Thursday, September 25, 2008

September 2008 News

The Next six posts contain the following contents of our most recent newsletter, Reaching out to Youth Through the Ministries of Bethel Temple:

  • Surviving on their Own
  • Eagles Win Timoteo Flag Football Championship
  • Death is Raw in the Hood
  • Children of the City
  • Praises and Prayer Requests
  • Support Needs and Contact information

Surviving On Their Own


You have most likely heard the statement that kids in our neighborhood raise themselves. But what does that mean? Does it mean that they are orphans living in boxes on the street? Do you picture parents doing drugs in front of the TV, while the child fixes dinner for himself? Though these situations exist, they represent a very small number.

Take, for example, the way Nes grew up. At age five, his father died. His mother never had anymore children and raised Nes on her own. She never did drugs, always provided his physical needs and taught him right from wrong. She sent him to church and scolded him when he stayed out too late. She gave him chores around the house and found a tutor when he needed help in school. So why does he feel he fended for himself? It certainly was not that she didn’t care or didn’t try.

He tells me he had to figure out most life skills for himself. His mom lacked many resources to pass on to him. She did not attend church regularly or have a healthy spiritual life. His mom lacked a high school education and could not speak English well. He did not have a father.

Look at one of our youth named Samir. His mother worries about her 15 year old son. His father is in jail, and Samir struggles with anger and rage. She has told Nes and I on more than one occasion that she breathes sighs of relief when she knows Samir is hanging out with us. She is very reluctant to come to church. Please pray that she will surrender herself to God. Without Him she just doesn’t know what to do with Samir and lacks the resources to figure it out.

Still, God has showered His grace on this young man. His brain is a sponge and he takes in every bible study lesson. He has been consistently involved in Timoteo football, Sunday school and helps us with our kids and our garden. He is surviving because God is working in him.
We praise God for defying the worldly odds with many of our youth. And we pray for them to receive the resources that their parents didn’t have.
Samir is pictured above on the far right next to Mike and Danielle.

Eagles Win Timoteo Flag Football Championship


I am not trying to brag, but my husband is the greatest coach I have ever known! He pushed these guys to surrender their self-centeredness, play as a team and be an example of what it means to live for Christ. In the end, they accomplished an undefeated season as an added bonus!
Some of these guys are Christians and others are still searching, but we pray that the lessons learned will draw them closer to becoming what the Lord desires for them. Many live within a block of us and we continue to have many opportunities to interact with them.
Pictured above are Bryant and "Snoop" who play on the Timoteo Eagles team. They are wearing their new high school team jerseys for this fall.
For more on the Timoteo Flag football league visit the site at Timoteofootball.com

Death is Raw in the Hood


Lyza, a classmate to kids in our youth group, committed suicide. A young girl died of a heart attack one block from our home. A church family’s 10-year-old son died. Carlos, a young man who came up through our youth group was killed in a car accident. Ciso, a man from our block who grew up with Nes, was tortured and killed as revenge. Another young man was shot one block from the church.

All of this happened this year. Whether it happens to the “innocent” or to the “delinquent,” our community struggles to make sense of it. At the same time, there is numbness. The news seems to communicate, “There goes another one.” Unless it is a cop. Then coverage lasts for weeks.

In another neighborhood, you can watch countless neighbors on television in shock, wondering how this could happen. In ours, neighbors build shrines of teddy bears and candles and balloons—left to soak in the rain.

How does God call us to respond to people’s grief in a place like this?

We must share the gospel and explain the hope that is in Christ. We need to encourage folks to share with their families. Then, we can take the advice of Paul: “...we do not want you...to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.” I Thessalonians 4:13

Children of the City


Fingerprints and noseprints left on the storm door glass by friends peering in. Chalk scribble on the sidewalk. Trips to the corner store for a treat. Ice cream trucks playing music in the distance. Four preschoolers chattering around a sprinkler. These are images you cannot replicate. These are the experiences of raising children in the city.

Someone recently told me that the reason he moved out of Philadelphia was because it just got to dangerous for his daughter. I told him that our children are safe only because God takes care of them. Of course we have our share of fears. But God calls us to be grateful for the pleasures the city gives us and trust Him for the rest.

“The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there." This is what the LORD Almighty says: "It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?" declares the LORD Almighty.” Zechariah 8:5,6
(Pictured above are our children playing in the school yard near our home.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

Praises
· Alecia was accepted to a Dual Language Charter School for kindergarten.
· Great Timoteo football season.
· Tasty tomatoes and peaches from our garden!
· Some you have increased your support.

Prayer Requests
· Alecia’s transition to kindergarten.
· Annual Senior High Retreat, October 24-26 to Camp Andrews.
· ONE youth rallies: September 19 and November 14.
· Wisdom to Sunday school teachers and youth leaders.
· That God would help us love those who are hard to love.
· Guidance about a new ministry opportunity.