It was a first. Every Spring, as we approach those summer
months when activity ramps up, we are excited about what God will do. For years, Forest Park Ministry has been
blessed to have one or more summer missionary interns to help. In addition to increased numbers of families
needing food assistance (children are out of school without the breakfasts and
lunches provided there), there is a need to provide positive and
Christ-centered activity for children, especially those in at-risk
situations. Our summer missionary
interns have always been instrumental in facilitating these activities,
including a weekly kids club or sports camp activity and at least one Backyard
Bible Club experience.
We
approached Summer 2015 with the same expectation. Requests made, word spread, some
possibilities but nothing panned out.
For the first time in at least 7 years, we approached summer with no
summer intern. It was tempting to
panic.
But God is
Sovereign; and He has the better plan.
This summer, we have had the most opportunities to either plug into or
fully participate in EIGHT churches’ VBS or Backyard Bible Clubs. Capitol Heights youth led a Sports and Bible
camp at Pine Oaks and Sherwood Apartments, Anelda Cook of Heritage spearheaded
a Journey Off the Map Backyard Bible Club conducted by Mission Serve youth and
leaders from Houston; I was privileged to be a daily part of the VBS at both Mt.
Zion Baptist and Heritage Baptist; Eastmont Baptist invited me to speak about
the ministry and brought food collected to the center later that week; Eastern
Hills collected food for the center and brought it to us; Child Evangelism
Fellowship conducted a 5-Day Club in the Forest Park neighborhood, and Heritage
Baptist just completed the last Journey Off the Map Backyard Bible Club in the
Forest Park Neighborhood, culminating in the largest participation that we have
ever had with our Mixtecan neighborhood children. Add that to what the Mixteco Task Force is
doing to forge relationships with our Mixtec families. I NEVER could have imagined or planned that
without a summer intern, but GOD did the planning, and HE provided the groups
and individuals to staff each effort. To
God be the glory!
In addition
to a deeper trust in God’s Providence, He has shown me this summer new areas of
ministry needed. Here is an example of
the kinds of needs we see:
“He is at a
crossroads in life. As a young teenager,
he is a member of a hardworking and strong family, a middle child of many
sons. His male role models are tough,
strong, and fervent believers in the machismo of the men in their indigenous
culture. He has lived in the United
States all of his life, but his parents are still deeply entrenched in the ways
of his people.
"He wants to
be a man. He has learned throughout
several years of neighborhood Bible clubs that Jesus is the Son of God, He is
the way to Heaven, and if we ask Him in our heart and trust in Him, He will
save us from Hell and lead us in life.
He has done this, even “rededicated” himself to Christ, but somehow he
is drawn back into the tough guy, defiant ways of the street."
I feel so
compelled to reach out to him, and I (and others from the center) do, but he
needs a godly man to walk alongside him and disciple him. And even as I believe that to be a great
need, even more I see that if his father and uncle were befriended, led to
Christ and discipled, the harvest in this young man’s life would be all the
greater. The tug between street savvy
and humbly walking with Christ is difficult for anyone finding their identity
in this day and time, but the Way is so much clearer if Christian values and humility
are modeled by those we love the most.
So back to what
our friends on the Mixteco Task Force are doing. Would you make a matter of prayer the
outreach to the Mixtecan community? We
are meeting on Monday evenings, twice most months, to assist with practical
matters, to build relationships, and foster trust among friends. It is our heartfelt desire to lead those who
do not know Christ to know Him fully, and to one day be able to help them plant
a church in their heart language. God
has shown us already this summer that even though we may not see a way, He can
make that way clear. We are leaning on
Almighty God in His perfect timing to do just that.
