Deja Vu...

Have you ever had deja vu? You know... the weird mind thing where you see something and you think you've seen it before. That happened to me tonight.

On Sunday nights we let all the kids hang out at the Rock Island House from 7-9. As I was making hamburgers in the kitchen, I looked out the window to the back patio and saw the most amazing sight. There, in the back of a house, in a neighborhood, in perhaps the roughest part of Oklahoma City were at least 10 kids playing basketball outside in the dark and they were laughing so hard! It was just a moment when I could tell everything in the world (gangs, drugs, violence, addiction) seemed so far from their minds. It was deja vu for me and I couldn't remember where I had seen it before. Then it hit me... I had seen it in my dreams. I had dreamed of a picture of our kids playing together, laughing together and feeling safe together.

I was so excited to see that dream come true tonight. Next on the list, to watch at least one of them walk across the stage and get their diploma. God is good all the time!

Luke, hard at work!

Luke put in some major hours working at the mission on Tuesday.

"We stay here..."

Yesterday I was doing some research on the neighborhood and came up with this. The first picture is of the crimes within .25 mile of the mission in the last year. The second picture is the same statistic for a random address in a middle class Edmond neighborhood. See any difference?

A month or two back one of our kids got jumped on the street right in front of our eyes. Luke and Ron broke it up and got threatened in the process. Apparently the kid that jumped our kid is a member of a notorious local gang. He mentioned bringing other members back after us. We had all the kids get inside the building and we locked ourselves in. During our lock down I was talking with one of the teenage boys. Although this kid is over 6 foot and usually one our "tough kids", he was visibly scared about the consequences of us messing with gang members, or rather protecting one of our kids. I tried to encourage him and tell him that God would protect us and everything would be okay... his response was one that I won't soon forget. He said, "At the end of every day you get in your car and drive back to your home in Edmond, when you do that, we stay here and LIVE in this".

I don't think there are any black and white answers of how to save our kids from their surroundings. But, I do know that each day we can ask for God to continue to place his angels around the houses of our kids as they sleep at night. Will you pray that protection over them too?

And the baby was wrapped in swaddling clothes and put in a laundry basket!

Some days we can get a little busy around here. Along with the normal workload comes the task of finding a safe option for all the neighborhood kids that find their way up here. This was my solution last Monday.

My 50 special valentines...

I'm here at home sick today! Most people love sick days off from work, but I'm always worried I'm going to miss some awesome event or God story at the mission. Luke called a few minutes ago and told me that 4 of our roughest kids were baptized this morning. I almost had a coronary. But he was joking, he knows I hate not being there. Funny joke Luke!

Currently I'm sitting here with the computer planning what's bound to be the best inner-city valentines party this city has ever seen. Ha! I usually try to ignore Valentines Day like the plague, but this year I am excited. I am excited because this February 14th instead of having that one special valentine, I have 50 special valentines. All my elementary kids! I am undertaking the project of writing individual valentines to every child right now. The best part about this tedious task is that I get to tell each kid individually how much Jesus loves them and I love them.

I tell the kids I love them alot and I usually get these shocked looks and blank stares. They are definitely not used to hearing those words, which makes me sad. I grew up in a house where those words were said to me on a daily basis and I'm so thankful for that. My goal is to say those three words so many times that at some point I will stop getting shocked responses and possibly even one day get an "I love you too!" We'll see....

Girls bible study update--- It's not quite visible yet how God is working, but I'm sure He is! Next week we dive into our book "Daughters of Heaven". I hope it's good. We'll see... "seed planting Chandy seed planting!" I'm going to keep chanting that over and over as a reminder.

I feel like there are going to be some awesome stories from the boys study and I hope that Luke and Ron share them. When you're around them you can seriously feel that something powerful is happening. Some strong leaders are going to rise up from those boys. I pray that some will rise from the girls too!

Girls Bible Study- Yikes!

Tonight we start girls bible study. I'm very nervous! It's hard for me to imagine counseling and studying the bible with teens who have so much more life experience than me. They are dealing with some rough stuff that some of us can't even imagine. I have prayed about it and I know the Lord will speak. Will you pray about it too?

a-PASTOR-fee-ess

Today the younger of the "kisser and hugger" brothers, who is 5, told me that when he grows up he's going to be a pastor. He said he wants to be one because he wants to "learn people about God". Right when I'm on the verge of crying over his new desire.. he adds "actually I want to be a 'a-PASTOR-fee-ess'. " Apparently in his first grade class they have been studying about the use of APOSTROPHE S. I'm still not sure he understands the difference between a pastor and apostrophe S.

I am also pleased to anounce that I have now been confirmed as one of their best friends. Yesterday Luke and I dropped them off at the temporary shelter they are hiding out in from their abusive father. The first one got out and said "thank you friends", then the littlest one said "thank you best friends". This coming from the little boys that a few weeks ago couldn't wait to wave their middle finger in our direction. I think I might keep them!

Can I get an amen?!?!

Praise be to God! This is Lourdes. A woman who I have come to adore in the past years I've known her. If my job would allow me to take families home with me (which is not a possibility.. I've asked!), I would take Lourdes and her kids. She is the 26 year old mother of 4.. two of which happen to be the two I have posted about before, "the hugger and kisser". Their mother made a very brave decision this weekend to leave her cocaine addicted and physically abusive husband. While that is a huge decision, her biggest decision came this morning at 9 o'clock when we gathered in our sanctuary to watch her accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior and be baptized into Christ.

Lourdes has been through alot in her life. The good news to me is that one day she will get to leave this painful world and go to a place where there are no drugs, abuse, hunger, filth, poverty and loneliness. Today her name was written in the book of life! Can I get an amen?!?!

I love Jesus so much I'm gonna cry...

I just wanted to write a quick "blurb" (if that's a word) letting everyone know to check out Luke and Ron's blogs.

We will all 3 be blogging about stories at work. It's interesting to see our different takes on them. Ron's wife, Susan, has created nicknames for each. She says that Luke's should be titled "I'm wise and know scripture", Ron's should be "Look at me make fun of my job" and mine should be "I love Jesus so much I'm gonna cry". Ha. Definitely true. Ron is pretty hilarious in his and Luke is just really good about getting the point across. I guess I would be the tear-jerker. That's probably because I spend a majority of my time at work boo-hooing (another great word) about stuff.

Anyways, if you want to keep in tuned with what's going on at the mission, they have great blogs to read.

www.ronstale.blogspot.com
www.lukesfoodforthought.blogspot.com

Also, if you wanna check out our ever-changing webpage:

www.crossandcrownmission.com

I'm now headed off to the worship/superbowl party!! It starts at 6. If you want to come, just stop by.

Dear God, help my dad to stop doing drugs....

I will make this short... but I don't want to. Tonight was by far the biggest break through we have had with our Rock Island Youth. There are lots of details that I'm sure Ron or Luke will blog about, but I'm going to talk about the prayer at the end.

At the end of our bible study tonight we decided to do a chain prayer. We have tried this before and the only three that pray are Ron, Luke and I. NONE of our kids have ever prayed out loud. I assumed the same tonight. I started the prayer off and waited for the hand-squeezing to get passed down the line so Ron and Luke could pray. Then I heard an unexpected voice. One of our kids... "God, please help my uncles stop doing cocaine and drinking beer". I was shocked.. I again waited for Ron or Luke's voice. A different voice... "God please watch over my dad while he is in prison.. most people don't make it in maximum security". My lip starts to quiver and I wait. Yet another voice.. "God, please help my dad stop doing drugs." At this point I'm feeling tears streaming down my face. Lastly a girl speaks up.. but the words don't come as sobs fill the air. We close the prayer with an Amen and I look up at our "youth group".. the boys who usually are quick to make fun of each other, threaten and use rough language just stand in silence. Many have wet eyes...

A few minutes after the awesome prayer the kids disperse and begin their video games.. the first one who prayed says "that's the first time I've prayed in my whole life" another chimes in and says, "me too" and yet another admits this fact. My heart is broken and I'm crying but I am SO excited.. The Lord has crossed another barrier with the kids. He is transforming lives right in front of my eyes!