasses.
That night God gave me his first sign that he was looking after me. I had picked up two books of hotel coupons at a rest area somewhere in WV. Of all the pages of hotel coupons from both books, a total of 3 pages were dedicated to WV. I hadn’t planned on stopping at a hotel, but the Salvation Army officers weren’t going to be in until Sunday and I wanted to spend Sunday checking out the place. So with a 11 hour drive, I figured I should just leave after Matt’s ball game Saturday, stay the night, get up in the morning and drive the rest of the way and then have rest of Sunday afternoon to see the place. Because I celebrated my birthday with my family before I left, I got 100 dollars added to my stash. This allowed me to make my final decision to stay at a hotel because I had wanted to spend about 100 dollars a day in Philly (I had 500 dollars with me), so the extra 100 gave me some cushion to stay at a hotel without taking away from my “Philly money.” Yet still, I did not want to pay 60 dollars to stay one night. I would want all the money I could have to spend on the homeless, Gatorade, and whatever else may come up. Thus, the reasons for searching out coupons. I found one for Country Club Motor Lodge a few miles off the interstate in Fairmont, WV for 32.95. As I pulled off the exit, I looked at the coupon for directions. This time, I saw the expiration date: 2/28/07. All the coupons in both books expired on February 28, 2007. I was 10 days too late. Great, now I don’t know what it’s going to cost, I thought. I pulled into the lodge and stepped into the office. A middle-aged Indian woman came to the desk to assist. I plopped the coupon on the desk and jokingly complained that I had found this coupon and just realized it expired anyways! She took one look at the coupon and said, “that’s fine, 32.95 it is.” I choose to believe that God’s gracious hand was on me and the woman found favor with me.
Before I called it the night, I got on the internet to check in with friends and family because my phone had no service. I talked to a few friends on IM and they asked if I was still going alone. I explained that unfortunately, yes, I was—my partner had to back out because of a job he just started. I then asked her (Erica) how she felt about that. I knew Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs and that was always the thought that was holding me back. I value her maturity and discipline in Christ, so I wanted to know her thoughts. She understood what I meant, but also said that if I knew I was answering the call of God, then I’m doing the right thing. She then reassured me that there is still the possibility of finding a partner once I arrive in Philly. She was right. God called me to Philly and to second guess that would do me harm. I had been thinking of Philly for 6-7 months! I could easily have backed out, using the excuse that I had no one to go with. But I didn’t. I asked for danger, and God answered by giving me a call to Philly, to the K&A. I would not back down from the call.
That night God gave me his first sign that he was looking after me. I had picked up two books of hotel coupons at a rest area somewhere in WV. Of all the pages of hotel coupons from both books, a total of 3 pages were dedicated to WV. I hadn’t planned on stopping at a hotel, but the Salvation Army officers weren’t going to be in until Sunday and I wanted to spend Sunday checking out the place. So with a 11 hour drive, I figured I should just leave after Matt’s ball game Saturday, stay the night, get up in the morning and drive the rest of the way and then have rest of Sunday afternoon to see the place. Because I celebrated my birthday with my family before I left, I got 100 dollars added to my stash. This allowed me to make my final decision to stay at a hotel because I had wanted to spend about 100 dollars a day in Philly (I had 500 dollars with me), so the extra 100 gave me some cushion to stay at a hotel without taking away from my “Philly money.” Yet still, I did not want to pay 60 dollars to stay one night. I would want all the money I could have to spend on the homeless, Gatorade, and whatever else may come up. Thus, the reasons for searching out coupons. I found one for Country Club Motor Lodge a few miles off the interstate in Fairmont, WV for 32.95. As I pulled off the exit, I looked at the coupon for directions. This time, I saw the expiration date: 2/28/07. All the coupons in both books expired on February 28, 2007. I was 10 days too late. Great, now I don’t know what it’s going to cost, I thought. I pulled into the lodge and stepped into the office. A middle-aged Indian woman came to the desk to assist. I plopped the coupon on the desk and jokingly complained that I had found this coupon and just realized it expired anyways! She took one look at the coupon and said, “that’s fine, 32.95 it is.” I choose to believe that God’s gracious hand was on me and the woman found favor with me.
Before I called it the night, I got on the internet to check in with friends and family because my phone had no service. I talked to a few friends on IM and they asked if I was still going alone. I explained that unfortunately, yes, I was—my partner had to back out because of a job he just started. I then asked her (Erica) how she felt about that. I knew Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs and that was always the thought that was holding me back. I value her maturity and discipline in Christ, so I wanted to know her thoughts. She understood what I meant, but also said that if I knew I was answering the call of God, then I’m doing the right thing. She then reassured me that there is still the possibility of finding a partner once I arrive in Philly. She was right. God called me to Philly and to second guess that would do me harm. I had been thinking of Philly for 6-7 months! I could easily have backed out, using the excuse that I had no one to go with. But I didn’t. I asked for danger, and God answered by giving me a call to Philly, to the K&A. I would not back down from the call.
Why Philly?
Andrew Felician invited me to Shilito Park to play ball one night. I brought Jeremy Arnold along and we had a great time playing. As we left, Jeremy turned to me and said, “You know… we should really bring Gatorade up here or something.” It was a great idea. It was in the 80s and there was no water fountain, so sounded perfect. Next week, we brought two coolers full of Gatorade and when they discovered it was free, it went out in just seconds. Through that, I got in some really good conversations with some guys who asked, “Why did you all do this?” One guy I talked to said he had moved from Philly two years before and no one would ever do that in Philly. “Okay, Philly it is.” 6 months later…
What this is about
It probably would have been best if I had a private website for all this, but I don't really know how to work that, so I'm using a blogger. I am using this so that anyone can have access to read about my journey to Inner-City Philadelphia last Spring. I have a daily journal saved in a word document and it is lengthy. So what I will do is for each day I wrote about, I will make that one post. So each new post you read, means it is the next day. I journaled for 6 days, so there will be 6 posts regarding the actual trip. Following those posts will be my plans for the upcoming trip as well as mentions of donations I have already received.
If you read this and feel lead to help out this ministry in any way, you have several options. E-mail me at jeffrey.bracken@wku.edu. Call or text me at 859-539-7838. Or add a comment to my posts.
There are several ways you can help:
1) Prayer support
2) Financial support--every dollar matters. The absolute minimum I am shooting for is $1,500. However, the more money I collect, the more I can do (I will post my visions and ideas for the upcoming trip and you can see what the money is used for). You can donate yourself or get your church involved with a "love offering" or something like that.
3) People--I am seeking to bring people with me this year; if you feel like you can help out, contact me.
4) Resources--I will need things like vans, tech/sound system stuff, contacts and hook-ups, etc...
Thanks! and read on!
If you read this and feel lead to help out this ministry in any way, you have several options. E-mail me at jeffrey.bracken@wku.edu. Call or text me at 859-539-7838. Or add a comment to my posts.
There are several ways you can help:
1) Prayer support
2) Financial support--every dollar matters. The absolute minimum I am shooting for is $1,500. However, the more money I collect, the more I can do (I will post my visions and ideas for the upcoming trip and you can see what the money is used for). You can donate yourself or get your church involved with a "love offering" or something like that.
3) People--I am seeking to bring people with me this year; if you feel like you can help out, contact me.
4) Resources--I will need things like vans, tech/sound system stuff, contacts and hook-ups, etc...
Thanks! and read on!
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