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

God's people using their gifts to love their neighbors

One of the privileges of my job is that I get to meet good people in Bellflower who are interested in using their talents, time and treasure to love their neighbors and to make a difference.  Jerry and Betty Watts have been so generous with their time and I wanted to share the end result of some of their service.

As you may know we've been working over the last three years to help families who are experiencing homelessness or the risk of homelessness through coaching(case management) and rental assistance.  When a family actually becomes homeless they often lose everything but the possessions they can carry with them, or store in their car.  When we help re-house them we try to outfit their new place with some  furniture that has been donated so they won't have to sleep on the floor or live out of suitcases.

Recently Jerry Watts, one of the most handy-guys I know, said he wanted to share his talents for God's purposes and so when we got a "well-used" dresser donated, he came and picked it up promising to make the dinged-up and battered dresser a work of art.  Boy did he deliver!  Not only did he put countless hours into polishing, painting and repairing the old one, he made a new one to match!  Check out the finished product below.  I am excited to see the faces on the next family that comes through our program when they receive their "new" furniture repaired and created with love.  Thanks God for the unique gifts and abilities you've placed in your body to love our neighbors.

Discipleship at In-n-Out

Rachel and I were feeling lazy last Saturday, neither of us wanting to cook or clean up afterwards so we decided to partake in a So Cal delicacy, In N Out.

After ordering,  Rachel and I sat down with our four kids at one of the concrete tables in the outdoor seating area to wait for our food.  As we were seated, I saw a homeless neighbor who used to be a regular in Bellflower, who I hadn't seen for at least a year.  He's in his early 40's but his dissheveled hair, stuffed into a beanie cap and weathered skin make him look much older.  I knew his face but it took me a few minutes to figure out what his name was.  Thankfully as we made eye contact the Holy Spirit reminded me of it just in time as he approached our table.  

"Hi Mike!" I greeted him.  "I haven't seen you around for a while,  you doing okay?"  

I could've answered that question on my own.  By the looks of him he's not doing well at all and he's been drinking.  In fact he's so intoxicated that he almost fell to the ground trying to take a seat at the table next to us. 

"Got any change?" he asks after making some unintelligible comments about his near-fall.  I can see that I must look familiar to him but the alcohol is clouding his memory.

"My name is Ryan, and I'm sorry Mike," I answer, "I have a policy that I just don't give out cash.  But I would love to buy you a burger.  You hungry?"  

At first he refuses but then comes around and says he'll take a burger. 

While we were waiting for our orders, I did my best to keep the small talk going.  We talked about football, cars, his youth growing up in Paramount and going to high school there.  My kids were silent... I wasn't watching them but I am sure they were wondering who this guy was and why he was sitting with us.

I could see that all of my questions and conversation was making Mike feel restless.  

"I gotta go walk this off a little bit." Mike uttered as he got up to walk around a bit.  

Again he almost stumbled to the ground before making his way down the sidewalk scratching his stomach and saying something to himself.  The girl at the table next to us tightened her grip on her purse as he stumbled past her table.   I caught myself dealing with a bit of fear too. "What's the worst thing that could happen?" I think.  "He's just a guy in need of some human interaction.  He's not going to get us.  We might feel uncomfortable, but that's okay."

The brief respite gave us an opportunity to talk with the kids about what an opportunity this was to love "Mr. Mike"  our neighbor.  

"Mr. Mike doesn't have a house." I told them.  "We get a chance to have dinner with him.  This is what Jesus would do guys.  This is good."  "This is good." I think, "this is discipleship in it's most impactful form..."

Mike came back and his table was now occupied, so we cleared a space for him at our small table.  Our food came first and so I offered him one of our trays of fries and my coke so he can eat right away.  I ask him if we can pray for him and he says, "Pray that I get my life back together..."  So we all pray, thanking God for our meal and for the opportunity to have a meal with this blessed neighbor. 

He says he doesn't want any fries so I reclaim my basket from in front of him but as I do he grabs a few fries and says "oh I just have a few."  His visibly dirty hands grab a four fries from the pile and I look at the rest of the fries with a bit of disgust.  "You should have the whole thing." I insist, feigning generosity to cover for my germphobic disdain. 

His burger finally came and we all settled in to eat.  I caught myself several times feeling uncomfortable about the situation, and wanting to finish quickly and not having much of an appetite for the food just minutes before I was craving.   

Over the course of our meal, while I struggled to move the conversation forward, my mind fluttered to many somewhat competing thoughts...  

I felt itchy thinking about his "germs" (he told us he has scabies) and way too righteous as the other customers watched our family.  

I looked at our fellow customers, narcissistically wondering if they were watching us, thinking about how "good" we were, or conversely how bad of parents we must be.  I am ashamed

I pictured God smiling on our tribe.  I imagined him smiling at our simple obedience and chuckling at my discomfort, the way a dad does when he knows his kids are learning a good life-lesson.  

I reflected on how we were experiencing the Holy Spirit empowering us to love someone who, like the lepers in Jesus' day, was outcast and isolated from the community.

As our dinner concluded and we parted ways, I notice myself marked by this ordained appointment with Mike.

I wonder... how can our family better love neighbors like Mike?  

Will we embrace people with germs and visible manifestations of brokenness like mental illness that makes them difficult to communicate with and prone to self-medication?

What would happen if you and I were SEEKING and making the most of opportunities like these that humanize the lonely outcasts living among us?  

What will God do in us when we engage in relationships, sharing a meal with a human friend, instead of taking the easier, cleaner route of giving a poor beggar our loose change in an attempt to assuage our guilt and so doing unintentionally feed their addiction?

My prayer for us is that God will make us more like him as he stretches us and crosses our paths with others.  I pray that he will give us His eyes to see our neighbors as He does.  Most of all I pray that He will give us the discipline and intention we need as a busy people to pay attention to the opportunities like these that come our way on a daily basis.  

Good news: A local group takes a break from Bible Study

This weekend I heard some pretty cool news.  A group of Christians decided to stop meeting to study the Bible together.

Let me explain before you call me a heretic.

A group of mature Christians in Bellflower who have been meeting for several years in order to study the word together started reading the prophets of the old testament and something changed for them.  They read the texts in Isaiah and Jeremiah that clearly show God's heart for the orphans and widows.  They heard his rebuke of the people of Israel for neglecting the poor while they religiously continued to worship God with thier mouths.  They were convicted.  Then they did something pretty cool... they decided to be not only hearers of the word but doers.  They opted for simple plain-faced obedience.

They decided instead of just studying about God's heart for the orphans, that they would ACTUALLY try loving orphans themselves.  Their group is made up of busy people (as most of us So. Californians are) and so in order to make space in their lives, they stopped meeting for Bible study.  In place of this study they've invested themselves in serving and loving youth in foster care, the orphans of our community.  Now they meet with foster care kids one night a week for games, fun and generally spending time loving them. 

Oh that God would multiply this obedience in our land!  What it might look like if God were to break my heart and yours for the orphans and widows of our community?

What would Bellflower look like if we took some of the time that we budget for weekly religious activity/spiritual education and spent it DOING what Jesus taught and modeled...

loving the "lepers" of our society,
the chronically homeless,
the drug addicted,
the mentally ill,
the financially broken
the lonely neighbors we are surrounded by but so often pass on the otherside on our way to our various church meetings to study about God's heart for them.  

The church is an under-tapped treasure-trove of love, skill, passion, time and action, that far too often gets silo-ed into Bible-education based busy-ness.  I believe that God wants us to take our Bible with us into the trenches, to go read our Bible and do what it says  where the hurting people live.  Then our orthopraxy (right living/obedience) will catch up with our orthodoxy (Right thinking/doctrine).

Let me be clear. I am not advocating that people should stop reading the Bible. I am not saying Bible Studies are bad. New Christians especially, need to read the Bible and read it regularly with other believers so that they can fully understand the message of grace and the gospel of God's Kingdom.  We have to know what the Bible says in order to be obedient to it.

What I am imploring is that we in the church would not spend more of our time studying about obedience than we do becoming obedient. 

God give us room in our schedules for obedience.

KCB Homework Club - Community Garden

Job training 301: Bless your enemies

When we started Good Soil Industries, KCB's landscaping social enterprise that provides on the job training for folks who were hard to hire,  we knew we would provide job training.  We knew we'd teach people how to mow lawns,  how to make resumes, and how to dress and prepare for interviews.

We didn't think we'd be teaching people about how to treat our enemies...

The Good Soil guys praying for our enemies.

Last week our crew returned to the van after caring for one of our customer's lawns to find that while they were focusing on their tasks some one had opened the back doors and stolen the weed whacker and hedge trimmer, $800 worth of critical equipment,  right from under their noses.  

This sort of theft isn't supposed to happen to good people doing a good thing, right?   

We were outraged at first but then we reflected a bit on what Jesus would do in this situation.  He would bless the thieves.   So as hard as it was for us to understand that teaching of Jesus,  Joel took the guys out to the truck and led them in prayer for the faceless, nameless enemies who took our stuff.  

As much as Good Soil is about job training, we also do some important LIFE training too.  We get the opportunity to demonstrate the upside down Kingdom of God, to our trainees who are so used to the abuse and "tit-for-tat" rules of the world.

Reflection on Engaging with our Homeless Neighbors

The following is a blog post from one of our KCB interns, Jessica. We are so proud of the way Jessica has immersed herself in the lives of our neighbors without addresses.

The value of community and relationships has been shown to me in the past month as an intern at Kingdom Causes. I knew God created us for relationships, but after spending several hours with our homeless neighbors I have realized how important it is for us to have relationships with all types of people - not just those who we have a lot in common. By spending time with those who have areas in their life that are different from ours, it challenges us to grow and expand our world view.

My time engaging with the homeless at Celebrate Recovery services and Saturday morning breakfasts at Calvary Bellflower Church have shown me so many wonderful qualities about each individual and their unique strengths. One of the women I have had the privilege to get to know is very thoughtful and starts each conversation by earnestly asking how someone’s day is. She is a young, beautiful woman, who may not have a home, offers so much to the rest of the homeless community and those with a home. She seeks out those who are sitting by themselves in the breakfast area, and isn’t afraid to leave her boyfriend to get to know another woman. There is also an older man, who usually has a quiet personality but when a conversation is something he is interested in brings out a big smile and laugh, with unique stories told about his life.

The culture that I have observed so far has been one that is very open and trusting of each other. Almost every individual actively interacts with one another and have formed close friendships, even to those who don’t live in the same park or riverbed that they do. They help each other find work and suggest places to stay when the weather gets bad, play card games together at almost every gathering or meal they attend and appreciate conversations with those who are willing to get out of their comfort zone and interact with them. I seemed to have done that so well that a few still question whether I am homeless or not!!

I have found that many find it difficult to look past the surface with a homeless individual, and in doing so neglect s to see the wonderful qualities that person has. The only difference between our homeless neighbors and us, is that we have an address. If people were to truly engage in conversations with those who do not have an address, many would be surprised to see how much we have in common. They are people full of life, despite their material losses. But how blessed are they that despite their hard circumstances, they are not lovers of money!! “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:10, ESV). They already have this positive characteristic, and we should all seek to see what other strengths they have to offer us!☺

Community, sorrow and joy

Sometimes the work of community can be a bit of a roller-coaster of emotions...

Last week my friend texted me to let me know he had heard that Kenny, one of our long-time friends who lived on the streets, had passed away.  My heart sank as the reality of this news set in.  Another life claimed by the brokenness of our world.

Kenny and Eric in 2006

Kenny was a good man.  He was quick to smile, to offer me a hug and always ready for a good conversation.  He was one of the first homeless neighbors I met and counted him as a friend.  

I am not sure how he died but I hope he wasn't alone.  I wonder if alcohol, the demon that often stripped him of his freedom eventually caught him and claimed his life.  I also wonder if his story  would have been different if we could have offered him a place to stay while he dealt with the relational poverty that caused his homelessness.  

What if we could have offered him a place to stay...

This week, by contrast, was full of rejoicing.   On Wednesday, I had the great joy and privilege of helping two of our chronically homeless neighbors move from the streets into their own apartments.  

Terry and Kim in his NEW apartment

Kim Barnette and Ricardo Nunez, KCB/OPHS staff members, advocated for these vets over several months, eventually connecting them with housing vouchers.  These two men, who would otherwise be struggling to be warm and safe on the streets, now have places of their own.  Bethany CRC and the Brethren Church of Bellflower stepped up and not only have they committed to help make their new places a homes, they've committed to embracing them and supporting them... COMMUNITY, something WE ALL NEED.

My prayer for them now is that from the safety and warmth of their homes they will be free to engage.  That they will grow in their relationships in community, with God and with themselves.  That's my prayer for you too...  for us all.

Christmas Store Recap

I began working on our annual Christmas store this past September, in partnership with Rosewood Church. The Christmas store provides a way for less fortunate families to purchase Christmas gifts for their children. I held 5 neighborhood meetings in which I informed people of how one would go about registering, registered families, and provided them with final details for our Christmas store.

The concept of the Christmas store is beautiful; fortunate Bellflower residents donate gifts to our store; we price the donated gifts at a very low price (over 90% reduction). We then invite our registered neighbors to Christmas shop for their kids. For many of the families the gifts they purchased at our store will be all they can offer their kids. What’s so cool is that they parents are able to stand proud, knowing that what little they could present to their kids THEY purchased with their hard earned money.

I was a very busy, popular guy at our Kingdom Causes office! Every day I received calls regarding the Christmas store. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed with all the various phone calls, until I received a phone call that would encourage and motivate me to continue working hard.

“Hi I was told to call this number and ask for Edgar,” she said. “I was told there was a Christmas store and I was wondering if I could still register my three kids.” I was sad to inform the lady that the registration deadline had long past, but she was more than welcome to show up at the end and if we had any left over toys she would be more than welcome to purchase toys for her children. My answer seemed to carry the weight of gold, she was so thankful and excited at the possibility that she’d be able to shop for her kids.

I provided her with all the information needed. “Just to let you know we began registering people for our Christmas store in November,” I told her. “Those pre-registered are able to shop first before those that weren’t registered on time. I suggest next year you register early that way you’re guaranteed toys for your kids.”

“Thanks but we normally don’t do this, it’s just that my husband recently lost his job and if wasn’t for this we wouldn’t be able to give our kids anything for Christmas. Thank you so much, you don’t know how much this means to my husband and I.”

What a difference was being made in the lives of this and many families, I only wish I could catch a glimpse of the feelings and emotions that were going on in the hearts of the parents. What an awesome event to share in the restoration of our neighbor’s dignity! From the bottom of my heart I want to thank all those who donated toys and/or their time in making this event possible.

-Edgar Guzman, KCB Community Development Intern

(picture is of volunteer Christina McConnell of Child Evangelism Fellowship and the Bellflower Chamber of Commerce)

“…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31

A home in time for the holidays...

One of the Case Workers in our Homeless Prevention and Rapid rehousing program shared this story with me today and I wanted to share it with you.  

Last week I met with an applicant for our Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP). He is a single parent and has been homeless with his 12 year old daughter for the past six months. After teaching at a nearby high school for four years, he was laid off last spring and was forced to move out of his apartment in Bellflower. Since then he has been staying wherever he can, sleeping in a different place almost every night. In the fall, he started as a substitute teacher at a charter school and has been working consistently all semester. However, it has been difficult at times for him to get to work and get his daughter to school because they don’t have a car.

As we sat in our meeting he shared with me the stress and worry that has been a constant part of his life for the past six months. He said it was difficult for him to explain to his daughter why they had to be moving around so much and why she might have to walk a long way to school on days when they didn’t have enough money to take the bus. He also shared about his passion for educating. He has been a high school teacher and basketball coach for many years and it was easy to see how much he loves what he does. We went over a budget together to figure out what amount of rent would be affordable for him in a normal month. He asked me if I thought he could be moved into a new place before the end of the week so he and his daughter could have their own place for Christmas. I told him that it would depend on whether he could find a place within his price range and getting approved quickly enough. On Monday he called me back. He had found a woman who was renting a room in her house and was willing to let him and his daughter move in as soon as possible.

I went yesterday to see the room and do an inspection on the house. It is in a nice neighborhood in Long Beach and was in great condition. My client was standing in the front yard waiting for me with a big smile on his face and he gave me a hug as soon as I walked up. He was ecstatic about the possibility of having a home for his daughter before Christmas. I spoke with the owner of the house as I was doing the inspection. She was very sweet and said that my client and his daughter would be able to share the living room, dining room, kitchen and refrigerator with her and her two daughters. My client was excited to hear that she has a daughter around the same age as his. After going over the lease agreement, I was able to give the owner of the house a check for the full amount of the deposit and the first month’s rent. As the property owner made copies in the other room I talked with my client. He said that he had just told his daughter a few weeks ago that they wouldn’t be able to have a Christmas this year because he wasn’t sure if they would have a place to stay. He started to cry as he told me how thankful he was for our program and that he would be able to have Christmas with his daughter in their new home. He was excited that the house already had Christmas lights up and a big tree in the living room. As I left yesterday I felt so blessed to be a part of my client’s story. He is a single father, an educator, a coach, and a person of peace and joy. Because of the HPRP program, he is now able to have a place to call home, just in time for the holidays. 

Power vs. Grace -- Reflections on helping Floyd get into detox

On Monday received a call from "Pink," one of our homeless neighbors who struggles with debilitating alcoholism that has put him on the streets for the last 10 years.  He had "reached bottom" and wanted help getting his life back.  I love calls like this one.  These are the moments we pray for and the desperate cries for help that I believe God hears and answers.

At KCB we don't have resources or capacity to help someone "dry-out," so we partner with a detox facility about 20 miles down the road.  The ride was a roller-coaster for him.  Wavering from extreme nausea at the thought of the hours of painful detox to come, to euphoria, singing along to his nick-name sake Pink Floyd playing on the radio; Pink was hopeful about the change he was seeking.

When we arrived at the facility we headed to the intake office where we were met by the three volunteer committee members who would be making the final decision on whether Pink would be allowed into their facility or not.  They sat him in a chair close to the window and emphatically opened it, letting the cold winter-evening air in. They then positioned themselves across the room, standing arms folded, clearly conducting some sort of assessment.  No words were exchanged at first, just awkward silence. Finding the cold too much to bear, Pink turned to close the window.

"Don't close that window. You stink!", said Bill* roughly.
"Excuse me?" Pink retorted, not sure that he had heard his accuser correctly.
"People who don't pay attention to their hygiene tend to have a smell about them." Bill explained, "the window helps the rest of us get some cross-ventilation."

This made Pink justifiably upset and I sat awkwardly silent.  Was this really happening?  After that awkward and unwelcoming opening, Bill led in with...

"So, what do you want?  Why are you here?"
Pink, still ruffled by the rude opening, responded with, "Well, I want to get cleaned up and then get back out there."
"Wrong answer.  That's not what we do here.  You may as well leave right now. You're wasting our time."
"Oh Pink!  What were you thinking?"  I thought to myself.  I knew he didn't really mean what he said, he just has a tough time imagining a future for himself.  He's used to thinking ahead only as far as his next drink.

When Bill's retort sets in, it makes Pink justifiably angry and he stands to drunkenly defend himself but it's already too late, the committee has deemed him a "waste of time".

As we walk back to the car for our long ride home I called Kim, our Homeless Outreach Coordinator, to share the bad news with her.

"Wait a few minutes" she said, "let me call them and see what I can do."

God has done an amazing work of restoration in Kim's own life and she can talk to former addicts in a way that I simply cannot.  So Pink and I wait.  We wait. We pray.  He yells a few curses at the house off in the distance and I silently harbor cynical thoughts about former addicts.

And then Kim calls back.  She's made a way where there was no way... they'll take him, IF he'll apologize.

"Can you do that?" I asked Pink. "Do you want to get better so bad that you will apologize even when the other guy is in the wrong?  Can you forgive him?"
"I think so." Pink humbly responded, demonstrating the depth of his desire to change.
"Let's go... God help us!" I pray as we head back into the office.

The good news is that they did take him in and he is on the way to becoming healthy.  More good news is that God answered his cry for help and provided and advocate by way of his servant, Kim, who was uniquely able to minister justice and mercy because of God's transformation in her.

Upon reflection, I've realized a few things.  I realize that I sat in silence while the powerful intake volunteer, the one who held the keys to Pink's first step, treated him with disrespect and disdain.  I was silent in the face of oppression.  Lord, help me be prepared so that the next time I witness injustice I will stand up and defend the oppressed immediately.  Then after thinking about it further, I recognized myself in Bill, the powerful intake volunteer.  Working with broken people daily has created in me a fair amount of unhealthy cynicism.  Some days I forget to have faith and hope that God can change people.  Some days I sit in the seat of judgement, dolling out mercy at my own whim and based on my past experiences with others.

So, I pray that God will be merciful with ME.  I pray that he will create in me a heart of flesh and not a heart of stone and that I will extend to others (the oppressed and the oppressors) the same mercy and grace God has shown me.

*name changed

GSI's beginning

Driving with an employee to our 12th lawn care property of the day in a freshly washed Chevy Astro Van with sprawling decals promoting “Good Soil Industries”, I couldn’t help but smile remembering how far we’ve come in the last three years.

Good Soil began with a question at our homeless outreach breakfast, “what if, in addition to showing up for a pancake breakfast, our homeless neighbors could show up for a day work?” So with naïve ambition and a vision of what could be, we began working to make that vision a reality. We bought a 1989 Chevy family van complete with wood-paneling and shag carpet. We received donated yard equipment that our well-intentioned donors hadn’t used since shag carpet was cool, and convinced six friends to let us do their gardening.
Our journey began humbly. There wasn’t enough money to pay for employees, so Ryan and later myself began mowing lawns alone. One of my first days on the job, I was driving along making a left turn onto Artesia Blvd from Palo Verde, when the edger rolled across the gas-stained carpet into the side door and the entire door came off and landed in the intersection, creating a yard sale of the Good Soil equipment and the wood-paneled door.

We knew if Good Soil were to take hold of the vision, it needed to mature from this Mickey Mouse beginning. Soon after, God began opening doors of opportunity and through the generosity of God’s people we acquired a truck, new equipment, and a larger route.
I love to look back and remember where we’ve come from; to see how God has remained faithful in bringing His vision to reality. We’re still in the middle of our humble beginnings and there are still moments when the doors seem to come off, but the past reminds me that God has an adventure for us and He has been good.

Together we helped 35 people stay off the streets last month!

I am again so blessed to report that thanks to the direct investment of Calvary Bellflower and First Bellflower CRC we've been able to tangibly bless several families in our community this month that would have been homeless during the holidays.

Thanks again brothers and sisters... let's keep working together to love our neighbors at the point of their need!

Here's one of their stories:

C. V. – Bellflower Neighbor

Last month, a woman came into the Community Center in desperate need of housing. This woman had been in a domestic violence relationship for the past three years. As of a year ago, she was able to gain the strength to leave this relationship, which in turn left her homeless. When she left this relationship she lost all of her belongings including her home, furniture, clothes, her car and some of her family and friends. All she has had for the past year are the clothes on her back. Sadly, she would sleep in friends’ cars, motels and on park benches. Fortunately, we were able to house this woman locally. Our Program would not have been able to help this individual get off the streets and into a safe place to live without the finical assistance and prayers that we have received from Bell One and Calvary Baptist. Now that this individual is stably housed, she is able to focus on healing from the pain she has endured during her lifetime. She has attending bible study and support groups through local churches and is excited to gain a network of safe friends in the Bellflower community.

Myths of the Social Enterprise

One of the biggest investors in the social enterprise movement spreading across the non-profit world is a group called REDF. As experts in the field, they put together a list of the top 5 myths encountered for social enterprises. If you have 5 minutes, here are lessons anyone considering social entrepreneurship should read.

5 Myths of Social Enterprises
http://www.fastcompany.com/social/myths.html

You probably noticed one main theme: the mission, not the money, is the driver of a social enterprise.

I received a note from one of our participants yesterday, “Hey Joel I just wanted to let you know I appreciate the chance that you have given me, and I won’t let you down”. This is from a man who has shown up early every day, done everything I asked, and done it with a smile. I couldn't have been more proud of the work he has been doing. But these are the opportunities the marketplace too often misses because he hasn't passed the standard background check.

So as you consider if social entrepreneurship is right for you, realize that the road may be more difficult than advertised, but the payout comes with a much deeper and satisfying reward.

Two local churches help 25 homeless families in October: A few of their stories

Bell One

Last month, Bell One and Calvary Church in Bellflower committed $100,000 ($10K from Calvary and $90K from BellOne) in bridge funding to ensure that our homeless prevention work can continue despite funding complications for our grant from the State of California.  This past month, their investment helped us to keep 17 families from becoming homeless and helped move 8 families into housing from the streets.

Here are the stories of a few of those families: 

C.B. – Lakewood Neighbor

The client is 8 months pregnant and her husband has been incarcerated for last 6 months.  She is a single mother of 2 and soon to be 3.  She is part-time employed and receiving government assistance for her children.

The client called at the beginning of October and explained that she was homeless and had spent a night out on the streets with her children.  Her mother took her in for a few weeks until the landlord took notice of the overcrowded unit and warned the client’s mother that she was breaching the lease by having more people than indicated on the lease living in the unit.  The property manager threatened to evict the client’s mother if she didn’t move out.

Calvary Church

With the help of our program, and the churches' investment, she and her children were able to find a unit that she could afford. With her limited income, she didn’t have enough for the move in costs so the program provided the family with the move in assistance and now she and her 2 children are housed in a sustainable environment.  Case Managers are currently working with her to budget for when she has the baby and to help her sustain her place until she is ready to go back to work.  We are estimating this neighbor will need help for about 2-3 months.

O.T. – Lakewood Neighbor

The client is currently caring for her two siblings.  She is working full-time at a phone store and is not earning enough of an income to fully sustain herself and her siblings.  When she enrolled in the program, she had gotten behind on her rent and was on the verge of becoming homeless.  The program has helped her for 3 months and during that time, she found employment that provided higher pay and now her household is sustainable.  She requires no more financial assistance.

K.P – Bellflower Neighbor

Thanks to the help from the churches', the homeless prevention program was able to assist a homeless woman with a home to call her own. This woman became homeless when she was kicked out of her prior residence due to the inability to pay her rent. She was homeless in Bellflower for the past seven months sleeping in her car and showering at friend’s houses when available. Although she works full-time, she was not able to save enough funds to afford the move-in costs for an apartment. With the efforts of both the churches and the homeless prevention program, we were able to house this woman in an apartment in Bellflower. The total move-in costs Security Deposit and first month’s rent came to $1,875. Without the churches’ investment the program would not have been able to finically assist with this woman’s situation. She is now able to have a place to shower, prepare meals and most importantly she mentioned a place to lay her head at night. 

Bringing it to the Table

Food has this magical property. I’m convinced of it. Somehow it can make the most different of people come together in community. Jesus used this tactic, and I consider Him to be quite smart. Well, I got to enjoy the magic of a meal recently when I went over to a Bellflower neighbor’s home. Every Tuesday, Adam and I head over to Bellflower Manor to hang out with a couple of really great women who are interested in impoving their English. Adam and I aren’t professional teachers, by any means, but we enjoy working through the English books with our “students.” I was so honored when one of the individuals in our class, named Hue, invited all of us over to her home for Vietnamese food. Of course we immediately said YES!

We ate some of the most delicious Vietnamese food I’d ever had. Actually, I don’t know that I had ever had Vietnamese food, but man was it good. I now know why it was so good – she spent the entire day preparing it! We asked about her techniques and she explained how she would start hours before and prepare different portions of the meal at different times, just so that it would all come out just right. I felt so blessed that she took such care and pride in the meal that she was preparing for us. Well the food was great, but the company was greater. While at lunch all together, we shared about the different traditions that we all have, being that we came from a variety of countries and customs. Hue even took the time to show us her Vietnamese calendar and inform Adam and I of what animal sign we would be considered in that culture! This was actually the first time I had been inside a Bellflower neighbor’s home, being that I am not from around here, and I felt so incredibly welcomed. It was truly such a privilege to get to spend time with amazing people, eat delicious food that I had never tried before, and have quality conversations. I left that afternoon feeling so full, in more ways than one.