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