Wolfpack

In a recent movie Zach Galifianakis is on a rooftop with friends and says, "I was a wolfpack of one". We've all had that "standing alone" feeling.  But recently, I've been re-energized through the reading about other organizations doing similar work as Good Soil Industries.  The knowledge that we're a part of a nationwide movement inspires new creativity in our approach and a boldness to keep moving forward.

The author of this Wall Street Journal article has been working with social enterprises for over 15 years and shares the common story of organizations like GSI.  His headline is:

"Helping people stay in school, out of prison and off the government dole."

Take a look and email me what ideas it may have inspired!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444032404578010862607298532.html

Busyness and Loving Neighbor Well...

As I was reflecting about what has happened this summer,  I have realized that it has been quite the whirlwind! This summer has been jam packed with ministry opportunities, traveling, spiritual growth, and one huge milestone. The more and more I continue to delve into Bellflower as my home and my community, the more I see how connected to Bellflower I have become. I had the amazing opportunity to teach the college group at my home church in Bellflower for 7 weeks in a row. I was also an assistant youth pastor intern for another church in Bellflower. And most recently, I was privileged with the job opportunity to work for Good Soil Industries. If you are not familiar with Good Soil, it is a social enterprise, under the umbrella of Kingdom Causes, which seeks to help disadvantaged men get back on their feet and start working again. It is an amazing ministry that I am very honored to partake in. I have also been traveling quite a bit. I went to Minnesota for a week and Arizona twice. One huge milestone for me was that in Minnesota I got engaged! Lisa and I are both thrilled and feel so blessed with this amazing new journey we are going to embark on.

In light of all that has happened this summer, I want to take a moment to stop and consider an ideology that has been ingrained in our culture. I was reading an article this summer in the New York Times about “busy-ness” in America. The author, Tim Kreider, was suggesting that as Americans we typically use the excuse “I’m busy” out both sides of our mouths. Out the left side we use it to build ourselves up and implicitly proclaim, “I’m important!” And out the right we use it as a complaint, exclaiming, “I despise my busy lifestyle.” In the West we (when I say “we” I also mean “I”) have the tendency to fill our lives up with a lot of, well…stuff. One of the biggest things I am learning is that in order to be a good neighbor, I need to be available. But how can I be available if I am always busy? I do not want to live my life going from one thing to the next. I desire a life, which is able to slow down and enjoy the small things and the big things – to be an available presence to my neighborhood. 

-Kris Cohen, Community Fellow

How Do I (Best) Love my Neighbor?

"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

-Mark 12:28-31

This is a question that has come to the forefront of my mind in the past months of life in Eucalyptus. I remember the first weeks in the neighborhood being an introductory honeymoon period… Kris and I were the new kids on the block. Starting out, I think we were happy just to seek out acceptance from the neighborhood kids that came by our place on Wednesday nights for a church sponsored meal. In a new place with a new culture, it was quite the adjustment, but exactly what I signed up for.  I have long felt a conviction to learn what it means to love my neighbors next door and the Fellows program finally left me out of excuses. Over the course of these first three months, it has been a journey as these new relationships are being built and grown.  

It has been a crash course in learning about myself, and how to best use my understanding of self in relationship to my neighbors. It has also confronted me with the depth of our depravity and our great need for God’s restoration. As I have gotten to know the stories of my neighbors and have spent more time with the Wednesday kids, I have hurt with and for them and the ever-present brokenness in our community and all of us. Brokenness of; crumbling families, harmful relationships, over-sexualization by the media, and the abuse of various drugs. There have been days that have been full of joy and hope, and day that have felt empty and near hopeless, and I feel at a loss for how to help or what next steps to take.  But if I believe the gospel to be true, I can have faith that God has been longing since the fall to restore rightness in these relationships, and is already working to redeem and reconcile this brokenness, it’s our job as Christians to get involved and to love well. Seems simple right? Loving is so hard, and love hurts. Loving well takes wisdom and perspective, wisdom and perspective that we as humans cannot possess on our own. Pray along with us as we seek God’s wisdom and direction, as we live in community with our neighbors, doing our best to love, continually longing for His redemption and healing to come right here amongst us.

-Rob VerWys, Community Fellow

“I Am Broken”

In the wonderful world of Christian Community Development there are 3 R’s that you must remember:

Relocation is “the need to live and work among those to whom we are attempting to bring the hope of the gospel”

Reconciliation is bringing and reuniting people with both God and others. It is simply “reconciling people to God, and reconciling people across the toughest human barriers”

Redistribution is viewed as a natural result of relocation and reconciliation. It is not the idea of taking from the rich and giving to the poor, rather it is “putting our lives, our skills, our education, and our resources to work to empower people in a community of need”

When I first moved into the Cedar neighborhood 3 months ago, I was all gung-ho about EVERYTHING. The following words we’re my mantra:

‘I’m going to do God’s work; I’m going be a catalyst of change. I’m going to show these people Christ’s love.’

First of all there is nothing wrong with having an enthusiastic attitude like this, but let’s look closer at how I’m saying this:

‘I’m going to do God’s work; I’m going be a catalyst of change. I’m going to show these people Christ’s love.’

I was definitely in this ‘us vs. them’ mentality. I was subconsciously putting my neighbors in a box, separating myself from them. A problem that can arise with those who live and work in under-resourced neighborhoods is the development of a ‘God-Complex’ The mind-set (consciously or subconsciously) that you are here to ‘save’ the poor.

This sounds like a horrible thing and I definitely don’t want to fall into this category. But as I reflect on my first few weeks of living in the neighborhood, I can see how I struggled with that mindset.

You may be asking yourself this: Where are you going with this Rachel?! I promise I do have a point! Which brings us back to the 3 R’s….

Relocation? Check! I have been living happily in the 90706 for 3 months and I honestly love it.

For the past month or so I have wrestled with the concept of reconciliation. How do I apply this biblical principal to my own personal life and more importantly how do I integrate this into my ministry?

Why is reconciliation necessary?

Look around you. You can see how the fall has affected the world around us. People building barriers around themselves. The division that exists between Gods people based on race, class, religion, age, etc.

As Christians we are called to be ‘ambassadors of reconciliation:’ 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 states:

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.^[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling^[b] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

So how does this look like in the Cedar neighborhood?

As I get to know my neighbors on a much deeper level, I am beginning to see the brokenness in their lives. Broken relationships, financial hardship, a sense of longing for purpose.

It’s heart breaking. It can be very easy to think I have to ‘save’ my neighbors and ‘fix’ them.

But I must remember this, that I too, am broken.  It’s the first step in reconciliation. I may not share the same exact poverty as my neighbors, but I am broken. There are parts of me that are hurting and need healing, there are things I struggle with, or lack.

I can see the commonality that I share with all my neighbors-We are broken.

We alone cannot fix each other. But together Jesus can heal us.

I am realizing an interdependence that needs to happen between my neighbors and me. As I build relationships, and work to point my neighbors to Christ, they in turn teach me and embody what it looks like to receive his love, mercy, and grace, something that I need more and more each day. 

-Rachel De Los Reyes, Community Fellow

Your Kingdom Come

       As we have now seen summer come and go in Bellflower, I find myself questioning more and more, “What are we doing here? What is our vision?” I find myself getting caught up in routines – going for walks, talking with neighbors, doing laundry at the Laundromat – without remembering the bigger vision. Then I’ll have a conversation with my roommate or read a Bible passage or go for a particularly refreshing prayer walk and I’ll recall the vision. The vision is God’s people remembering His goodness and His faithfulness. The vision is God’s people bringing Him the glory He is due all throughout the land. The vision is God’s Kingdom coming in Bellflower California.

            All that got me asking, “What does God’s Kingdom coming look like in my neighborhood? What does that mean for my neighbors?” and I realized I would have a very hard time answering that without looking at what God’s Kingdom looks like in my own life.             As Christians, we are called to seek God’s Kingdom; we are to pray that His Kingdom come and His will be done here on earth just as it is done in Heaven, but what does that look like in day-to-day life? How do we help to bring God’s Kingdom?

            I honestly cannot say that I have formulated a great answer to these questions yet, but I have started to examine the Kingdom in my own life and I want to share with you some areas in which I see the Kingdom. God’s Kingdom in my life means I no longer live for myself. It means that I live for God. But how do I do this? I love people as though I was loving myself by baking for them and listening to them when they need to talk and doing small tasks for them and praying for them and giving my time to them and smiling at them. God’s Kingdom in my life looks like Christine and Allyssa and Rachel and Hannah - strong women of faith who rejoice with me in the wonders of our Creator. God’s Kingdom in my life looks like seeking peace and God’s glory above success or praise or being liked. God’s Kingdom in my life looks like deep-seated joy in every circumstance because I know that the war is won.

            Now I challenge you, where do you see God’s Kingdom coming in your own life? How are you participating in God’s work of ushering in the Kingdom? 

-Laura Dumas, Community Fellow

Thoughts on Poverty

Through the course of these past weeks, the topics of the poor and/or poverty have come up in several conversations and my understanding of the subject has expanded and shifted. There is no doubt more to poverty than meets the eye. Most often we think of poverty in terms of material lack. But is that all there is to this brokenness called poverty?

This past week at our Wednesday night gathering at “The House” (Kris, Jeudy and my house) with our  neighbors, Jeudy and Becca shared about their experience on short missions trips to Mexico. They touched on how through connecting with individuals in the communities they visited in Mexico, they saw incredible faith and intense joy in a place one might not expect; in lives gripped by the unyielding hand of material poverty. A place of beautiful reliance on God, when they had nothing else to rely on. Maybe Jesus know what He was talking about when He shared the beatitudes with us…

A second conversation about poverty occurred at our bi-weekly Community Fellows training where we  discussed a chapter out of the book, “When Helping Hurts,” by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. (I would recommend this book to EVERYONE) The chapter was entitled “What’s the problem?” and included a whole new perspective and definition of poverty. A perspective shared from the material poor themselves. They shared about poverty primarily in terms of, “shame, inferiority, powerlessness,
humiliation, fear, hopelessness, depression, social isolation, and voicelessness.” This starkly contrasted my initial thoughts on poverty and the poor. For them it was less about the physical things they lacked and more about the mental and perspective repercussions of the material lack. This is a HUGE and necessary paradigm shift. I realized that for me, as long as poverty remained cornered in the physical realm, I could ignore the true relational poverty I was dwelling in.

“Poverty is the result of relationships that do not work, that are not just, that are not
for life, that are not harmonious or enjoyable. Poverty is the absence of shalom in all
its meanings”
-Bryant L. Myers

Poverty can look just like me… or you.

Sin is the root, and inceptor of this prideful perspective I so often can have of myself.
I love being self-sufficient and okay--- ALL THE TIME. It is underneath that façade
of collectedness and self-sufficiency that my poverty is exposed. I am really good
at convincing myself I don’t need anybody. This is my brokenness and my struggle.
I was made for community with creation, others and myself, yet I make choices
every day that deepens and widens the chasm between myself and the shalom God
desires.

Thank God for my neighbors, the needs they have exposed in me, and the
opportunity to live in community with them.

I need them.

-Rob VerWys

Bella 2012

This past Saturday, August 4^th, I saw two months of phone calls, emails, volunteer meeting, coordinating, assigning jobs, hoping & praying finally come together.  I am pleased and humbled to say that Bella was a success! I had so much support from different members of the community, and it was a huge blessing for me to see so many aspects of the city of Bellflower come together on that day.

After the craziness of a 3-hour setup process in the blistering heat (thank you to my 12:00 PM volunteers!), running around making sure all of the artists and musicians had everything they needed, and about a hundred phone calls asking me, “Where are you? Where’s the extension cord? Are we out of tape?” etc., there was a point during the event where I got to sit down.  Sitting still, I saw people milling about that I didn’t know, which was comforting after weeks of fear that only my friends and family would show up.  I saw volunteers putting painstaking effort into giving kids the perfect, intricate face paint creation they were asking for.  I saw the members from InJOY Life Resources, Inc. (injoyliferesources.com) performing on stage and getting to be stars—a rare occasion for them.  I saw neighbors playing tag on the grass and others sitting in the shade enjoying the music, still others at one of the booths learning how to paint on canvas.  Through all of this I realized, after so much planning and preparation, “Today is a fun day!” 

Looking around at all that was going on, I saw people having a good time, and that was enough for me.  As I reflected on the event, I knew that Bella 2012 may not have been the same Bella we had in the past—different coordinator, different event.  It may have been smaller and it may have had a different vibe—I really don’t have anything to compare it to.  But this is good for me; a friend once taught me that comparison is the thief  of joy.  So I rest in the fact that summer is over, I put my heart into Bella, and I saw the Lord bless our work in multiple ways—for that I am so thankful.  Glory to Him!

Building Community at the Friendship Manor

For this summer, my main focus was to promote community outreach at the Bellflower Friendship Manor. Once a week, I planned social activities for the residents to get acquainted with new people that live within and outside the Manor. At first, I was intimidated by meeting the residents from the Manor because I didn’t know how they would feel about me coming to visit them. I also felt worried that I wouldn’t have anyone come to the activities. I stopped myself from thinking these negative thoughts and just prayed because I was worrying too much and not leaning on my all powerful God. 

On the first day of social activities a group of 8 people came, and that was more than enough for me :). As the weeks continued, more people came to each activity. These activity days were my chance in getting to know the residents and developing new friendships. By the end of my internship I was able to plan a Talent Show for the residents... and it turned out to be a huge success! I had plenty of participants and it was an awesome feeling to see how much talent my new friends had. My internship at Kingdom Causes was an amazing time in which I was able to develop relationships, serve, and minister the Bellflower Community. This summer my heart got overfilled with joy and something I will never forget!

-Janet Melara

Big Things Are Happening in Bellflower

Kingdom Causes Bellflower (KCB) has hosted many community building events this summer. Just this last weekend KCB’s Bella Art Fest 2012 took place. It was one of those picturesque summer days where kids laugh as they run about, local bands play in the background, and the warm sun caresses your face making it impossible to not smile. People came from blocks around to join the giant community party with musical performances from InJOY, five artist’s booths, and art competitions. Seeing Bellflower’s community members come together and use their talents for everyone’s enjoyment was inspiring.

Events like this one is just another reason why I am so thankful to have had been part of KCB’s internship team. This organization has allowed me to see God’s movement through the city of Bellflower and how he transforms lives in ways that only He can. I will surely miss this place.

Written by: Jannelle Aguirre

Is It Really Over?

As last week came to an end, it finally hit me that our art class for the summer was over. I had spent 3 weeks getting to know some of the kids in the community and building sweet relationships with each one. I wanted to be excited that the stress and overwhelmed feeling that came each Tuesday and Thursday was finally over, but all I felt was sadness and uncertainty not knowing if I would ever see these kids again. Each child that attended our art class brought something unique to make the class feel so alive and full of life. And without knowing each one helped me grow each week. Some kids with their quirky sense of humor would make me laugh in the midst of chaos, others with their over-dramatic complaining taught me patience, and some with their gentle and quiet spirit taught me to remain calm. My wish is that I could tell each one how special and unique they truly are and how they helped me grow, unfortunately I do not think they will ever know how much they impacted my life this summer.

Written by: Cori Aguayo

Keeping Our Hands to The Plow

“This grass is pretty much DEAD.” I heard my neighbor mutter to herself from my open window.

As I peered from my upstairs window, I saw her struggle in our front yard to set up the sprinkler.

A little context about me and Laura’s place in the lovely Ramona neighborhood. It’s located at the very end of a town home complex. What makes our building unique is that we share a big lawn with a couple of our neighbors.

When we moved in June. The grass was completely dead. Brown and dry. No signs of life. I figured it was pointless to try to bring it back to its former glory.

So here I stood watching in amazement as my neighbor is watering our grass! I thought it was pretty cool, but I wasn’t sure it would work.

Later on in the week when I ran into her again, I asked her what prompted her to start watering the grass.

This neighbor in particular has lived in the complex the longest (over 10 years) She explained to me that the lawn used to be beautiful and well taken care of but recently it has fallen into despair and neighbors just stopped caring for it. She just wanted to make it look nice again, even if it meant watering it every day.

A light bulb went off in my head. I talked to her about us making a schedule to water the grass together.

Since we moved in, one of my biggest struggles and questions when it came to building authentic relationships with my neighbors was How in the world do I get past that initial awkwardness and small talk?!

You know what I’m talking about. The awkward moment when you see a neighbor and you stop to make small talk and it lasts for a minute or two and then you completely run out of questions to ask or things to say so you stand there in awkward silence. Then you awkwardly excuse your self and retreat to your house and cry over that horrible experience over a giant tub of chocolate ice cream and try to regroup?

Wait. Is that just me? No, this scenario doesn’t happen to me all the time. Okay, if you can’t tell, I like to incorporate sarcasm and humor in my writing (often I do a poor job!) so please bear with me! J

But the point is, overcoming this has been at times very, very frustrating.

But working out a schedule to water the grass with my neighbor gave me an opportunity to potentially develop a deeper relationship with her just by taking the next step and offering to DO something with her. And when you think about it, aren’t the best relationships formed when you work towards a specific goal?

I will share that the first couple of weeks in the Ramona neighborhood had been rough. New people, a new environment. We were the new kids on the block. It seemed hopeless. I had a beautiful vision for this neighborhood. A thriving neighborhood where people felt known, loved, and cared for. Where relationships were based on empowering and encouraging each other. I wanted to pour into others as well as learn from my neighbors. I was confused how God would work through Laura and I to achieve this vision. 

But he is. Even in the past two weeks alone, God has blessed us with amazing opportunities to interact with our neighbors. And what is even more amazing is that many our fellow neighbors are believers who have encouraged us to keep our hand to the plow and strive and preserve to provide a glimpse of kingdom in our own back yard.

So how does all this connect with community development? Just like our dead grass…we must tend to it. Taking the time to care for it by watering it, assessing its needs, getting our hands dirty etc. But most of all we must have patience.

I do desire for one day our neighborhood to be a thriving place just like those I read in all those amazing community development books. But just because I can’t see it yet, doesn’t mean that God isn’t in the Ramona neighborhood. He’s been here long before me and Laura moved in.

My prayer is that we can work along side our neighbors tend to the ‘yard’ and make it a place of growth and life.

And just for the record, it’s only been two weeks since we started watering the grass daily and it sure is green!

Keeping my hand to the plow,

Rachel

Front Desk Nerves

When the interns and I entered into Kingdom Causes and Our Place Housing Solutions’ offices, one of the weekly roles we were given was to run the front desk. When I first heard about this role, I was very anxious about taking calls and matching the right resources to their needs. But through time, support from others in the office, and familiarizing myself with the massive resource binder, that front desk went from the nerve-racking front desk to simply the front wooden desk.

That desk has become a place where I can get to know members from the community of Bellflower. Sometimes that looks like just listening to their stories, other times it is helping them troubleshoot with the computers in the front room. But no matter what, I can always look forward to meeting someone from Bellflower who will change my day and has something to share with me.

Written by: Jannelle Aguirre

Accepting Community

I am sitting here thinking how I can’t believe this internship is about to come to a close, how working two jobs has made this the fastest summer of my life.  Each time I finish a season, I try to reflect on what I learned, what was valuable about that time & what I discovered about myself.  I feel like as I continue to “grow up”, it seems I need to learn the same things over and over again.  This summer, my supervisor here at KCB gave me the charge of planning Bella Art Fest 2012.  I was slightly terrified, but decided to be optimistic and hit the ground running.  Bella is this Saturday August 4^th—we’ve held volunteer meetings, purchased supplies, created layouts and rounded up volunteers, artists and musicians in a frenzy to pull this thing off, and here we are two days away! In the craziness of sending what feels like a thousand emails a day, getting excited, disappointed, stressed out, and calmed down, what I’ve learned is that it is really difficult for me to ask for help.  I think at my deepest point, my truest self, I believe that I am Superwoman.  Even though I know how much I need to rely on others and rely on Jesus, the simple humility of needing help is difficult for me to accept.  I want to have it all together, to be the capable one, to be excellent at everything I take on (can you tell I’m a firstborn yet?)  But what happens when I seek to do everything myself is emotional breakdowns, fear of failure, and distance from Jesus.  I think this summer it “clicked” for me, that if I want to be involved in Kingdom work, I need to accept and understand partnership.  I need to not just say that I need others, but get really comfortable in the position of needing others, and work on identifying the places where I lack in order to accept help, to accept community. 

Written by: Michelle Roberts 

Overwhelmed, Yet Blessed

 Just a few weeks ago I had my first art class for the children in the community. I had spent most of my time in the beginning of this internship preparing for this day. Words could not express the enthusiasm and anticipation I felt as the first day approached. I could not wait to see how everything was going to turn out. I had heard from a few parents how excited their children were to attend the class. But Abbey and Manny, my supervisors, had sweetly warned me not to worry if only a few students showed up the first day. In the past years the class average was about 10-15 kids. Naturally, I only prepared for about 15 kids at the most.

As the day arrived I was praying that at least 5 would show up, especially since I had 10 volunteers. Manny kindly reminded me throughout the day that the kids would show up and not to worry. The time finally came for the class to start. I had 10 eager volunteers staring at me, then at the door, then at me again. Panic was slowly starting to set in. As we waited patiently the kids started to trickle in one at a time. Then out of nowhere there was a line outside the door of the KCB Community Center. I had a total of 33 kids the first day of the art class, but I was only prepared for 15! The entire hour and half I was overwhelmed trying to make sure every kid knew what he/she was doing, talking to parents, and making sure all the kids were signed in. It must have had a frantic look on my face because Manny continuously reminded that the only thing that mattered was that the kids had a fun time. As I kept this in mind, I would step back, take a breath, and just watch as the kids colored with oil pastels with giant smiles on their faces. It was then that I realized that the feeling of being overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious was completely unnecessary but worth it to see the smiles and hear the laughter that surrounded me.

   

 Written by: Cori Aguayo

Trucks, Equipment, and Fresh Beginnings

Today Kingdom Causes Bellflower’s (KCB) office was buzzing with commotion and swarming with Good Soil Industries’ (GSI) green shirts. The energy from the sixteen GSI employees’ excitement was spreading quickly through the office.

They were briefed and before sending them out to their project sites, Joel, the program leader, spoke about the simple philosophy behind that day’s work, “God created us to work, and that is what Good Soil Industries is equipping you to do”. That to me was a perfect illustration of the kind of work done through the initiatives at KCB; an infusion of faith and community-building efforts commonly shared by the body of workers.

Written by: Jannelle Aguirre

Discovering the Treasure in Bellflower

One of the summer classes that I was most excited about starting this year was called “Discovering Bellflower” This class took some of our neighborhood kids on a journey of exploring their city and showed them how wonderful their town can be! As the week began I didn’t know what to expect, and I was nervous because I didn’t know who was going to show up, but those nerves quickly died out and turned to excitement as soon as I saw kids walk through our community center doors. As the week went on, I saw how much our neighborhood kids learned about their city. They went to the Bellflower Farmer’s market, took a tour of city hall, and learned how the city functions. One employee event let them witness a “light show” in the civic auditorium. Overall, the kids had a great time discovering the treasure of our city. Our hope is that as they grow up, they will embrace Bellflower as their own and work to make it an even better place to live!

Written by: Manny Lopez

Finding Hope in Unexpected Places

I can’t believe it’s already been a month since I started my internship! It has been an amazing month! The best part of it, so far, has been the people that I have been able to meet. On my first day of desk hours I was able to meet Marissa*. Marissa is a homeless neighbor who spends a lot of time at the KCB offices, and I had heard a lot about her, so when she came in I was excited to be able to talk to her. She sat and talked with me as she waited for Ethan to come and meet her.

The first thing she told me was that she didn’t like me and asked me why it wasn’t Kendall at the desk! After that, we ended up talking for about 20 minutes and she told me a little bit about herself and the struggles she had gone through the night before. Her strength was evident as she talked. She began to say how tired she was, then stopped herself and said "but you know I’m a survivor.” Hearing those words come out of her mouth after all of the tragic things that she had just told me inspired me to hang on.

So many times in my own life I get so caught up in what I’m going through, that I can forget that other people go through things too. If Marissa can survive and keep on, then I can too. Also, as she was leaving, she informed me how much she liked me.

I also got to meet one of the organizers of national night out, an event that I am helping to plan. Her name is Sharon and I was able to hear about her vision for national night out and also why she does what she does. It was inspiring to hear her passion and to see her face light up as she showed me pictures of previous events. Meeting Marissa and Cheryl* really inspired me and made me realize that everyone has a purpose. Sometimes the people that you think you are helping are really meant to help you. I love finding hope in the most unexpected places.

*Name changed

Written by: Jennifer Willis

Soccer, Kids, and Community

Last week I was able to go see the Galaxy soccer game with some of the Kingdom Causes members and the children that are part of the soccer class. I'm glad that I went because it was nice to see the kids have so much fun. It was also a great way to get to know the parents of the kids from the community. I had many conversations with some of the moms and they expressed how much they appreciate Kingdom Causes for having many activities for the kids. They also said they're grateful for the mission of Kingdom Causes and the helpful resources they provide. I was already excited working for Kingdom Causes, but hearing their nice words lifted my spirits, reminding me that I am serving the Bellflower community and our amazing God.

Written by: Janet Melara

Paints a Smile on My Face

It is the joy of working with the kids in the community that paints a smile on my face. Unfortunately for me, it took a few weeks into this internship until I had the chance to have my first interactions with kids. As a few weeks went by, the anticipation of meeting the kids grew a little more into anxiety. I had no idea whether or not the kids in the community would like me or if I would be able to relate to them. It was not until this week when I finally had the chance to spend some time with kids in the community. I assisted in organizing a weeklong class, Discovering Bellflower, for kids to explore the city they live in. We went on field trips to the Farmer Market at Simms Park, the Pirate Park, the Clifton M. Brakensiek Library, the Bellflower City Hall and the Community Garden. Throughout the week my anxiety of whether or not I was going to be able to interact with all of the kids quickly faded. I soon had the realization that this was never about them liking me or accepting me. Without even realizing it these kids opened my heart in allowing them to inspire me and teach me to grow alongside with them. Overall, I had a blast working with all of these kids this week. I am excited to see how the rest of the summer plays out!

Written by: Cori Aguayo

Reflection: Reconciliation and the Gospel

The principal of reconciliation is probably the one thing I most desire for my life to reflect.  I have to constantly remind myself that reconciliation is the heart of the Gospel: that God has chosen to reconcile me to Himself, and that in turn, I have a responsibility as a follower of Jesus to become reconciled to those around me.  The days I “get” this, know it in the deepest part of me, pray for it & seek it earnestly are the days I truly feel the reality of the Lord’s presence, and consequently the days I feel most whole, most human, as He created me to be.  But even though my heart is for reconciliation and for “the least of these” and even though I am on my way to pursue a Master’s in Social Work, and I am praying for Jesus to give me vision to use this degree for His kingdom, I confess that my heart is not daily, holistically focused on reconciliation.  Even though this beautiful word, “reconciliation” rolls off my tongue several times a week in regular conversation, I am beginning to realize that although this is my dream, it is not my reality, aside from maybe one area of my life.  As I was reading through an excerpt from CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) on the subject, one idea particularly stood out to me: “[The Gospel] responds to people as whole people”—there is so much summed up in that phrase.  As Christians, it is so much more simple for us to respond directly to needs—visible, felt needs with so-called quick fixes.  When I read that I thought, “What does that mean, to respond to people as whole people?” Immediately I knew, that’s what I get to do every day at work.  I work as a Life Coach at InJOY Life Resources, Inc., a day program for adults with developmental disabilities.  In the last year, I have had the opportunity to respond to my clients as whole people, not just respond to their needs.  I don’t just help them eat safely, walk across the street, help them hold a paintbrush or learn how to write their address—I do all of those things under the banner of friendship, because they are whole people whom I have come to know and love—I give to them and I receive, I teach and I am taught, each day, how to be more whole as a person.  Who would’ve thought I would learn wholeness from these “broken” people?  I believe the deepest, most real sense of joy comes from seeing and believing in the treasures, the human-ness, the value in the people our culture has deemed less worthy.  This is reconciliation.  This is what I want to see in every area of my life.  I want to see ethnic diversity in my church, I want to see neighbors with diverse incomes relying on one another, becoming self-sustaining communities where dependency is not accepted or necessary, I want to see healing & wholeness in my friendships.  But I’m wrestling today, thinking, how long have I been saying I want these things? How do I daily practice reconciliation in each relationship & situation?  When will I stop saying “I want” and begin saying, “I see this in the different areas of my life.”?

Written by: Michelle Roberts

Going Back to Our Roots

In my community building hours this week working in the organic garden weeding, the CCDA Principle of reconciliation came alive to me. There is something about working in nature that touches you deep in your core. Maybe it has something to do with farming being the first occupation humanity has ever known, or that we know that some tasty treats are going to come from our hard work. But as I notice the dirt under my nails, smell the unmistakable fragrance of tomato leave basking in the air, and feel the dirt mounds slip into my shoes, I know I belong here. This is a place where we feel like a force of able bodies working together to save those helpless tomato plants who depend on us. Each tomato plant is overwhelmed by the surrounding weeds that rob and choke them out of reaching their full potential. With each weed we uproot and cast out from the rows, we get the feeling that we are bringing balance back to the garden.

But it was only after reading the CCDA Principle section about reconciliation that I made the connection that this weeding process is just a metaphor of what we as a community offers to each other. We all have hurting factors that are stunting our growth from our full potential, and we long to reestablish the balance around us. But we alone are not able to accomplish the reconciliation we so desperately need to move forward. Only through being real with one another, opening up about our strengths and struggles, and making an effort to understand can we fully come together. In doing so we become the strong able body that is strong enough to uproot the wrong and cultivate the good in one another. The more we support each other’s growth of becoming the people God designed us to be, the more we are able to thrive and spread unity among our community.

I cannot help but be amazed in how such a simple activity, like gardening, has so much potential to teach us great life lessons. Gardening is no longer a chore in my book.

Written by: Jannelle Aguirre

2012 Intern Team

We are thrilled to once again have our summer internship program in full swing this summer! The interns always bring a fresh dose of energy and ideas into our offices, and they get to learn a lot as well. Let's meet them!

Jason Barnette

My name is Jason Barnette and I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ. I love the mission of Kingdom Causes and am blessed to have a internship with them. I have a beautiful wife name Kim Barnette and four kids that serve Christ. I got connected with KCB through the homeless breakfast at Calvary Baptist church in Bellflower, where I am a leader and member. I love serving our neighbors that don't currently have a address. This summer, I am excited to have the chance to do some case management in human services, which is my field of study. I'm looking forward to a memorable summer with KCB!

Janet Melara 

Hello, my name is Janet Melara. I live in Pico Rivera with my family. I have two sisters and one brother, and three nephews. My family is very important to me and I enjoy spending time with them. A family friend invited us to Bellflower Brethren Church about 19 years ago. We have attended there ever since. Most of my time is spent in Bellflower because of my church. Currently, I attend the University of Long Beach, pursing a Bachelor in Social Work. I am excited for fall semester 2012 when I will begin the program. During my free time I like to hangout with friends, watch movies, play basketball and volunteer. I enjoy serving others in any possible way. I look forward to what God has in store for Bellflower and me!

Jannelle Aguirre

In this new opportunity of interning for Kingdom Causes Bellflower, I am looking forward to coming alongside the team and contributing all of the gifts I have been given to help further their mission. I believe that God knew what He was doing when he paired my Public Relations major and Business minor, talents, and love for people, with the KCB team to help show compassion and love to the community. These next nine weeks are going to fly by, but they are going to be packed with rewarding challenges and character building relationships. I cannot wait!

Cori Aguayo

Hey there!

My name is Cori Aguayo. I am 22 years old currently attending Biola University with hopes in graduating next year with a B.A. in Communication Studies. I have grown up connected to the Bellflower community attending Hosanna Christian Fellowship, which ironically is a few doors down from KCB (I had no idea until I walked in for my interview). My focus this summer will be on the kids programming in the community and event planning. I know that this summer is going to be full of challenges, but at the same time I know that I  will learn so muchand be blessed by the entire experience and all the people I meet.Here are some fun facts about me: love Jesus. I am obsessed with Black Forest Gummy Bears (especially the green ones), pistachio ice cream, and Cherry Coke. I have a cat named Darci, whom I adore. I am scared of sharks and Chuck E.Cheese. I mainly listen to country music.

Well, that about sums me up!

Michelle Roberts

Hello Everyone!

I am excited to introduce myself as KCB's summer intern for Community Event Planning! I am originally a suburban, AZ girl who developed a heart for the city & I'm seeking to live out the love of Jesus in my community. I graduated two years ago with a Bachelor of Sociology degree from Biola University & I've been working for the last year at a day program for adults with developmental disabilities called InJOY Life Resources, Inc. here in Bellflower. As the Lord has put together the pieces of my story, I've found that I absolutely love working with the more marginalized members of our society. This work is so transformative and I feel that I constantly see the Gospel in a new light  as I view others and myself in light of the love of Jesus. In August I will begin pursuing my Masters of Social Work at USC and I hope to eventually open my own nonprofit organization to serve vulnerable women in my community. I have so much to learn from KCB this summer and I feel so privileged to be part of an organization that intentionally considers its methods in light of Jesus' ministry. May He have all the glory!

Jen Willis

Hi my name is Jen and I am one of six Kingdom Causes summer interns and I couldn’t be more excited. I am currently a junior at Biola University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Intercultural Studies. My career goal is to impact the world for Jesus Christ however that looks either by doing missions or by studying psychology further. I want to see people’s lives changed by the Gospel like it has so drastically changed mine. I wanted to do this internship because I believe in the mission of Kingdom Causes I love Bellflower and when I am here I feel at home even though I am from Norwalk I have spent a good portion of my life in Bellflower I have been going to the same church here for almost all of my life.  I am excited to be able to help/plan some community events and get to know my neighbors better.

Community Fellow: Rob

Last, but not least, our fourth community fellow... Rob VerWys!

Well hi there! My name is Robert VerWys and I am one of the new Community Fellows.

I come from the far off land of Michigan, but now have taken Southern California and specifically the Eucalyptus neighborhood as my new home! Kris and I moved into 16111 Eucalyptus last week and have been busy settling in and trying to make it feel “homey.” I am extremely excited for the coming year with my compatriots, let me tell you why…

I am 21 years old and a recent graduate of Azusa Pacific University, where I received a bachelor’s degree in social work. Through my collegiate experience, I had the privilege to both study and live in South Africa for approximately 6 months. It was there that God highlighted within me a passion for learning how to love communities, and do so in a way that empowers rather than disenables. This shift added an entirely new understanding to the Gospel and what it means to desire “Thy Kingdom come” in the present and for an entire community. I came to realize that as rewarding and fruitful as the time had felt to me personally, I was only beginning to scratch the surface in my understanding of the Zulu culture. Without a deep and comprehensive understanding of a cultures’ paradigm, it is difficult to know how to love a community best. Out of that tension was borne the realization that I don’t strive to love and serve God and my community that way when I am in my HOME culture. THAT is exactly the reason why I feel God drew me to the Community Fellows program. God is doing some uniquely beautiful things within the city of Bellflower and I can’t believe I have the chance to learn and take part! I am called to that life, here and now, directly where I am.

I am thrilled to commit this next year to being a present learner in the Eucalyptus neighborhood! I eagerly anticipate the coming joys, struggles and growing pains that come along with the territory. I aim to celebrate and share a glimpse of what God is doing in the neighborhood with you all at least once every month. To God be the glory!

-Rob

Community Fellow: Laura

Meet Laura Dumas, another 2012-2013 Community Fellow!

Hello! My name is Laura Dumas and I am originally from Northern California. I have spent the last three years in the L.A. area which was quite an adjustment after growing up in the country, but I have come to love it here :) 

I graduated from Biola University in May of 2012 with a degree in intercultural studies which I hope to use overseas eventually. I have been involved in various homeless ministries throughout high school and college and have always had a deep concern for those living on the "outside" of society. 

When I heard about Kingdom Causes, I got very excited as it seems like an amazing opportunity to both learn as well as to live out what I have been learning. I have a strong desire to see people live life the way God created it to be lived and to see them recognize their inherent worth as his children and I am looking forward to learning how to do this through Kingdom Causes this year! 

Community Fellow: Kris

Meet another one of our 2012-2013 Community Fellows... Kris Cohen!

My name is Kris Cohen. I am 22 years old and a recent grad from Biola University with a B.A. in Philosophy. I spent the first 9 years of my life in Bellflower, CA. I then moved all the way to La Palma, CA, right in between the cities of Cypress and Cerritos (it was quite the journey!). I grew up in a home where following Jesus was modeled every day. My parents are committed followers of Jesus and have shown me since I was young how to live a Godly life. I currently fellowship at Bellflower Brethren Church and have been an attendee since I was in the womb. Since my early youth, I have been actively involved in my church: playing drums, being on leadership teams, etc. I also love to be very active. My favorite sport, currently, is the invigorating game of Ultimate Frisbee. Sounds intense, right? Although throwing a frisbee is typically a very laid-back activity, ultimate frisbee can be an extremely competitive sport.

I applied for the Community Fellows Program because God has been tugging at my heart and showing me the importance of "loving your neighbor as yourself." Well, who is my neighbor? I think my neighbor, at least, are those people I come into contact with every day. This program is focusing in on this sort of practice: to love your neighbor by having a missional mindset in your everyday activities. I am very excited to be able to be a part of what God is doing in Bellflower, specifically in the Eucalyptus neighborhood, where I will be residing. My prayer is that I can grow and learn through this experience to be able to live in such a way that is representative of the Kingdom life, in Jesus, which we were meant to live and to invite other people around me to join in. 

Community Fellow: Rachel

We are excited to have four brand new "Community Fellows" living in Bellflower! This is a brand new program in which these young leaders will gain practical, hands-on experience in community development as they live in under-resourced neighborhoods in Bellflower. The next few posts will introduce the four 2012-2013 Community Fellows! 

First, I'm happy to introduce Rachel De Los Reyes!

Hello There!

First off the basics.

23 years old. Recent graduate of Biola University. Originally hailing from San Diego, CA. Loves God. Loves people. Loves Art.

That in a nutshell is who I am. I think you may now be wondering what drew me to this fellowship program. Without rambling and going off on wild tangents (which I usually do), I will you tell why.

It’s quite simple. I LOVE people. I enjoy meeting others and getting to know their story, their gifts, and their hopes and dreams. Things that make them unique.

I have always been a ‘people person.’ But my time in college really fostered this passion in me, I got the opportunity to counsel and mentor young adults through university and church programs. As time went on I realized that this just wasn’t a fun thing to do, it was a calling.

And on top of that I love the city. The city is such a unique, diverse, and historic place. Growing up in cities in the Pacific Northwest and Southern California, I was amazed by its beauty. Not just the landscape or the architecture. I was intrigued by the culture and how much diversity could fit into such a compacted space. There were so many cultures and people to experience. The different foods, languages, and customs. I loved it all. And that love and passion still grows to this day.

But despite the city’s magnificence there is a dark side. It is because of man’s sin that division exists within the city due to cultural, political, and social movements. These movements lead to boundaries of race, class, and beliefs. What is left is a divided and ultimately broken city. I believe that Christ longs to transform and reform the hearts of his people. I look forward at the opportunity to work with like-minded people to provide a glimpse of reconciliation, hope, and healing that comes from the gospel.

In the next year, I am excited to gain hands on experience doing urban ministry and learning what it looks like to truly love my neighbor. I am looking forward to being stretched relationally, emotionally, and spiritually.

So I think that’s enough about me! As for hobbies I love film, photography, reading, writing, hanging out at the beach, hiking, trying new foods, fawning over cute dogs, puns, making people laugh, watching cheesy dance/singing reality shows, coming up with witty Facebook statuses, instagramming (yes, it is now a verb), and most of all exploring this wonderful city!

-Rachel