Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Working with inner-city and at-risk youth, we have to do a lot of work to earn kids trust...adults too. More often than not, people look at us through a very skeptical lens. "Why are they here?" "What do they want?" "What's the catch?" Or the more common assumption that we are here today to do an "event" but will  retreat back to our neighborhood tomorrow feeling good about our "act of service" only to go back to life as normal.  Glenn and I believe the only way to combat this very warranted assumption by those we serve is to do the unexpected.....Become their neighbor. There is absolutely nothing wrong with mission trips or events to serve, in fact, we led a group of amazing friends on a local mission trip this past weekend that was incredible.

In order to have a long term impact, Glenn and I personally feel convicted that God is leading us to be a part of day to day life in the community. We want to be able to see people in the morning or evening as they go to and from work. We want neighborhood kids  to knock on our door after school to receive help with homework. We want to be able to host movie nights or invite neighbors over for dinner.

We want to help people look for jobs. We want to be able to start bible studies in our living room. We want our neighbors to know that we are available to pray with them and that we can be trusted because we live there too.

Throughout the weekend doing a block party and movie night,  we heard comments like, "How much does it cost?"  One team member overheard someone on their phone saying, "They aren't asking for anything in return."  God has opened the door wide for serving a local apartment community. We have been doing nothing but loving on people and serving the community and the residents have started to champion for us to live there. One of the members from the corporate office drove down from North Carolina to be a part of the weekend and witness what we were doing. She pulled me to the side and said, "we are going to make this happen." They are considering giving us  4 bedroom apartment where Glenn and I will live as well as our intern.

 It will also give us 2 bedrooms to use as an office, a tutoring room, and a large gathering room for ministry in the neighborhood. Coincidence that the corporate staff member was not only a Christian but a Minister? No...that is God's providence.   I truly believe that when God wants something to happen, He will stop at nothing to make it happen. It often blows our mind as to how He makes it happen as well. Ephesians 3:20.

There is one apartment in particular that has been pulled and will more than likely be our new future home. As we were writing positive messages on the sidewalk around the complex, I stopped in front of this apartment and became quite misty eyed at God's goodness. I decided to write HOME Eph 3:20 on the doorstep. My sweet friend came up next and wrote this on the sidewalk in front of the house:

Please continue to pray for us. We still do not know the final answer or when. We do know that at the very least we will have to cover utilities and insurance. The Dream Campaign is still in its infancy and God continues to provide what we need as we need it, but I know our expenses will increase once we are in this apartment. I would ask that you simply start praying about supporting The Dream Campaign or us personally as missionaries so that we can continue on this path. Just pray. That is the most important thing, because I know God will provide and prompt His people to give as He sees fit. 

Oh...one last thing.... also no coincidence that when you stand on the doorstep or look out the window of the  apartment....this is the view. Just a daily reminder that God can take the bad and turn it into something good. Almost every person in that building is now someone we can call a friend....and soon to be...neighbor:

"Feed the hungry and touch the sick 
We go'n help the homeless and love the kids 
We go'n move to a place where it's hard to live 
And folks die young and they learn to kill 
Light the sky up change your bio 
Live for something more than things you buy up 
Serve and save learn and change 
Trust in the king who can turn this thang 
Yeah they ain't ever seen a shine like this 
Look up they never see the sky like this 
I'm on and this little light I got 
Imma let it shine til the day I drop 
Heart quit pumping only way I stop 
Til then I'm a light post on your block "

~Lecrae - "Enfuego"