Mi Casa Es Su Casa

Last night my neighbors invited me over to their house for their 10-year-old son's birthday. I couldn't make it until after 8, but they insisted that I still stop by. It was mainly a family party, but they made me feel very welcomed. The parents mainly speak Spanish, but their kids are bilingual. I sat around the dinner table with the adults and we chatted about the day. Oscar, the dad, has the biggest heart and loves to tell stories. He told story after story about his week and funny things that happened. His stories were in Spanish, so I only got about half of it. The kids were laughing at me because they knew I didn't really understand it all, but they re-assured me that even though they speak Spanish... they only understood half of it, as well. They went on to give me a lesson in Spanish.

I use the language barrier between me and most of my neighbors as an excuse not to visit as much. Last night proved to me that being a little uncomfortable about my lack of Spanish skills is not a good enough excuse to miss out on building relationships.

As I was leaving, the mom hugged me and told me that I am welcome in their home any time.

Case Closed

"We close cases if clients refuse service".

These were the words I recently heard from an Adult Protective Services Case worker regarding a lady that I have been meeting with who is Homeless. I was introduced to her by a Bellflower community resident who has been buying her coffee daily at 8:30am at the nearby Grannies donughts. She is frail with a hunched back and a walker. She speaks of having little feeling in her legs and a shortness of breath. We have suggested that she ought to go to a Hospital to have a doctor to look at her eye injured when someone recently beat her. When I called Adult Protective Services informed me that if she won't take assistance, they close her case. I don't blame them. It's the old saying, "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink"

I wonder what my role is with Theresa? Should I take the same stance as the Adult Protective Services Case Worker, or am I called to something different? I have found that people who are homeless are so, not because of a lack of resources, but rather a lack of relationships.

I have been wondering what this relationship (without the contingent of an exchange of resources attached to it) looks like? A wise friend of mine commented that Jesus was called to be "with" people. Jesus had a ministry of presence among those he served. How do I do this? We are soo tempted to Cure people. Henry Nouwen speaks of the concept of Caring for people rather than curing them. God lead me!

Any thoughts?

Church Sponsorship

There is a recent article in the LA Times about the Denver Rescue Mission's work of partnering Church mentors with homeless families transitioning into housing. The story is told from the mentor's point of view and captures the challenge, yet reward of working with these families.

Kingdom Causes is doing similar work with families in Bellflower and the Long Beach Rescue Mission is looking at a similar approach. We'll see what the future unfolds. The key would be to get Churches to sponsor first months rent and deposit for families or individuals. Anyone have any thoughts?

Our Place in the Liberty Day Parade

Last Saturday was the Liberty Day Parade in Bellflower and we were well represented by two of our most gregarious team members, Check it out!

Coach Betty Sandoval

Taffy the Clown: aka Teri Larsen

Eucalyptus Kids go to Chivas USA Game

This last Sunday we had the joy of accompanying 20 kids from our neighborhood to the Chivas USA vs Colorado Rapids soccer game. The Chivas lost, but we had a blast anyway. Four of our teenagers from EUCY (Eucalyptus Urban Council of Youth) were the designated ballboys and Desiree was the field manager's assistant. In fact, Desiree was invited back by the manager to help out at future games. Score!

Anyway, here are some pictures from the day:

From building walls to building bridges

“You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13,14). The first paradigm shift pertains to where we, as the church, see ourselves in relation to our communities. Will we remain outside of the community inviting people in or will we go to our
communities, seeking to be a transforming agent? The church is called to be separate in lifestyle but never called to be isolated from the people it seeks to influence.

excerpt from Eric Swanson's 10 Paradigm Shifts for Community Transformation.

As Eric wrote in an earlier post, he has been working with the "un-expected worker" to help one of our homeless neighbors. This is a great example of this principle of bridge building. Eric is building a bridge with the "worker", an unbeliever, via someone they both care deeply about, a homeless neighbor. It is exciting to see that this "worker" has been exposed to the Gospel and a representative of the church (Eric). The work of the Kingdom Causes Homeless Task Force is building bridges as a "transforming agent" not only to our homeless neighbors but also those unbelieving neighbors who think, "Something must be done."

10 paradigm shifts towards community transformation

I have been reading through a paper by Eric Swanson entitled 10 Paradigm Shifts Towards Community Transformation. He shares what he believes "takes us [the church] from model of thinking that we must discard to a new model that we must embrace."

1. From building walls to building bridges.


2. From measuring attendance to measuring impact.


3. From encouraging saints to attend the service to equipping the saints for works of service


4. From "serve us" to service


5. From duplication of human services and ministries to partnering wiht existing services and ministries.


6. From fellowship to functional unity


7. From condemning the city to blessing the city and praying for it.


8. From being a minister in a congregation to being a minister in a parish.


9. From anecdote and speculation to valid information


10. From teacher to learner.

Over the next few months it is my intent to take one of these paradigm shifts per week and unpack it in light of what is happening here in Bellflower. Stay tuned.