In a State of ME-ocracy

There is something that is truly freeing when you decide to stop living for yourself. At times it seems to go against everything within us. It is a fault we must constantly toil with that is innate to human character. The simple truth is that this is something the whole world struggles with, and it doesn’t help that this self-seeking behavior has become an attitude which is socially acceptable and justified. With all that said, Christians are still called to “love your neighbor as yourself” - a concept that is at the heart of The Dream Center.

Last week, during an amazing outreach program called Project Prevention, I was gently reminded of how it feels to apply this concept to my daily life. (On a quick side note, Project Prevention is an outreach that brings food and basic essentials to families in the surrounding area that are in danger of losing their kids to foster care). During my time with Project Prevention, the leaders challenged everyone in the small group, of no more than 15, to truly listen to the different testimonies shared by all of the families. More importantly, I was being challenged to remove myself as numero uno in my life. Looking back, what they were really asking of our small group is for just a small period of time to live our lives for someone we may never see again.

Whether it is a bin full of food, a handshake, a cheerful smile, or an encouraging word we were being asked to find a way to truly love our neighbor. We were letting someone else’s problems become our own, sharing in their successes, and especially their failures, and taking a genuine interest in a life other than our own. When this happens the changes are transforming. It is amazing what can happen when someone chooses to get over how important they think they are and become a blessing. When we abandon our state of me-ocarcy, we stop worrying about our personal appearance, status, or possessions, and we find that we gain a peace that truly surpasses all understanding.

It might not come natural to put a complete stranger’s needs in front of your own, but I promise when we finally make this decision it is life changing. In a world obsessed with finding itself, God desires for us to lose ourselves in service to others.

-Nic

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

Without Help, It’s Too Bad To Be True

The past couple Thursday afternoons I have been able to help Project Prevention as they make food deliveries to families at risk of losing their children to foster care due to poverty. Until my recent experience, I did not realize this was even possible, and I wish it were not.

Our first stop was a single mother living with her two children. Before she found help at The Dream Center and Project Prevention, she and her young boys had little food and no furniture, including beds. After listening to her story and seeing how much she loves her children, I cannot imagine the pain she has already gone through and the thought of potentially losing her very own boys. On a daily basis she is faced with more pain and anxiety I have ever felt in my entire life, but her smile week-after-week challenges me and my attitude.

Next, we stop on a corner occupied by a small convenience store. After heading up a narrow stairway leading to apartments above the property, we knock on the door of another single mother living with her five children. That alone would be difficult for almost any single parent, but as I unloaded the food on a small table that could tightly seat two, I notice there is only one bedroom in the apartment. I realize this entire family lives in an area about the size of my college dorm room!

While I thought about my college years, I spoke with the eldest child, a boy who is going to be a senior in high school in the fall. He told me about his plans after high school, which includes attending college in the Los Angeles area next year. I was impressed by his attitude and the fact that he did not use his current situation as an excuse.

After receiving many “thank you’s” from the grateful family, we made our way to a few more stops before heading back to The Dream Center. Sadly, each one had a similar sad story of parents struggling to provide the basics for themselves and their children. Thankfully, as I have seen so many times, whether with Project Prevention, on Skid Row, or in the housing projects of South Central Los Angeles, there is a sense of peace and hope in those with so little to the naked eye. But through sharing Christ and taking the families to church, many have found the strength needed to make it through each day.

Thanks to those who work with Project Prevention every day and those who support the ministry, we are able to give hope to those with not much else.

- Jesse