God’s love is marvelously breathing taking and extraordinarily humbling when I see how God works through every single individual at the Dream Center. The hope and security found through walking with Christ is everlasting. Seeing how God works in the most desperate situations, shows me God cannot be put into a box. Through my short time here, God has shown be how powerful and life changing his love really is.
The Dream Center has shown me how God can truly use anyone’s life and turn into some beautiful for his Kingdom. Through hearing people’s testimonies of their life before the Dream Center and seeing how God came into their life and transformed their heart, is truly miraculous. Seeing how God can restore the most broken hearted, desperate souls, has made me realize in the end, how the only one true answer to fixing any issue is God.
Having a little faith and passion for the people of a city can change a community around you. God has shown me, how all people really need in this world is Christ’s love and the willingness of people to share the truth about him. God everyday reminds me of how powerful is love is through showing me how he can transform anyone’s life into something lovely. Through interning at the Dream Center God continues to show me how great his grace and love is.
Melissa Conklin
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
An act of Kindness
Here at the Dream Center we extend a helping hand to those in need, open doors were they appear shut, and make a way for those who are less fortunate. With over 273 ministries working together as a team is a key element we need to keep the dream flourishing and very much alive. As we lift one person, that person shall lift another and we’ll ascend together.
In one of our ministries in particular “The Family Floor” has modeled after that completely. In this time of our country there is a substantial need for housing for many families who’ve become homeless due to the recession, limited work, and help. This demand has brought our family floor to its maximum occupancy with 15 families and 55 people total already living there. However this did not stop the hearts of the people within this ministry from extending more help.
A young woman and her child were homeless, living on the streets of LA with nowhere to go. This woman turned to the Dream Center for help. Even though all the rooms were filled, the leaders of the Family Floor ministry searched for an alternative solution. Not wanting to leave this woman and her child on the street, they asked another family already living on the floor, if they would share their room with her. As an act of kindness with no hesitation the family said yes and welcomed this young woman and her child with open arms. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said “we may have all come from different ships, but we’re on the same boat now”. As we opened the door for one family, that family opened a door for another family.
Here at the Dream Center we believe in the ability to work together toward a common vision to accomplish a greater objective, and that is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results together. Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want and do.
-Celes Obispo
In one of our ministries in particular “The Family Floor” has modeled after that completely. In this time of our country there is a substantial need for housing for many families who’ve become homeless due to the recession, limited work, and help. This demand has brought our family floor to its maximum occupancy with 15 families and 55 people total already living there. However this did not stop the hearts of the people within this ministry from extending more help.
A young woman and her child were homeless, living on the streets of LA with nowhere to go. This woman turned to the Dream Center for help. Even though all the rooms were filled, the leaders of the Family Floor ministry searched for an alternative solution. Not wanting to leave this woman and her child on the street, they asked another family already living on the floor, if they would share their room with her. As an act of kindness with no hesitation the family said yes and welcomed this young woman and her child with open arms. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said “we may have all come from different ships, but we’re on the same boat now”. As we opened the door for one family, that family opened a door for another family.
Here at the Dream Center we believe in the ability to work together toward a common vision to accomplish a greater objective, and that is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results together. Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want and do.
-Celes Obispo
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Imperial Courts
Adopt-a-Block is the greatest form of out reach I have ever witnessed. Not only does it offer people in need food, shelter, and invite them to church to learn about having a relationship with Jesus, It also builds strong relationships and friendships between people of all walks of life and spiritual backgrounds.
Through working with Adopt-a-Block God is teaching me how to build relationships and friendships based not on my own personality and being but through his love shown in my words and my actions. I feel as if I learn as much, if not more, from these kids and parents that they learn from me. It is truly one of the great learning experiences of my life.
Jordan Brugger- Imperial Courts
Through working with Adopt-a-Block God is teaching me how to build relationships and friendships based not on my own personality and being but through his love shown in my words and my actions. I feel as if I learn as much, if not more, from these kids and parents that they learn from me. It is truly one of the great learning experiences of my life.
Jordan Brugger- Imperial Courts
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Being a Dream Center Missionary
I have learned so much as a Dream Center missionary. I moved here from a small town on the opposite side of the country, and I had to get adjusted to the big city of Los Angeles. I had come several years ago to help out as a Dream Missions (formerly Short Term Missions) missionary for a week. I loved what I experienced so much that I decided to finish college and come back to be a one year volunteer. Now, over two years later, I have gained hands-on experience that is unparalleled to anything that I have encountered.
It’s easy to have sympathy from afar for someone who is struggling with life issues, but the Dream Center puts a story with the faces. During my first year at the Dream Center, I was a child supervisor of the teen girls living in the group home here. These girls came from broken homes and difficult situations, and I had to learn how to not take what they did to heart, but instead love them as Jesus Christ loves them. It was there that I really understood what it meant to be selfless and sacrificial because there were times that I did not want to deal with their attitudes and backtalk, but had to shine the light of Jesus Christ no matter how I was feeling on a given day. God enabled me to love each of them.
During my second year, I have been privileged to use my college writing degree to contribute various newsletters and stories to the Marketing department at the Dream Center. I had previously wanted to write for the Dream Center, but did not know how to go about doing that. Since working in the Marketing department, I have not only written articles, but have also participated in various Dream Center outreaches and have met so many people in the inner cities who have been impacted and helped by the ministries, and had stories to share. I have learned the importance of listening to their stories and sharing them with those who are helping to make a difference in their lives.
Being at the Dream Center has allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and depend on God in a more meaningful way. It is a blessing to be a part of something that is changing the city and changing the world one block at a time the way that the Dream Center is.
-Shameka
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Attaining Excellence
I can't believe it is already May.
Doesn't it feel like you were just celebrating Christmas with your family?
I think it's amazing how quickly time goes. Sometimes I have to remember that time is only an earthly thing and God doesn't really operate that way. What feels like a lifetime to us, is only a brief moment for him. What a strange thought.
It's coming up on summer which means the crazy seasons of the Dream Center are about to kick into gear!
There's always something exciting going on here, always exciting new projects and events to be a part of, but come the middle of summer, everything erupts. There are so many awesome things that go on here everyday that we get to be a part of and help in that sometimes it's almost overwhelming to think of all the things we can accomplish for God if we really work to our full potential.
Every day I remind myself that what I am doing is helping to make a lasting impact on the people, and the city that I am around and in everyday. By choosing to live up to the full potential that God has for each us, we can live with a sense of accomplishment. Not just in our jobs, or our relationships, or our marriages...but in everything we do. If we choose to live with integrity and do things the right way, we can leave each place we come to with something positive and lasting.
Isn't that a great thought?
And the cool part is that, with God being the motivator and source that is guiding, pushing and stretching us, it is completely attainable.
Choose to live up to all the things God wants you to be.
It's bigger than you, but that's what makes it so cool.
Stay tuned for blogs, things are about to get crazy here!
Doesn't it feel like you were just celebrating Christmas with your family?
I think it's amazing how quickly time goes. Sometimes I have to remember that time is only an earthly thing and God doesn't really operate that way. What feels like a lifetime to us, is only a brief moment for him. What a strange thought.
It's coming up on summer which means the crazy seasons of the Dream Center are about to kick into gear!
There's always something exciting going on here, always exciting new projects and events to be a part of, but come the middle of summer, everything erupts. There are so many awesome things that go on here everyday that we get to be a part of and help in that sometimes it's almost overwhelming to think of all the things we can accomplish for God if we really work to our full potential.
Every day I remind myself that what I am doing is helping to make a lasting impact on the people, and the city that I am around and in everyday. By choosing to live up to the full potential that God has for each us, we can live with a sense of accomplishment. Not just in our jobs, or our relationships, or our marriages...but in everything we do. If we choose to live with integrity and do things the right way, we can leave each place we come to with something positive and lasting.
Isn't that a great thought?
And the cool part is that, with God being the motivator and source that is guiding, pushing and stretching us, it is completely attainable.
Choose to live up to all the things God wants you to be.
It's bigger than you, but that's what makes it so cool.
Stay tuned for blogs, things are about to get crazy here!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Renovations
I had to laugh last week when I ended up telling someone I am a volunteer at the Dream Center. Their reply was, "Oh my gosh, are you guys tearing that place down?"
Right now--the majority of the Dream Center is covered in huge black tarp like fabric because the main building (the part that has no one living in it) is under construction to be renovated. From the highway, you can see the whole building and every time I drive by I can't help by think how amazing it is going to be when the building is finished.
Once this building is done, it will more than double the capacity that is being housed at the Dream Center right now. These floors are going to be filled with people coming to dedicate their time to a cause bigger than themselves and people coming to get a second chance at life, people coming to experience God in a more tangible way. These floors are going to be a place of restoration, power life changing tools and home to so many.
Its so exciting to be a part of history in the making.
Pretty soon the floors will be done and people will hardly believe there was a time when we didn't have the ability to house the amount of things we will have there.
I can't wait to see what God does.
Right now--the majority of the Dream Center is covered in huge black tarp like fabric because the main building (the part that has no one living in it) is under construction to be renovated. From the highway, you can see the whole building and every time I drive by I can't help by think how amazing it is going to be when the building is finished.
Once this building is done, it will more than double the capacity that is being housed at the Dream Center right now. These floors are going to be filled with people coming to dedicate their time to a cause bigger than themselves and people coming to get a second chance at life, people coming to experience God in a more tangible way. These floors are going to be a place of restoration, power life changing tools and home to so many.
Its so exciting to be a part of history in the making.
Pretty soon the floors will be done and people will hardly believe there was a time when we didn't have the ability to house the amount of things we will have there.
I can't wait to see what God does.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Team Season
Right now is the big push when all of the Short Term Mission teams come down to L.A. to volunteer at the Dream Center.
Hundreds of people come for what we call "Team Season." It is a crazy, packed, awesome few months. Because there have been so many new additions to the Dream Center, such as our family floor, a lot of the rooms where these teams would stay have been taken over for something else so there are teams sleeping in the gym!
These people are dedicated, excited and come here to serve because God has called them to be here.
If you've never been here and want to experience what it is like for a week of two, I would really recommend coming down. You can see what all the ministries are like, meet tons of awesome people, see God move and have your life changed while you are helping to change others.
We love STM's, so definitely come down if you get a chance this summer!
Hundreds of people come for what we call "Team Season." It is a crazy, packed, awesome few months. Because there have been so many new additions to the Dream Center, such as our family floor, a lot of the rooms where these teams would stay have been taken over for something else so there are teams sleeping in the gym!
These people are dedicated, excited and come here to serve because God has called them to be here.
If you've never been here and want to experience what it is like for a week of two, I would really recommend coming down. You can see what all the ministries are like, meet tons of awesome people, see God move and have your life changed while you are helping to change others.
We love STM's, so definitely come down if you get a chance this summer!
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