June recap! [chicago & manchester edition]

Hello again! I’m currently writing to you from the Dallas/Fort Worth airport awaiting my flight to Bismarck, North Dakota for my next short term trip I’ll be leading!

I wish I could share all the stories and tell you all the things that happened in June! It was so action packed; filled with travel and ministry in one familiar city and one new city.

CHICAGO

Being immersed into the streets and neighborhoods of Chicago has become one of my favorite places to be. I, along with 4 other leaders, got to lead a youth group from rural Indiana to the south side of Chicago. We partnered with a local church named Bethel Temple. Bethel’s heart and intent in the city is to serve and show the love of Jesus within their community. We came alongside and joined right in on what they’re already doing! We got to have a clothing drive and hand out food to those in need. The high schoolers helped moms pick out clothes for their kids; they handed groceries into open car windows from those driving by and all those walking from their homes to see what we were doing. We prayed with people, invited them to church and listened to the things heavy on their hearts and minds. 

We spent one afternoon at a christian ministry called Devon Oasis. Devon is located in the north side in an area commonly referred to as Little India. Most of the residents in this community are refugees that have fled their home countries due to war and natural disaster. Devon exists to be a light in the community, which is primarily Islamic faith, to establish a long term relationship with the families by means of teaching English and offering tutoring for the children. We got to help put on a celebration for the kids’ last day of school! We face painted, learned and played their cultural games, and enjoyed spending time with the kids and moms that came. One of the young Muslim girls that came told me ‘I’ve never laughed this hard in my life!’ during one of the games we were playing. Right before that she told me how sad she was that school was over and that she’ll probably never see her friends again. 

Our trip to Chicago wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the bean and Millennium Park. The high school kids got a good dose of the city, riding the train and interacting with the homeless community living along the route. We had an amazing week. The kids were stretched and leaned into it every step of the way. I left feeling encouraged and even more aware of the importance of sharing and showing the gospel in everyday life.

MANCHESTER

I bounced right into leading my next trip to New Hampshire! Myself and 3 others led a high school youth group from South Dakota to inner city Manchester. I learned quickly that homeless and opioid abuse plagued so many men and women found in most parks and hanging around so many street corners.

We spent every morning serving with a local kids ministry called Roca Kidz Club. They exist to show the love of Jesus to any and every kid that comes. Most of them have grown up in poverty with parents that struggle with addiction. Some are refugees in single parent homes helping to raise younger siblings. We taught them games, sang songs, taught stories from the bible, went surfing with them and countless other things that filled our weeks with such joy and vibrancy. 

During the afternoons we served at a local homeless outreach center and cafe called 1269. It’s purpose is to give those experiencing homeless and struggling with addiction and/or mental illness a place to come, be cared for and be given resources for rehabilitation. They provide hot meals, showers, laundry services, food and clothing donations and soon to be medical care, dentistry, mental health services and more. And let me tell you.. I thrived here! We were able to sit with the men and women, chat and hear their stories. We served them coffee and lunch, shared biblical stories and prayed over them individually. We learned and remembered their names in the afternoons and saw them in the parks in the evenings during evening outreach. It was heartwarming when they remembered my name and heartbreaking watching them barely making it each day. 

The youth did the best job loving every kid and person they met. They were eager to sit and listen, pray and encourage and love like Jesus would. This trip and the city of Manchester inspired my hope for the lost and brokenhearted. I’m continually blown away being around the younger generation that is alive and on fire for Christ. 

Well, if you’re still with me reading this, I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing a snap shot of my month! Thank you to all of you who have prayed, donated and encouraged me! I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without your support and belief in the ministry God has called me into. THANK YOU!

Prayer requests:

• my next trip starting this week to Bismarck, ND! And my last trip of the summer to Mayfield, KY at the end of the month!
• support raising! I’m currently at 60% committed and funded! (I see you *anonymous donor* you’ve grown my faith and provided for me BIG TIME! You’ve helped me get to 90% the last few months! How can I thank you?!)

Let me know how I can be praying for you!