God Doesn’t Make Junk

It can be blessing to get away from the fast-paced busyness of the city. When I think about our neighbors, I can’t help but be grateful for opportunities that not everyone has the chance to sample on a regular basis.

Recently I had the privilege of attending a men’s retreat, hosted by my home church. The event was labeled as a “Mens Adventure Weekend, “ and the setting was the picturesque town of Bishop, California, about five hours north of Los Angeles. The snow-capped mountains provided a stunning backdrop for a fun and inspiring weekend of outdoor activities, great food, interesting conversation, powerful stories, and amazing worship.

Each night we had a different speaker bring us a message to close out our day. One speaker shared a compelling story of his upbringing, and it was an incredible narrative of how God can take his children from a dark path to an breathtaking story of redemption and hope. He reminded us that God doesn’t make junk, which fit perfectly with the natural wonder that surrounded our campground.

When you step back and think about that kind of gathering, it is not hard to smile and realize that it is a little slice of heaven. The weekend brought together men from all walks of life, but when we sat down together for a meal or gathered for worship, it didn’t matter where we came from or what life we had led up to this point. We were just a bunch of God’s children, enjoying a bit of his creation and seeking harmony through the bonds of true family.

Coming home from these types of events can require an adjustment. Life is filled with work, responsibilities, and plenty of hassles. We can’t always wake up to a beautiful sunrise and spend the day playing in the mountains. What we can do is remember that message, and keep in mind that everything God created has a purpose. The streets and neighborhoods that surround you may not be as picturesque as a mountain landscape, but they have their own version of spiritual beauty.

As you go about your day, remember that God doesn’t make junk. The stories of redemption continue, both here in the city and faraway in the mountains. Wherever you are, embrace the opportunity to pursue the wonder of God’s creation and your role in it.

Together

Recently, Kingdom Causes Bellflower held an annual dinner. Admittedly, the event is a fundraiser, but it is also a time to celebrate the stories of transformation from the previous year, along with highlighting the challenges that remain in our path.

Some of the work that we do can be captured with numbers. We can highlight the number of people who have made a successful transition from homelessness, to Margaret’s House, to a more stable living situation. We can talk about the number of men who have overcome employment barriers through our Good Soil Industries program, and are now on a better path of personal and vocational growth. There are plenty of numbers that we can share, and those numbers play a key role.

Numbers are important, as they can provide practical and measurable indicators of success. However, numbers only paint part of the picture. In many cases, the more powerful aspects of what we do are conveyed through stories. From the early days of KCB, we have maintained a practice of sharing stories. While a story may only highlight one individual or family, they are a constant reminder of why we do what we do.

Life is about people. Real people, with real stories.

The annual dinner is an opportunity to share a few stories from the past year. If you have been to one of our dinners, you know that the stories can be incredibly compelling. It would be wonderful if every story was filled with joy, success and happy outcomes. Those stories do happen, and when they do, they are amazing to share.

What we all know is that not every story has a simple, satisfying conclusion. The stories that we share at our dinner can be raw, tragic and heartbreaking. We don’t share those stories to shock our community or just tug on people’s heartstrings. We tell those stories because they are an accurate reflection of what goes on in our neighborhoods. Here is a link to a couple of those stories.

At this last dinner, we had a couple get up a speak about their experience with helping one of their neighbors. As they spoke, one of them reflected on the fact that through this experience she realized that she needed to know more about the type of hardship that people go through every day.

Her testimony was a reminder that people are not in the habit of seeking out sorrow. We don’t get up in the morning and ask every person we meet to tell us something sad that is going on in their lives.

I am not going to advocate that you seek out tragedy in your life and live your daily existence under a dark cloud of sad thoughts. There is nothing wrong with waking up and looking for reasons to be happy about the new day. That said, the testimony that we heard at the dinner was an opportunity for accountability as we walk the path of faithful service. The brothers and sisters in our community have needs, and today is as good a day as any to reach out. We just need to take notice.

Our dinner did include some time of sorrow and more than a few tears, but there were also some amazing moments of joy, hope and optimism about the future. We call this event our Together Dinner because that is how we are going to live in the moment and then continue to move forward. Through the moments of sadness and the celebrations of success, we are going to live this life together.

A Sense of Urgency

Are you doing everything that you can to help others?  Do you look for opportunities? Do you pray that God will put people in front of you who need some sort of aid, love or attention? In other words, is there a sense of deep urgency in your life for addressing the needs of others? When I talk about urgency, I mean a profound sense of longing, almost to the point of frantic desperation.

One evening not too long ago I was sitting at home minding my own business when the phone rang. It was one of my closest friends, and I knew immediately something was wrong.  One of our mutual friends was missing. His wife had no idea where he was and had assumed the worst. The lost friend was an avid biker, and rode his bicycle anyplace that was a reasonable distance to travel. He had been on his bike that day but had not been heard from in hours.

By the time I received the phone call, action was already being taken. The lost friend’s son was out scouring the usual travel routes, another friend was calling area hospitals, and still others were calling possible stopping points. Being that we were macho guys, we were ready to metaphorically saddle up our horses and ride like the wind (even though we had no idea where to go). After several tense hours of prayer and ongoing phone calls, our friend thankfully appeared. He been at a meeting that went long and had forgotten to notify his wife. It turned out to be a simple miscommunication and all turned out well. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, enjoyed a nervous chuckle and went on with life.

Upon hearing of our temporary lost sheep, our church pastor observed, “wouldn’t it be great if we approached evangelism in the same way that we approached our lost friend?” What true words he spoke, and we can apply the same thought process to loving our neighbors as we go about our day.

Obviously, our lives are busy, but are they really? What if we spent every waking moment thinking of ways to love our neighbors? Do I pace the floor fretting about the possibility of hurting souls in the same way that I paced the floor that night when my friend was lost?  I admit that seems a daunting task, and it cramps my personal desire for comfort, leisure and physical rest. But think about all the time we can spend entertaining ourselves, doing mindless activities and generally wasting time.

I’m not suggesting that we seek misery, or refuse to enjoy the joys of living life on this beautiful world that God has created. The point is that we can often have a sense that someone else is going to address the problems of this world. Transforming a community is accomplished one relationship at a time, and those connections include our daily interactions.

There is no time like the present. Do you have a sense of urgency?

Big Ideas

My son has always had an ambitious mind. Years ago, he was playing at a friend’s house, and that friend had an electric train. During this same phase of his life, my son was reading some popular books about a broom-riding boy who attends a special school for magical children. You might be familiar with that series.

One day he came to me with a big idea. He wanted to suspend a train track from the ceiling of his bedroom. After that, he wanted to loop some thick rope around the train that would go on that track. Finally, he wanted to attach a broom to the rope, hop on the broom, start up the train, and ride the broom around his small bedroom. Easy, right?


Unfortunately, I was unable to make that father-son project happen. The spirit was willing, but my limited knowledge of construction and my minuscule budget were not going to suffice. Even though we were unable to complete this vision, my son has maintained his willingness to try out new ideas. I hope he always maintains that ability to dream.

There is much to be said about the imagination of a child. As we transition into adulthood and are faced with the inevitable challenges of practical decision-making, it would be nice if we could maintain more of that childlike wonder. At Kingdom Causes Bellflower, we encourage people to dream, to ponder, to ask a lot of “what if” questions. This can obviously be frustrating at times because barriers can quickly arise. However, it can also be exhilarating when we think about the awesome power of God and how He can move mountains.

A few weeks ago, I talked about the concept of being a catalyst, and how KCB strives to bring ideas together for the betterment of our community. This is a theme that I want to stress again, because transformation is about huge concepts, and a willingness to step out in faith.

Do we need to be pragmatic at times? Absolutely. Do we need to think about budgets, resources and timelines? Yes. That said, sometimes we need to get a hammer and just start pounding nails. We need to believe that amazing things can happen when God ignites his people and spreads their love throughout the community.

I don’t regret that my son and I failed to create his vision. Well, maybe a little. That project was too ambitious, but not because it didn’t have merit. It wasn’t possible because it would have fallen on my shoulders, and I am just a sinner, saved by God.

With God, ALL THINGS are possible! Do you believe that? Do you truly believe that? If you do, fire up those dreams. Let us know what God has put on your heart, and maybe we can find others who have experienced the same spiritual excitement.

The people of this community are out there, waiting. What is your big idea?

Imperfect Solutions

I talk to people about Kingdom Causes Bellflower all the time. The reasons for these conversations are rather simple. One, it is part of my job. Two, I believe in this organization.

There are times when these conversations result in excitement, and new opportunities for people to get involved in the work of loving our brothers and sisters. Other times, I get a less-than-enthusiastic response. Sometimes I get pushback because people know that I am a fundraiser, and folks tend to get a little guarded with their wallets. I get that, because I can be guarded with mine.

Other times I have people question the effectiveness of what we do. This skepticism stems from a variety of sources. For one, plenty of individuals have prejudices toward certain social groups, particularly those that struggle economically. Combine that will political baggage, and you have a recipe for leery thinking. There can be a fear even among churches that organizations like KCB are engaging in handouts rather than implementing constructive solutions that promote personal responsibility.

Skepticism is not necessarily a bad thing. There are programs and organizations in this world that are not as effective as they could be, either because they are not designed well or because they are built for purposes other than helping the community grow. Humans like to feel good about what they do. Unfortunately, ministries or outreach opportunities have been accused of actually hurting their intended community, simply because they are (sometimes unintentionally) primarily focused on a goal of helping participants to experience a sense of generosity. Books by Christian authors have been written on this subject, which is part of the reason we are sometimes careful about how we support various projects.

There is value in this type of scrutiny. In Luke 14:28, the Bible says, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”

Here is the challenge with this type of thinking. Like many Biblical interpretations, the problem is not the scripture. The problem is how we (sinful people) apply it. A calculating and planning mentality is good, but will only get you so far. If we expect all plans to have a measurable and guaranteed outcome, we have no need for faith. The reality of working directly with people is that the results are never guaranteed. In other words, we cannot use a single verse as our guide. We must put it into context with everything else that Jesus taught us. Otherwise, we would never step out and take any risks at all.

The bottom line is that analysis can sometimes lead to paralysis. Sometimes in our quest for the perfect solution, we end up doing nothing.

I would rather try and fail than never try at all. Understand that we don’t pursue reckless strategies. At KCB we work very hard to think things through, understand the consequences of our strategies, and maintain principles of stewardship. We solicit feedback from pastors, community leaders, business owners, and everyday citizens. We think through time constraints, financial implications and measurement tools.

At the end of these discussions we are faced with hard decisions because all those conversations do not remove the possibility of risk or failure. This is when we pray, ask for God’s wisdom, and go forward with boldness.

Think through your decisions today, but remember that God does not call for you to be cautious. The Parable of the Talents illustrates that God wants us to act and trust that He will be walking with us each step of the way. It isn’t about what the first two men earned in the parable, it is about their willingness to take chances.

There is work to be done. Do not be afraid of failure. The real failure is not doing anything at all.

Catalyst

Over the decades, I have had the privilege of being involved with many different ministries and non-profit initiatives. My home church is in Bellflower, and as a church we have partnered with various local organizations and other entities around the world. Every so often I will encourage participation in events that are located in neighboring cities. One of my fellow congregants will say, “How come we don’t have a Bellflower version of this event?” My response is typically the same every time. I will say, “Great idea! When are you going to get started?”

We want a lot of things to happen in this world. If you ask the average person on the street to give you a list of societal improvements, it is likely that he or she will easily come up with tasks for companies, government officials, or just society in general. We want these fixes to occur, but oftentimes we don’t want to do them ourselves or are unaware of how to get started. We are tempted to voice the idea and hope that someone else will implement our vision.

Since the early days of Kingdom Causes Bellflower, we have sought to be a catalyst for transformation in the city. The word catalyst has a couple of meanings. If you look it up in the dictionary, the primary definition is in the field of chemistry, and it relates to a substance that either enables or accelerates a reaction. A secondary definition, and perhaps more fitting for KCB, refers to “an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action” (Courtesy of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

Some of the work of transformation is done by our hard-working staff week in and week out, but KCB runs on collaboration with partners in the community. Without dedicated volunteers, supporting churches, city leaders, and other non-profit organizations, KCB would not be what it is today.

Do you have ideas on how to love this community? We want to hear them. The reason that we want to hear them is that we have always sought to bring people together. We gather our neighbors and share ideas because we believe that the most effective change happens when friends, churches, and civic leaders have a common vision for change.

I can’t promise you that change will happen overnight, or that it will unfold the exact way that you hope. In addition, I do have a challenge for you. KCB seeks to be the catalyst but there is a balance to that relationship. If you have a vision for this community, you may need to have the drive and perseverance to see it through. KCB can help, but change happens when people are willing to fight through adversity until meaningful change occurs.

The ministries that I have been involved with over the years have not been perfect. Programs and organizations has flaws, and so does KCB. And yet, these initiatives are often wonderful pieces of the puzzle that we like to call loving our neighbors.

What is your piece?

Labels

We live in an interesting world of societally-created designations. Put in simpler terms, we create some interesting words and labels. For example, take Kingdom Causes Bellflower. KCB is a “faith-based” organization, which is a designation that we embrace. We are unapologetically about loving our neighbors as ourselves because this is what Christ asks of His followers.

If you go to our website, you can read through our mission and vision statements, as well as our Statement of Faith. Included in our mission is the vision statement, “Our VISION is to see Bellflower transformed as God’s people live out the Great Commission locally.” That is what drives our work, and why we continue to pursue our mission.

What has become clear over the years is that society is not always comfortable with faith-based organizations. The concern is usually centered on two areas. One, there is a fear that faith-based organizations will only help their own, and that there may be a literal or metaphorical ideology detector at the front door. Two, there is a concern that the work being doing is restricted to proselytizing, which is a big word for witnessing, evangelizing or sharing a specific religious message. In practice, the fear would be that KCB walks up and down the streets hurling Bibles at our homeless neighbors, rather than helping them with more tangible needs.

We have found that some foundations will not even consider funding us because we are faith-based, even when we present clear evidence that we have a proven track record in the areas of homeless prevention, affordable housing, job creation and neighborhood development. The frustrating irony is that faith-based organizations can be the victim of discrimination by other entities that are fearful of discrimination. As I said, we live in an interesting world.

Lest this become a long lament about government designations or narrow foundation criteria, let us focus on some realities. In recent decades, the church has not done a good enough job showing love. We have talked about love, but we have also talked about a lot of other things that have turned society off to the Gospel message. To be fair, being a Christ-follower has never been about fitting in with society, nor will it ever be. In addition, the church has also done some amazing work around the world, loving people in myriad ways.

The point here is that we can still do a better job convincing people that when we talk about love, we mean it. Obviously, the word love is very broad, and secular society has used that word to justify all sorts of random behaviors and lifestyles. That doesn’t change the fact that we can always help our neighbor. At KCB, we do our best to get people off the street and prevent them from ending up there in the first place. We work to repair broken families, and keep fractured units from splitting. In addition, we work to create jobs, so that our neighbors can sustain themselves, make good choices, and be contributors to society.

Our faith-based status is something that we will not compromise on, and in some cases, it will cost us. Some people will understand that our faith is not just what we do, but why we do it. Regardless of who we encounter, we will do our best to help them. Society will suggest that you don’t need a specific faith to help your fellow human being, and they would be right. However, it certainly adds to the meaning when you consider that you are loving your brother or sister in Christ.

Transitions

I started my fundraising career at age 13, raising money for a 24-hour world hunger awareness fast held at my junior high. I took to the task of getting sponsors with gusto, not because I was excited about fasting for 24 hours, but because I believed in what we were doing.

31 years later I am back in a fundraising role as the new Development Director for Kingdom Causes Bellflower. The circumstances have changed a bit, as has my understanding of the world around me. While there are still people in faraway lands that need help, there are also brothers and sisters in our neighborhoods that need to feel the love of Christ.

What hasn’t changed is that fundraising is so much easier when you truly believe in the cause.

After nine years on the Board of Directors and five years as President, I felt like it was time to step away. There were other people who were capable of leading, and every organization can benefit from a different perspective from time to time. Serving on the board was an amazing and challenging experience, as we prayed many prayers of “give us today our daily bread.” KCB has been blessed by so much support from the community over the years, but I can honestly say that we have never experienced sustained comfort from a financial standpoint. Perhaps that is part of task of remaining faithful to the work of loving others. When we are unable to get comfortable from the standpoint of worldly wealth, it keeps us focused on the reality of daily needs in our community. Looking back, I have been reminded constantly that humility is part of the journey for all of us.

The stories are endless. Some stories have been heart-wrenching, while others have brought tears of joy. People are complicated and lives are messy. That is a constant, and something that will always be a part of our work.

I find it fascinating how God equips people for certain tasks. Most people I encounter don’t love to raise funds, and writing grants does not exactly cause others to covet my small role in the organization. For whatever reason, I enjoy both. Maybe it is because both functions provide an opportunity to tell some amazing stories of transformation.

In the coming weeks, I will share more of my experiences and perspectives as I tell the story of KCB to a broader audience. In the meantime, I encourage you to think about your role in your local community. The functional elements of my job focus on the financial realities of sustaining a non-profit organization, but I don’t just want your wallet. More importantly, I ask you consider giving your time and your heart.

KCB has been blessed with the opportunity to bring together a lot of amazing people over the last ten years. Much progress has been made, but the work continues. I look forward to finding a way for you to join us in this journey.

The Bellflower Community Christmas Store

One of the things we are thankful for this holiday season is the Bellflower Community Christmas Store. The Bellflower Community Christmas Store invites people from the community who find Christmas to be a time of financial strain to come and buy gifts for their children at 80-90% off retail value. All gifts are priced at $5 or less, and all proceeds go directly back into the community via Kingdom Causes Bellflower and Rosewood Church.

Our goal this year is to collect over 700 gifts for the store...so we need your help! Please donate gifts of at least $10 value at our office, 16429 Bellflower Blvd. Bellflower, CA 90706 or at Rosewood Church 10115 Rose St. Bellflower, CA 90706.

The last day to donate gifts for the Community Christmas Store is December 13, 2013.

We also need volunteers to help run the store as well as wrapping the gifts!

For more information contact:

Denise Tamminga  (562)804-4778  or  dtamminga@rosewoodchurch.com

Abbey Nishimoto  (562)804-2189  or  admin@kcbellflower.org

Items That Are Popular:

Skateboards

Scooters

MP3 players

Cameras

Electronics

Boom Boxes

Hair Straighteners

Blow Dryers

Good Quality Sports Equipment

Curling Irons

Make-up Kits

Princess & Superhero Items

Hot Wheels

Watches

Baby Dolls & Barbies

Movie Passes

Gift Cards (iTunes, Forever 21, Game Stop)

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

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

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.