Return from Chicago
Again, many of you that read this got this in an email. Just thought I would post in case I didn't email it to you!
Dear Friends and Family,
I have returned from Chicago, and wanted to update you all on the trip and how the prayers you prayed were answered! We'll start at 2 am on Sunday morning, it's our first night there, I am laying there on my airbed in an unairconditioned house in the middle of a Chicago heat wave. It was hot!!!! And, I was awake because there was a party going on across the street, and I heard several sirens even!!! Welcome to Southside Chicago, and welcome to the ghetto!!! They weren't kidding when they told us we would experience life in the ghetto!!! Luckily the other nights were not as hot, and NOT as noisy! I share this first experience with you all, to let you know that I was challenged. I was uncomfortable. The Lord knew just what I needed to teach me patient, flexibility, and adaptability. Probably the three greatest lessons i learned this trip. Also sharing this story to tell you that not once did ANYONE on the trip complain. I was with high school girls and no one complained, and I was amazed at their ability to be patient, flexible, and just have unbelievable attitudes!! They challenged me because I knew what was in my heart.
On Sunday, we worshipped at two churches. One was a large church in the neighborhood called Lawndale, and the service was complete with a choir who swayed, clapped, and sang all at the same time!! It was so neat to be a part of this community for a Sunday morning. They shared prayer requests, announced "anniversaries" of being off of drugs and out of the streets, and shared their personal joys and triumphs. I was moved. The second service was at City Church. They are in partnership with Sunshine Gospel Ministries, this service was much smaller, but there was a similar amount of energy and excitement to be praising Our Lord!!! The gospel was also brought in a very clear, and true way. He was truly glorified and is certainly ALIVE in these two churches. After church, we met up with a team of 6 from Michigan who would be living with us and working with us for the week. We could not have asked for a better group or better fellowship with fellow believers!
We had Bible studies everyday, some were in the morning and some at night, and most were led by different people either staff from Sunshine or from City Church. We watched clips from the movie "God Bless the Child" throughout the week, which showed the story of a poor woman and her child, and how they went downhill and became homeless. It was eye opening to the deeper issues of homelessness and how it can even happen when someone has a true willingness and drive to work and get back on her feet. We also watched the movie Hoop Dreams which is a documentary about two inner city kids with dreams to make it to the NBA. It was actually out in theatres in the early 90s. It showed real people and the real struggles that kids have who grew up in housing projects like the infamous Cabrini Greene neighborhood of Chicago. It also showed the pressures that kids have on them to succeed and make it out of the lifestyle. These were both very powerful movies, and it was really neat to watch the kids think through these issues. We also looked at the Bible and studied different aspects of being poor. There was a lot of discussion and it was really encouraging to hear what the youth had to say, and to see them working through all of their preconceived notions, as I was working through mine as well!! More than any other missions trip I have taken, this trip has got me thinking and processing so much that I can't possible relay everything through this email or even at this point in the thinking process!!!
We did a few different work projects. One day was spent cleaning up the inside and the outside of the house where we were staying. I had the fun job of painting the curb outside yellow! The funniest part of this was that the paint was really really old and was basically water at the top and a thick gooey mess at the bottom, tons of shaking didn't even mix it!! So because we didn't have a paint stirrer, I had to stick my whole arm into the can and mix the paint like that, it took forever and was VERY messy, but the end result was beautiful! Except hours later we returned to the house and saw that someone had hit the curb and there was now a nice tire treadmark on my newly painted yellow! I guess you can't take too much pride in painting a road! Another day we moved wood from the street up to the second floor of the old warehouse that Sunshine Ministries is renovating. The best part of that work project is that it was pouring down rain and parts of the building have no roof!!! We were all very wet, but we had a great time! The other work project that we did was help organize things at a local inner city elementary school. The principal is a christian and is very greatful for any help offered or provided! He bought us Subway, and hung out and talked and worked with us! He was a very neat man, who had "made it out of the ghetto" and became the principal of this school. Before he came three years ago, about 10 percent of the 600 students were reading at grade level, and now about 60 percent of them are! He is an amazing man!
Among the rest of the weeks events were, singing Pharoah Pharoah with 100 VBS kids (and watching them dance better than I can!), touring a homeless shelter (met a man named Eric, who has been in the shelter for 4 months and enrolled in their year long Bible Study program), touring a neighborhood called Lawndale and seeing one man's vision of providing healthcare, fellowship, housing, a family restaurant, and opportunities for the poor and afflicted thriving and growing. We also watched a youth league basketball game and went swimming in Lake Michigan! On our "day off" we went to Navy Pier, where six of us rented a six person bike/car with pedals and rode on bike trials along Lake Michigan. We received countless laughs, smiles, and pointing fingers!! We also walked downtown and ate amazing Chicago style pizza, and a few us went up to the 96th floor of the John Hancock building! We ended the night with some fire works!
I'll leave you with my highlight of the trip. The place we were staying had a fenced in yard with a basketball court, playground, and tire swing. On two days, we opened up the gates and the neighborhood kids came in to play. These kids were so fun to watch and hang out with. They played, they took pictures with our cameras, and they listened to one of our youth bring them the Gospel. It was a neat time of fellowshipping with the little children. Usually I am in the mix of everything, especially when kids are involved, but I stepped back this trip, and just watched. I watched kids that I have been loving on since they were 8 years old, love on kids who are now 8 years old. It was neat to watch the cycle, and see them truly enjoy these children.
You prayed for. . . and how they were answered in red
*Wisdom and stamina for the 4 adults on the trip. On this trip, we
are servants, chaperones, Spiritual leaders, students of the Gospel,
workers, cooks, and probably a multitude of other things. Pray that
we are able to do all of our jobs well. -- Yes, this was accomplished, although at times, the youth taught me more than I feel I taught them!
*That the team meshes well and works hard, and that we are able to get
a lot of work done. -- Couldn't have asked for a better group, no complaining, and all worked hard!
*Open hearts for the students and the adults on this trip as we learn
and are challenged. -- Again, I think the students blew me away in this area. We all learned and were challenged, and I hope that our hearts were opened and that God continues to use what we learned to shape us and mold us into His image.
*Safety as we drive from Atlanta to Chicago and back to Atlanta.
Also, for safety while in Chicago doing the various work projects and
driving around the city. -- Minus a stolen spare tire, absolutely no safety issues or even close calls!!! Thank you for praying!!
*That relationships among team members will strengthen, that we will
all get along, and that we have plenty of opportunities to laugh and
enjoy each other. --YES!!! I feel so much closer to all that went on the trip, and we bonded with a group of 6 from Michigan as well. And there was lots of laughter, don't think I have laughed that much in a long time!!!
*For the people of Chicago, that they will be receptive to us and to
the Gospel, and that the Lord will use us to impact their lives. -- I pray that this was so.
*Logistics – that everything about the trip will go smoothly and that
the team is flexible to possible scheduling changes --There were LOTS of schedule changes and times where we needed to be flexible, adaptable and teachable. This was the theme of our week and the team amazed me at their ability to roll with the changes!
*Reliance on Christ! We are going on this trip to work harder than
most of us have ever worked, and to show love to people that most of
us have never been challenged to love. These are things that we are
incapable of doing without Christ, so pray that He enables us to do
this and that the people of Chicago don't see how great Westminster
PCA is, but that they see how great Jesus Christ is. -- I know I had to rely on Christ, and His love. Thank you for praying this and I know He was the reason we were able to do all that did.
*Most importantly pray that God will receive the glory!!! Pray that
we will be honoring to God in all that we do and will remember at
every point of the trip why we are there and who we are ultimately
serving! -- I sure hope this was answered!!!
Thank you so much for praying for me on this trip!
I have returned from Chicago, and wanted to update you all on the trip and how the prayers you prayed were answered! We'll start at 2 am on Sunday morning, it's our first night there, I am laying there on my airbed in an unairconditioned house in the middle of a Chicago heat wave. It was hot!!!! And, I was awake because there was a party going on across the street, and I heard several sirens even!!! Welcome to Southside Chicago, and welcome to the ghetto!!! They weren't kidding when they told us we would experience life in the ghetto!!! Luckily the other nights were not as hot, and NOT as noisy! I share this first experience with you all, to let you know that I was challenged. I was uncomfortable. The Lord knew just what I needed to teach me patient, flexibility, and adaptability. Probably the three greatest lessons i learned this trip. Also sharing this story to tell you that not once did ANYONE on the trip complain. I was with high school girls and no one complained, and I was amazed at their ability to be patient, flexible, and just have unbelievable attitudes!! They challenged me because I knew what was in my heart.
On Sunday, we worshipped at two churches. One was a large church in the neighborhood called Lawndale, and the service was complete with a choir who swayed, clapped, and sang all at the same time!! It was so neat to be a part of this community for a Sunday morning. They shared prayer requests, announced "anniversaries" of being off of drugs and out of the streets, and shared their personal joys and triumphs. I was moved. The second service was at City Church. They are in partnership with Sunshine Gospel Ministries, this service was much smaller, but there was a similar amount of energy and excitement to be praising Our Lord!!! The gospel was also brought in a very clear, and true way. He was truly glorified and is certainly ALIVE in these two churches. After church, we met up with a team of 6 from Michigan who would be living with us and working with us for the week. We could not have asked for a better group or better fellowship with fellow believers!
We had Bible studies everyday, some were in the morning and some at night, and most were led by different people either staff from Sunshine or from City Church. We watched clips from the movie "God Bless the Child" throughout the week, which showed the story of a poor woman and her child, and how they went downhill and became homeless. It was eye opening to the deeper issues of homelessness and how it can even happen when someone has a true willingness and drive to work and get back on her feet. We also watched the movie Hoop Dreams which is a documentary about two inner city kids with dreams to make it to the NBA. It was actually out in theatres in the early 90s. It showed real people and the real struggles that kids have who grew up in housing projects like the infamous Cabrini Greene neighborhood of Chicago. It also showed the pressures that kids have on them to succeed and make it out of the lifestyle. These were both very powerful movies, and it was really neat to watch the kids think through these issues. We also looked at the Bible and studied different aspects of being poor. There was a lot of discussion and it was really encouraging to hear what the youth had to say, and to see them working through all of their preconceived notions, as I was working through mine as well!! More than any other missions trip I have taken, this trip has got me thinking and processing so much that I can't possible relay everything through this email or even at this point in the thinking process!!!
We did a few different work projects. One day was spent cleaning up the inside and the outside of the house where we were staying. I had the fun job of painting the curb outside yellow! The funniest part of this was that the paint was really really old and was basically water at the top and a thick gooey mess at the bottom, tons of shaking didn't even mix it!! So because we didn't have a paint stirrer, I had to stick my whole arm into the can and mix the paint like that, it took forever and was VERY messy, but the end result was beautiful! Except hours later we returned to the house and saw that someone had hit the curb and there was now a nice tire treadmark on my newly painted yellow! I guess you can't take too much pride in painting a road! Another day we moved wood from the street up to the second floor of the old warehouse that Sunshine Ministries is renovating. The best part of that work project is that it was pouring down rain and parts of the building have no roof!!! We were all very wet, but we had a great time! The other work project that we did was help organize things at a local inner city elementary school. The principal is a christian and is very greatful for any help offered or provided! He bought us Subway, and hung out and talked and worked with us! He was a very neat man, who had "made it out of the ghetto" and became the principal of this school. Before he came three years ago, about 10 percent of the 600 students were reading at grade level, and now about 60 percent of them are! He is an amazing man!
Among the rest of the weeks events were, singing Pharoah Pharoah with 100 VBS kids (and watching them dance better than I can!), touring a homeless shelter (met a man named Eric, who has been in the shelter for 4 months and enrolled in their year long Bible Study program), touring a neighborhood called Lawndale and seeing one man's vision of providing healthcare, fellowship, housing, a family restaurant, and opportunities for the poor and afflicted thriving and growing. We also watched a youth league basketball game and went swimming in Lake Michigan! On our "day off" we went to Navy Pier, where six of us rented a six person bike/car with pedals and rode on bike trials along Lake Michigan. We received countless laughs, smiles, and pointing fingers!! We also walked downtown and ate amazing Chicago style pizza, and a few us went up to the 96th floor of the John Hancock building! We ended the night with some fire works!
I'll leave you with my highlight of the trip. The place we were staying had a fenced in yard with a basketball court, playground, and tire swing. On two days, we opened up the gates and the neighborhood kids came in to play. These kids were so fun to watch and hang out with. They played, they took pictures with our cameras, and they listened to one of our youth bring them the Gospel. It was a neat time of fellowshipping with the little children. Usually I am in the mix of everything, especially when kids are involved, but I stepped back this trip, and just watched. I watched kids that I have been loving on since they were 8 years old, love on kids who are now 8 years old. It was neat to watch the cycle, and see them truly enjoy these children.
You prayed for. . . and how they were answered in red
*Wisdom and stamina for the 4 adults on the trip. On this trip, we
are servants, chaperones, Spiritual leaders, students of the Gospel,
workers, cooks, and probably a multitude of other things. Pray that
we are able to do all of our jobs well. -- Yes, this was accomplished, although at times, the youth taught me more than I feel I taught them!
*That the team meshes well and works hard, and that we are able to get
a lot of work done. -- Couldn't have asked for a better group, no complaining, and all worked hard!
*Open hearts for the students and the adults on this trip as we learn
and are challenged. -- Again, I think the students blew me away in this area. We all learned and were challenged, and I hope that our hearts were opened and that God continues to use what we learned to shape us and mold us into His image.
*Safety as we drive from Atlanta to Chicago and back to Atlanta.
Also, for safety while in Chicago doing the various work projects and
driving around the city. -- Minus a stolen spare tire, absolutely no safety issues or even close calls!!! Thank you for praying!!
*That relationships among team members will strengthen, that we will
all get along, and that we have plenty of opportunities to laugh and
enjoy each other. --YES!!! I feel so much closer to all that went on the trip, and we bonded with a group of 6 from Michigan as well. And there was lots of laughter, don't think I have laughed that much in a long time!!!
*For the people of Chicago, that they will be receptive to us and to
the Gospel, and that the Lord will use us to impact their lives. -- I pray that this was so.
*Logistics – that everything about the trip will go smoothly and that
the team is flexible to possible scheduling changes --There were LOTS of schedule changes and times where we needed to be flexible, adaptable and teachable. This was the theme of our week and the team amazed me at their ability to roll with the changes!
*Reliance on Christ! We are going on this trip to work harder than
most of us have ever worked, and to show love to people that most of
us have never been challenged to love. These are things that we are
incapable of doing without Christ, so pray that He enables us to do
this and that the people of Chicago don't see how great Westminster
PCA is, but that they see how great Jesus Christ is. -- I know I had to rely on Christ, and His love. Thank you for praying this and I know He was the reason we were able to do all that did.
*Most importantly pray that God will receive the glory!!! Pray that
we will be honoring to God in all that we do and will remember at
every point of the trip why we are there and who we are ultimately
serving! -- I sure hope this was answered!!!
Thank you so much for praying for me on this trip!
Courtney Branen
posted by Courtney | 8:23 PM
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