Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Day 3: Pow...Wow...How
First off, let me just say that we're celebrating three birthdays while on this trip to San Francisco. Skyler Hust turned 15 yesterday, Lindsey Breeding turned 17 today (see picture below), and Meghan Whitaker turns 15 tomorrow.
Most everyone is off to bed by now. The lights have been turned off, so I'm writing this by the glow of my computer screen. My body is tired, but my mind is still awake.
At the end of each day, our city hosts challenge us to look back on the day we've just experienced. Today was not different. At our "debrief" meeting before dinner tonight, we were asked to participate in "Pow...Wow...How."
Pow = the low point of the day
Wow = the high point of the day
How = how did we see God at work?
Three quick points that sum up our day. They even seem to validate our low moments, which is good for our students to understand. Not all of life is filled with "highs", even on a missions trip.
As we went around our circle, it was amazing to hear how our students described things. I'm hoping they'll be able to share many of the moments. Their daily devotional journal allows room for them to review the day and write down stories. Ask 'em about them when you see them next.
Team 1 (Barb + Karin's Team) started their day off at the St. Vincent de Paul dining room, helping to prepare and serve food to the homeless in Oakland. Ask any member of this team and they will tell you that this turned out to be one of the "high" points for their day. Their insecurities about meeting, talking with, and serving homeless people seem to be going away as they gain experience. They are no longer "afraid" (which is so often the way we feel when we see someone on the street). They have begun to see these people as men, women & children that deserve the same respect and dignity as everyone else. This is true for our entire team. We are unable to go back to ignorance. Their afternoon activity was to "Meet a Need." Basically, the team was given $20 and were sent to a particular neighborhood to meet the need of a particular person, group of people, family, etc. They were not allowed to just give the $20 away to someone who looked like they needed money. (for example, if it was raining then buying cheap umbrellas would be a good option, or try to find some food for someone who is hungry). This activity continued to build their confidence of interacting with those in need.
Team 2 (Brenton + Rachel's Team) started the day off at the San Francisco Food Bank (see picture collage below).
This is a Costco-sized warehouse filled with all kinds of food that is distributed throughout the city to help feed the needy. Last year, the SF Food Bank distributed over 35 million pounds of food to 150,000 people. As for today, Team 2 packaged over 2,300 pounds of frozen, microwavable spaghetti into individual 16oz. packages. Tedious work, yes. Important work, definitely. After grabbing a quick sack lunch at the park in front of the houses where "Full House" was filmed and then driving down Lombard Street (in a 15-passenger van, no less),
Team 2 proceeded to the Hayes Valley Care center, which is an assisted living facility. Ask this team, and they will tell you that this was their "high" point of the day. There was something very powerful about spending a couple of hours with some elderly people who crave contact with the outside world. From playing card games with them, to watering their plants, to reading books and having simple conversation, to (David Ottestad) playing guitar and drawing an audience of elderly people, the time was well spent. The elderly are another "forgotten" population in the city, and it was good to share Christ's love through our actions.
Team 3 (Steve's team) started out at the Salvation Army Harbor Light center, tasked with organizing supplies for a summer VBS that they will be running for children in the area. Some of their high points were meeting the people that worked at the Salvation Army, listening to their testimonies of God's faithfulness, and being able to help them prepare for this special outreach to children. As for the afternoon, Team 3 was sent off on their own "Meet a Need" challenge, given $20 to meet the need of a person or group. After not getting anywhere for the first 1.5 hours, they team stopped and prayed for God to show them someone who need help and how they could help. I'll let them tell the story...it's pretty cool.
After debriefing the day, our team headed out for some Vietnamese food. We're trying to think if it's just us, but we're noticing this patter of "asian cuisine"--Indian, Thai and Vietnamese. Ha. The high point of the dinner was when Lindsey Breeding met a Vietnamese man who's birthday was today as well, and he was sitting with his family celebrating. Good times.
The after dinner "adventure" for some of our team was to drive across the Golden Gate bridge and back. Since we're here, might as well take in some of the sights.
God is having wonderful moments with our team this week. I'm encouraged by the ways our students are taking him seriously and listening at how they can play a part in helping to make the Kingdom of God a reality. I wish you could hear some of the conversations we're having, and how they are being challenged.
Big moments, for sure.
Tomorrow is another great day ahead. Our students are looking forward to tomorrow night, though, which is our "free night" here in the city. We're thinking of hitting up Fisherman's Warf.
Thanks for your prayers. Please continue.
Brenton
Most everyone is off to bed by now. The lights have been turned off, so I'm writing this by the glow of my computer screen. My body is tired, but my mind is still awake.
At the end of each day, our city hosts challenge us to look back on the day we've just experienced. Today was not different. At our "debrief" meeting before dinner tonight, we were asked to participate in "Pow...Wow...How."
Pow = the low point of the day
Wow = the high point of the day
How = how did we see God at work?
Three quick points that sum up our day. They even seem to validate our low moments, which is good for our students to understand. Not all of life is filled with "highs", even on a missions trip.
As we went around our circle, it was amazing to hear how our students described things. I'm hoping they'll be able to share many of the moments. Their daily devotional journal allows room for them to review the day and write down stories. Ask 'em about them when you see them next.
Team 1 (Barb + Karin's Team) started their day off at the St. Vincent de Paul dining room, helping to prepare and serve food to the homeless in Oakland. Ask any member of this team and they will tell you that this turned out to be one of the "high" points for their day. Their insecurities about meeting, talking with, and serving homeless people seem to be going away as they gain experience. They are no longer "afraid" (which is so often the way we feel when we see someone on the street). They have begun to see these people as men, women & children that deserve the same respect and dignity as everyone else. This is true for our entire team. We are unable to go back to ignorance. Their afternoon activity was to "Meet a Need." Basically, the team was given $20 and were sent to a particular neighborhood to meet the need of a particular person, group of people, family, etc. They were not allowed to just give the $20 away to someone who looked like they needed money. (for example, if it was raining then buying cheap umbrellas would be a good option, or try to find some food for someone who is hungry). This activity continued to build their confidence of interacting with those in need.
Team 2 (Brenton + Rachel's Team) started the day off at the San Francisco Food Bank (see picture collage below).
This is a Costco-sized warehouse filled with all kinds of food that is distributed throughout the city to help feed the needy. Last year, the SF Food Bank distributed over 35 million pounds of food to 150,000 people. As for today, Team 2 packaged over 2,300 pounds of frozen, microwavable spaghetti into individual 16oz. packages. Tedious work, yes. Important work, definitely. After grabbing a quick sack lunch at the park in front of the houses where "Full House" was filmed and then driving down Lombard Street (in a 15-passenger van, no less),
Team 2 proceeded to the Hayes Valley Care center, which is an assisted living facility. Ask this team, and they will tell you that this was their "high" point of the day. There was something very powerful about spending a couple of hours with some elderly people who crave contact with the outside world. From playing card games with them, to watering their plants, to reading books and having simple conversation, to (David Ottestad) playing guitar and drawing an audience of elderly people, the time was well spent. The elderly are another "forgotten" population in the city, and it was good to share Christ's love through our actions.
Team 3 (Steve's team) started out at the Salvation Army Harbor Light center, tasked with organizing supplies for a summer VBS that they will be running for children in the area. Some of their high points were meeting the people that worked at the Salvation Army, listening to their testimonies of God's faithfulness, and being able to help them prepare for this special outreach to children. As for the afternoon, Team 3 was sent off on their own "Meet a Need" challenge, given $20 to meet the need of a person or group. After not getting anywhere for the first 1.5 hours, they team stopped and prayed for God to show them someone who need help and how they could help. I'll let them tell the story...it's pretty cool.
After debriefing the day, our team headed out for some Vietnamese food. We're trying to think if it's just us, but we're noticing this patter of "asian cuisine"--Indian, Thai and Vietnamese. Ha. The high point of the dinner was when Lindsey Breeding met a Vietnamese man who's birthday was today as well, and he was sitting with his family celebrating. Good times.
The after dinner "adventure" for some of our team was to drive across the Golden Gate bridge and back. Since we're here, might as well take in some of the sights.
God is having wonderful moments with our team this week. I'm encouraged by the ways our students are taking him seriously and listening at how they can play a part in helping to make the Kingdom of God a reality. I wish you could hear some of the conversations we're having, and how they are being challenged.
Big moments, for sure.
Tomorrow is another great day ahead. Our students are looking forward to tomorrow night, though, which is our "free night" here in the city. We're thinking of hitting up Fisherman's Warf.
Thanks for your prayers. Please continue.
Brenton
Break Time @ the San Francisco Food Bank
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Monday, July 7, 2008
Day 2: Inundated...
It's lights out time here in San Francisco. At least for those of us working with the Center for Student Missions. The city, on the other hand, is still wide awake.
Tonight during our church debrief time, our city hosts (Tara, Amy & Mikayla) asked each person to come up with one word to describe all that they had experienced. These are some of the words from our team that described today: overwhelmed, heart-wrenching, awestruck, speechless,
humbling.
I chose inundated.
That's how I felt by the time our day drew to a close. Our team had experienced so much. Here's how things went on this Monday, July 7:
Breakfast at 7:15am consisted of cereal, toast, jam, coffee & juice. Devotions followed closely thereafter. With those two elements giving us energy (physical + spiritual), we were off for the day ahead.
Team 1 (led by Barb Basalone & Karin Hust) headed to the San Francisco Food Bank for their morning session. There they sorted food that would be packed and distributed to those in need. Just before noon, they returned to the housing site for their next assignment. Given bus fare for each person, $2/person for lunch, and some basic directions & instructions, they were off on an activity called "City Search". The goal was to experience parts of San Francisco from the perspective of a homeless person. They were tasked with interviewing people about life here in the city of San Francisco, and trying to find out what it's like to be a part of that "population." This was probably one of the hardest things each team member experienced because they were forced to go beyond their comfort zones, eating a meal on reduced income, and striking up conversations with people that are so easily ignored. In essence, they were forced to see the city through the eyes of Jesus.
Team 2 (led by Brenton & Rachel Fessler) started the day at St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room, which serves upwards of 900 meals each day to the poor and homeless. After helping with some food preparation, they had the opportunity of serving the food to men, women, children & families. A humbling and eye-opening experience, to say the least. After eating lunch their at the St. Vincent's, Team 2 moved onto their own "City Search" experience. Given bus fare for each person and some initial instructions and directions, half the group went to the City Hall and Tenderloin areas of the city, and the other half went to the Haight-Ashbury area (renowned for the start of the Hippie movement). There, they had the chance to interact with many different people from all walks of life and background. Again, they were seeing the city from a different perspective--from the eyes of Jesus.
Team 3 (led by Steve Swodeck) began their day at the Salvation Army Service Center, helping to sort and organize clothing that would be distributed to those in need.
According to Lindsey Breeding, an avid connoisseur of apparel, she's "never seen so many clothes." They, too, had an eye opening experience. After lunch, Team 2 headed over to the St. Vincent's Day Home, spending much of their time interacting with children that are a part of the program. Many on the team mentioned that this was their favorite part of the day because of the interaction with kids in a meaningful way.
Dinner tonight was at a Thai restaurant. And once again, much like the Indian place from last night, I impressed at how our students ate it up. A dinner tradition with CSM is to box up our "leftovers" and to immediately try to find someone that needs food for the night on the street. Our city hosts are giving our students wonderful opportunities to see kindness at its best.
Our day ended tonight with a Prayer Tour throughout San Francisco. As each of our vans drove through different areas and neighborhoods, our city hosts would read some facts about particular places and then give us opportunities to to pray for those specific areas. It was amazing to see the contrast from the glitzy places like Nob Hill and the Financial District to the Tenderloin District and Chinatown. This is where the feeling of being "inundated" came in. It was so much to take in.
We went to Coit Tower which overlooks the entire city and had a chance to pray through many of the needs that exist -- like the fact that around 10,000 people will sleep homeless tonight in the city of San Francisco alone, that the City government is willing to spend upwards of $300 million to improve and beautify City Hall but leave little money for helping the homeless and those in need.
Today's devotional referenced the passage in Matthew 25 where Jesus is saying that "whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done unto me." That verse has guided our day. More than anything, we have wanted to be able to see with the eyes of Jesus, to be able to recognize the "least of these."
It's only Day 2, and our hearts have been broken.
We are falling in love with this City.
But more importantly, we believe that Jesus is alive, and therefore we live with the hope that we can make his kingdom a reality.
May the Holy Spirit give us power to continue to see with his eyes...
Tonight during our church debrief time, our city hosts (Tara, Amy & Mikayla) asked each person to come up with one word to describe all that they had experienced. These are some of the words from our team that described today: overwhelmed, heart-wrenching, awestruck, speechless,
humbling.
I chose inundated.
That's how I felt by the time our day drew to a close. Our team had experienced so much. Here's how things went on this Monday, July 7:
Breakfast at 7:15am consisted of cereal, toast, jam, coffee & juice. Devotions followed closely thereafter. With those two elements giving us energy (physical + spiritual), we were off for the day ahead.
Team 1 (led by Barb Basalone & Karin Hust) headed to the San Francisco Food Bank for their morning session. There they sorted food that would be packed and distributed to those in need. Just before noon, they returned to the housing site for their next assignment. Given bus fare for each person, $2/person for lunch, and some basic directions & instructions, they were off on an activity called "City Search". The goal was to experience parts of San Francisco from the perspective of a homeless person. They were tasked with interviewing people about life here in the city of San Francisco, and trying to find out what it's like to be a part of that "population." This was probably one of the hardest things each team member experienced because they were forced to go beyond their comfort zones, eating a meal on reduced income, and striking up conversations with people that are so easily ignored. In essence, they were forced to see the city through the eyes of Jesus.
Team 2 (led by Brenton & Rachel Fessler) started the day at St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room, which serves upwards of 900 meals each day to the poor and homeless. After helping with some food preparation, they had the opportunity of serving the food to men, women, children & families. A humbling and eye-opening experience, to say the least. After eating lunch their at the St. Vincent's, Team 2 moved onto their own "City Search" experience. Given bus fare for each person and some initial instructions and directions, half the group went to the City Hall and Tenderloin areas of the city, and the other half went to the Haight-Ashbury area (renowned for the start of the Hippie movement). There, they had the chance to interact with many different people from all walks of life and background. Again, they were seeing the city from a different perspective--from the eyes of Jesus.
Team 3 (led by Steve Swodeck) began their day at the Salvation Army Service Center, helping to sort and organize clothing that would be distributed to those in need.
According to Lindsey Breeding, an avid connoisseur of apparel, she's "never seen so many clothes." They, too, had an eye opening experience. After lunch, Team 2 headed over to the St. Vincent's Day Home, spending much of their time interacting with children that are a part of the program. Many on the team mentioned that this was their favorite part of the day because of the interaction with kids in a meaningful way.
Dinner tonight was at a Thai restaurant. And once again, much like the Indian place from last night, I impressed at how our students ate it up. A dinner tradition with CSM is to box up our "leftovers" and to immediately try to find someone that needs food for the night on the street. Our city hosts are giving our students wonderful opportunities to see kindness at its best.
Our day ended tonight with a Prayer Tour throughout San Francisco. As each of our vans drove through different areas and neighborhoods, our city hosts would read some facts about particular places and then give us opportunities to to pray for those specific areas. It was amazing to see the contrast from the glitzy places like Nob Hill and the Financial District to the Tenderloin District and Chinatown. This is where the feeling of being "inundated" came in. It was so much to take in.
We went to Coit Tower which overlooks the entire city and had a chance to pray through many of the needs that exist -- like the fact that around 10,000 people will sleep homeless tonight in the city of San Francisco alone, that the City government is willing to spend upwards of $300 million to improve and beautify City Hall but leave little money for helping the homeless and those in need.
Today's devotional referenced the passage in Matthew 25 where Jesus is saying that "whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done unto me." That verse has guided our day. More than anything, we have wanted to be able to see with the eyes of Jesus, to be able to recognize the "least of these."
It's only Day 2, and our hearts have been broken.
We are falling in love with this City.
But more importantly, we believe that Jesus is alive, and therefore we live with the hope that we can make his kingdom a reality.
May the Holy Spirit give us power to continue to see with his eyes...
FBC
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Day 1: We made it...
The Golden Gate bridge was in the hazy distance as we entered from the east over the Oakland Bay Bridge. Our team arrived a little tired from the long day of travel, but excited for the days ahead.
We would never have made it this far without the help of Rich Miller, mechanic-extraordinaire. He saved the day. A hero of sorts. A member of North Hills, he was attending first service when he was called into service to help this missions trip. We owe him a big bar of Ghiradelli Chocolate. He fixed our one defunct van and sent us onto the road sailing.
After arriving in San Fran, our City Hosts -- Tara (hometown: Boston), Amy (hometown: Sacramento) & Mikalah (hometown: Billings, Montana) -- took us out for an adventurous Indian dinner. The curry was on tap. The naan bread was being passed around. Chai tea was flowing. The basmati rice in abundance. Our students ate heartily, many of the pleasantly surprised at the delectable nature of this ethnic food.
We came back to the housing site and got situated and are about to head off to bed. The rooms are a-buzz with energy, and we'll see when the last person gives into sleep.
Our day will begin tomorrow with breakfast at 7:15, devotions soon to follow, and then heading out to our ministry sites. Be praying for us.
Shalom.
Brenton
We would never have made it this far without the help of Rich Miller, mechanic-extraordinaire. He saved the day. A hero of sorts. A member of North Hills, he was attending first service when he was called into service to help this missions trip. We owe him a big bar of Ghiradelli Chocolate. He fixed our one defunct van and sent us onto the road sailing.
After arriving in San Fran, our City Hosts -- Tara (hometown: Boston), Amy (hometown: Sacramento) & Mikalah (hometown: Billings, Montana) -- took us out for an adventurous Indian dinner. The curry was on tap. The naan bread was being passed around. Chai tea was flowing. The basmati rice in abundance. Our students ate heartily, many of the pleasantly surprised at the delectable nature of this ethnic food.
We came back to the housing site and got situated and are about to head off to bed. The rooms are a-buzz with energy, and we'll see when the last person gives into sleep.
Our day will begin tomorrow with breakfast at 7:15, devotions soon to follow, and then heading out to our ministry sites. Be praying for us.
Shalom.
Brenton
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
CD Review ::
Kingdom of Comfort
Kingdom of Comfort
If The Mission Bell was heard as a call to action, then this record is the sound of Christians in action. Inspired by recent tours and mission trips to poverty-stricken nations like Cambodia, India, and Rwanda, the band began to question whether they were filling their lives with eternal things or earthly. The experience led Martin Smith and company to develop Compassionart, but that's another story.
Hence the provocative cover art indicting the disposable consumerism of the music business and this present iPod/Starbucks generation—all in pristine Apple white, no less. The theme carries over into some songs as well, starting with the title track, a plea for deliverance from material greed and the trappings of the world that keep us from doing God's work. One of the album's most powerful lyrics comes in "Love Will Find a Way," a summary of the internal tension that most Christians experience on a mission trip: "I stare in the eyes of this flesh and bone/I'm a tourist here so tomorrow I go home/I try to make sense of the things I've seen/Between the poverty and the five-star dream."
Friday, April 25, 2008
Book Review :: Be the Change
Zach Hunter is a fifteen-year-old abolitionist and activist who spends much of his time working to end slavery around the world. He's the student spokesperson for the Amazing Change campaign, which is inspired by the film Amazing Grace. Last year he spoke to almost a half a million people and is educating and inspiring students everywhere to make a change in the world. He also founded Loose Change to Loosen Chains, a student-run effort to help raise money to free slaves.
Most people think the average teenager isn't capable of much beyond hanging with their friends and wasting time. But Zach Hunter isn't your average teenager. And he's hoping to show you that you're not either.
Zach has been trying to end slavery around the globe. Most people (maybe even you) think that slavery has been over for a long time. But sadly, there are more people bound in slavery now than at any of the times we read about in our history books. Now Zach is working to end slavery and free the men, women, and children who are being held against their will. He's even found some friends in the fight, including Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Leeland Mooring of Leeland.
Just look around the world and on the news and you'll find that there are plenty of things wrong with our planet: homelessness, hunger, global warming, AIDS--the list goes on and on. And we usually look at these problems and decide they're too big for us to do anything about. But Zach is proving that one person can make a difference. And in his book, hell reveal the elements needed to make amazing changes in your world. In the end, he hopes you'll find the thing you're passionate about and start making changes!
Zach Hunter is a fifteen-year-old abolitionist and activist who spends much of his time working to end slavery around the world. He's the student spokesperson for the Amazing Change campaign, which is inspired by the film Amazing Grace. Last year he spoke to almost a half a million people and is educating and inspiring students everywhere to make a change in the world. He also founded Loose Change to Loosen Chains, a student-run effort to help raise money to free slaves.
Most people think the average teenager isn't capable of much beyond hanging with their friends and wasting time. But Zach Hunter isn't your average teenager. And he's hoping to show you that you're not either.
Zach has been trying to end slavery around the globe. Most people (maybe even you) think that slavery has been over for a long time. But sadly, there are more people bound in slavery now than at any of the times we read about in our history books. Now Zach is working to end slavery and free the men, women, and children who are being held against their will. He's even found some friends in the fight, including Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Leeland Mooring of Leeland.
Just look around the world and on the news and you'll find that there are plenty of things wrong with our planet: homelessness, hunger, global warming, AIDS--the list goes on and on. And we usually look at these problems and decide they're too big for us to do anything about. But Zach is proving that one person can make a difference. And in his book, hell reveal the elements needed to make amazing changes in your world. In the end, he hopes you'll find the thing you're passionate about and start making changes!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Why San Francisco? - Pt. 2
Reason #3: Why "not" San Francisco? That should be question. It's as good a city as any. We know it for the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Penitentiary (The "Rock"), Ghiradelli Chocolate, Cable Cars, Haight-Ashbury Street, and more. But beyond the postcard pictures there exist a city that is not so "glossy." Poverty is a major issue. Just walk down the street and see how many times you get hit up for money. After-school programs for kids are struggling. People need to be fed. People need to be clothed. People need to be given shelter. Sounds a lot like Matthew 25 to me. And that's why we're going. We want to be available to serve in the name of Jesus. Because even though we may not be able to give "silver and gold" to ever person who asks us on the street, may we give what we do have in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (Acts 3:6).
Reason #3: Why "not" San Francisco? That should be question. It's as good a city as any. We know it for the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Penitentiary (The "Rock"), Ghiradelli Chocolate, Cable Cars, Haight-Ashbury Street, and more. But beyond the postcard pictures there exist a city that is not so "glossy." Poverty is a major issue. Just walk down the street and see how many times you get hit up for money. After-school programs for kids are struggling. People need to be fed. People need to be clothed. People need to be given shelter. Sounds a lot like Matthew 25 to me. And that's why we're going. We want to be available to serve in the name of Jesus. Because even though we may not be able to give "silver and gold" to ever person who asks us on the street, may we give what we do have in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (Acts 3:6).
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Why San Francisco? - Pt. 1
Reason #1: Because it's domestic. A group of our students went to Northern Ireland last year for a missions trip. We wanted to be careful in spreading the aura that missions trips had to be overseas in order for them to seem legitimate. We thought it appropriate to alternate things: foreign one year, domestic the next.
Reason #2: Because it's close enough...but at the same time it's kind of far. I know that sounds kind of lame, but it's the truth. On a good day--without much traffic--Los Angeles is about 45 minutes away from where we are in Orange County. Which puts that city of Angels right in our back yard. And not to say that we want to look beyond the needs of our backyard, but San Francisco provides some natural distance that made it attractive when thinking about bringing some high school students along for the ride.
Reason #1: Because it's domestic. A group of our students went to Northern Ireland last year for a missions trip. We wanted to be careful in spreading the aura that missions trips had to be overseas in order for them to seem legitimate. We thought it appropriate to alternate things: foreign one year, domestic the next.
Reason #2: Because it's close enough...but at the same time it's kind of far. I know that sounds kind of lame, but it's the truth. On a good day--without much traffic--Los Angeles is about 45 minutes away from where we are in Orange County. Which puts that city of Angels right in our back yard. And not to say that we want to look beyond the needs of our backyard, but San Francisco provides some natural distance that made it attractive when thinking about bringing some high school students along for the ride.
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