Projection

I met a teenage hero the other day! He’s “the man of the house,” but he’s only thirteen years old. His assurance in God and his natural-born leadership was inspirational to my faith-walk. During our prayer circle at the boy’s house, one of our short-term volunteers was so moved by his story that he couldn’t stop crying.

Earlier, when we had arrived in our Project Prevention truck, I took in the surroundings of our final stop of the day. Since I had never been there, I looked up and down the street in search of the house we were scheduled to visit. I only saw storefronts – something like China Town in NYC. To my right were a hair salon and an unmarked building. I saw this young boy, who seemed out of place, standing in front of the unmarked building. I wondered where his mother was.

One of the Project Prevention volunteers, Becky, called out to him to say, “hello.” So I assumed this young boy was picking up food for his family and from there, would walk to his house. However, I found myself following the boy and our Brazilian short-term mission group up some stairs in the unmarked building.

At the top of the stairs, a picture of Jesus bleeding and sorrowful, wearing a crown of thorns, greeted us. The words of my pastor from back in Ohio came to mind, “Humility: meek not weak.” The picture was a perfect transition to enter the home of this young boy because his home was a very humbling scene. His house seemed to be a decent place for a bachelor (yet too small for his family) with a couple of rooms attached to the living space of which ten of us piled into.

The boy explained to us that his mother works very hard just to keep the lights on and her children comfortable so that’s why she’s asleep in the middle of the day. I was amazed by her sacrifice but was also impressed at her son’s gratefulness for her sacrifice. I could tell that there was something special about him.

He and his family were previously living in a rough L.A. area called “Temple Street.” In that area is a gang, which is known to be very violent and dangerous. After our visit, I became more spiritually alert desiring to be apart of finding other “diamonds in the rough” like this boy. Diamonds that I could encourage and point to Christ. This way their gifts may have room to grow in God’s garden.

Sometimes I wonder how many children/people – like this boy – with such great potential “slip through the cracks.” At the same time, I find peace that God would plant jewels like this boy in such rough areas. Such areas need God’s little rays of hope. In time, I could see this particular boy being a local political figure in rough areas like where he grew up. I picture him fighting to clean up the streets and starting programs to help kids reach their full potential just as he was helped. I cringe at the thought of the kids we miss. Finding them could mean fewer victims of heinous crimes.

One of my greatest concerns for myself and other young people is the “potential for lack of potential.” We have what it takes, but if we don’t meet the One who can take us to the next level, then our potential will come to nothing. I love how God uses The Dream Center to encourage young people to lead and find out whom God says that we are, not falling into the limitations of the Devil. There’s something right about giving back to God all that He’s given us in sincere surrender. Surrendering like a child – like the little hero I met the other day – is to say, “Please use me Lord because I don’t know what to do on my own.” I know my life is better for surrendering to God. I believe this teen boy’s life will continue to get better because he’s given his life to Christ. And I’m sure your life will be better because you’ve surrendered too.

-LaQuesha

Hearts Will Most Certainly Break, But It is the Best Way

On a Friday evening, as the day draws to its close, a bus full of volunteers hits the road and goes to Skid Row armed with water, snacks, and a positive word. Last Friday, I was a member of that bus, and that is one evening I know I will never forget. The conversation on the bus was lighthearted - games were played, questions asked, and for the most part, a sense of familiarity at this regular journey. However, this was my first time to Skid Row, and I didn’t know what to expect other than I was sure it wasn’t like anything I’d experienced before.

We drove down a street where suddenly the number of homeless people multiplied into the hundreds. After parking, we got out of the bus, where water and snacks were distributed to those we met. My memory of that evening is a blur of people – all grateful for the water, some laughed with us, and others wanted to be left alone. The atmosphere as I perceived it, was of self-preservation; I felt on edge despite the protection of the group.

For the first hour I tried to take the scene in. Tents, cardboard, and sidewalk were people’s home. A woman who had run away from an abusive relationship and had nowhere else to go asked us if this street was a safe place for her to sleep. My heart broke for her as you could hear the lack of hope and fear in her voice, and there was little more we could do than pray with her, give her a jacket, and tell her about our discipleship program.

After the first hour, I couldn’t really speak. I had no words for how I felt or what I saw; I just followed the group and gave out water and snacks and connected with people that I could with a smile or a greeting. I was asked if I was enjoyed this outreach, my answer was no, but there wasn’t anywhere else I’d rather be.

I saw a family walk by with a 6-year-old child and from that moment on I was moved. The young, the old and everyone in-between, were living on those dangerous streets and it brought me to tears. I don’t want it to get easier. I don’t want to learn to be less moved each time I go out and see these people in order to preserve myself. But I do need God to move through me and work in me so that He can work on those streets because that is too great a task for us to be able to take on alone.

We need compassion, and we need God.

~Charli

Big Things

My roommate always talks about doing “big things” in a way that will eventually change the world. You don’t have to be around The Dream Center for more than five minutes to come to the understanding that there are no small visions here. Whatever the Dream Center decides to do, it is all designed to have the biggest impact possible. In fact, this place has been built on the whole concept of desperately trying to reach new heights by having a vision that is greater than its provision.

Aside from very rare exceptions, there is no one on this planet that doesn’t want to do amazing and incredible things with their life. Our childhood and even movies are filled with stories of people that do incredible things, of people that are the best of the best. Recently, while watching a show on TV, the show’s leading actress began a rather insightful monologue. She talked about how the best days of your life are normally days that start exactly like all the others, and that sometimes the moments or days we think will define us turn out to be disappointments.

At times it seems like we have the similar mindset of waiting and anticipating a big event to provide a breakthrough. We are looking for a catalyst that will finally allow us to get over the hump to the land of “big things.” Unfortunately, many of us go through seasons where we are caught in limbo, in a time-consuming waiting game. There is no doubt that God has amazing plans for everyone, but like my mother always says, “God can’t steer an anchored ship.”

Going back to my roommate, he continues to do “big things” not just because he has faith they will happen, although that doesn’t hurt. You can credit the fact he is willing to faithfully take care of the things no one sees, which later produces huge rewards. The late, great John Wooden once said, "It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." In life there are no big breakthroughs propelling us to greatness, only a string of smaller decisions. Taking a hint from my roommate, it is clear that “big things” only happen when those small things become more important.

Sometimes in order to do something everyone wants to do, you have to do things that no one wants to do.

-Nic

God Isn't Done With Me Yet

I was really excited to come back to my Adopt-A-Block site, after being away for over a month, to catch up with people in Pueblos that I have come to know and care about. It was hot and as the bus drove around the corner, to where we usually set up the food for the community, I noticed that the line of people who meet us there had grown considerably bigger than what it was before. There were a lot of new faces, there was also the regulars, families that I have known for the nine months I have been at The Dream Center as an intern.

After the food was given out, I took a couple of volunteers to the block that I usually go to, it was comforting to see the families that live there looking happy and excited to pray with us, like Phillipa and her three grandchildren. There was one house that stood out for us last Saturday though, a lady who looked very stressed and busy answered the door with a cell phone pressed to her ear and half-smiled politely as we said hello and asked her if she had heard of The Dream Center.

We were just walking away from her door to knock on the next one, and she came back outside her house and asked us if we could pray for her friend. She said her friend was in hospital in intensive care after being shot four times by her ex-boyfriend. We gathered around her to get ready to pray, then one of the volunteers with us from North Carolina, boldly asked the lady if she knew about Jesus, and when I was in disbelief that she had asked the lady about the status of her salvation, the volunteer had quickly asked the lady to repeat a simple prayer of accepting Jesus as her savior!

We prayed in agreement and the lady said "thank you" for praying for her friend and for praying for her, she looked almost relieved like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. What impressed me the most about this situation was the boldness of this volunteer. She didn’t hesitate for one moment. She was direct and straight to the point about Jesus.

It definitely made me question why I found this so difficult to do, why was I was so nervous about going to the core of what we were commissioned to do—to go and preach the gospel? It’s instances like this that reminds me that I still have a lot of growing up to do as a Christian, a hard truth to face!

~Chaka

A Bus Ride to Nickerson

The beginning of the next year of my life officially started on the 23^rd of July; the day I officially moved into the Dream Center. That was a few weeks ago, which means I have finally passed my first milestone - I have been at the Dream Center longer than most of the teams from short-term missions. Granted, it is not a huge milestone, but it is a milestone nonetheless. I cannot tell you that this is my first experience with the Dream Center because I have been a part of this place for 10 years, but what I can tell you is this continues to be a place like no other. Outreaches like the bus ministry are clear examples of how the Dream Center continues to separate itself from anything else.

The first Sunday I was here I was fortunate enough to ride on one of these buses that actually goes into troubled neighborhoods to bring people from the area to church. The “site” I was assigned to was Nickerson Gardens; a relatively large housing project in Watts. To be completely honest almost the entire ride over there I was apprehensive about what I would say and how to avoid looking like a complete fool in front of the kids. I finally came to the conclusion that it isn’t about me at all, but about leading people to God. I decided to give all my petty worries to God and allow him to show me how to simply love on people. It was the best decision I could have made.

The bus was slowly making its way through the neighborhood when I saw a homeless man on the side of the road. As I waived to him I saw an expression of pure joy come over his face as he happily smiled and waived back. Thus revealing a smile that was missing the front two teeth. It was a smile that proudly displayed more tongue than actual teeth. I couldn’t help, but laugh and continue to wave back. During this random exchange of pleasantries I was hit with an urge help this man in whatever way possible. An urge to see this man succeed, but most of all, I felt genuine compassion for a man I have never met. It truly was and is an indescribable feeling.

The goal of the Dream Center has always been to change the atmosphere of the community through love, and I thank God so much for giving me just a small glimpse of what it means to love people.

- Nic