December Newsletter 2011

When we launched our after-school program for the 2011 fall semester we had the strongest desire to holistically engage our students at the Courtyard Apartments, who we now call “Courtyard Champions”. Sure, we want to help them with math, catch them up on reading levels but more importantly we want to create a culture where Christ is at the center.

Before each program session we sit our students down with a snack and Bible story. No matter what story we tell, whether it’s about the “Ten Commandments” or “Peter Walking on Water”, our goal is to show our kids the realness of who Jesus can be in our lives. We want to share the gospel but we also want to create a culture where our kids can implement it. That is why we introduced our “Hug or Handshake Rule”. The rule is that each student has to express a form of gratitude to our tutors who helped them with their homework. What we teach may not retain all the time but if we can at least show them how to love like Christ, then maybe they can catch a glimpse of the Kingdom.

We’ve been hugging and handshaking every week since we started but I think this next story can speak for itself.

When talking about the evidence of the Holy Spirit at work I recall a story about one of our rougher elementary aged boys. He’s that one kid who’ll slap your hand harder than needed when giving a “high five”.

It happened at our first family movie night in the chaos of directing traffic, setting up a bed sheet, and movie projector. That rough “high fiver” I mentioned earlier walked toward me with the biggest smile, looked up and gave me the most heart-melting handshake. We really never know what God is up to when he is transforming a culture.

“...maybe he’s also in the form of a kindergartener...to let you know he’s right in front of you.”

Have you ever looked to the sky and asked, “God, are you really out there!?” Why is it that every time something doesn’t go our way, we immediately point the finger at God and tell him, He’s messing up. Does God see how I see things or listen to what I hear everyday?

Maybe God is in the heavens looking down on us or maybe he’s in China comforting believers because of the oppression they face from their own country. But maybe he’s also in the form of a kindergartener that just wants to shake your hand to let you know he’s right in front of you.

They Desire Ownership

Originally, I approached my neighbors with the mentality of wanting to encourage and empower them to become more. I’ve been tried to do this is a number of ways such as: one-on-one school work with the kids, encouraging them to explore things they are curious about, validating them with not only my words, but the tone of my voice, having them teach me something (ex: teaching this white girl how to dance… and man was that hilarious)

However, if these beautiful faces at the Courtyard Apartments have shown me anything, it is that I was wrong.

(Thankfully, I tend to be wrong, so this is nothing new.)

As much as I want to empower and encourage these individuals to become more… I am realizing that they already want that for themselves.

We put on a movie in the green for the kiddies and they loved it… but they wanted more. Now they want to put on a talent show, something they can take ownership of. They want more.

It may look like the single parent next door is using her child support money to buy cigarettes… but she is the first to admit that she hates being on welfare. She wants more too.

And so, in this short time, I am realizing that it’s about more than encouragement and empowerment. The real challenge is to provide the resources so that my neighbors can become more.  This neighborhood is rich in resources. There are dozens of different talents, skills, and mindsets. It is my job to acknowledge those assets and provide a place where those can be built upon.

And that’s the hard part. Because to provide them with resources is to fully trust that they will make the most out of what we give them… and that’s not always the case. But we need to start providing them with resources so that they can build upon their talents, skills and assets… and teach us something in the process.  

Molly Schengel is a recent graduate from Point Loma Nazarene University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Non-Profit Management. She is currently serving as a grant writer for Highway City Community Development and coordinator of the Courtyard Champions After School Program.

Hugs and Handshakes

It’s 12:15 AM at the Hub right now and I was waken up by a spiritual attack in my sleep. In my dream I was in my apartment with the Hub interns when all of a sudden I felt this force upon my head, arms and feet restraining me trying to force my head to look down. At first in my dream I was unsure of the situation because of the familiar faces that were present but in my attempt to resist the force pushing me down the Hub interns were no longer in the room! This was a spiritual attack that I was ready to face alongside the power of the Holy Spirit.

In my dream as I was attempting to resist the pressure these demons were putting on me they placed a cardboard box on my head and to arm weights that restricted movement of my elbow but also keeping me from raising my hands to praise the Creator of the Universe. In this battle a recited the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6:9-13 to fight off these demons. When I was coming to the end of the prayer I was beginning to raise my hands and I felt the demons trying to put more weight on my arms from reaching to the heavens with acknowledgement of God’s power. And before I woke up I said, “In the Name of Jesus, leave this place, you have no power here.”

I woke up in my room gasping for air and watched these black Aztec looking figures fade into the night.

Why do I share this? Well, because God’s is changing the culture of the Courtyard at Central Park. This community is becoming a place where children learn to respect adults without being intimidated with fear, where parents can talk about their kids and share life, and where God is the center focus.

This past week at our after school program called “The Courtyard Champions” we implemented a gospel presentation at the end of each session and reminding each child to express gratitude by shaking hands or hugging a tutor (we keep kids behind if they do not say thank you to at least one tutor..:)...hahaha!). Our students are more engaged in wanting to get their homework done, we are reading for 30 minutes a day and the gospel is being shared. What more could you ask for right? Well, there is.

One of our Hub interns got the rest of us interested in doing a movie night for the neighbors out on a grass courtyard in our community. Gather some snacks, get a good blanket, and set back and enjoy the show, yeah right! I really wished it could have been something like that but we got something else entirely. Some wanted to watch the movie (the Hub and some of the little ones) but everyone else was in their own world. From our point of view it was hard to see what God was actually doing in just a short span of 1 hour 40 minutes, He was building a community by rebuilding hope for families to have a place to grow. At first I could not see it but when I did I realized that this was the purpose.

I could end the story there and tell you that the rest of the night was perfect, but I’d be lying and I really want to make sure that all the truth is said. There was still a lot of drama with the little adolescent girls, two kids ran into each other playing tag in the dark and not everyone stayed to watch the movie but something extraordinary did happen.\

One of the little boys whose been calling me “Hey Dude” did something that restored my faith, big time. I’ve been teaching him how to throw a Frisbee the past couple weeks and he loves it. You should definitely see this kid light up when I ask him if he wants to Frisbee. He’s been a little rough when it comes to teach respect and showing him how to give a “high five” without trying to break someone’s hand. Well, as we were cleaning up from the movie night, he came up to me with eye contact and extended his hand for a proper handshake. YES! A preview of the Kingdom of God in the form of this little boy.

God is moving in the hearts of the people in our community and Satan is getting offended. I think that’s why he thought I’d be shaken by some demons trying to mess with me but I know my God is more powerful than any obstacle that may come my way. Pray the Lord’s prayer with us and that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Exciting New Adventures

Greetings from Highway City and blessings from the Hub.

The 2011-2012 year of the Hub has finally arrived with new exciting adventures ready to begin! It’s almost hard to believe that just a year ago God opened the door of opportunity for us to immerse ourselves at the Courtyard at Central Park Apartments. We had such a successful first year of the Hub, graduated our first 6 interns through our 10-month program, hosted our second year of Fresno Urban Internship students, and launched our monthly neighborhood action committee. There is so much to be thankful because of all your support.

The launch of the Hub in the summer of 2010 was a true test of our faith by persevering through administrative and financial obstacles that God walked with us through. With a fresh group of interns comes a year of new challenges and opportunities of experiencing God’s amazing love. This year’s group consists of 3 young women and 1 young man who are all excited to see what God has in store for them during their next 10 months at the Hub.

Bittersweet Community Learning

Within a couple days of their move-in day, families and students immediately took notice of their new neighbors and embraced them into our community. In all the excitement of being in community also includes the bittersweetness of immersing yourself in our neighborhood. One of our interns was going to bed one evening when she was suddenly awakened by neighbors fighting right outside of her window. What started out as an out argument then turned into an all fist fight. The confrontation was left unresolved but with the two parties walking off in different directions. The Fresno Police Department paid our apartment complex a visit alongside with 5 other units during an act of disturbance in the community that left some of our residents baffled.  Some of our neighbors bring assets to better the community but most carry the burdens of their past that effect everyone. It’s messy but it is the mission field we’re called to.

Our God Is Our Hope

There are a lot of things to lift up in prayer for this year but at the same time there several things to give God our praise for. With my ongoing ministry at Central Community Church in the middle school ministry I am now consistently taking a car full students we serve at our apartments to church every week. A group of ready to learn and fully equipped interns are ready to apply themselves in our neighborhood for the next 10 months. We are so grateful that you have allowed us to be here in our community through your financial support. 

When I think about our interns and our 10 month program I think about how God sent Jesus to teach us how to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul and all our strength and to love our neighbors as our selves. Can you imagine how God could drastically transform our community through our interns in the next 10 months? They will be colliding into constant contact with the struggles and burdens of our neighbors, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ through their lives, learning how to communicate love with their neighbors, and seeking the peace and prosperity of the city.

Pray with us as we venture through this next season with humble hearts as we dive deeper into relationships with our neighbors and to glorify our God with our lives.