Check out Bless Bellflower!

If you haven't visited www.blessbellflower.org in the last month or so... please do us a favor and peruse around. We are working on some awesome community events including the Bella Art Fest.
Also, take some time to read the Bless Bellflower blog entries. We highlight different ways to be a better Bellflower citizen.

Feel free to share your ideas!

Photo Exhibit Recap!

This past Saturday we had a great time interacting with neighbors, artists, and supporters at the Eucalyptus Photo Class exhibit! Pictures from the past three years of photo classes were displayed, and we enjoyed live music and yummy snacks as well!

A highlight for me was watching the students' faces when they overheard positive comments about their pictures. Some of them were SO excited when they found out that people were actually buying their work!

And speaking of purchases, it's not too late to buy a picture for yourself! $20 gets you a framed 8x10 photo, and all of the proceeds go to Eucalyptus youth programs. To view all the photos, click here. I've included a few of my favorites above! If you want to buy one, email Chrissy at christinap@kingdomcauses.org. Just describe which picture you want and we'll take care of the rest!

First Week!

Hello!

My name is Abbey Nishimoto and I am so excited about joining the Kingdom Causes Bellflower team. I grew up in the Bellflower area and am passionate about seeing believers get involved in community development.

My husband, Andrew, and I just moved back to Bellflower after spending the last few years in the snowy land of Warsaw, Indiana. We attended Grace College where we were both involved in various ministries and leadership opportunities. Now Andrew is the new youth pastor at Bethany CRC, and I'm working here at Kingdom Causes!

I've already had a great few days with the staff here. It was awesome to see 13 people come together last night to eat lunch with some of our neighbors at the century inn. We're looking forward to the barbeque there next week as well!

My main focus at KC will be on the Oak Street neighborhood, specially attempting to coordinate a teen center. We'd love to have a safe place for teens to learn, grow, and interact with with volunteers from the church of Bellflower! If you are interested in ministry with teens-please don't hesitate to contact me! We'll need people from all sorts of backgrounds with different talents in order to make this initiative a success!

I'm looking forward to interacting with lots of you over the next few months!

-Abbey

P.S. The pic is from me and Andrew's favorite SoCal spot-Disneyland!

Neighborhood Photo Class Starts Tomorrow!

Tomorrow we start our summer photography classes for the neighborhood. Each week we teach a basic digital photography skill and take the students out to a local spot to practice. This year the students work will be displayed in Casa de Luna throughout the month of July.

If you're interested in getting involved with future photography classes, please contact Chrissy at 562-804-2189.

Youth Group-Wed Nights!!

Eucalyptus Street is the place to be on Wednesday nights- (Specifically Chrissy’s house.) If you like good food, skateboarding, basketball, hanging out, or just having a conversation with a teen, then you must come to this event every Wednesday night from 6:30-8:30.
Youth Group on Wednesday nights is a place where kids from the community can come and enjoy a good dinner, hear the Word of God, and build relationships with other peers and leaders.

Many of these kids have never heard the story of Jesus or come from broken homes. Through this ministry we hope to build relationships with these kids and show them the love of Jesus. It’s amazing to see how this event has grown in the community. I have been told that the Youth Group started with about 5 kids, but now there are about 20 kids that show up on a consistant basis. It’s amazing to see how God has blessed this ministry.

One of my favorite things to do with the guys on Wednesday nights is to play basketball on the driveway. It can get pretty physical at times, but it usually stays calm and everyone has a good time. I could play basketball with these kids for hours, but I usually don’t because we have a Bible Study later on at night.

Last week we took the boys over to the resource center to have some small group time and play some games. Although it is hard to keep some of their attention, most of them were asking real deep questions that I did not have all the answers for. Some were asking such questions as “Why does God allow so much evil in this world?” or “Can we become unsaved once we have accepted God as our Savior?” These are challenging questions for even Christians in the Church, and trying to explain these answers to kids just learning about Jesus is even harder. However I was encouraged by the attendance and interest that these boys have to learn more. Nobody is forcing these kids to stay for the Bible Study part of the night, yet more than half do stay to listen. These boys are curious about God, and this is the time to tell them about Him before they get older. I ask for your prayers as we continue this ministry on Eucalyptus Street!!

Depth of Good Soil

Good Soil Industries has been busy, and that is a good thing! Cory (Good Soil employee) and I have spent many hours together, and seen each other at our best and worst moments. Yesterday was one of those days where nothing seemed to go right. At the end of the day Cory told me, “I’m always watching you. Watching how you respond.”
I thought, uh-oh.
Then Cory went on to bless me and share how he saw Christ in how I responded.
But, it isn’t a one-way blessing. I’ve learned so much from Cory. He’s taught me to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit in a new way. To pray with a child-like faith. We have seen each other’s strengths and weaknesses and encouraged one another.

Good Soil has mowed a lot of yards recently. But more than that, it has brought two guys together whose life stories are pretty different. And out of this relationship, we’re both more hopeful that transformation is possible.

First Week At Kingdom Causes!!!

Hello,

My name is Alex Melara and I am the intern for the summer of 2009. I am excited to get a feel for the community and to see what God has planned for the city of Bellflower. I attend Bellflower Brethren Church (Flower & Clark) and have a passion to reach out to the community. I especially enjoy working with at risk teens and building relationships with them.

My hometown is Pico Rivera, which is about 10 miles away from Bellflower. After High School I attended Cal State Long Beach for a year and then transferred to Grace College in Indiana where I am currently a senior. God has blessed me tremendously and I want to give back to those that are at a disadvantage in life.

Last week was my first week working for Kingdom Causes. I have met some great people that work and volunteer for Kingdom Causes. Ryan, Chrissy, Joel, Aura, Larry, and Irene are some of those people that work hard to show the love of Jesus in the city of Bellflower.

I had the chance to work with good soil industries this past week and deliver food to some families that lived in Motels on Alondra Blvd. After a long day of doing yard work with Joel, I had no motivation or energy to go out and deliver food. Since it was my first day, I didn’t want to tell Ryan that I did not feel like going. Now, that I look back I am glad that I went to deliver food. It was awesome to see the joy and expressions on people’s faces as we handed them the food. It might not seem like much, but for some people this is what they look forward to the whole week.

The best part of the day was hearing the stories and struggles that these people are going through. I met a girl who had been living in the motel with her family for 4 years. That was just shocking to hear. However, it was encouraging to see the joy she had even though she was going through these tough circumstances. She was very thankful for the food that we brought to her this evening. In the future, we hope to have a BBQ outside motel and meet more families.

So in conclusion my first day on the job was rewarding. I can’t wait to go back and connect with these people again. After just one week I have realized that there are many people in Bellflower that need physical and spiritual help.

The Church being church

I’ve seen followers of Jesus making conscious choices to impact the lives of their neighbors. I’m excited about what God is doing in and through them.

Jim Tanis has put a new front porch on his house so that he can hang out in the front and get to know his neighbors. What a great idea!
Jane Nishimoto helped orchestrate multiple churches to host an Easter Egg Hunt for 1500 people!
Leticia takes time from her busy schedule to find jobs for her neighbors.
Claudette uses her limited financial resources to cook a meal for the homeless each month.
Mark Garcia tutors Algebra 1 students who have fallen behind.
Betty, Leticia, Corrie Harb, John Davis, and Teri Larsen have faithfully met each week to help K-6th graders with reading and homework, and have used the time to strengthen relationships with families in the neighborhood.

These are just a few of the people who have inspired me lately. Thank you for all you do!

Of Homeless and Hummingbirds

Lately, several homeless neighbors who come to the weekly Homeless Outreach on Saturday mornings have been hanging out in the parking lot after they get their showers and before breakfast starts to enjoy some fresh air. In the interest of building relationships with these men I decided that I would get some fresh air too.

Last Saturday I noticed that Jerry*, one of our homeless neighbors who lives in his late 90’s model Lexus, was pacing methodically in the corner of the parking lot.

“Mind if I walk a few paces with you?” I asked.
“Sure.” Jerry shrugged.

As we walked our circuit we talked about his diabetes, about his interest in science fiction (he reads at least three books each week) and about how he walks these paces each morning “to get the blood flowing.”

After walking and talking for several minutes I noticed what looked like a small green walnut, and after looking closer I realized it was a baby hummingbird that had fallen from it’s nest and was sitting there in the parking lot scared and helpless.

“What should we do?” I asked Jerry.
“Not much we can do. My dad told me once, you can’t save everything.” Jerry responded, as he resumed his pacing.

As I stayed behind looking at this vulnerable bird, I wondered what to do. “He’s probably right.” I thought. Just then, Jaquie pulled into the parking lot. She works for the County as an animal control officer and she came over right away. She picked up the bird and in moments had whisked it away to her home where she would feed it and care for it until she could bring it to a hummingbird rescue the next day. She called me later that week to tell me that she had been successful in getting the little bird a place in the rescue where the staff would feed it every 20 minutes for several days until it was strong enough to survive on it’s own.

When I first started working with our homeless neighbors I was hopeful about our ability to help everyone we met. Then after a few disappointing experiences with neighbors who made “one step forward and three steps back” I noticed that I began to operate with a degree of cynicism. I would like to call this “informed discernment”, but I sometime use the “you can’t save every[one]” line as a rationale for my increasing emotional distance from my neighbors.

That cynicism is challenged each time a new volunteer joins our ranks. Just like Jaquie came and helped me see that we could indeed help the hummingbird, new volunteers come with a new skill sets and new hope that inspire me past my hopelessness.

I realize that while I cannot save everyone, God’s body, with its diverse gifts and ever growing faith can indeed help everyone, even if it is simply to minister hope through relationships.

*name changed

Good Soil Video

Thoughts on Bellflower

Bellflower is a special city. We're smack-dab of middle of LA sprawl, yet we still have a small-town charm. I love that I can go to the grocery store or to a local restaurant and be greeted by my first name. "Hi Chrissy... how are things in the neighborhood. How's the coffee shop?"

Yesterday I attended a special city council budget meeting. Times are tough. Our city leaders are doing their best with the limited funds they have, but money is running out. A majority of city-sponsored community events have already been cut this year... and I'm afraid more cuts are coming.

Bellflower isn't charming because of it's location or landmarks. It's charming because of the people that make up the community. It's charming because of the community-friendly events like Streetfest and Movies Under the Stars. Sadly, these events are too expensive for our city to host this year. But I don't think we can afford not to have summer events. It's the downtown events that keep local businesses running during slow times. It's the downtown events that get people out of their house and talking to their neighbors. It's the downtown events that bring charm to our city.

Times are tough, but this is a chance for us... the community... to step up. Now is the time for churches, businesses, organizations and individuals to work together to pick up some of the events. We saw the success of the Easter Egg Hunt hosted by local churches. Bellflower Noon Lions Club is picking up the Bellflower Blvd. Car Show. What else can we work together on to save?

Now is the time for the church to be active in this city.

Press Telegram Article on Bellflower Easter Egg Hunt

CHURCHES KEEP BELLFLOWER EASTER ALIVE
By: Pamela Hale-Burns Staff Writer
Posted: 04/10/2009
Link: http://www.presstelegram.com/search/ci_12121087

BELLFLOWER - The economic crisis continues to affect lives, but there are people determined not to let it stop a beloved event like Bellflower's Easter Egg hunt.

Jane Nishimoto, learning that limited funds had led the city of Bellflower to cancel several community events, including the annual egg hunt, decided to find a way to rescue the Easter weekend tradition.

"We've been trying to build a better relationship with the community as a church and this was a good opportunity to show them that we care about the kids in our community," the Bellflower Brethren Church parishioner said. "So we wanted to provide them with a fun day and also provide them with the Easter message."

Nishimoto went online and made phone calls, trying to find others to donate time and money for the egg hunt.

Her hard work has paid off, and the hunt starts at 10 a.m. today at Caruthers Park, 10500 Flora Vista St.

"I Googled churches in Bellflower and started calling, and most of the churches already work with Kingdom Causes," she said.

Kingdom Causes is a nonprofit community mobilizing organization with a mission to be a catalyst that inspires, connects and mobilizes people for personal and community transformation.

"We worked through Kingdom Causes' director and then we used those people to contact other people and to see if others would be willing to volunteer," she said.

Ten churches and more than 150 volunteers agreed to donate and fill plastic Easter Eggs for the hunt.
After 29 years in the city of Bellflower, Pastor Tom Hocking of Bellflower Brethren says he has seen a major change in the past four or five years.

"I feel like the city has made some significant attempts to build a stronger sense of community, he said. "The city has sponsored these annual egg hunts as well as (other events throughout the year)."

"Because of the state of the economy," he continued, "the city is no longer able to fund many of these events. Therefore, what will happen is a powerful statement to other civic groups and clubs about how nongovernmental organizations can `step into the breach."'

Although Nishimoto lives in Lakewood, as a member of Bellflower Brethren Church and a Bellflower schoolteacher her ties to the city are strong.

"Jane is both an inspiration and an encouragement to me because of her constant and consistent passion to be both a redemptive influence in our city and to encourage and motivate others to bless the city as well," Hocking said.

Great opportunity for us to Bless Bellflower... please check out

http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_11955612?source=rss

The city's funding has been cut for most of our community events this year (including Streetfest, Movie Nights & Easter Egg Hunt). A group of churches have decided to work together to host the Easter Egg Hunt for the city on April 11th. If you're interested in helping (WE NEED HELP!) please email us at easterbellflower@kingdomcauses.org

More about this later.

Community Health & Resource Fair THIS SUNDAY!

Bethel Reformed Church is hosting a Community Health Fair this Sunday (March 22) from 11am-3pm. The people at Bethel care about the well-being of our community. The following services and/or screenings will be available:

vision
dental
blood pressure
cholesterol
glucose
body fat
bone density
immunizations for children K-18

Click here to get more information from their website.

Thanks for coming out!

We'd like to thank all of those involved in last night's city wide worship service... Especially Hosanna's youth band, Canaan's sound team, and the local businesses for staying open late for us. Christians from 6 different churches gathered to pray for our city and worship God. Our next city-wide gathering is scheduled for Sunday, May 31st. Put it on your calendars!

Bless Bellflower

Check out www.blessbellflower.org and click on the blog!

THIS SUNDAY: City Wide Worship at the Town Center Plaza

bBring your lawn chairs and blankets out on Sunday evening to the Town Center Plaza for our quarterly City Wide Worship Service. A group from Hosanna, led by Mike Winger, will be leading us in worship. Come out to worship and pray for Bellflower with other Christ followers in our city. Service starts at 5pm this Sunday (3/8).

Bring a few extra bucks to grab a cup of coffee at Casa de Luna (the old Perks Coffee House) located in the plaza. There’s a coupon for 30% off in the Bless Bellflower Bulletin insert:

A different kind of memorial service...

A week ago Sam and I hit the streets with some sack lunches for our weekly outreach to the homeless neighbors in our vicinity. Sam is a recovering addict who deals with some pretty tough disabilities (bad heart, partial blindness) yet who feels compelled to give back. He has been well loved by one of the local congregations and he wants to share that similar love with our other neighbors. His story is probably worth a separate post.

Anyhow, our first stop last Tuesday led us to Jim, a man who lives in his 90's Oldsmobile Cutlass. He was parked in the Big Saver Grocery parking lot and when we shared a lunch with him we asked him if he had seen Dean. Dean is a regular in the area who we have seen in and out of rehab. He's an average sized man in his fifties with thinning gray hair and a face with an appearance that tells of years of outdoor living and alcohol abuse. We've known Dean for several years. We once helped him get into the Salvation Army rehab center, only to have him kicked out for smoking indoors. After he was kicked out of rehab last fall he ended up back on the streets in Bellflower, and in rougher shape than ever. He was experiencing auditory hallucinations and fairly incoherent.

Jim, the man with the cutlass, immediately told us that he "was sorry to be the bringer of bad news... Dean passed away yesterday." A sadness came over me that I didn't expect. We had just seen him two days earlier... and now he had passed away? Quickly, I started calling people and encouraging our homeless neighbors to share the news that we would be having a memorial service a the community center the following week. The word went out and the homeless community was saddened.

Last Saturday, a few days before the memorial service was planned, the team at Kingdom Causes Bellflower was hosting a training at the center for local churches. WHile I was presenting, another homeless neighbor named Jim peeked his head in the door and interrupting my training said, "Dean's not dead." What? He's not dead? Could this be true? I dismissed it as the hopeful musings of an inebriated friend. So, yesterday, the day before the memorial service, I sent Joel to the hospital to find out and sure enough, he confirmed the news...Dean was alive. He had had a seizure of sorts and was in bad shape but he wasn't dead... WOW.

Rather than cancel the service and try to inform everyone before hand we instead decided to continue with our plans and to gather his friends for a time of prayer and a celebration meal. About 15 friends showed up, all in varying degrees of sobriety. We talked about how the story of Lazarus in the Bible tells us that Jesus knows what it is like to have a close friend who is sick and dying... and that he has the power to heal, and even raise people from the dead! Our prayer time was incredible... raw, scriptural prayers prayed for a friend close to death. Sam was back and he shared a challenge that only a recovering addict can give... "What's happened to Dean should cause us all to look in the mirror. He's in the shape he's in because of his drinking... and self abuse. If we don't change...then we might go down the same road."

Everyone said they were thankful for the time to come together to pray for their friend... to have a meal together. Many stayed to help clean up. It was one of the most meaningful experiences I have had since I started getting involved in work with the homeless.

My prayer remains that God would continue to surprise us. That many more of hour homeless neighbors, especially those who we have assumed are too far gone in addiction, or too self destructive, would be found to be alive, renewed. Lord come quickly to save.

Redeemed Memorial Service

Last week we got some bad news about our friend, Dean. He died. We made arrangements for a memorial service at Our Place for tonight and invited all of his friends. On Saturday during the middle of our "How Do We Help" training with local churches, a homeless neighbor busted in the door to let us know that Dean is alive. We were confused but excited to hear the good news. He is sick but he's not dead. We decided to hold a prayer service for him instead of a memorial service. So as I type, his friends are sharing their prayers for him. It's amazing to hear their raw conversation with God about a friend. They are vulnerable and honest. God hears them. I feel blessed to listen in. I feel blessed to serve a God who hears us all.

How Do We Help?

Thirty people from 10 different congregations attended a training this Saturday on how to help people in crisis. Especially during these hard times, churches are overwhelmed with the need in the community. We discussed different options for how to help and what resources already exist in our area. A theme throughout the morning was the importance of building relationships with the people asking for help and not just giving them a handout and sending them away. It was encouraging to hear God's people conspiring different ways to bless their neighbors.

The church in our city needs to be equipped to help the families that will lose jobs and homes. Being proactive now will better prepare us to be of help and share God's love through our actions in the future.

If you'd like to talk to us about how you can help, email us or give us a call at 562-804-2189.

Back in the day...

Check out these pictures from Bellflower in the 50s! I wasn't around in that era, but I heard that Bellflower Blvd. was the street to hang out on. Wouldn't it be great to see our downtown buzzing like it did back then? What businesses would you like to see downtown?

Joel's a neighbor!

Joel moved onto Eucalyptus Avenue to be a strategic neighbor... but he needs our help. Do you have any of the following items that you're willing to donate to his apartment?

Bed

Bookshelves

Television

Speakers

End Tables

Kitchen or Dining Room Table & Chairs

Lamps

If so, call us up at the office (562-804-2189) and let us know!

Thanks for counting!

Last Wednesday night Our Place NRC served as a launching point for volunteers to count homeless neighbors in Bellflower, Lakewood, Norwalk & Hawaiian Gardens. Thank you to all who showed up and stayed late to count.

Local Coffee Shops

Make sure to check out Bellflower's newest coffee shops: Mos & Eclipse. Both are opening in the next week or two. Our local businesses need as much help as they can get. Make sure to stop by and buy a drink at either of these places before you drive off to another city to buy a drink there.

Mos Coffee Shop officially opens this weekend. They are located in the Town Center Plaza on Belmont (near Bellflower Blvd.) where Perks used to be. They've remodeled inside and it looks lovely. I think they use organic coffee beans. Also, they'll be selling pastries from Porto's Bakery. Check them out. Normal hours will be from 7am-10pm Mon-Sun and 7am-midnight Fri-Sat.

Eclipse Cafe should be opening in the next few weeks where the downtown Starbucks used to be. Besides coffee they offer gelato, soups, salads & sandwiches.

They Count. Will You? - LA Homeless Count 2009

This Wednesday at 8pm we are meeting at Our Place Neighborhood Resource Center to count the homeless in our community. We are helping LAHSA (Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority) get an accurate count of the homeless in our county in order to better help them.

We will lead a short training at 8pm and then send teams of 2 out to different neighborhoods in Bellflower.

Will you help? Contact us at 562.804.2189 and register online at www.lahsa.org.

Neighbor Profile: Jimmy

Each Saturday morning at 6:25 I head out the door to pick up my friend Patrick and bring the towels over to Calvary Church where 30-40 of our homeless neighbors and neighbors in crisis gather weekly for a hot breakfast, warm showers, and some good conversation. It is always a blessing to me to see the regular volunteers and to meet some new neighbors.

This morning I met a man named Jimmy. He hasn't been to a breakfast before so I "cornered" him and I wanted to hear his story. He told me that he lost his job at the local wheel shop after he injured himself on the job in October and is staying with a friend at one of the local trailer parks. He's been living on $75 per week and his roommate notified him that he needs to be out at the end of the month. He'll be homeless in weeks.

In the last few weeks and months we are beginning to see more and more homeless neighbors who don't fit the stereotypes. They are not addicted to drugs or alcohol. They are not mentally ill. They are neighbors who have hit hard times and are dealing with hopelessness and despair. They are neighbors who are ready to hear the gospel if we are ready to demonstrate it.

Please pray with me for Jimmy. Pray that God will heal his back and that he will be able to stay off of the streets.

Known

Today as I was walking home to eat lunch I ran into Jim. Jim is blind but walks around our neighborhood every day managing well with his white & red walking cane. I called out "Hi Jim!" while he was still 10 feet away. He replied "Hi Chrissy! Where have you been?" He knew who I was by my voice and he noticed that I'd been away for a few weeks. How cool is that? Things like that make me so happy to live in my neighborhood. I've been away for a few weeks on vacation and my neighbors noticed. When I arrived home from the airport last night I was greeted by the junior high aged boys skating in my front yard. "Welcome home! How was your trip?"

I am blessed to be known by my neighbors. I'm glad to be home.

Successful Christmas Store

Barbies, dolls, stickers, jewelry, pink, sparkly, purple... girl or boy table?

Thank you to all who donated gifts and volunteered at our Neighborhood Christmas Store in December. We had 70 families register and a few extra that showed up the day of to shop. Thanks to you there plenty of quality toys to choose from.

A story about Bridge Builders: Caring Community

Aura Gonzales, is the case worker for Bridge Builders, a program housed at Our Place Neighborhood Resource Center. She helps individuals who are receiving government assistance but cannot manage their own budgets. She and her family recently took one of the clients she serves out for his birthday. Here's what Aura wrote about the outing:

"With the help of my family and a friend, we were able to take Bobby to Hometown Buffett as he wished for his 54th birthday last Saturday. He was like a little kid in a candy store. He was especially touched when we and the crowd sang Happy Birthday to him, and he actually shed a few tears. Every chance he had he would thank the waiters for the food and commented on how good it was, and I was amazed at how such an ordinary thing can be of such extraordinary importance to someone like Bobby. After the meal we took him on a shopping trip to Target where he purchased a Timex waterproof watch that he so wanted and a few clothing items that he needed. He said he wanted to drive the Target shopping scooter so he steered while I pressed the go button. We made it down a couple of isles before we crashed into a clothing display in the men's section, and we had a good laugh, and so did everyone else."

As you can see, God is using Aura and the Bridge Builder program to bring peace and good news to the lives of people who are lonely and in need of a caring community.

Háblame Class Party

We finished our 7-week reciprocal language class, Hablame, this week with a Christmas brunch. If you're interested in helping with an ESL class in February, please contact Chrissy or Aura at 562-804-2189. Thank you to all the church partners and neighbors that worked together to make this a success!

Christmas Tree Lighting & Cookie Party

This Friday we had our third annual Christmas Tree Lighting & Cookie Party. We walked down to see the city tree lighting and frolic in the fake snow. After the ceremony we walked back to my house where we feasted on cookies, hot chocolate & apple cider. The boys started a fire in the backyard firepit and people hung out until almost midnight. I think there was over 50 people in and out of the house throughout the night. I love to see different groups of people mingling and having a fun together. Here are some pictures from the night...

the boys hanging out in the backyard

Full house!

Irene helping with the cookies

The girls having fun on the way back.

1 Year Sober!

Our friend is one year sober today! We are so proud of him. We are thankful to God for walking with him and giving him strength during this year. Please keep him in your prayers as he continues to work hard at it.

We ate at Philippe's in Los Angeles. This is all of us in the parking lot after lunch.

Háblame Class Update

Last week's Háblame (Reciprocal Language Class) was a blast! In each class we pair up people who want to learn English with people who want to learn Spanish and empower them to teach each other on the weekly teaching theme. Our instructor, Aura, does a great job preparing both language learners with words and phrases during the first part of class and then we practice in pairs for the second half.

There's something very humbling about learning language. You can hear sheepish laughs as each partner tries to pronounce words in the language their learning, but later they're the one teaching their partner. It's beautiful to see everyone at the same level teaching, learning & having fun with someone they don't usually cross paths with outside of the class.

Last week we had a great time learning words and phrases that would help us go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving. I never new that "relleno" meant stuffing. This week we will learn basic conversation skills, vocabulary and phrases that could be used in a parent/teacher meeting.

If you're interested in being a part of this program in the future, please contact Chrissy at 562-804-2189.

Be a Strategic Neighbor on Eucalyptus

FOR RENT: 3 Bedroom/2 Bathroom Craftsman Home • $1800/month

Yes that's right.  For all of you that have been dying to be my neighbor on Eucalyptus, there's a home for rent right across the street.  You can be a strategic neighbor!

What is a strategic neighbor?... A person or family that moves into a neighborhood on purpose.  They make every effort to be a good neighbor by being present and knowing their neighbors names.  They see their neighborhood as a mission field.  They invite them over for

 meals.  They share life together.  They deeply invest into the lives surrounding them.  It doesn't require quitting your job, but being intentional with your lifestyle.

This is something that can be done right where you live.  It is taking the verse "Love your neighbor as yourself" literally.  So maybe you don't need to move to the Eucalyptus neighborhood.  But just in case... here's the number on the picture below :)

 

Sharing Meals in My Home

Check out that dinner! Yup. That's what we ate with the teens in our neighborhood last week. They helped cook this delicious meal for us to share. Before I moved into the neighborhood, I prayed for a place with a dining room where people could share meals together. Having my friends and the teens from the neighborhood over on Wednesday nights is an on-going answer to prayer.

Please keep this group of teens in your prayers. In the next few weeks we are going to be starting a Bible Study of sorts called Life Hurts | God Heals. The lessons go through 8 of the 12 steps taught in Celebrate Recovery (based on the Beatitudes) and deal with addiction, hurts, family issues, etc. Pray that God brings the right group of kids to this study and that the leaders are prepared for what issues could come up.

Háblame - Teach as you learn

We still need a few more people to be an English speaking partner in our class.  The way it works is you teach English and your partner teaches you Spanish.  What fun!  We meet on Wednesday mornings at 9am at Our Place Neighborhood Resource Center.  Call Chrissy at 562-804-2189 if you're interested.

Algebra

One sunny day back in September, Mark stopped by the community center to offer his help with tutoring. We asked him if he had any special focus. He said "Algebra." The next day we had a neighborhood meeting where we asked the neighbors to share their ideas and desires. The first idea they shared was a tutoring time for their kids. They went on to say how each of their junior high and high school students needed help in... you guessed it... ALGEBRA! God's timing is perfect!

Since the beginning of September Mark has been tutoring 4 students in algebra on Tuesday afternoons. We bless God for Mark and his ability to help.

Eucalyptus Teens Serve Breakfast

Last Saturday at Breakfast & Showers, a group of teens from the Eucalyptus neighborhood woke up early to make breakfast for our homeless neighbors.  Lately we've been running into kids in the neighborhood that need community service hours for school or court (usually for curfew or truancy).  We invited them to serve some of their hours on Saturday morning.  However, the group that showed up at 6:30 am to serve were kids that didn't even need hours, they just wanted to hang out & help.  Cool kids!  They enjoyed their time and asked if they could come back next week to help.  What teenagers actually enjoy waking up at 6 am on a weekend!?!  I'd like to send a big thank you out to Phill, Billy, Ronnie, Joe, Matt, Eric & Brent for helping out in the kitchen with the teens last week.  You made it fun for all of us!

Pouring juice in a nice pattern.

Thanks for showing us how to make fluffy scrambled eggs!

Ronnie... our own tortilla lady

Neighbors helping out with the dishes.

If you or your church group is interested in cooking breakfast for our homeless neighbors on a Saturday morning, we're always looking for new groups to cook on the first Saturday of each month.  The next available morning is December 6th.  Call us at 562-804-2189!

CRWRC's Justice Team visits Bellflower

On Tuesday we had the honor of hosting the CRWRC Justice Team for a meeting in Bellflower. There were justice seekers from 7 different countries represented at the table. What an amazing group of people! We discussed the church's role in justice issues around the world as well as the importance of being useful in our own communities.


Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever.

Psalm 112:4-6

Good Soil Update

Ancient Hebrew wisdom describes four levels of charity. The highest level is to provide a job for one in need without his knowledge that you provided it. The next lower level is to provide work that the needy one knows you provided. The third level is to give an anonymous gift to meet an immediate need. The lowest level of charity, to be avoided if at all possible, is to give a poor person a gift with his full knowledge that you are the donor.
– Bob Lupton, Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life

By partnering with Kingdom Causes you are engaging in the “highest form of charity”. With your financial partnership, a team of local Christians started Good Soil Industries (GSI), an on the job training program that provides employment to our neighbors here in Bellflower who are in transition or are out of work. Joel Holwerda, GSI Program Director, has been working hard to build this program. Since June, GSI has employed a total of 8 different young men with part time work. These participants have worked with Joel to maintain a route of 18 lawns, including a number of commercial properties. They have also assisted in moving projects, yard clean-up, and laying sod.

We believe that if Good Soil Industries provides discipleship and life skills training paired with a transitional job opportunity where that training can be tried and proven, then people who are underemployed and/or in rehabilitation will be empowered to obtain sustainable full time employment and move closer to God.

Thank you for the role you have played in this dignifying approach to caring for our neighbors!

CAN WE MOW YOUR LAWN?
If you live in the Bellflower or Lakewood area and don’t have a personal relationship with your current gardener, GSI would like the chance to bid on your property. Also, if you have any additional work, we would love to offer our services, which include: local moves, yard cleanups, special events set-up and tear-down, marketing and flyer distribution. We carry workers compensation and insurance. Your lawn can help change lives!

Thank you Chrissy!

It was about three years ago that I met Chrissy Padilla at the Sheriff Station here in town at a meeting I was having with a deputy in charge of homeless issues. She was there to find others in Bellflower who had a heart for the community.  It wasn’t long before she was serving as a volunteer and eventually became a board member for Kingdom Causes Bellflower. In 2006, Chrissy left her well-paying job in Orange County to move into the Eucalyptus Ave. neighborhood (a place notorious for drug dealing and violence) to become an Americorps member. Volunteering full-time for two years now, Chrissy has been a catalytic influence in this neighborhood. She has worked hard to organize neighbors and other community members; identifying THEIR dreams and THEIR plans for the neighborhood.  After listening, she then went to work helping to make them a reality.

Here are just a few changes we’ve witnessed in the neighborhood as a result of Chrissy’s faithful service:
• Two photography classes provided creative outlet for neighborhood kids
• A team of neighbor women meet weekly to pray for the neighborhood
• A weekly time after school for algebra tutoring started this fall
• Two Summer Soccer programs provided over 40 kids with a place to play
• Teens from the neighborhood were identified and invested in as leaders

While her time with Americorps comes to an end, she remains committed to her neighborhood and will continue to live there as her role with Kingdom Causes changes.  This fall she will become our Operations Director helping with a variety of tasks including directing a Reciprocal Language Class that will teach English and Spanish to community members who want to expand their language competency.  I bless God for bringing Chrissy to Bellflower and for her partnership in seeking first the Kingdom here. Special thanks to Chrissy for her servant’s heart, may God move many more in his church to serve as she does.  

Bellflower Christmas Store: Dignifying Generosity

Through this unique initiative, Kingdom Causes Bellflower gives families a chance to have Christmas with dignity. You can help people have the dignity they deserve by providing donations for this innovative program. Instead of giving handouts to families in need at Christmas time, Kingdom Causes gives local moms, dads, grandparents and children the opportunity to purchase gifts for their family through the Community Christmas Store.
New toys significantly marked down 70% off the retail price and sold to those in the community who cannot afford to buy presents at full price. Families with children in Kingdom Causes’ programs are offered the opportunity to earn vouchers toward purchases made at the Community Christmas Store by completing community service work, such as helping in the Kingdom Causes office with newsletters and other mailings. Bring your unwrapped gifts to Kingdom Causes at 9881 Alondra Blvd. Call us @ 562-804-2189 for more information on how to get involved

Reciprocal Language Program: Hablame

We are EXCITED to announce the beginning of Hàblame, a new program that pairs native Spanish speakers seeking to learn English, one-on-one with native English speakers seeking to learn Spanish. Have you ever wanted to learn Spanish, or to help someone learn English? Then this program is for you! Hablame provides the opportunity for people from different cultures in Bellflower to build bridges. Each participant offers the gift of teaching their native language and sharing their culture, while learning a second language and culture. The one-on- one pairing throughout the class sessions, will give you an opportunity to practice your language skills and make some new friends!

City-wide Christmas Concert: Worshipping Jesus Together

We are so excited to be able to invite you to be part of a Bellflower Community Christmas Choir event.  The purpose of this event is to provide an opportunity for Christians to worship God together in unity.  This event will take place on Sunday, December 14, at 7:00 PM. (Location to be announced.) It will be a concert including a choir cantata called “There Is Peace in the World Tonight” as well as some carol singing and orchestra Christmas music. The cost to choir members is $10.00 for a book and an optional $6.00 for a CD. Contact Teri Larsen at tlarsen@property-taxes.com for more information.

Behold How Good and Pleasant it is!

"Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity..." This is what part of our Bellflower Christian community experienced about two weeks ago as we gathered on a Sunday evening to worship our Lord under a warm late summer sky. As the praises went up some people raised their hands in adoration while others simply held them reverently at their sides. Some stood; some sat; others clapped and even swayed with the rhythm of the music, while some remained immobile and in silence perhaps letting their hearts speak out. We were culturally diverse, yet we worshipped as one. We were of various backgrounds, but united in Christ.
As I stood there watching and listening to the praises of God's people, I was reminded that God not only delights but dwells in the praises of his people. We are God's Kingdom, and he dwells among us. We are his ambassadors to Bellflower. If we can come together as one to praise him, shouldn't we also come together as one to serve him in our community? Could we work together using our unique and different backgrounds for his glory? Could we worship him as one by uniting in service to the poor and the needy, to the homeless and the hungry, or to whomever God puts in our path today? It is my prayer that just as our praises were raised as one, that praying and working as one in the community in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will cause the people of Bellflower to worship and give thanks to God, to declare his glory, and to acknowledge that God's Kingdom has truly come to them.

Breaking Bread Together--Going the Extra Mile

Tuesday evening is always a special time for me as I go out with other volunteers to distribute sack dinners to our friends and neighbors. It's good to see the friendly faces I see every week, like Darryl's, and to shake the familiar hand that greets me and makes me feel welcomed, like Ernie's. There's always the pleasure of meeting someone new, like Mama Dee, and the relief of seeing that one friend you have been praying for because you haven't seen him for a while and finding out that he is okay, like Kenny.

However, last week something happened that taught me that maybe once in a while at least, I should go the extra mile. As we gathered around an outdoor table at Pollo Loco on Alondra and Woodruff, passing out some of the dinners, Mama Dee suggested we pray first for the food. We held hands as she prayed, and two other people, including Kenny, spoke up excitedly asking for their turn to pray. One prayed the Lord's prayer and we followed; the other just spoke from his heart until he was interrupted. It was a special moment for me as I realized that I and they are just the same, sinners saved by grace. But as I drove away I thought, if Jesus had been with us, he probably would have stayed behind and would have eaten with them--the faceless, nameless homeless strangers which we see everyday on the streets of our city. So perhaps on another day, when I'm not so busy going around doing good deeds, I will sit down and eat and partake together just as Jesus did; just as I believe he might have done on this occassion.

Special thanks to our GREAT VOLUNTEERS!

Last Saturday we had people serving all over the city! It was awesome.

To start the day, I headed over to Calvary Baptist church where Rosewood Church had a group working hard in the kitchen to make breakfast for our homeless neighbors. They did a great job once again! People got some great food and a chance to hear and experience the Gospel.

After breakfast I went over to First Bellflower Christian Reformed Church where a team of 16 men from the congregation gathered to help out with some work projects. They spent the morning hours helping to repair a couple of the trailers that we use to offer affordable transitional housing, and hanging and sanding drywall at another local ministry. They were SO helpful and generous with thier time and resources.

That same morning, volunteers from Bethany Church spent time weeding the flower beds out front of the Community Center and washing windows. What a blessing that was to our neighbors here in the strip mall. Max, our Muslim neighbor who runs a business next door came in to the office on Monday and expressed his thanks for the work that the volunteers did. I was able to tell him that the volunteers did this because they were seeking to honor God and simply love our neighbors like Jesus commanded.

What a great day! Thank you to all who gave thier time to serve.

Memorial for a Neighbor

The Stagger Inn bar was as dark as I had expected it to be, especially in comparisson to the afternoon sun of late July. Heidi, Aura and I were here to attend a memorial for Cooksie, one of the homeless neighbors we have come to know during weekly outreach to our neighbors without addresses. Apparently he had died in the early hours of the previous Sunday as he slept. Kenny, another homeless neighbor who stays by the Inn was shaken as he shared with me his account of finding the body. He was clearly suffering this afternoon... missing his friend of many years. He showed me to a makeshift memorial that had been set up in honor of this good friend just outside of the bar. Back inside the crowd was sparse but filled with familiar downturned faces. Someone was passing out free 16 oz King Cobra malt liquor as a remembrance. Heidi, Aura, and I sat a bit awkwardly at the tables to the right of the bar where a small gathering had assembled. We did our best to converse a bit and communicate a little comfort to these hurting friends. Aura was sitting at the end of the table talking with an older woman whose dentures were perilously close to falling out of her mouth as she complained about her "old man". As Aura sat calmly listening, graciously ignoring the foul language that peppered the conversation I was struck that this would be a place... a gathering... an event that Jesus would have attended. I was struck by the fact that these neighbors, hurting and raw are passionately loved by God. He knows thier hearts, sees thier pain, and longs for them to reach out to him.

A funny thing occured to me, I felt the same presence of Jesus in this bar at this memorial as I have felt in sanctuaries and worship services. The same Jesus we worship on Sundays is present in the pits... and he invites us along. It is when we follow him to the lowest places that we learn about the radical love of God and his desire for shalom for the least of these.

God may your kingdom come in the Stagger Inn as it is in heaven.

Cooksie

Camping with EUCY Group

This week we took 4 kids from our neighborhood on a camping trip to Leo Carrillo State Beach/Park. We met up with another group from Artesia. It was the first time camping for some of the kids. We had a blast exploring the trails and playing in the ocean. Each day different teams cooked the meals and helped around camp. On Wednesday morning we took the group down to the beach and gave each of them a little journal to write their thoughts on. We asked them to consider what things in their life make them who they are today... the good and the bad. It was a great reflection time for them. Here are some more pictures:

At night we had a campfire with s'mores, hot chocolate and games.

The kids burried Joel in the sand. Great team building!

Carolina caught a big fat lizard. Some of the boys caught frogs in the riverbed.

Desiree helped with a lot of the cooking. The burgers were super good!