Meet Our Summer Interns

 Hello Everyone,

     As you may or may not know, Summertime is here and that means that we have a brand new batch of interns! The individuals that we have had the pleasure of bringing on board are all truly stellar in their own right, and each one of them possess skills, talents, and dreams that I believe will  benefit our community in substantial ways! As you read through their bios I hope that you too will feel inspired and will join us in praying for our interns as they serve this Summer.

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Morgan Erickson

I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve as the Neighborhood Engagement
intern for Kingdom Causes this summer, and I am incredibly encouraged and excited for what
this summer holds. I am currently heading into my third year at Westmont College, where I am
studying Psychology and English and running Cross Country and Track.

I just returned home from a study abroad program in Israel/Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt where I studied much of the political conflict going on there, met some of the most wonderful people, and was immensely challenged to pursue a life that advocates for those whose voices are not heard and pursues justice wholeheartedly. I don't know exactly what form this will take in my future career, but I am looking into Social Work and Human Rights Activism.

That being said, I am thrilled to intern at Kingdom Causes this summer because of the
way they pursue these values locally. While I loved being abroad and having my passions
sparked, I also think it is essential to work toward these goals in our own communities and see
the needs of those living right around us, as well as their gifts and strengths.
I admire the way Kingdom Causes humbly works to better the city of Bellflower through the
gifts of its own people and remind all people of their value and capabilities. I am excited to work
in a place that pursues justice, love, and grace locally and be a witness to Christ and His
Kingdom.

As the Neighborhood Engagement Intern, I will be working at the KCB Summer Sports
Camp as well as working around the office on different projects, and learning more about social
work. I hope to be challenged in this process as I know there is a lot to to learn, but I also hope
that I can be encouraged through the interactions I will get to have with people and the program
as a whole. I hope to learn ways to translate my compassion for people into meaningful and
impactful work. I also hope to build relationships with the kids at the camp, and leave with a
better understanding of what community development looks like and how to love people in my
own community better. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for what is ahead, and
excited to see where it will go.

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Natalie Alvarez

Hello! 

My name is Natalie Alvarez and I am 23 years old. I decided at about the age of ten that I wanted nothing more than to help people. I am a CSU, Long Beach graduate who will soon begin my final year with the teaching credential program. In a years time, I will be a credentialed elementary school teacher! My bigger dream is to one day open a shelter for families who need a temporary safe haven. As a future educator, I hope to run a tutoring or teaching program out of that same shelter so that parents can work or do what they need to do without having to worry about their children. I want to be someone who can inspire others to pursue their dreams despite the obstacles they may face in life. God and my faith have played such a large role in my journey through life, and I would not have made it to where I am without that faith. With my husband so far away on deployment, I hope I can make him proud through all that I will be doing. I am grateful for all of the support I receive from both my husband and my family for they are my inspirations and biggest supporters.

                I am excited to be joining the KCB intern team as it allows me to be a bigger part of the community that I have spent 10 years of my life in. I pray that this internship opens doors for me in a way that helps me grow as a person and educator. The next 10 weeks are going to challenge me in every way that it possibly can, and I am up for that experience. Thank you for this opportunity, I can’t wait!

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Drake Steele

Being the first child in my family I was always really observant of others actions, especially of those who were older than myself, admiring traits that had caused them to be confident with their actions, caring, open-minded, and fully transparent with others not discriminating in any type of way that they were superior than one another. It also gave me many examples of what not to do allowing a smaller margin of error  already knowing how certain actions would play out. Having this mindset with the many environments I went through at a young age, and up until now, has molded me into the person I am today allowing myself to take a completely different route than most at nineteen years old.

Ever since I was a young child I've witnessed many people struggling with mental and physical health problems that not only affected their lives but as well as others that loved and cared for them.  This has compelled me to take action within my family, friends, individuals in the surrounding community, and anyone who is willing to seek help or in need of an example trying my best to mirror the same influencers here on earth as well as God up above allowing me to get to where I am today. I want to make it clear that my purpose on this earth is to benefit the people by spreading love everywhere in any way shape or form to bring all of us together. Keeping this on the forefront of my goals the work I hope to obtain while doing the homeless outreach and housing solutions are already described in the title of my work and I only hope to maximize the work to its fullest potential  infiltrating the communities  helping  as many people as we can.

The reason I chose to take this internship with Kingdom Causes in Bellflower was definitely because of the location you guys were based out of  and  hearing the staff talk about their job’s  at the event thrown at Neighborhood Christian Fellowship seeing that they were truly there to help others who are in need. I hope to gain a new outlook on life as I take on this intership only wanting  to add more value to the team and continue to see Kingdom Causes growth in helping the community. I’m excited to see the transition of myself and the team as we tackle objectives within these next couple of months.

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Alicia Chavez

            Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to give back to my community. From working with shelters, homeless feedings, and community outreach, I knew there was a greater purpose out there for me. God has blessed me with the love for Biology and the love for helping our homeless neighbors. I hope to grow in this internship with Kingdom Causes and get to see the community grow with my input as well as the other interns.

             Working along side with OPHS, I want to engage with strengthening the lives of the people who live in the community and reach out to those in other neighboring cities. Also, I will be working with the St. Johns Mobile Clinic and hoping to gain experience with the medical field and community outreach as I engage with the community.

            Through all this, I hope my walk with the Lord continues to grow. Not only does this internship reflect on my help towards others, but also personally. I want this internship to mold me into the woman that God has called me to be and to be the light in the world that doesn’t stop shinning for others.

Shalom

Translating words from other languages can be a tricky business. The challenge is that language is not just about matching words, it is about interpreting expressions of culture. Like many other words, the word shalom can have multiple meanings depending on the context. Traditionally the word can be a way to say both hello and goodbye, but it can also to refer to a desire for peace.

If we want to get into broad-based theoretical discussions about meaning, we can ask a lot of complicated questions. Is shalom a place? A destination? A state of being? Will we know when we arrive at shalom? Or is it like the Holy Spirit? Is shalom an elusive wind, restless and always moving? Are we called to pursue shalom, though we may never reach a point of personal satisfaction or world peace? Perhaps shalom is about making peace with our own holy discontentedness, an ever-present quest to lay our burdens at the feet of Christ and seek his kingdom each and every day.

Let’s get practical for a moment. Life can be busy and stressful. It can be hard to escape the realities of the moment and dream of nebulous, seemingly impossible goals of societal harmony. World peace seems to somehow work out at the end a feel-good movie, but it doesn’t always translate to the daily grind of angry people and broken families. In addition, scripture tells us that our sinful nature is always going to be a huge barrier to reconciliation and true progress on any level.

Seeking shalom, it would seem, has a major set of challenges.

And yet, thanks to the grace of God, there is always hope. Incredible, inspiring hope. John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” That verse provides amazing reassurance, and a reason to keep working towards the restoration of God’s kingdom here on earth. We experience a lot of failure here at Kingdom Causes Bellflower for the simple reason that life happens. Despite the difficulties and the daily heartaches, we keeping working towards a goal of community transformation. It takes diligence, patience, and the willingness to sometimes work tirelessly with one person at a time.

As you go about your day, don’t be afraid to dream big. There are a lot of needs out there, and that can be discouraging. There are also countless opportunities to pursue relationships and thriving neighborhoods. Ask God where you can be used, and how your gifts can be utilized to show love to your neighbors.

Shalom.

Blind, Deaf, Hungry

A few weeks ago, we received the preliminary result on the LA County Homeless Count--and it was devastating.  Our corner of the county increased by 50% over the last year.  While some of that increase can be attributed to more thorough counting, we can't deny that we are seeing more and more homeless people in our cities.  

The heartbreaking thing is that it's not just statistics--it's real people who have names and stories.  Some of them have families who are worried sick over them, but their untreated mental illness keeps them roaming the street.  Others never really had family: either their parents had their own addictions and illnesses that prevented them from caring, or they were abandoned to a broken foster system years ago.

Yesterday it seemed like everyone who walked in our door was in crisis.  It made the results of our homeless count feel unbearable.

Lenny*, a homeless neighbor I've known since I first starting working with KCB 10+ years ago, stumbled in.  "Chrissy, I can't see!  I'm going blind.  I haven't been able to see for months.  I can't do this anymore."  He was desperate, covered in urine, and scared.  I'd never seen him this frail before.  We connected him with an appointment with a doctor the next day, but it felt like we put a small bandaid on a gaping wound.  

An hour later, Yolanda* walked in.  She's humiliated by her homelessness and hides it from her family because she feels their own health and financial issues are too great to also handle her crisis.  She's working as much as she can, but does not make enough to afford even the cheapest trailer or studio in this area.  She confesses that she's had a fever for a few days and hasn't eaten.  "I'm so embarrassed to ask this--but do you have any food?  I am so hungry."  Just minutes before she walked in, a local Pastor had dropped off hot lunches that were left over from a local school.  We typically do not accept food donations at our office, but I think God knew that Yolanda would be walking in needing exactly that.

An hour after Yolanda left, Tom* walked in.  Tom is mostly deaf but his only hearing aid was damaged by sleeping out in the elements.  "I missed my appointment!!!  The judge said I'd go to jail if I missed my appointment!  And I broke my hearing aid.  I can't do this anymore!" He was frantic and shouting.  The volume of his voice was high both from his lack of hearing and his anxiety.  We tried to calm him down and get to the bottom of what appointment he was referring to, but he couldn't calm down.  "I hate having to depend on other people," he said as tears rolled down his face.

My heart broke yesterday.  

The Bible records Jesus healing the blind and the deaf--and I've never wanted so badly to see God do just that.  But often we do not see healing as quickly as we would like, and we're left feeling the heaviness of our broken world.

In the meantime, we grapple with Jesus' words:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. 

*Names changed

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.

Social Justice

I heard a sermon the other day from the book of Amos. You must give pastors credit when they tackle the minor prophets, because generally the authors do not tend to be the most upbeat individuals. That said, we can certainly understand lament since we see reason for it every day.

One of the topics that was addressed in the sermon was the oft-debated topic of “social justice.” There are a lot of challenges with this concept, simply because it lacks a universal definition in society. Language can have a lyrical beauty when it is creatively assembled, but it can also be a frustrating part of the human existence, simply because meaning can quickly push people down different interpretational paths. Without starting a political firestorm, I know that words like “liberal,” “conservative,” and “evolution” can also carry enough metaphorical baggage with them to fill a cargo ship.

Just to provide a context, I looked up the Wikipedia definition. This controversial but terribly helpful website defines the phrase as, “justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.” When we read this type of general definition, we understand why people can engage in fierce debate about meaning, interpretation and application. Very quickly we find ourselves in a situation where “rich” and “poor” are categorized as fundamentally oppositional forces. Those that have quietly worked hard to earn a measure of money can feel like they are suddenly being persecuted for being successful. In addition, the conversation can wander into side arguments about poor lifestyle choices, government policy, racism, prejudice and economic philosophy.

To keep us on track, let me suggest a simple interpretation to this much-debated concept. In multiple places, the Bible tells me to love my neighbor, and be aware of people around me. Social justice should not be about forcing one group to fix the problems of another. Rather, it should fuel a daily desire to help our fellow brother and sister overcome the obstacles that are in front of them, whether they are from personal choices or external circumstances. This may be a simplistic interpretation of social justice, but sometimes it is best to focus on the basics. People have needs, and many individuals have the means to help them. Those means were given to us by God.

Now, the justice part is obviously complicated. When justice is “served,” it does not automatically mean that everyone gets what they want. Much like other nebulous concepts like “love,” how we help people can vary greatly. Sometimes God calls us to sacrificially give of our time, talents and treasures. Other times he calls us to empower the individual by letting them make their own choices to move forward.

There is one other piece to consider, which is the social aspect of this little phrase. After the sermon, a friend of mine asked if justice needs a qualifier. After all, isn’t “true” justice able to stand alone? Can’t we say the same about “true” love or “the whole” truth? This is a good point, but after thinking about it, I think there is value to the extra word in this context.

In this case, the word social personalizes the value of justice. Think about the phenomenon of social networking. Again, “networking,” does not necessarily need the social aspect, but the modern interpretation of this idea is that a social network is another way of saying MY network. In the same way, I wonder if social justice could be interpreted in a positive way to reflect our personal responsibility to act.

When we talk about the concept of justice, there can be a psychological distance between us and broader society. We have the same problem when we say phrases that start with “someone should…” or “someone needs to…”. Without the qualifier, we leave the responsibility to someone else.

You can’t fix every problem in this world, but that isn’t what God calls us to do. Start with that person you encounter on the street, at the mall, at our office, across the driveway, or in the pew next to you. We can keep debating the broad meaning of social justice, but let’s do our best to focus our energy on loving our neighbors in tangible ways. There are needs to be met, and the dictionary can wait.  

Family connections

I have always found family trees to be an interesting aspect of our journey here on earth. If you have the privilege of being in possession of an extensive family record, you can’t help but wonder what life might have been like for some of those people on distant family branches. The stories that do get passed down can be fascinating chronicles of human achievement, struggle and a desire to leave a legacy.

Last week we said goodbye to Margaret Streelman, a saint of a woman who exemplified Christian love, hospitality and a true understanding of what it means to love your neighbor. Margaret provided the inspiration for Margaret’s House, which today has evolved into a hospitality home that provides shelter for families that are working towards stability in their living situation.

At the entry of Margaret’s House, there is a plaque. The plaque reads, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.” This verse is from Hebrews 13:2, and it is a reminder that you never know who you will encounter each day. The key is to show the love of Christ to everyone you meet, not just at select times when we find it convenient.

From a perspective of genealogy, Margaret and I were distantly related if you pieced together a few branches from adjoining trees. The details are not crucial, but it is one of those grandparent-cousin-twice-removed-by-marriage situations. Regardless of how close our family trees aligned, it was one of those fun connections that make for good conversation. As people, we are always looking for new connections. Whether it is family, ideology, geography or rooting for the same sports team, we often look for ways to feel closer to other people.

As I think about Margaret’s legacy, I think about the writings of Father Greg Boyle, who founded Homeboy Industries while ministering to gang members in downtown Los Angeles. One of the prevailing themes of Father Boyle’s writing is that we need to have a sense of kinship as we approach our daily interactions with people. In other words, you aren’t ministering to a group of people. Rather, you are helping your brother or sister in Christ.

Kingdom Causes Bellflower works with a wide variety of people, including veterans, individuals who are struggling to find employments, and folks that are looking for a better housing situation. In particular, homelessness comes with a lot of labels. Over the years, I have heard people that are struggling to stay housed referred to as “bums,” “pan-handlers,” and “beggars.”

Without getting into a long discussion about the dangers of labeling and stereotypes, these names are an unfortunate reminder that we put people into categories. We may still acknowledge in a general sense that they are people, but by giving them a name that reflects their social status, we chip away at their humanity.

What is the point? The point is that everyone we meet is truly our brother or sister, or at least a distant cousin. The person’s family tree may be planted at quite a distance from yours, but to echo Father Boyle and emulate the love of Margaret Streelman, everyone is your kin. I understand why people are hesitant to reach out sometimes. People are frustrating, and sometimes they are in poor situations because they have a history of making bad decisions. That said, everyone needs love at some point in their lives. The love that is given can come in different forms. Sometimes it is a tangible helping hand, and other times it is loving, firm accountability. What we must remember is that the key aspect of ministry is attitude. You aren’t doing charity work. You are loving your brother, sister or cousin, even if you would have a hard time matching up your genealogies.

Today, we balance our sadness by remembering that Margaret is now sitting with Jesus, having fulfilled her calling to remain faithful during her earthly walk. May we honor her legacy by continuing to love the brothers and sisters that we meet each day.

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.

Brent Webb

Over the weekend I attended the memorial service for a long-time volunteer of KCB--Brent Webb.  Calvary Baptist's sanctuary was packed full of hundreds of people whose lives were impacted by Brent.  Pastor Ken opened up the service for people to share a memory of Brent... and after 10 people shared he had to cut it off because half the room had a story about how Brent had helped them out and prayed with them in their deepest time of need.

It got me thinking...

If Brent was so busy helping hundreds of his friends from Cider House, Celebrate Recovery, and Calvary Baptist, how did he and Michelle have time to help lead our Teen Bible Study & Dinner on Eucalyptus back in 2008?  How did he have time to help us with plumbing emergencies at Margaret's House when it first opened?  How did he have time to hang out on Saturday mornings at Homeless Breakfast & Showers for so many years?  How did he have time to work with our team as we moved a storage unit on his property to keep furniture to use when a homeless neighbor got moved into their own home?

How did he have time?

Phillip Marshall, a close friend of Brent and one of the founding members of the KCB Homeless Task Force, got up and spoke during the service.  He urged us all to take Brent's lead and pick up where he left off.  If one man can be such an encouragement to hundreds, imagine if we were all a little more intentional with our time.  Brent lived life to the fullest as an extension of God's hands and feet.  He loved like Jesus loved.  Bellflower lost one of it's most compassionate and dedicated neighbors.  Let's do our part to fill in the gaps!

Intern Update: Thomas

Wow what an incredible start to summer!

These past few weeks with Kingdom Causes has been an absolute rush. I’ve learned so much more than I thought I would from this internship, and we are only halfway done with the summer. Seeing the work, struggle, and success of KCB first hand has given me a clearer picture of what it takes to make an impactful difference in this community. The amount of work to get one of our homeless neighbors into a suitable home is extraordinary and takes so many people’s dedication and time. I was blessed enough to take a very small part of getting one of our neighbors housed by helping move some donated furniture into his new place.

This summer I have also been assisting in a couple of camps throughout Bellflower. By working with Bethany Christian Reformed Church, we have been able to put on science, basketball, art, and soccer camps for local children. In addition to these camps, I have also been helping our good friend Mark run his sports camps at Ramona Elementary. Needless to say, running around and trying to keep up with these kids has shown me just how old I’ve gotten. But the amount of joy I get watching them compete and learn more about our Savior more than makes up for the aches, pains, and exhaustion.

What this internship has taught me more than anything so far is that sometimes our plans fall through and we have to make the most with what we got. Many times this summer, the camps we are running have run into both major and minor hiccups. It’s easy to get frustrated, angry, or accusatory when things don’t go our way. However, when we remember our ultimate goal as both Christ followers and as disciple makers, we focus on how to utilize the opportunities we are given to reach the lost and bless our neighbors. As the second and last month of this internship comes upon us, I’m really trying to work on my reliance on God for satisfaction, especially when plans go awry and when we don’t see any tangible impact on others through our work

Meet our 2016 Summer Interns!

Each year, through a generous donations from one of our long-time KCB stakeholders, we are able to provide a summer internship program focused on providing training and experience in Christian Community Development.  These are the lovely faces we get to work with this summer!



Meet Keaulani:

Happy summer everyone! My name is Keaulani Quiatchon, and I am one of the summer interns at Kingdom Causes Bellflower for Neighborhood Engagement. I was born and grew up on a little island called Saipan. But for the past eleven years, I've been lucky enough to call the City of Belflower my home. I just finished up my first year of college at San Diego State University, majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Child Development to hopefully become a speech therapist for children. A church I briefly attended in Norwalk had fellowship between the hearing and the deaf, which really strengthened my interest to pursue that in college. Working the in the community has always been one of my values, since doing community service through different organizations like Key Club and tutoring elementary and middle school students through Olive Crest. So working with the youth in the neighborhood is something I'm looking forward to. Being away for college, I didn't hear about this internship until my mom sent me the information for it a few weeks before my last final of the semester. I'm very excited to see where this opportunity takes me while working with the staff and other interns and seeing God's plan for me and the city!

Meet Andrew:

Hello! My name is Andrew Burger. I am twenty years old and am lucky enough to be a summer intern here at Kingdom Causes Bellflower. I am studying Applied Math and Economics in my third year at California State University, Long Beach.

My interest in KCB stemmed from two passions of mine, economics and service. I find the work that Good Soil Industries fascinating as it combines my interest of employment economics and service in order to benefit the community.  For the summer, I will be working with Jason on marketing and business analysis for Good Soil Industries. I am excited and grateful to have an opportunity to serve while developing and understanding for how Non-Profits run.
 
  
  
Meet Grenisha:
 

My name’s Grenisha Parker and this summer I have the honor of working as the Homeless Outreach Intern at Kingdom Causes Bellflower. Not only am I excited to be joining a team who is striving to love their neighbor as themselves. But I am also so humbled to simply serve my brothers and sisters in my community as a believer and daughter of Jesus Christ. This summer will be a beautiful journey because I’m learning how to love my neighbors well and learning how to trust Jesus in all that he does. One thing that I look forward to during this internship is letting go of all my expectations and believing that God’s ways are higher than my own and He is capable of providing all of their needs. There is much joy in knowing that I get to help people in need but I also get to build friendships with them.
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2

Meet Thomas:

Hi! I’m Hi  Thomas Nishimoto and will be interning this summer at Kingdom Causes Bellflower. I am so excited to be able to join the KCB team and bless Bellflower this summer! 

A little bit about my personal life: I am a junior at Grace College in Winona Lake Indiana, but I was born and raised right here in the Bellflower area. My hobbies when I’m not pretending to study are fishing, hiking, sports (especially Volleyball and Basketball!), and playing Super Smash Bros (a video game) competitively. 

 I have been connected with KCB for years and have seen their amazing work in the community.  My sister-in-law had worked with KCB and so both my family and church has been able to bless this community through Kingdom Causes.  I know this organization makes real, tactile change in the community and they have been able to bless this entire community through their works. Knowing how amazing this place is makes me so eager to start working for them. You can catch me this summer running science, art and sports camps at Bethany Reformed Church , or working at the KCB.  I’m looking forward to becoming more connected to my neighbors here in Bellflower. This summer will be new and interesting, but I’m thrilled to be doing it with Kingdom Causes

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Summer Volunteer Opportunities

Summer Volunteer Opportunities

Move-In Team

We need your muscles!  The Move-In Team helps recently housed neighbors move in to their new home.  Be a part of the final step that takes our neighbors from homeless to housed!  If you are interested in being on call to help our staff on moving days throughout the month, please call us at 562-804-2189 or email Mark: mtigchelaar@ourplacehousingsolutions.org.

92° Team

"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward." - Matthew 10:42

When the temperature rises above 92° in Bellflower, we need a list of people who are willing to bring ice cold gatorade, water, or popsicles out to our Good Soil Industries landscaping crews.  This is ideal for families who are home for the summer vacation and have the flexibility during the week to make a 10-minute run to drop off refreshments.  If you are interested in blessing our GSI guys, please call us at 562-804-2189 or email drustad@kcbellflower.org.

Summer Neighborhood Programs

Programs:

Soup-er Theater Summer

Co-hosted with Neighborhood Christian Fellowship

July 12-August 12

Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10am-12pm

Location: NCF • 9603 Belmont St. (enter on Ardmore)

$5 per participant

Kids ages 5-9 will participate by playing roles in the play SOUP FOR THE KING by Leondard P. Kessler.  Kids ages 10-12 will participate by assisting memorization of lines, creating backdrops and set, directing, creating play bill, serving the soup for attendees, and all phases of play creation.  The program will culminate with a "Souper" Theater show in August at the NCF auditorium where friends and family can watch the final production while enjoying a bowl of soup!  Sign up at KCB office or by calling 562-804-2189.

Summer Sports Camp

Tuesday nights from 6-7:30pm

June 28-August 7

Location: Ramona Elementary School Field • 9351 Laurel St.

$5 per participant

Anyone from 7 years old to 8th grade is welcome! Kids will learn skills in soccer, basketball, and football!  Sign up at KCB office or by calling 562-804-2189.

Bethany CRC Men Bless Good Soil Industries

Seven of our Good Soil Industries and Kingdom Causes Bellflower guys attended the Bethany CRC Men's Adventure Weekend in Bishop, CA in April. For many of the guys, this was the first time they had the opportunity to go on a Christian retreat, let alone in such a beautiful location. They came back refreshed, energized, and completely blessed by the relationships they built with God, each other, and with the other men from the church. 

A few guys who recently reunited with their children are now planning camping trips with their own families.  We are so grateful that Bethany CRC provided such an amazing opportunity for our hardworking men who are working their way out of poverty.  If you would like to know more about being a friend or mentor to our GSI alumni, please email Jason (jason@goodsoilindustries.org).  

Here are some pictures from their time:

75

We praise you, God,

we praise you, for your Name is near;

people tell of your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 75:1

75 is the number of people we were able to help get off the streets and into safe, permanent housing since July 1, 2015.  It's a big number for us--something we celebrate because it means 75 people have their own bed to sleep in, their own bathroom to use in privacy, their own kitchen to make nutritious food, and a roof to shelter them from the hot sun, rain, and bugs.  

We praise God for our many supporters who make donations, big and small, and keep us in their prayers.

We praise God for our church partners who open their doors to the vulnerable in our community through their food pantries, clothes closets, and warm meal times: Calvary Baptist, Warrior Center, Bethany CRC, Holy Redeemer, The Lord's Church, Rosewood CRC, Journey of Faith, St. Bernard, Salvation Army, Hosanna Chapel, St. Dominic Savio, Bellwood Church, St. George's, Emmanuel, The Journey, and Cityline Church.

We praise God for our partners who collaborate and support us in the field: PATH, Helpline Youth Counseling, Whittier First Day, City of Long Beach Multi-service Center, St. John's Mobile Health Clinic, and Little House.

We praise God for our funders that provide the money to cover a majority of our housing staffing and the financial assistance to our most vulnerable neighbors: United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Gateway Cities Council of Government/Gateway Connections, City of Bellflower, Kaiser Permanente, and The Funder's Collaborative.

We praise God for the volunteers that help out at the weekly meals and food pantries throughout the city.  We praise God for the donors who make welcome home baskets for our homeless neighbors who are getting the keys to their own apartment for the first time.  We praise God for the volunteers who help us move furniture into the apartment of a newly housed neighbor.

We praise God for our local businesses that give us a break or donate their services: Admiral Pest Control, Expert Carpet Care, L&D Plumbing, Nate White, Mulder Electric, Mid-city's Electric, and Property Tax Assistance Co.

We praise God.