Blessings in Buckets at Ramona Gardens

After volunteering at The Dream Center for a few years, one outreach that I have been able to go out with several times is the Food Truck ministry. This ministry brings food to various neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles. The site that I went to recently was Ramona Gardens, which is a housing project in East L.A.

 

A short-term missions team from Pennsylvania came out as well, helping to prepare bags of groceries for the Ramona Gardens residents and playing with the kids in the week-away-from-summer sun. Carrots, tomatoes, mozzarella, yogurt and packages of frozen beef patties were stocked into plastic shopping bags, which was enough food to get each family and individual through the week.

 

On average, a person would pay about $30 for all of that food, but not a single person had to pull out their wallets, because everything that they received was free of charge. I do not totally understand the circumstances that most of these people are in, but I know that the economy has been extremely difficult for people, particularly those living in Los Angeles. When people give to The Dream Center, those gifts are used towards the community, and people are abundantly blessed.

 

Speaking of abundantly blessed, one thing that I noticed about several of the people waiting in line to receive food was that they held empty buckets. Not large buckets, but ones that could barely hold one normal-sized grocery bag of food. I had never seen that at a food truck site. Most people come prepared with big boxes and shopping carts and baskets to put their food in; however, these bucket people seemed to say, in a nonverbal way, that they did not expect to receive much.

 

Their buckets overflowed. They could have brought larger containers, but from my perspective, it gave the appearance that they had actually received more than the others because the emptiness that they came with was filled to capacity. When we bring the little that we have to God, He can use that and fill up our buckets to overflowing, too.

 

- Shameka

What's Holding You Back?

I'm a little over two weeks old now; I am referring to my internship time here at the Los Angeles Dream Center of course. My actual age is 22 and I'm a recent college graduate from an art and design school in Columbus, Ohio. At the Dream Center I will be a Graphic Design intern in the Marketing department for one year. Just a month ago I was sitting at home in Ohio fighting to stay focused for this internship and I could've quit right there... It's definitely God that I'm here today. Fear of flying and failure did not win. My decision to come and for how long surrounded God's question to me: "How much do you trust Me?"

 

Ever since I found my purpose for living in Christ, I have consciously decided to make my life count for something by pouring into the lives of others.

 

My uncle once told me something about time that's never left my heart. He reminded me that it never stands still, so we as people must choose to move forward with it or to slip back in the past. Moving forward is about growing and to stay back is to stunt our own growth. The ironic part about my decision to intern at the Los Angeles Dream Center is that the same uncle who gave me these wise words about "time" feared my journey here, yet his words inspired me to take this leap of faith. 

 

I see this journey as an exercising of my faith where I am able to see just how big my God is. He has pushed me out of my comfort-zone back in Ohio and encouraged me to take a great leap of faith to truly discover His omnipresence here in Los Angeles. During the "waiting process" for preparation to deal with this great transition in my life, I diligently prayed about the distance from the "norm" of family, friends and life as it were. 

 

Even though my family is far away, I have peace from God that He is right here with me as well as the blessings and prayers of loved ones on my life so big, the geographical distance is not that bad. I can use social-networking sites, email, text and calling to stay connected to those I love. Additionally, the residents, volunteers and staff here are so kind and loving that they quickly become your extended family so that your stay here can truly be enjoyed.

 

I hope that you prayerfully consider if God wants you to be here, for how long, in what area of focus – even about your roommate(s). Get prayed up and armored up (Eph. 6:10-18). Don't expect the grass to be greener on the other side and that nothing can go wrong because if you do, you only set yourself up for disappointment. Instead be honest with yourself and with God. Intentionally ask Him day after day – not because you think He forgot but because you mean it – to prepare you for this next big step with Him. Be honest with yourself and plainly say, "It won't always be easy but with God it will be possible."

 

You can make it because if He wants you here He will see you through to the end – financially, spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, etc. I have experienced some "interceptions" while being here, but I haven't let that hold me back because I just keep saying, "God is good." And He is as well as faithful! The good has always outweighed the bad and Romans 8:28 reminds me that this will always be my reality. 

 

To me, there is no better way to make one's life count than to pour it into another. (God blesses us abundantly so why waste the overflow?) You never know who will outlast you or what lives another can reach that you cannot. For this very reason, I find it vital to pour into another person's life good pockets of hope, information and love. Here at the Dream Center, we are blessed to do just that. The whole Dream Center is of an equal heart to do outreach and what I like to call, "Doing the Holy Bible," to the glory of God. I'm glad I'm here; to be able to use my artistic gifts in Kingdom building is a real treat to me. 

 

-LaQuesha

Use Your Gifts

I just wrapped up the first week of my one-year internship here at The L.A. Dream Center. After coming on a weeklong short-term mission trip three years ago, I finally made the journey out West for an extended stay. It was during my first trip when I saw Skid Row that my entire outlook on life changed. I could not forget the images of hundreds of men and women sleeping on filthy sidewalks within the shadows of the luxurious downtown skyline. 

After a three-year break, I returned to Skid Row to serve lunch to dozens of those in need. It was a privilege to serve with a global team made up of volunteers from across the world: Brazil, England, Finland and Germany. I was amazed that, although not everyone on our team spoke perfect English, the homeless clearly understood the joy in our hearts and the compassion we had for them. I saw first-hand that Jesus’ love is not bound by borders, ethnicity or language; it can be shown simply with a smile.

Today my attitude has once again been challenged after seeing someone, who has absolutely nothing, be so thankful. I cannot stop asking, “Why is that not me? What have I done to deserve the life that I have?” I did not earn my loving parents and the upbringing they gave me, my talents and abilities, and most importantly—God’s forgiveness. I could have just as easily been born into a life of poverty and hopelessness not knowing where I will eat and sleep the next day. With all God has given me, why do I focus on what I do not have rather than all He has blessed me with?

No matter who you are, you have been given different opportunities in life. As found in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, God gives us all a unique gift, and it is our responsibility to use what we have been given. Although we all have something different to offer, we all do have something to offer! Others may have gifts that you do not, but that is not an excuse to be inactive. We are to be thankful and use our God-given strengths to edify each other and the Body of Christ.

You do not need to be on a missions trip in Los Angeles to use your talents and abilities for God. You can be a servant in an office in the Midwest or in a classroom on the East Coast. Wherever you are, God has blessed you with skills to bring Him glory and honor. We need to make sure we are responsible “with a few things,” as simple as a smile, that we have been given. 

- Jesse