Tis The Season

There has been lots of activity at Cross and Crown during this Christmas season and if you're interested in being apart of all or some of what's left then here is how you can help...

1.  Sunday Worship

       This Sunday (December 12) we will be having our Christmas celebration.  It starts at 6:00 with our meal followed by a time of worship at 6:30.  Then, around 7:15 or so, following the worship, we will wrap up the night by giving away warm jackets/coats, beanies/toboggans, gloves, scarves and blankets to each family member or individual.

   During this time we will, also, be keeping our eyes open for families with younger children to select a toy or present from a small selection of gifts that we have collected throughout the past year.

2.  Food Pantry/Clothing Room

       As usual, the food pantry and clothing room will be open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to the neighborhood and we are always excited to have some new volunteers helping and praying for the people that come with need for the day.

3.  Rock Island

       Historically, during the Christmas season Rock Island has done something memorable with and for the most consistent, regular attendees during the previous school semester.  This year we're planning on the same.

       In years past we have done gift exchanges (Dirty Santa), delivered gifts to families of Rock Island students and even had the old, traditional 'Christmas Party' with punch and cookies but this year we want to do something that we have, somewhat, gotten away from at Rock Island.

       We want to get them out of their normal, comfortable setting of their neighborhood and experience, for some the first time, another part of Oklahoma City.  It may seem, kinda, silly or insignificant to you or someone else reading this but what we have learned is anytime we can get the kids out of their routine, everyday environment we are able to see a whole different side of some of the kids.

       This year we are teaming up with a small group of youth from a church in another part of the city for dinner and a movie.  It's a youth group 'date', of sorts.

       The plan is simple.  Meet up with the other group.  Go eat dinner.  Talk.  Laugh.  Go to the movie.  Throw popcorn.  Get reprimanded.  Laugh.  Get a few phone numbers during the movie.  Talk some more.  Head back to Rock Island.  Don't put on a seat-belt.  Get reprimanded.  Put on a seat-belt.  Get back to Rock Island.  Merry Christmas.

       This year, instead of gifts, we want to give the kids an experience.  A memory.  We want to give them an opportunity to meet new people in a new environment.  To strengthen friendships.

Recap

       So there is how you can be apart of what's going on at Cross and Crown and Rock Island these last couple days and weeks before Christmas comes and goes.

       Here's how you can serve:

1. Sunday night - Help serve food, pass out jackets, coats, mittens and scarves.  Shop the gift area with kids and families.  Help clean up.
2. Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday - Help in the prayer room by meeting and praying for families and individuals.  Carrying food boxes for women or the elderly.  

       Here's what you can bring/give:

1. Jackets/coats, toboggans, gloves, scarfs and blankets.
2. Small gifts/toys for children on Sunday night.
3. Financial gifts towards the Rock Island dinner and movie.  (We may be eating at McDonald's depending on what kind of money we can pull in before next Wednesday)

If interested in helping or contributing in any way please email me at lwhitmire1@gmail.com or just show up! 

love thy neighbor

I love my job.

Often times, when someone inquires about my job or what I do at my job, I express how much I enjoy doing what I do and how I am thankful to be in the position that I am but, also, how I wish my job didn't have to exist.

Without getting too much into the whole discussion of the role of the church and/or the Christian duty, I will offer a suggestion which is that if the church, Christians, body of believers or whatever you want to call Christ followers really stepped up to the plate and fulfilled their total calling then places like Cross and Crown and other ministries, para-churches, shelters, food pantries ect. wouldn't be necessary.  But, in the meantime, I'm happy to be where I am.

One of my favorite experiences as a full-time, staff member at Cross and Crown is getting to observe people and relationships that develop between volunteers, staff members and those who come with some sort of need.

A recent encounter I was able to observe took me a while to completely process.  The encounter was between a Hispanic women, Sequroh, who works in the clothing room at Cross and Crown on a daily basis and a homeless, African-American, schizophrenic man, Michael, who sleeps across the street from Cross and Crown.

Over the last couple of years Michael has been in and around Cross and Crown for several different reasons.  Food, clothing, getting his laundry done, helping out around the mission by sweeping, carrying boxes and unloading food truck deliveries, Michael has done it all.  Over the course of this time he has developed several significant relationships and, undoubtedly, left lasting impressions on others.

Naturally, because of his frequent visits and Sequroh's consistent presence in the clothing room, the two of them have built a friendship.  A very unique, friendship.

A couple Sunday nights back, following our meal and worship, everyone wrapped up their duties and conversations and headed out the doors.  This was the Sunday night that the temperature dropped significantly following several days of warm weather.  As I headed out the door and began walking down the street towards my car I noticed another car that was slowly approaching me.  It was dark outside and so I was unable to identify the car until it pulled up across the street from me, directly across from Cross and Crown.

"Crap."  I thought to myself as my mind started revisiting all the movie scenes where the car drives up real slow and then everyone hits the pavement.  "This could be bad."

Much to my delight, the car belonged to Sequroh.  After staring at the car for a brief moment the window rolled down.

"Where is Michael?"- Sequroh asked.

"Huh?" - I replied.  I wasn't completely sure who she was talking about.

"Michael.  Where is Michael?  It is very cold." - She said as she held up a large blanket.

"Oooooh.  He should be under the stairs." - I told her once I realized who she was talking about.

Once I figured out that she was bringing a blanket for Michael because of the cold weather I jogged over to her car and repeated where I thought Michael might be.

She jumped out of her car, walked into the dark, quiet brush and repeatedly questioned, "Michael? Michael? Michael?"

Finally, following Sequroh's multiple attempts to find Michael, Michael woke up from a nap, of sorts, and acknowledged Sequroh.  Sequroh quickly handed the blanket to Michael and in her broken English said,
'
"Michael, here is a blanket.  It is cold.  Here."

Michael took the blanket and Sequroh hustled to her car without any further conversation.

Sequroh and I exchanged good-byes and went our separate ways.

The rest of the night I couldn't help but smile and laugh to myself as I considered the irony of the whole occurrence.  The norms that had been crushed.  The social boundaries that had been crossed.

One one hand you have Sequroh.  The small, Spanish speaking, Mexican-American women who, because of her origin of birth, is deemed an 'alien' in the place she has called home the majority of her life.

On the other hand you have Michael.  A much taller, African-American, former college football quarterback, schizophrenic man who is labeled and treated as an 'alien' by most because he has no place to call home ( sound familiar? not bad company if I do say so myself).

What a perfect combination, right?

So, there are the two characters of the story.  One lives in a house up the street from Cross and Crown and the other lives across the street without a home.  Technically, they're neighbors.  Without a doubt they're more neighor'ish than I am with my actual, physical, across the street and right next door, neighbors.

Whether or not Sequroh consciously thought about Jesus' command to "love your neighbor" doesn't really matter.  She did it.  She's doing it.

She didn't broadcast it over the internet.  She didn't put up flyers.  She didn't wait until she could round up some friends so that they would think highly of her good deed.  She didn't have to have a committee discuss, vote and start up a ministry all in order to get up at night in the cold and drive down the street to give a homeless friend a blanket.  She just did it.

She gets its.

That's why I love my job.

What's so funny?

We take Christianity too serious.

Naturally, because 'church', as most of us know it, requires us to sit in a chair or pew for an extended amount of time, be quiet, listen to a person stand up front and speak, keep our hands to ourselves, sing whenever we are instructed to and pray with our eyes closed and hands crossed, we view Christianity as, somewhat of, a gentlemen's religion.  

If you have ever attended a church service were an individual didn't follow the list of do's and don'ts, aka the norm, it was probably very apparent.  You know, like when you invited the kid to church when you were younger and during the prayer he tries to trade pogs with you or blurts out during the initial silence at the beginning of a prayer, "Geeez, this silence is really awkward.  I wonder if your parents will take us to Chucky Cheese for lunch."

If we're not careful, that's all Christianity becomes.  

A habit.

A predictable, dry, uneventful habit.  

The good news is that Christianity is more than what I just described.  If you really buy in to the whole 'personal relationship' with God offer then you know that Christianity is anything but a dry, uneventful experience.  How crazy of a thought it is to consider that the God of creation, the one who created you, me and everything that we know desires to know us in a personal way.  

The main reason I am addressing the reality that Christianity is often taken or viewed as a very straight-forward, no fun, follow the rules experience is because I don't think this idea reflects accurately on our God.  

Now, don't get me wrong.  Silence out of respect, following rules, honoring God by doing what is right  or bowing your head out of reverence are all good things.  My point is that if this is all your know and what you deem as Christianity, you are missing something.

 If Jesus/God is at the center of Christianity and Christianity is, as I described earlier, predictable, dry and uneventful then doesn't that make Jesus/God the same?

I strongly disagree.

Here's an example...

Two weeks ago the staff, volunteers and 40 some odd spanish Bible study students surprised Martha, a Cross and Crown board member and active, daily worker, for her birthday.  The students were all circled up studying the good news as the rest of us charged in with a couple birthday cakes singing happy birthday.

After getting over her initial shock Martha finally calmed down long enough to say thank you, while chocking back tears.  If you know Martha then you know that she takes any and every opportunity to turn the praise and honor back to God.  Someone drops some cake on the ground? "Hey, thank you God for giving us paper towels and water to clean it up with."  Someone breaks in to her house and steals her tv? Eeeh, no biggie.  "Thank you, God, for at least giving me a home for someone to break in to.  You get the idea."

So, Martha talked for a few minutes about how thankful she was to God for allowing her the opportunity to come to the neighborhood that Cross and Crown is located in and how the people of the neighborhood had allowed her to be family with them.

Next, several women from the neighborhood, mostly in spanish, stood up and expressed to Martha how thankful they were for her in their class, in the baby room at Cross and Crown and just her overall, general presence at the mission.

After everyone had been given an opportunity to express their thanks to and for Martha a women named Mary stood up.  Mary walked over to Martha, grabbed her behind her head with one of her hands and looked directly at her.  Martha did likewise and the two stood, nearly, face to face.  Side note: Mary recently had a stroke and just recently began to walk again.  She, also, has paralysis on one side of her body.  So, the fact that she is even able to stand up, walk and place her hand on Martha is significant in itself.  


What happens next is the part that made Ron and I stop and snicker to ourselves.  


So, here we have Mary and Martha...


They are standing in the center of the room together, holding each other and Mary begins signing to Martha a song in spanish about how thankful she is for her.


Next, after she finishes signing she mentions that she has a gift for Martha.  Mary reaches into her purse and pulls out some perfume...


Mary gives perfume to Martha... 

^"1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." - John 12:1-8

As the scenario unfolded right before us I turned around to look at Ron as he was leaning over towards me and he said, "What's she going to do next? Pour the perfume all over Martha's head?"


We laughed because we both were thinking the same thing.  We were both thinking about the story I mentioned above.  


Predictable, dry, uneventful God?  I don't think so.


My God is pretty stinkin' funny.

Give us this day our daily bread...or cake...or crackers.

I don't remember Ron and I making a conscious decision to involve food in a more direct way during the Rock Island after school 'gatherings' but, somehow, it happened.  The last two or three weeks, for whatever reason, food has been the source of lots of laughter and enjoyment.  

For example, video 1 was a contest we decided to institute in order to get rid of some birthday cakes that were so generously donated to us at Cross and Crown.  We only had a few and so we cut one up so everyone could have a slice but then decided to distribute the other two cakes to the the two kids who won the contest.  The contest was pretty simple.  Whoever could eat their piece of cake the fastest without using their hands wins.  Simple enough.  Enjoy...

The next several videos document several of the kids failed attempts to eat 6 crackers within 60 seconds. Key word, FAILED.  Not one of them could conquer the challenge but don't be so quick to judge.  I bet you can't either!

Here's my favorite video.  Check out the panic in his face and borderline cracker explosion that nearly occurrs only seconds in to the challenge.  Needless to say, FAILED!

And, here are the rest of the FAILED attempts.  In this one Junior decides he would rather have 60 seconds instead of 1 minute...hmmm

and the follow up...

and finally the "bow out"...

Get ready for next weeks challenge = "Eat as many expired corn-dogs in 30 minutes as you can!"

Post Chi-Town Observations

A couple weeks back the staff attended the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) conference.  Every year a new city hosts the 3-4 day event and this year Chicago was the location.  This was my third time to attend the CCDA conference and it was much different than the first two.  


The conference's mission is 'to inspire, train, and connect Christians who seek to bear witness to the Kingdom of God by reclaiming and restoring under-resourced communities.'  In other words, they have classes, workshops, speakers and on-site ministry experiences that each of us are exposed to in order to encourage new ideas, build up and strengthen existing ministries, present examples and further utilize the blessings of "stuff" that we have in a manner that is pleasing to God.


This years conference differed from previous years, in that, the majority of the classes and workshops weren't all within the 4 walls of the hotel.  Most of the classes were throughout the city of Chicago at different ministries, churches and parachurches. Because most of the classes were spread out all over Chicago if gave us each opportunities to experience the business and 'big city life' of a city that is much different than Oklahoma City, Dallas or any other larger city in the south that I have lived in or visited.  


Here are my observations of Chicago and what I walked away dreaming about for Cross and Crown/Rock Island...


1.  Chicago is very diverse.  If you know me you know that I grew up in an all white community.  In high school I went to an all white school and had all white friends, with the exception of a few (what up Lays and Mike if you ever read this!).  But, growing up my brother and I played a sport that is predominantly saturated with African-American players.  In high school we each had two black teammates and so we thought our team was 'diverse'.  Several years later once we were in college playing basketball something incredible happened...my brother and I became the minority!  10 black guys, 4 white guys and 3 hispanics!?!?!  We were such world changers! - Wrong.


       My time in Chicago helped me add to my ever evolving idea of what it means to be diverse.  I used to think having a black or hispanic kid at school meant we were a 'multi-cultural' school.  No.  Then, I thought once I was the minority in a specific setting I had truely arrived at understanding and being accepting of other races.  Still no. Even working everyday in an urban setting that has each and every race and color I still haven't come to really understand what it means to be "racism free".  I still have my undeserving generalizations.  


       Walking Chicago's streets made me picture heaven.  It wasn't because of the cleanliness, the golden slated streets and definitely not the smell.  It was because all the people walking the streets were so different.  You know the song, "Red and yellow, black and white...they are precious...", you know it.  It made me think of what heaven will be like when people from every tribe, language and nation will bow to the name that is above every name and confess “Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”


2.  We, meaning the Cross and Crown staff, need to do a better job of giving volunteers more ownership of the things that occur on a day to day basis at Cross and Crown and Rock Island.    Lots, probably most, of the 'ministries' that Cross and Crown has to offer the neighborhood are each set up in a way that a minimal, consistent commitment would be sufficient.  The same goes for Rock Island.  


       In the past I have always allowed the volunteer to determine their own level of ownership in what goes on at Cross and Crown or Rock Island.  My personal thought process is that if someone wants to get involved... they will.  I don't need to force anything on them and, honestly, I don't want to force anything on someone because the potential of them not following through is very likely.  Especially with the kids that come to Rock Island, the last thing they need is another person to show up for a few days/weeks and then disappear never to show up again.  


       With this being said, I still haven't figured out the perfect balance of not forcing something on someone but also allowing someone the freedom and opportunity to have personal ownership in the daily, weekly and yearly happenings that God has allowed us to be apart of at Cross and Crown.  


3.  I want a gym.  Shocking, right?  We've been talking about it for couple years now but after visiting a local neighborhood ministry in Chicago I really have the bug.  They have a basketball gym, a fitness/workout facility and a medical clinic all in one.  But, I mean, I'm agreeable.  I would be happy with just the basketball gym and some extra space to put some of our current fitness equipment in.  


       Just think....we could have youth basketball teams with coaches and players from the neighborhood, as well as, teams from outside the neighborhood to help support the financial needs of maintaining the gym.  Have people that are into arts and dancing teaching kids from the neighborhood.  Have practices, fitness classes.....sheeeeesh.  You get the idea.  If it's in Gods' plan, it will happen.  (I just hope that it is and that it is within the near future.)


       So, there are a few of the top ideas/thoughts I walked away with this year at CCDA.  I realize that my first point was more of just a self-realization but if the second point I made interests you and you want to get more plugged in and have some of that 'ownership' I was talking about; let me know.


       Or, if my third point/idea interests you and you want to build us a gym that would be cool too. No biggie :)


lwhitmire1@gmail.com


Oh, I figured I would throw this picture in of myself, pops, bro and bro-in-law fishing a couple weeks back in Colorado.  I realize it has nothing to do with my blog post but I always enjoy reading people's blogs that have pics.  I figured everyone else would too....maybe not.

       

Remember Michael?

Remember this old post several months back? Well, Michael is still around and is up to his old tricks.  That's a good thing, for the most part.  Aside from his occasional jail time, mostly due to trespassing and sleeping on private property, we see Michael 3-4 times a week.  

In my previous post about Michael I was happy to report that he had been sleeping indoors.  But, due to some roommate differences he has been forced to sleep back on the streets.  He doesn't act like it bothers him much.  

So, rather then tell you about what Michael has been up to, I will show you.  Enjoy.

Please, pay special attention to the old-school 'yes' or 'no' note cards.  Reminds me of elementary school when you would pass the note across the class room to ask a friend a question and they would check the box and send it back.  Vintage.

This one is my favorite...

"Did you know that some people just pray one day a week and that is on Sunday?  They really don't know if it is a God and they really don't take the time to find-out.  To me that is a very dangerous way to live a life." - 

Wow!  Probably a more accurate description of people across the U.S. and world then he realizes.  

Michael would be the first to tell you that he has a sweet tooth...

There you have it.  As humorous as some of Michael's cards may be, they are equally as up-lifting.  You know how people ask and wonder how God speaks today in their lives?  This is one way that God speaks to me.  Through Michael.  

College Bound

Interested in helping a Rock Island graduate pursue their education at the next level?  Well, here's your chance.

His name is Dillon Espinoza and he is a graduate of Dove Science Academy here in Oklahoma City (off of NW23 and Western).  He played soccer during his time at Dove and is continuing his playing days at Hillsdale College in Moore, Oklahoma.  Following the very first team tryout Dillion was asked to come back the following week to play again in front of more of the team and coaches.  After he came back the following week and played, he was offered a position on the team!  He is the son of a Cross and Crown employee from the community.  He is the oldest of four kids and has been involved with Rock Island since he was about 12 or 13 years old.

He and his parents have applied/filed all their necessary paperwork in order to receive as much financial aid as possible and are now doing their best to tighten up the remaining funds needed.  Bottom line, Dillion and his parents are several hundred dollars short of finalizing his schedule, getting his books and him being 100% enrolled for the first day of class.

To their delight they have been presented with program from Hillsdale that is called, "ChurchMatch", which is a church tuition assistance program.  Basically, the idea is that the potential student would be plugged in to a local church/youth group and that church would then help sponsor the student as he/she goes to college.  In return, Hillsdale would match whatever amount is given from the church up to $200.00, per semester.

So there's the opportunity.  If you're interested in helping Dillion continue his soccer career and his education, please contact us at Cross and Crown/Rock Island in one of the following ways.

Call us at - (405) 232-7696 - please leave a message if you aren't able to get an answer.

or

Email us at - crossandcrownmission@gmail.com

or

You can leave your contact information as a comment on this blog and I will contact you asap.

Summer Update and Happenings

Sooooo......turns out summer break for kiddos is almost done and spoken for and I must say that it has been quite a summer.

Like I said in a previous blog, whenever I haven't posted in a while it's not because there hasn't been much going on but, chances are, there has been so much going on that it makes it tough to know where to start or make time to blog.  (Don't get me wrong.  I am not saying I can't find time to blog because I am just too busy.  I do have free time but I choose to use that free time doing other things.)

Rather than write a novel about each and every occurrence that has come and gone this summer at Rock Island and Cross and Crown I will list some of the highlights (or 'lowlights' depending on how you look at them)...

• the Cross and Crown Ebay Store is going pretty hardcore right now.  We have had big success selling name brand, used and unused clothing items and electronics (video games, cameras, computer items).  We have also had some success selling furniture items locally on Craigslist and Ebay classified.  If you are interested in more about this or have no idea what I am talking about, click here... Cross & Crown Ebay Store Info and check out our store here... Ebay Store

• the Rock Island youth have gone on a few different trips, such as, swimming at a local donors home, several eating-out experiences, a pool-table delivery in the Arbuckle Mountains.  Also, a few of the girls have been to the zoo, movies and Frontier City with a couple of our most reliable and consistent volunteers.

• the two Cross and Crown interns have been a pleasure and big help to have around.

• Thursday, Family Night's have been a great addition to our summer schedule.  This summer Ron and I decided to make more of an effort to get to know the families and/or overseers of several of the kids that we are involved with on a daily basis.  So far we have been able to get to meet and get to know parents, grand-parents, aunts/uncles and brothers and sisters.  We have celebrated 2 birthdays.  We have been eating some authentic, home-made Mexican food, such as the following: gorditas, cheese enchiladas, mole (check that out here... AAAHHH! ) and flautas, to name a few.  We have also been able to pray over a former Rock Island youth who is now a young man that recently graduated from high-school.  He has had a few soccer tryouts at Hillsdale College during our Thursday night gatherings but each tryout he has come to pray and be prayed for before he goes to his tryout.  

There you have it.  A very concise, condensed summary of the summer thus far.  We only have three more weeks before Oklahoma City schools start but I am sure there are a few more significant events that are yet to happen.  

God has been so evident to us this summer, even through some tougher times with both kids in the youth program and with happenings at Cross and Crown.  He never ceases to amaze me with his incredible ability to know what we really need, even when we think we know what we need.  He is always faithful.

what difference do it make, to you?

I recently finished reading the book, "What Difference Do It Make", the sequel to, "Same Kind of Different as Me."  A while back I wrote a real, professional-like, book review (sarcasm) on the first book.  Here it is if you are interested in checking it out... Same Kind of Different as Me.  

So, I thought it would be appropriate to do the same with the second book (because I know you are all dying to read what I think about it).  

I have decided to share what impacted me the most from the book and then use the default, "You'll just have to read it to really know how awesome of a book it is", excuse.  Because, it really is a great read.  

The most impactful idea/thought that caught my attention from the book stems from one of the co-author's, Ron Hall, suggestions about how he thinks we (Christians/the Church) should approach ending homelessness.  In response to most cities having some ten or fifteen year plan to end homelessness Ron says this, 

"Don't get me wrong.  I'm glad the problem of homelessness is on the government's radar.  It's just that the problem of homelessness will never be solved by government.  That's because government can put a roof over a man's head and food in his mouth and even give him a job.  But government can neither love a man nor lovingly hold him accountable.  The chronically homeless, whether homeless, whether homeless through tragic circumstance or through messes of their own making, have a whole constellation of inner issues that food, shelter, and a paycheck won't fix...The chronically homeless need love, compassion, accountability, and someone to come alongside them and hold then steady as they limp along the winding, pitted road to wholeness."

So, because Ron had been to several cities and observed their ten and fifteen year plans several years in to their effort with no real progress he began to ask himself two questions:

How many homeless are in the city? 

and

How many churches are in the city?

What he discovered is that, in most cases, there are more churches than homeless.  This is what lead him to the following idea...

"How about if your pastor or rabbi or priest or imam motivates his or her congregation to adopt one chronically homeless person.  Each body of believers, whether it's fifty or a thousand strong, would assume collective responsibility for taking in one person and loving that person back into society.

Let's pretend for a moment that this person's name is Je and the body of believers is the First Baptist Church (FBC), a congregation of three hundred people.  The first order of business would be, of course, to befriend Joe.  Bless him with a few dollars, take him to coffee or maybe a meal here and there- always in pairs, in public, and never in a way that could physically endanger church members, of course.  While some members of the church do this work of outreach, others could check Joe's background.  In a church of three hundred, there are likely law enforcement and social services personnel who could make sure Joe is not too dangerous a character to take under the church's wing.

I want to be clear about this: loving people does not mean ignoring realities on the ground... remember what Jesus told His disciples when He sent them out to reach the lost: "Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

But there's another side to this safety issue--because while FBC is carefully gauging whether Joe is a safe person to be around, Joe is waiting to see whether FBC people are safe themselves.  Will they catch and release him? Will FBC come on strong at first, then gradually slack off until Joe only sees them on holidays?

Homeless people are used to people who "help" with one hand and hold their noses with the other.  They are used to catch-and-release friends, who feel warm and fuzzy and compassionate for a few days or weeks but then abandon their efforts when the going gets tough or when the busyness of their own lives takes over.

Will FBC be faithful to tend their relationship with Joe?  Will they keep his confidences as he confesses the hardship and/or wrongdoing that put him on the streets?  Joe will be watching for the same thing very other human being watches for before committing to a potentially life-changing relationship: trustworthiness.

Once the relationship is established, is it possible that FBC could go the next step and get Joe off the streeets?  Could he stay in a room at the church?  Could FBC members chip in twenty dollars a month apiece to rent him a room elsewhere?  What about food?  Can the FBC women's ministry--of the men's group--stock the refrigerator wherever Joe is staying?

"Well," you might be saying, "none of this requires Joe to do anything, to accept any responsibility."

Exactly!  What FBC is offering Joe is unconditional love.  Part of real love is loving a person from dependence to independence.  But if that is to come, it will come in time.  What the Joes of the world need first is a taste of dignity, someone to love them enough to take a chance on them.

Is it possible that Joe will freeload for a while, take advantage of the situation, then split?  It's not only possible, but likely, at least for a little while.  The chronically homeless are often addicts, petty thieves, and practiced at the art of the small con.  You don't survive on the streets by being an upright citizen.

But if Joe turns out to be unable to follow through on real change, that's fine too.  FBC has done what God called it to do.  Jesus said we will be judged by how we treat the hungry, the thirsty, the prisoner, the stranger.  We are judged by our compassion, how we live our lives, not by how Joe ultimately lives his.  God commands us to love, not to calculate the end game.  It is only when Joe is loved without strings that he is set free to (eventually) turn a corner and voluntarily become accountable to those who have placed faith in him.

Moving on in the thirty-day plan, think of the no-cost resrouces available in a single church.  Doctors who can provide medical care.  Licensed counselors who can provide mental-health assistance.  Teachers who can help Joe brush up his reading, writing, and math skills or help hiom study for the drivers license exam.  Social service workers who can help Joe secure the essential documentation he needs and navigate intimidating places like the social-security office, county clerk, and the most terrifying place of all - the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Here's something else a community of faith can do that the government can't: give Joe a job.  While I was walking the streets of Fort Worth, I ran into former chefs, construction workers, personnel managers, auto mechanics, executives, skilled military technicians, and stonemasons.  Homelessness does not confine itself to the unskilled.  In a single church, there are bound to be people who, if they can;t employ Joe directly, know someone who can.  If there aren't, maybe Joe would be willing to do general maintenance of the church facility itself, paid for out of the church's mercy fund or by collective, specifically contributions of members.

If one person tried to take on Joe, the task would be daunting, overwhelming, as I can tell you from experience.  But many hands make light work.  And within each body of believers, there are endless caregiving possibilities, that unlike government programs, can be customized according to need.  You see, in this case it really does take a village.

So far I haven't heard of any takers on my thirty-day plan.  I chalk that up to two very human factors: excuses and fear.  When I first started going to missions with Debbie (his wife), I was far too busy to go- in my own mind, that is.  I had plenty of excuses not to go: teenagers to tend, art to sell, clients to schmooze, accounts to manage, and many, many toys that clearly needed use and maintenance.  I only went with Debbie to be a good husband having been such a lousy one years before."

What a great idea, right?  I think so but apparently it's not catching on very well.  

Honestly, the more I think about it the less likely I think that it could really happen.  But it seems really simple when you start doing the math...

I can think of ten churches in Oklahoma City off the top of my head in 20 seconds.

I can think of ten homeless men/women in Oklahoma City off the top of my head in 20 seconds.

Then consider the fact that anyone living in the Oklahoma City area or anyone that has been downtown can find a homeless person on just about any corner south of Penn Square Mall and north of Moore.  

So, finding churches isn't a problem and finding a homeless person isn't an issue.  So what's the problem?

I think the problem is that I can also think of ten excuses in 20 seconds a lot of churches/people give or are giving as to why it wouldn't work and, therefore, isn't happening.  

As far as I have learned, which hasn't been very long, most people aren't willing to get involved with an idea like this one because of the business of life.  I get that.  For me, it's easy to say because it's my job.  I'm down here consistently and it's part of my objective.  But the idea of a whole church taking on a single person seems sooooo much more doable.

It's like a semi-famous, urban speaker Ron, Paul and I get a kick out of listening to says, "Loving poor people is a team sport." - Bart Campolo

Whether you think that comment is funny or offensive, he's right.  It's just like the author, Ron Hall, said towards the end of the excerpt I quoted, "You see, in this case it really does take a village."

I don't know.  Maybe it's just my lack of faith in the church as a whole.  Don't get me wrong.  I know there are numerous churches throughout Okc, as well as other cities, that are doing this very thing.  I also recognize that there are numerous churches throughout Okc and other cities that I am not aware of that are doing this very thing. 

 I am just questioning why this sort of thing isn't happening more often or more consistently.

If God, through Jesus, spoke so often about the poor, how we ought to treat the poor and placed so much emphasis on the poor why aren't ideas/initiatives like this one considered more heavily?

Creative thinking

So here's the deal...

       As you may or may not know,  Cross and Crown Mission has a clothing store that is apart of a ministry called, "Rebuilding the Walls".  Through this ministry the money that is raised through the store (by way of clothing and other donated items that cost anywhere from .25 cents to 25.00 dollars) several individuals and families are supported.  A few women and their families from the neighborhood are actually employed by the profits from the clothing store.

       Each and every item that is in the clothing store comes by way of donation.  For instance, there is an individual from the church that I attend who brings some donations that are collected throughout the weeks and brings them to us at Cross and Crown.  We have one other church that has a donations closet where people from the church will bring donations from their home, workplace ect. on Sundays and Wednesdays and store them in a closet.  Then, generally, every 2 or 3 weeks Ron and I will go in our 15 passenger van to pick up the donations at their location.  

       Once the items have been taken to the Cross and Crown store, several of the women and other volunteers sift through all the items and price things accordingly.  Clothing items, yard supplies, Halloween costumes, diapers, older tv's, puppets....you name it, it's been donated.  Most things that people donate are things that they have either decided aren't worth their time and effort to sell on their own or are of no value to them. But, what we have discovered is that once people have been educated on how their donations generate money for a ministry and/or project they tend to donate items that they otherwise wouldn't (i.e. electronics, appliances, nicer clothing items and other more valuable items).

       The idea that we are trying to build off of is an idea that has come about due, partially, to the tougher economic times.  As we all know, the economy has struggled and therefore people, rightfully, become much tighter with their money.  They spend less and they give less.  We, because of our 501(c)3 non-profit status, have also been greatly impacted by the stresses of the economy and people giving less.  We have experienced a decline in moneys given but haven't necessarily seen as a great of a decline by way of item donations.  Therefore, we have decided that we might have a greater opportunity to raise funds in the form of item donations.

       The last couple months we have been experimenting with some of the more valuable donations, such as, electronics, new/unworn clothes and larger items that we physically don't have space for in the clothing room.  For example, some of the items we have held back recently include a GPS, a digital picture frame, some computer networking items, a pool table and an air compressor.  These are each examples of items that if we were to place in the clothing room, chances are, people from the neighborhood either wouldn't be willing to pay for or we are unwilling to price at their real value.  

       The experiment we have been working with is placing these types of items on Ebay and Craigslist. To this point we have started each and every item we have put on Ebay at .99 cents and let its' value determine itself.  Recently we sold a collection of 10-12 bicycling t-shirts, some new and some used, on Ebay and made over $100.00.  Whereas, if we would have sold them in the Cross and Crown store they would have each been sold for no more than $2.00 a piece meaning that we would have made no more than $20.00 total.  And, the best part is, this money is then directly recycled back into, "Rebuilding the Walls', and, hopefully, will do well enough to fund some of the youth expenses at Rock Island.  

       The pool table that someone donated to us is not something that is generally donated to us.  But, because they were familiar with how we sell things on Ebay and Craigslist and how the money received from the sale is to benefit a ministry, they were willing to donate the pool table.  

       To this point, we have collected 20-25 items through various donations that we have deemed valuable enough to sell online.  Through this we have generated a few hundred dollars.  The way we look at it is, that's a few hundred dollars less that someone has to give financially to Cross and Crown or that we, as staff, have to raise.  

       Below are pictures of a recent venture Ron, myself and 4 of the Rock Island youth took to Falls Creek in order to deliver the pool table that someone donated to us which we listed on Craigslist.  We decided to use the opportunity as a work/play experience for the kids.  

       A group at Falls Creek found our listing online, offered to buy the table and then offered some additional funds if we were willing to deliver the table to them.  We made enough money off of the sale to pay for all travel expenses and supplies, lunch and a future trip later on this summer.  

       The Ebay/Craigslist experiment also has some long term potential for the kids.  We think it serves as a great learning experience/skill-set for them if they choose to use it later on down the road.

       If you or someone you know is interested in hearing more about this new venture, please let us know.  Also, if you or someone you know has an item or items they would like to contribute towards this cause, don't hesitate to contact us ( lwhitmire1@gmail.com or 232-7696). We even do pickups for large items!

       Here are a few pictures from our first big sale...


    8:00am Friday morning.  Pool table secured and ready for delivery.

Two of the boys reaping the benefits of 

their contributions towards the trip.  TEDS!!!

Technically, what's in the to-go box is leftovers.  

I might argue what's in the box is not fit for a human to eat

Summer Rock Island/youth schedule

Yeah, you know what time it is...

Just relax and let Big Willie Style and Jazzy Jeff serenade you as they welcome in Summer 2010.

School is out and so is the new Rock Island summer schedule.  Here it is...

Monday - 8:30-9:30 - Jr. High/High School Workout and Breakfast

               10:30-1:00 - Jr. High/High School Volunteer @C&C

               1:30-4:00 - Jr. High/High School Lunch and Hangout

Tuesday - 8:30-9:30 - Jr. High/High School Workout and Breakfast

               10:30-1:00 - Jr. High/High School Volunteer @C&C

               1:30-4:00 - Jr. High/High School Lunch and Ebay/Pickups

Wednesday - 8:30-9:30 - Jr. High/High School Workout and Breakfast

                    10:30-1:00 - Jr. High/High School Volunteer @C&C

                    1:30-4:00 - Lunch and Movie

Thursday - 6:00-8:00 - Family Meal/Hangout

Friday - 10:00-1:00 - Sports/Athletics at Park

So, if you're interested in hanging out with some of the youth of Rock Island this summer there's the days and times.  Any and everyone welcome, well, almost anyone.

Cross and Crown will continue to have the same volunteer hours. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 10:15-1:00ish.

scattered thoughts

Lately I have been struggling with some things.  These issues involve several different aspects and I probably won't be able to address each of them.  I'll just touch on a couple.

I generally shy away from most political arguments and let people say what they want to say about how great or how bad of a job the President is doing without putting up much resistance.  Safe to say, there are things I like and things I strongly dislike about how our country and leaders are handling their very tough positions.  I just opt for the 1 Timothy 2:1-4 approach because in the long run I really don't have much control or say in the matter, but I know the One who does.

The specific issue I have decided I can't handle to hear about anymore stems from the whole health-care policy.  Yeah, I get it.  People that aren't 'earning' their keep are getting assistance they don't 'deserve'.  I mean, yeah, this goes against the 'American Dream' that America was founded upon; work hard, get what you deserve, aspire to wealth, success and fame by any means necessary.  You get what you earn.  Some Christians even say, "Hey, that's scriptural.  'You reap what you sow'".  Well then, shoot, the Bible must be telling us to do away with the new health-care plan and everyone just get what they can afford.  Everyone gets what they deserve, right?  Risky.  As one of my unnamed, college professors used to say, "If everyone got what they deserved we'd all be burnin' in hell."  

Others argue that it's going to destroy the health-care system as a whole and the quality of care is going to decline.  Very possible.  In fact, I can't argue against this very probable result.  I think it probably will too.  Shoot, my wife is a nurse.  Don't think I don't hear about this scenario regularly.

If you aren't a Christian or apart of some other type of religious oriented group or, I guess, even just a good person who cares about the well-being of other people, then yes, the idea of the working for your pay and then having an even larger portion of your pay taken away from you to provide care for a person who isn't working seems ridiculous, unfair, silly and can become frustrating.  So, if you are a person I just described then this post will be of no interest to you and is a waste of your time...


If the thought of someone sitting at home all day, watching Jerry Springer and slamming down Budlight after Budlight while you are at work isn't frustrating enough, now you are having to help pay for that same person to get their ingrown fingernail surgery paid for because they can't pay for it themselves.  WHAAAAAAAT?!?!?

This describes the guy who had his chances.  He has his high-school education.  He went to a few semesters of college but dropped out because it was too hard.  He is in great health (except for being a little overweight from the couch-potatoe life style) and completely functional.  He had a job a few times but decided getting up before 10:00 am was overrated.  Then, he figured out how to work the system.  He is milking all the government assistance programs like a pro.  He even figured out a way to get Meals-on-Wheels to deliver to his house and he's only 38!  Niiiiiiiice!  I agree.  Seems a little bit, kinda, somewhat, extremely foolish to have a cut of your income pay for this dudes medical bill just because you work hard and make a lot of money.

No where in all of God's inspired Word does it say anything about helping the lazy, leaching guy that opts out of work or earning his way.  Trust me, I goggled it.  In fact, I am sure a lot of you out there are clinging to 2 Thessalonians 3:10 during this time.

But I'm not even going to get into all the health care stuff (seems like I did already, huh?). Honestly, I'm just not qualified enough to get into all that goodness.  But, what I will get in to is very similar.  I would like to get in to the idea of the children of a person like I just described.

I want to unload on this subject a little bit because...I work with some of these kinds of kids.  And, sometimes, often times, it can be super frustrating.  They don't listen, they don't follow directions, they struggle interacting with the other kids and, if I'm not careful, I will express my frustration with their parents towards them.

So, here's the scenario.  You have the fat, lazy, couch-potato guy who has chosen his own destiny and then he has a boy.  The mom is out of the picture because the boy was really just a good time that turned into a baby.  So now the boy grows up with a lazy, uninterested, leaching dad who teaches him nothing.  Dad doesn't discipline him.  He doesn't help him with homework because he doesn't enforce going to school unless he really just wants him out of the house during the day so that he can have sole possession of the tv.  Dad doesn't feed him.  So, when he does eat it's because he scavenged through the fridge and cabinets, through some junk together and choked it down. He runs the streets looking for any type of interaction from other people and hopefully it's another kid before an adult.

So, there the boy is.  He has zero discipline.  He has little education.  He has no skills.  He can't even carry on a general conversation because he doesn't attend school regularly and no one talks to him at home.  He smells.  He has no manners.

So what's to come of him? - I'll tell you what is to come of him...more times than not, he becomes his dad.

I'm a first hand example of this.  Now, I am no where close to my father in terms of wisdom, knowledge, experience or faith. But, because of the life that he has lived (and is living), the things he taught me, the way he disciplined me, the way I observed him interact with people, the EXAMPLE he set has a lot to do with where I am today.  My point, if I had a different dad growing up I would be in a different place than I am now.

I believe, the same holds true for the boy I have just described.  Right now, though, he is the cute, innocent, dirty kid you see walking home from school or on the street who you have pity on because he's just a kid.  He isn't to blame.  He has parents that are to blame, right?

Based on the two people I just described, which one would you be more willing to give a portion of your income towards to help assist with medical care? Or other things, like, buying groceries, giving clothes or helping further education?  Or what about intangible forms of help, like, building confidence, teaching discipline or spending an afternoon with just to be his friend?

Easy choice, the kid.  Remember, the dad had his chance?

The boy, because of his environment, lack of teaching, lack of education ect, becomes his father.  He models all he knows.  15-20 years down the line he becomes the lazy, couch-potato, governmental leach of a person his dad was.  So now, his cuteness isn't there anymore because he has facial hair.  The dirtiness that you once showed pity on now disgusts you because it has turned into b.o.  His innocence is now replaced with life experiences that have tarnished him to become the disgusting, unapproachable guy that you drive past everyday on your way to work as he heads to the liquor store.

Here are a coupe questions I have:

Who decided that once you reach a certain age you are no longer 'helpable'?

Isn't the once innocent boy going to model the very actions, lifestyle, decision making ect. that his father modeled to him?

Some of you may be asking, "Oh, well, what about God?", "Where does God fit in to the picture?", "Don't you believe God can work a miracle in his life?".

Yes, I do.  But what if the miracle involves us?  What if the miracle is someone stepping up, going against the norm of what the world says is appropriate and being the catalyst to help jump start the miracle?

It's hard.  I know.  The whole reason I started this specific blog post is because I'm really bad at extending sympathy to all without knowing their specific life story.  I assume.  I assume that because someone sits at home all day, smokes, doesn't enforce their kid to go school and then wants a handout is because they're lazy.  Yeah, there are people like this who know better, have been taught how to live and by their own choosing opt to get the handout rather than applying what they know is right.  But what I am finding out is there are also a lot of people that don't know any better.  They didn't have parents that taught them how to say, "Thank you", "No mam", "Please" and other 'common' courtesies.

What I am finding out is that sometimes that lazy guy is really just a grown up kid that doesn't know anything different.

So, I have to check myself.  Consciously I have to consider my own life, my own upbringing.  Isn't what I am doing, or a large portion of what I am doing, directly a result of me mirroring what my parents taught me?  That's why parents teach, so their kids will know how to behave.  The same can be expected from kids who haven't been taught.  They don't/won't know 'how to behave'.  And, just because they get older doesn't mean they will know anything different from when they were a neglected chid.  They still don't know 'how to behave'.

I say all of this to say a few things...

The health care reform may suck now and may end up being a huge disaster but don't be the person who throws a fit about it all because people who haven't 'earned' their way are getting a hand out at your expense.  Because, along with all the people who are taking advantage of the system, there are legitimate cases, men, women and children who can't or don't even have the tools to help themselves.

Be the person who disagrees with the health care reform because it isn't addressing the needs of the marginalized, the poor, the sick, the orphan or the widow in an appropriate manner.  Not because your pocket book takes a hit.

Also, next time you begin to decide that the fat couch-potato guy is just being lazy, surprise everyone and find out their story.  You might be the component God was waiting for to begin His miracle.  You might be surprised.