The Benefits of Volunteering

Sometimes it’s hard to do something with no reward, to give your time and get nothing in return. To some, volunteer work can seem like a tedious task with little to no purpose. What’s the point of spending my afternoon handing out groceries to people I don’t know when I could be spending it doing something fun or something for myself. Well to me, volunteering is something you can benefit from if you choose to. You’re not only giving back to people who are less fortunate; you’re being selfless, and lending a hand to those in need. You’re gaining purpose in this world.

On Friday, I got the privilege of being a part of one of the many Dream Center outreaches, the food truck, an outreach that was started by Pastor Matthew’s wife, Caroline Barnett. With the purpose of providing groceries for those families living in neighborhoods that are below the poverty line. Now the food truck goes out all over Los Angeles, and feeds over 32,000 people in over 9,000 families a month.

For me being a part of something so great makes me feel special, just knowing that what I’m doing actually helps families, truly impacts me. Seeing all the people in line receiving their groceries then leaving with big smiles on their faces touches my heart.

Oh this particular day we went out to one of our sites that’s located at 5th and Union. The team arrives to a crowd that has already assembled. But before we can start passing out groceries we must first put together the bags. It’s such a beautiful sight; everyone is assigned to a job, and as soon as they were finished they eagerly asked “What do you need me to do now?”

It’s not only the volunteers that are so eager to help- it’s the community as well. The crowd that came for a soul purpose of receiving food caught a hold of the helping spirit and now are asking how they can help us. Before you realize it, the jobs are all done. The food is all bagged and all that is left to do is to distribute the bags of grocery to the community.

And it’s not just food that we are bringing to these families, it’s hope, and the love of Christ we’re showing them. Our actions are speaking loud and they’re saying “We see your needs and since we love you like the Father does we want to meet that need the best possible way we can.”

To me, volunteering is more than a tedious task I force myself or am forced to do, it’s empowering. If you can truly grab a hold of a selfless nature while volunteering you will in fact receive a reward. A reward that is only granted to those who have the right intention behind their actions, whose heart isn’t after anything, but is there with the purpose of showing love to people.

-Briana-Leigh

Out of My Comfort Zone

Let me just say I love Adopt-a-Block! It is one of those things that I really do look forward to, on most days. Why do I love it so much? As much as it is about simple joy from serving the community and loving on people, Adopt-a-Block is all about sacrificing the flesh and giving my life up to God. I do not necessarily enjoy waking up before ten on my day off. It is not exciting to ride on a bus packed full of people soaked by the downpour.

Every Saturday is a growing experience, whether that be because I have to get out of my comfy bed when I REALLY don’t want to or because I have to go outside my comfort zone and talk to a complete stranger. Every Saturday I come back a little bit different, a little more stretched, a little more broken.

This last week I did not go to my usual site, instead I went out to the Skid Row Hotels site to help there. Being in a completely unfamiliar place I was in no way within my comfort zone. I wound up simply tagging along with a few normal volunteers as they went to their regular floor.

With each knock I felt like I was on the edge of my seat in an action movie. You never know who is behind the door. Sometimes you hear a small shuffle then a slight crack opens up to reveal a pair of eyes peering out at you. As you hand them a drink and ask them how they are doing, you smell the stank of rooms not cleaned in far too long. Many simply say thank you and close the door. Others will open up and tell you of their lives, explaining how their week was and allow you to pray for them.

It is these small five-minute conversations that the light of Jesus is shined into these dark single-room apartments. As we would stand in a circle in that narrow hallway praying for these people, I cannot help but see the joy on their faces.

Every time I go out with any ministry, I am reminded that this is not a microwave outreach, this is a crock-pot ministry. It takes time and energy to be able to see the results, but if you are willing to put that consistency in with the people here, God will use your efforts to bring in the harvest for Himself.

Matthew 9:37-38(NIV)

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

-Joel

No food allowed!!

Recently I have been blessed to witness people within my department pushing forward in their walk with Christ, and the passion that I have seen first hand for the: word and their prayer life and fasting, inspired me to do something that I had been putting off for a while.

Fasting to me was like the final frontier, its one of those things that I knew that would benefit my walk with God but I never had gotten around to committing to more than a day due to laziness, giving up food for God was something that I was uneasy about, like it was the last part of my life that I had control over. Funny isn’t it how we say to God take all of me; my weaknesses and my pain but when we start on our journey as a Christian we still try to be in control of our lives! Still fighting for our independence even as it leads us away from God’s will.

So I told God that I would give him a seven-day fast and my husband said that he was convicted to do the same. After day one I was already thinking, why had I promised to do seven days! I was mentally kicking myself every-time I had hunger pangs and remembering my failed first try at fasting, several years before. My husband stood with me in prayer and helped me to focus on God. The second and third day I started to have headaches but overall I felt more determined to complete the fast, partly to the fact that I was amazed that I hadn’t gone sleep eating.

The more I spent time fasting and giving up the time to God, I was able to hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit more clearly and as a result was able to be obedient to his voice. I had the revelation on how much I needed him (God) and felt my spirit become more sensitive to people around me. I noticed how God was using me to intercede for my colleagues and people that I met during the week on a deeper level. God wants us to spend more quality time with him: giving, praying and fasting, but for some reason a lot of Christians have omitted fasting from their walk with God.

Luke 5:33-34

They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."

Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."

Matthew 6:16-18

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

This week of fasting has made me more determined to give everything to God because he deserves my all. I will definitely be making fasting a regular part of my lifestyle, the benefits that God has blessed me with for sacrificing food far outweighs my need for it.

A good book on fasting that I would recommend is: Fasting by Jentezen Franklin

-Chaka

"The righteous gives, and does not hold back" -Proverbs 21:26

Poverty can be a desperate, emotionally draining state of living. Not knowing how you’ll pay for next month’s rent, or even where the next meal will come from. Just trying to support yourself in this state would be stressful. Could you imagine living like this with a family? Young children? Just children at all?

I’ve been blessed to grow up in a middle class family. Living day to day wasn’t ever much of a struggle. God blessed my father with enough work and loving family to support our family of 8. I knew that poverty was a global problem, even just down the street, but I think I stopped it at that. I’m not sure I ever really thought of the implications it would have on a family. With no extra money for clothing, babies become cold without a coat. Hygiene items are often looked over in place of food. Furniture is costly, and often at the end of the shopping list, so many resort to sleeping on the floor. And the list goes on. But more painful than these things could be in one’s life; because of poverty, many children are taken out of these circumstances and away from their loving family.

The Dream Center’s heart is recognizing needs like this, and reaching out in help, in the name of Christ. We have a specific group here that works solely with the circumstances I’ve talked of. Project Prevention is God’s hand of compassion on the poverty stricken families of Los Angeles. Families that are on the verge of having their children ripped away. We ask what their needs are, and we supply them. From beds to diapers, we help keep the families together. And above this, above all the kind gestures, we are doing what God commanded of us. To love, and to give full-heartedly.

Many often say that this “giving” lies in the worldly category of the humanitarians. That the giving done in Project Prevention would be better replaced by a Gospel track or sermon. Granted, the Gospel should never be short-changed. But giving IS apart of the Gospel! We ought not let the fear of “becoming too giving” define how we act. We act only on the word of God. And he tells us repeatedly to be generous with what we have, giving to those who have less.

Let’s just be honest here, we ALL are persuaded by love. It’s what drives us and catches our attention more than anything. I think it is no coincidence that Jesus cared for the sick and fed the hungry. He made our hearts, he knows what strings to pull!

With this all said, I think we need to tear down the wall, I believe it’s un-Christ-like to take a side on the matter of sharing only food or sharing only Bible verses. The two go hand in hand. God’s word is alive! And should be not only read but acted upon. Acted out. God knows what conveys his nature and draws people to his saving grace, let’s follow in his footsteps.

-Courtnay

A Writer's View

I would not say I am a natural writer; creativity for me is more like a mental workout than a relaxing past time. I used to hate that workout; it used to be that I would avoid creativity at all costs. Art, music, and writing were things which I was forced to do in school: I did not enjoy them. I just wanted to barrel my way through these necessary evils and hope they never came up again. I used to say I was not creative, I know see that it is not that I am not creative, it is that I just have to work hard at being creative.

Olympic Athletes are gifted in certain sports because of the way they are naturally built. In this same way we naturally have gifts and talents that God has given us, and just like Olympians train for years for competition, we must refine them through practice and experience. I now see that is not that I am not natural writer, it is that I had never worked on that portion of my giftings and thus left it to the wayside, unused and under developed.

I started to write for myself at God’s prompting prior to coming to the Dream Center, it is here however that this skill has really been pushed. When I first came here and was placed in marketing, I was initially taken aback, looking at this portion of the Dream Center ministry as unnecessary and frivolous.

As I went from making phone calls to going on outreach and writing, I finally understood, this placement is as much about me helping grow the Dream Center as it is about the Dream Center growing me. I learned how it is necessary to tell the story of the miracles, both big and small, that God is doing here.

In my short time here I have already seen how God has used this place to change my perception of both myself and the world around me. I can say that I have found skills and strength’s that I didn’t even know I possessed and honed the ones I do have more. It is all about me being made into a better tool to be used for the Kingdom of God, not about what I think I am supposed to do or what I can get out of my time here.

I still would not say that I am a natural writer, I would say rather that I am a writer in progress. Being given the opportunity to see the larger picture of how all the ministries here work together is not one everyone has. I would not have expected to be working in marketing, let alone in this capacity when I stepped on the plane to come here; never the less, I know this is where God would have me serve to sharpen those around me and be sharpened myself, for that reason I love it!

-Joel

His Hands Extended

Every Tuesday over a hundred people line up on the Dream Center campus to receive free second hand clothing from our the His Hands Extended ministry run by Women’s Discipleship. I recently had the privilege of being able to help with this unique ministry. I wound up simply helping to regulate the line of men that had begun in the wee hours of the morning. I stood at the head of the line, meeting a new face, hearing a new story, every fifteen minutes, only being able to realize just a snapshot of their lives.

The majority of these men are not homeless; many of them actually have vehicles and homes. As they spoke, the look on these men’s face was a mixture of both hope and worry. They are here out of circumstance, mostly just lack of work. I listened intently to story after story of painters, construction workers, and plumbers unable to find a job. They all proudly stated they are looking for work to support their families; the ones lucky enough to have a job were only able to find part-time work. I heard name after name of sons, daughters, and wives they sought to support.

A few had been in the area near the Dream Center for several years actually. One man told me how he had been homeless ten years before it was the Dream Center buses that first started bringing him and his wife to church. As a result of the Dream Center’s initial support, he now lives in a small apartment and does part-time photography to help support him and his wife.

Another man told me of how he lived here before the Dream Center even began over 15 years ago. He spoke of how at first he was skeptical of the ministry, but as they began to be established he saw the incredible help they were to the community and how nice the people have been to him. In this time of economic downturn as he is still looking for full time work, he is so grateful that he can come to the Dream Center for help.

These men are not lazy, they are not unskilled, they simply are victims of a struggling economy. They have the same hopes, dreams, and struggles as any average American. They want to see their children succeed in school and go on to a better future than they themselves were able to create. These men want to show their families that they care for them. What makes me any different than them?

As each day passes I continue to see just how blessed I am. I am reminded of a song’s chorus that simply states, “I am blessed, I am blessed, thank you Jesus I am blessed”. I can truly say I am blessed, not just in the physical, but also in the spiritual.

Thank you Jesus that I AM blessed!

-Joel

The Disney Experience

Usually rain would put a damper on one’s mood, personally I feel as though I have a love affair with it though. The way it simply washes away the dirt and filth of the air and ground leaving nothing but a crisp clean path in its wake, there’s simply nothing like it! The rhythmic sound of the drops hitting the pavement is one that I love listening to at anytime of day. Though it cools the air and makes everything wet, rainy days tend to be one of my favorites.

On just such a rainy day I had the opportunity to visit Disneyland, “The Happiest Place on Earth”; despite the weather making things a little chilly, I truly had fun. Being my first time I was simply astounded by the depth of detail put into the rides; I would go from place to place and feel like I had literally been picked up and transported into the past or future or to another location entirely. From the dress of the cast to the material you walked on, everything felt authentic. The characters that wander around the parks make it seem normal that Mickey Mouse and Cruella de Vil are there in the flesh. Where else but Disney does this occur?

I stood there and thought to myself that not everyone gets to visit this place. Not everyone has the opportunity to experience the magic that is Disneyland. I never knew what I was missing out on until I experienced it myself. I was ignorant of the incredible place of Disneyland and now that I know every other theme park has to live up to the high standard set by the imagination of Walt Disney.

How is this any different than what happens at the Dream Center? People do not know about the amazing love of Jesus Christ, many times it is not that they do not care; it is that they are unaware of the possibility of such an amazing love. They have not experienced the joy, love, and peace brought through a relationship with God; so they are satisfied with their current circumstance. Just as I never knew there could exist such an amazing place with such depth as Disneyland, they have not experienced the love of Christ.

That is what the Dream Center is all about: allowing people to experience the amazing love of Christ through our ministries. Whether they wind up experiencing that love for themselves we cannot control; all we are able, and have been called to do, is show them the door and hold it open so they might be able to walk through.

-Joel

A New Normal

I am constantly astounded by the beautiful weather here in Los Angeles. Before coming here I could not have fathomed ever living in such a place. The fact that there are more days of sun and heat rather than clouds and snow is one that I am slowly growing accustomed to.

Coming from Colorado, I am more comfortable on a mountain covered in snow than I am on the beach with waves washing across the sand bars. I would rather drive on snow and ice than in the jungle of downtown with its thousands of vehicles and huge numbers of pedestrians. It is interesting how one normal has been swapped for the other. Where I used to fear the thought of public transit, it has now become my preferred mode of transportation.

My normal has been changed at the Dream Center; it has been shaped by this place. Where I was once satisfied to simply sit idly by and watch others go into the hurting world to meet the needs of the broken, I cannot. Where I was once fine with driving by the pain and hurt in the streets, I cannot. No longer am I satisfied with hoping for change. No longer is my heart calloused to the circumstances of the poor. My normal has been changed, and I thank God that it has!

I love this new normal! I love going out into the streets giving away hot food to the homeless. I love how giving away food, diapers, and furniture brings a smile to a mother’s face; it never ceases to amaze me. It would be a strange thought to simply pass by those hurting on the streets. I have a new found love of the people of Los Angeles. This new normal is more challenging but oh-so much more rewarding. This normal is still uncomfortable at times, but like a new pair of jeans, as time goes on, this normal becomes more comfortable, though never less astounding. This normal stretches, it pushes, it pulls: It makes me love it even more.

When I get tired of this new normal, when I start to become calloused, all I have to do is look into the faces of the people whose lives have been changed by the Dream Center. These faces that once held sorrow and pain, now have crows feet from laughter. Their eyes have hope and their tongues can rejoice once again. I like normal.

-Joel

Seeing Skid Row

Most people don’t ever walk the grim streets of Skid Row. Most people have only seen images of the poverty, the dirtiness and gloom. Most people don’t understand the reality of spiritual darkness that cloaks these streets. But it’s real, and happening right as I type.

It was actually not a very “Los Angeles-sunny” day when I visited last. The sky was over-cast and the air, though still warm, had a slightly damp feel to it. This probably helped set the mood of hopelessness I saw around me. We walked throughout the homeless shelter, smiling, offering prayer. As always, it didn’t take much at all to notice the weariness of the people that called these streets their home. Usually, half-smiles at best, most curse forcefully or talk aloud to themselves. It was saddening, yet somewhat expected around here. Skid Row is a battlefield of the spiritual.

We are called to go out and be light to this dark world. Shining beams of hope, to the ones tricked & entrapped by darkness. God uses us, his children, as his hands and feet here on earth. When we go out, providing food, and a friendly conversation, we are actually the working physical body of Christ. And this is why we shine, and this is why a woman named Alice, broke down in tears that day.

As a 20-year-old girl in Skid Row, we’re usually advised to talk with just the ladies, leaving the guys in our group to talk with the men. This particular day there weren’t many women around at the shelter, and most of them were laid down and sleeping. Though, a lady in the corner sitting cross-legged on the floor, caught my eye. I introduced myself as I leaned on the wall next to where she was sitting. She looked up, smiled and told me her name was Alice. I’ve always liked the name, and as silly as it may sound, I think it made our conversation more comfortable.

She was genuine. As we talked of the weather, what her day had been like and what things she wanted to change in her life, I could tell she was sincerely interested in the hope I talked about having. Her kind eyes would look up, and her head would nod in agreement. It wasn’t everyday that encounters like this happen. But God had softened her heart, and she poured out to me her yearnings to turn from the horrible path of drug-use she now walked.

Tears trickled down her cheeks. There is a point in a conversation when nothing but prayer seems fitting. “Alice, do you want to pray right now?” –“Yes, yes please.” I got down to where she sat, grabbed her dirty hand and hugged her as we prayed.
Here at the Dream Center, we run a faith-based rehabilitation program, and earlier in our conversation I told her about it. After we prayed she asked for a number to call, she wanted help. Her plate of rice, donuts and chicken had gotten a little cold during our conversation, so in leaving, I told her I’d let her eat. When she was done she laid down on the makeshift bed beneath her. Every time I looked over at her, she was grinning, all cuddled up in her blanket.

She had been walking in darkness, and slowly sinking further in it. But we were light fighting against it. Without Jesus, no hope exists, none whatsoever! and the darkness of Skid Row prevails. That is why outreach like this is necessary, and should never, ever stop. It’s why we’re here on earth.

As I sat in the backseat of the car, we drove away from the shelter, passing person after person, soul after soul. Most sitting or standing on the sidewalks, everything they own in hand. The driver of our car broke out in prayer. It was extremely moving, to join together with fellow believers, proclaiming truth in the darkest area of Los Angeles. Her words, as we passed praying, stuck with me. “Lord Jesus, you’ve waited on us to receive your Grace, you’ve waiting so patiently. Lord wait on these people. They are just blinded by the darkness around them.”

I don’t think it was the words alone in the prayer that hit me, but seeing just feet away from me, the embodied “other side” of this battle we fight for Christ.

There’s a spiritual battlefield around us every day, it’s about time we notice it.

-Courtnay, Ohio