Another God Story

Glass on North Ave. & Springfield

Yesterday night, Esme said: "Ms. Nikki, I was catching the bus on North and Springfield in the morning and there was a ton of glass from the bus stop. I was going to call you or collect it, but we didn't have our phone and I couldn't collect it, because I was going to school."

Little did Esme know, one of the New Life Staff, Marena had called us when she was taking her daughter to school. My roomie who was going to go on a run, but she ended up collecting a ton of it (I had a meeting and was running out the door). The glass was extremely heavy, but Lisa ran into a man whose family we were working with--he helped her carry it! How about three cheers for COMMUNITY EFFORT!

God has taught us so much about community here in the neighborhood! He has shown me the reality: many people (often unlikely characters) play a role in His Story. The amazing GOD STORY of renewal and redemption. Sometimes, a "God thing" seems impossible. You don't know how you're going to manage to do it, but you go to that place He has shown you out of pure obedience and faith that He will work it out.

The story of collecting this glass may seem a little small compared to how God works out big plans, but not really. God used five different people that day--and all of them contributed in some way to helping God work out His will through the apprentice program. Many of the characters He used may not have known that they were contributing to the lives of 3 neighborhood teens who are learning about the love of Jesus and seeking to know truth in this crazy world.

BLING Apprentices Excited to Sponsor Compassion Child

Yesterday night at BLING apprentice program, we talked about the importance to "pour" your life into the lives of others. We watched a video from Compassion International called "One Act". Helen, Yaneth, and Esme all decided that they wanted to give a portion of  their apprentice stipend to sponsor child.

Yaneth said, "I'm a selfish person sometimes. When I do get something, I want to use it for something I need. This good, because I can help someone else--even if it's just a little bit."

"This is a good idea," Helen said as she cut more purple wire. 

"We want to make a difference," Esmeralda said as she continued to wrap Urban Hope.

My heart overflowed!

-Nikki, BLING Facilitator

"One Act"

http://vimeo.com/10353578#

New Life

I went to an art event at the Moody Church a week ago. A group of women who had experienced a multitude of abuses stood before us delivering poetry, singing songs, and painting canvases to display the healing power of God in the darkest of times.

Underneath this canvas pictured above is a dark picture of a mask with words like "horror," "sadness," "anger," "silence," etc. The artist used that first painting with its colors, forms and shapes to produce this work of hope.

That night, I cried. Cried about many things... but a particular stream of tears was produced when I thought that one day, some of the kids I work with would experience God and all His healing power. That one day, they would be the ones up on the stage, with  mic, with a paintbrush, with a healed heart...

Out of the darkness--the soil--of sin and oppression, God sovereignly can use it to produce new life. What a beautiful picture of God's grace, ability, and power.

Nikki, BLING Facilitator

In My Own Words: A Day in the Apprentice Program

         We came in and we talked about people skills (soft skills); we talk about the skills we have. And, the skills we need to work on to become better at.
          We talked about Miss Nikki at the conference and how it went, how much money we made, and making our [production] goals.Then we took some things up to the Bling room and tried to figure and organize things & where do we want things to go and what color it should be. 
          Then we took a break now we choose a topic now we have to write about. Then some kids came in and Miss Nikki explain to them what BLING is and how they could start making their own jewelry. 
                                                                                                                                                                      Helen, age 16

What I Witnessed, a Journal Entry

So, my last week prayer request was for  the violence in our street to stop. 

So what happened to me last week was I was going to this new ice cream shop. They barely opened, so me and my cousin and brothers were walking like at 10.30 at night and all the sudden what we saw was some gangbangers beating on a teenager. 

What I experienced was bad. I felt like they were treating and beating on the guy like if he was a dog or garbage. I realize that that some people don’t realize what’s happening in our environment outside. I never realized myself until I saw it. It was some kind of bad experienced i will never forget. Someone needs to step up and be brave.

*** 

We were writing this, then Yaneth says, "Nobody stands up to them, because they are scared."

"I would," said Helen.

 "You would? But, then they would take a gun to prove themselves that they are tough." 
                     
                                                                                                                               Esme, 15

BLING Girls Visit!

Camera-shy. This is definitely a phrase to describe these two BLING girls. These two girls were pillars last year in BLING. Now, freshman attending two different schools, this pair of best friends continue to bring laughs and theatrics back into New Life Centers. Trying to work BLING into their schedules, they came by for a visit and to catch up!

BLING Shop and Workshop!

Old Floor

Typical wall in this room--heavily damaged.

Falling Cieling.

Cracked Tiles.

Chunked-out walls.

Once an outdated, falling apart room BECOMES a safe, beautiful space for BLING. 

It is so exciting that BLING will now have our own space. 

This is my prayer:

God,

Thank you for this space. Thank you that this old room has become a new space for youth to display creativity, learn about you, and acquire new skills. Thank you for pulling people together from the church, centers, and my students to care about this place and pour hours into it! Thank you that you are a God who provides amazing gifts like this. I am overwhelmed by your graciousness, and pray that we would be good stewards of it.

Thank you Lord!