Kingdom Service Day 22: Acting Locally

On Sunday, I spoke about the willingness to be present with people.  Often when I have spent time having conversations with people about poverty and/or race, I hear from folks who are often targeted for service, and I hear them say, "Instead of trying to come fix us or make us your project, why don't you just come join us at one of our church suppers?" or "Why don't you just come get to know us?"

Here are a couple of upcoming opportunities to be present and to join with our partner church, Harvest Vineyard:

This Saturday, October 26:      Fall Harvest Party Noon-4 p.m.
Harvest Vineyard 715 E. 4th Street, Waterloo, IA
A great opportunity for all ages of individuals and families!

Noon-1:00  Lunch is served
1:00-3:30 p.m.  Game and Craft Stations
3:30-4:15 p.m.  Celebrating 10 years of Harvest Vineyard!

The theme is Western, so if you want to throw on your cowboy hat and lasso on down to Harvest for any or all of the afternoon, you are warmly welcome to do so!  


Next Saturday, November 2:  Freedom Cafe  Open Mic Night    7:30-9:30 p.m.
Harvest Vineyard, 715 E. 4th Street, Waterloo, IA

Come enjoy the creative expressions of many as people share song, poetry, and more from the open mic!  You can come just to listen or you can come with something you'd like to share.  No need to sign up for mic time in advance.  

Meet some new people, enjoy some coffee and treats, and consider a freewill donation to help free young people from human trafficking through Rapha House.

If you have questions or need more information, contact Laura Hoy by clicking here.

Kingdom Service Day 21: Relationships

If you'd like to see my teaching on Mutual Relationships (seeing from Kingdom lenses rather than the world's lenses) you may watch it here!

Kingdom Service Day 20: Journeying no matter the season of life

I gave the message today at church and spoke about journeying away from seeing people through the world's eyes toward gaining Kingdom vision and seeing people through the eyes of Jesus.

One young mom came up to me post-teaching, and she shared how she'd like to get involved in some of the work that is going on in our community.  We began to visit and ended up talking about various seasons of life and how her life right now is filled with parenting young children.

As we spoke, I wanted to encourage her in two ways....

1. This season of her life requires a great deal of Kingdom Service right in her home with her family, and that "counts"!  That's good and beautiful.
2.  Secondly, I spoke with her about how she could listen and learn outside of her comfort zone even in this season of life.

Here are some ideas for young families who may not have much time to give outside of family life....

A. After the kids go to bed, watch movies that help you better understand the racialization of our society.  "The Butler" is a recent movie that is important to watch.  Find movies that help you better understand our history and how we've become such a segregated society.  "Amistad" is another important movie to watch.

B.  Stretch your multi-cultural, multi-ethnic muscles....go out to eat at a locally owned restaurant that serves something other than American food...El Patron, Honey Garden, the Marsala Grill, etc...

C.  Take your family to family-friendly community events.  There was recently a Hispanic Cultural Fest at UNI.  This summer, I took our children to the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Walk.  It was one mile long, and it commemorated King's "I Have a Dream" speech.  Families could easily have pushed strollers along the route!

D.  UNI has an International Friendship program.  When our twins were babies, we were paired with Atsuko, a student from Japan.  We love Atsuko and still stay in touch 13 years later.  Atsuko ate meals at our place, played with Nathan and Sara, went Christmas tree hunting with us, etc...  She taught us how to make sushi, too!  :)  This program would be a great way to meet someone from another country and to also give a UNI student a little taste of family life in Iowa.  I don't have the contact information for this, but if you're interested, I'd be happy to hunt down the info with you!

E.  Read your children some children's books that share about life outside of white upper-class America. There are some beautiful books that introduce our children to God's wonderful and diverse world!

F.  While the kids are napping, read Scripture and read books that help teach and challenge you to love neighbors outside of our known zones!

There are many ways to learn, grow, and serve no matter our stage of life!  I recently heard of one mom who is taking her children to a nursing home regularly and visiting with a resident there.  Beautiful!!

What are some other ways you're learning, growing, and serving in your particular season of life?

Kingdom Service Day 19: Women

 Loved, loved, loved being at a women's retreat today at Orchard Hill Church; a retreat that empowered women in so many ways and called them out to live as God has created them to live and serve.

Three important links to check out below...all had booths today and all are on mission to walk women out of oppression and poverty.  There's beautiful jewelry, bags, and baskets to purchase.  Buy a gift and change the world through your support!


http://www.noondaycollection.com/

http://www.projectlydia.org/

http://www.raphahouse.org/

Kingdom Service Day 18: Prayers for our friends in Mozambique

I know that we've got problems to solve as a nation and government in the United States.  The recent government shut-down is evidence of some pretty serious dysfunction, I know.  But today, I still sent my children to school with fair confidence that their lives won't be threatened.  After dropping them off for the day, I drove across town without fear of being ambushed.

Not so for my brothers and sisters in the Gorongosa region of Mozambique.  Political unrest and next month's elections are causing literal fighting in the villages and along the roadways.  Just a few days ago, fighting broke out in the area where many of our sponsored children live with their families.  As children go off to school, as family members travel through their days working for their livelihood, they are currently living in fear and real danger of being attacked and threatened and separated from one another.

Would you stop and pray for them today?  Pray for a strong sense of Christ's presence and courage.  Pray for peace.  Pray for health and integrity in their country's leadership and government.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to protect families and children.  Pray for the Food for the Hungry staff who live and work in the community. Help them to be the healing presence of Jesus bringing truth and grace to those around them during this strife.

Kingdom Service Day 17: Fill the Bus to Haiti

At Orchard Hill Church this month, individuals and families are generously giving money to buy tables, chairs, and computers that will be shipped on a bus that our partners in Haiti, United Christians International, purchased for their ministry.  Shipping the bus from Florida to Haiti is priced by volume not weight, so it made sense to load the bus with supplies that UCI needs and requested.  But that's not even the best news...

These tables, chairs, and computers will be used in a university at UCI that is in its second year and is growing in reputation and size.  It is an accredited university that will have the country's first hands-on science laboratory for their pre-med students.  It will also have an agricultural program for students that will provide food for the university students.  But that's not even the best news...

University professors are Haitians who have masters degrees and are passionate followers of Christ.  Students who come to the university are not required to be Christian, but they are immersed in a dynamic Christian community; an environment full of Bible Study, prayer, worship, and service.  When I was there last Spring, I had the privilege to play volleyball with university students, to sit in a living room laughing and play ridiculous games with college students until late at night, and to spend an evening sitting in a large circle outside with the leaders of UCI, JeanJean and Kristie Mompremier, college students, and the team we brought from Iowa.  We sang, we laughed, we played games, and we were able to pray together for a college student who came forth and gave her life to Christ.  JeanJean translated and told us that this student had decided to give her life to Christ after witnessing and being part of such a joy-filled, peace-filled, purpose-filled community.  She wanted what she saw in believers, and she crossed the line of faith into Christ's life in the Kingdom of God.  That's the best news!  

Students will not only leave the university as educated leaders for their Haitian communities. Many will leave as Christian leaders equipped as disciples to share the Gospel in word and deed.  Jesus will transform hearts, lives, and communities as His Church spreads out across Haiti.  

It's a joy to partner with UCI and to help provide the university students with sturdy chairs, tables, and some computers for their education.  

It's a joy to partner with UCI in their mission...

"To develop disciple-making churches for the glory of God that:

-Exalt Christ (Matthew 28:16-18)

-Evangelize the lost (Matthew 28:19) 

-Edify believers (Matthew 28:20)

...beginning in the Central Plateau of Haiti and extending to all the world."

Orchard Hill Church has been invited to help UCI  and the university have a part in changing Haiti and the world--for the glory of God!

Kingdom Service Day 16: Pillowcase Dresses

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:15-17)

Orchard Hill Church tries to enact a wholistic approach to ministry through the leadership of JeanJean and Kristie Mompremier, our local Haitian partners. When Kristie asked for new dresses for young girls in their community, the creative minds at Orchard set out to sew pillowcase dresses.

These dresses provide much-needed clothing for the girls, but Orchard hopes they also add one more layer of protection in their everyday life.

“By providing a new dress, you may well be changing a young girl’s destiny.” Dress a Girl Around the World continues by explaining, “Village pastors tell us that a girl wearing a new dress presents an appearance that she is well cared for and may discourage would-be predators.”

“It is life-changing,” shared Deb Lindaman who has traveled to Haiti 12 times. She had the opportunity to fit girls in the dresses on a recent trip, and she said it was so fun to experience the excitement with the girls and their families.

The people of Orchard Hill Church are called to serve like Jesus, by caring for the whole person – mind, body, and soul.

Join us in this effort to clothe and protect the lovely girls in Haiti by ironing, cutting, sewing, offering new pillowcases, or donating $5 to pay for a dress. Orchard also scheduled three sewing events. To sign up or receive more information, stop by the Event Desk or contact Kara Vander Wiel (karav@cfu.net).
______________________________________________________________________________

One of these sewing events took place last night!  Thirty eager servants came together for an evening of sewing and fellowship.  One dad even brought his 7th grade daughter who had an interest in learning how to sew.  Together they made pillowcase dresses for young girls in Haiti.  See a few photos below, and know that it's not too late to get involved.   Financial donations are being accepted for the dresses, and there are still two more sewing events.