TODAY'S REPORT:
Tuesday and Wednesday were two very full days in Chicago. Lots of kids and quite a few of their adult guardians are participating in the week's "Family Camp" activities. Adult registrations for Tuesday were near 70 total contacts. Wednesday more than 100 adults registered. Most had multiple children with them so we are churning out custom birdhouses, water guns and handprint art about as fast as it can be done! Not to mention washing some feet and "prettying up" the ladies at tonight's "spa night."
Where to begin... Much of what we are doing with the families involves workmanship. Artistic birdhouses demonstrate the creativity of the children as they work with their parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents... whoever is with them. Other art projects (like the handprint art tonight and tomorrow's chalk art) are expressions of that same God-given creativity. We are trying to demonstrate how they also are "fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139:14)" by a God who loves them. In fact, He loves them enough that He created them in His own image (Genesis 1:27) - when we demonstrate the creativity He planted in us, we are exercising that part of us that is created in God's image.
Tonight, the men and boys engaged is some good old-fashioned grunt testosterone fun (water gun fights), along with a devotion led by Charles Boyd on what it means to be a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). The ladies got pampered. Spa night. Pedicures. And foot washings, lotions, sweet smelling what-nots... all the stuff girls like so much. But more than that, it provides an opportunity to share how Jesus came "not to be served, but to serve (Mk 10:45);" and to describe how "beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" (Romans 10:15); and to discuss how Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, and what the meaning of that act was (John 13:4-15).
Where to begin... Much of what we are doing with the families involves workmanship. Artistic birdhouses demonstrate the creativity of the children as they work with their parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents... whoever is with them. Other art projects (like the handprint art tonight and tomorrow's chalk art) are expressions of that same God-given creativity. We are trying to demonstrate how they also are "fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139:14)" by a God who loves them. In fact, He loves them enough that He created them in His own image (Genesis 1:27) - when we demonstrate the creativity He planted in us, we are exercising that part of us that is created in God's image.
Tonight, the men and boys engaged is some good old-fashioned grunt testosterone fun (water gun fights), along with a devotion led by Charles Boyd on what it means to be a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). The ladies got pampered. Spa night. Pedicures. And foot washings, lotions, sweet smelling what-nots... all the stuff girls like so much. But more than that, it provides an opportunity to share how Jesus came "not to be served, but to serve (Mk 10:45);" and to describe how "beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" (Romans 10:15); and to discuss how Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, and what the meaning of that act was (John 13:4-15).
Here are a few pics and a brief video compilation that I thought I'd share to give a feel for what is happening. There are many more photos than just the sampling I'm including on this blog. For those who want to see more (and for those along on the trip who have asked for the blog address, but likely are more interested in seeing the dozens and dozens of photos and vids we are taking), I'm working on putting together a Picasa or Flickr folder or something sometime in the next couple of weeks. For now, though, this will have to do. Enjoy:
PRAYER NEEDS:
Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement. It was great to hear from several of you today already and to know that God's work here in Chicago remains a prayer priority for you too. Today please pray especially for:
- Families for City South. For families to feel comfortable joining a new church, most will need to know the comfort of being surrounded by other families with whom they feel they have something in common. This is a challenge at the moment. Rachael and I have been struck by this very real initial need for families who live in the immediate area of Ward Elementary (parents and children) to wholeheartedly join the work of City South Church. We believe God may already be laying the groundwork for answering that prayer. Rachael spoke with three moms tonight at some length about the characteristics of a good, strong, Bible-based church and what it can mean for their own spiritual growth and for their family's. The fact that we were able to come in a day early and spend Sunday morning studying with Eric and the City South group came in particularly handy as two of the moms she met had questions about Baptism. How providential that Eric is answering those exact questions right now in his weekly lessons. Please pray that families with questions will come here looking for answers (because we know here they will be guided directly into God's Word for those answers).
- Overcoming the language and cultural barriers. Racial and cultural divides in this part of Chicago run deep. To chalk it up to simple racism would be an oversimplification (although I am sure there is much of that too). Here, different ethnicities often speak completely different languages. English, Spanish, Chinese, Cantonese are among the languages spoken here by different ethnic groups. And each group has large enough numbers that they have little need to learn to communicate with the others. So, they tend to interact only with their own, and they tend to not have much use for the others. That's a problem generally, but it is especially challenging when trying to start a church that focuses on seeing people the way God sees them: as infinitely valuable creations in God's own image. Further, there are very practical challenges to reaching people in a very small geographical footprint that are generally not inclined to learn any language but their own. Pray that these barriers will break down and that God's church will be the mechanism He uses to erase these divisions. What great glory to God it would be to see His power transform these cultures in a positive way. If the people living here can experience that, just think of the far greater and more glorious things He has in store for them next!
- Please pray for me as I share the story of Jesus Thursday night. Most of those I will share the story with have little or no frame of reference for Jesus or Christianity or the Bible. Others may have a faith background that is based on little more than tradition and not much of that. And of course, there are the language and cultural barriers. I don't know how this is going to work, but I am leaving that to God. My job is to be obedient and faithful to scripture. His job is to be great and amazing and to touch the hearts of the lost. Pray that He will tomorrow (Thursday) night.
Once again, please feel free to share these posts with others you know who will pray along with all of us for a succesful mission trip. We so desire to lift God's name and to share Him with those who do not yet know Him. Sign up at http://ourabfclass.blogspot.com (upper right hand corner) to receive this blog via email. You can also share it on facebook, twitter, or just by plain old e-mail via the links that appear at the bottom of this (and every) post on this blog. Or join our ABF Group on Facebook and you can follow blog posts as they show up there.
We love you and are so thankful for you. Please know that you all remain in our prayers daily as well.
God's Blessings,
Matt
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