The power of 332

Yesterday afternoon I noticed helicopters circling Loren Miller Park again. Isaiah had stayed home sick from preschool, but I felt a kind of virtual dread at how often we are still playing on the slides and swings at this hour. I wondered if any of his preschool buddies were present when whatever the incident was occurred. And how could we possibly be having another incident already?

The helicopters were still circling when I left the house around 2pm. At 6:30pm, when I returned, patrol cars were parked throughout the neighborhood and the sidewalks were crowded with bystanders. It turned out that a group of gang members had opened fire on some people they had just robbed. Again, God's shielded our community from harm. No one was hit, and an LAPD patrol car happened to turn the corner just as the first shots were fired. Officers arrested 5 men who will be charged with attempted murder.

I rejoice in God's mercy that no one has been harmed. But I also feel how precarious life is in a place where bullets fly. The families who live on the corner of Dalton and 27th feel it even more, and one friend has told me, "I don't know if I can live here any more." I would say the same if it were happening in front of my house.

There are some steps that can be taken, ways that neighbors can decrease and prevent this kind of activity. But such work requires time, effort, teamwork and a degree of risk. Last Sunday, the day before the first shooting, Richard and I hosted a block party for community members interested in forming block clubs. This group shared a potluck meal and talked at length with our LAPD senior lead officer. Attendance was 25 adults and 12 kids. About 10 more are interested in block clubs but couldn't make the party.

After our guests left, Richard and I did some fancy junior high math to figure out how many new relationships our block club gatherings have produced. Not counting people who knew each other previously, we estimate the number is about 332. That's a lot of relationships, and could be the foundation for some powerful work in our community!

Would you pray for these new relationships to continue growing, and for trust to develop across the barriers of language and culture and background? And pray that God will lead us in how to address the violence of the last ten days.

New Beginnings at Adventures Ahead

Amid what has been a tumultuous week for our neighborhood, it is a joy to report that Adventures Ahead has launched it's fall tutoring program. Today was the first day of the middle school math class, where Lauren is using a fun new curriculum that leads students on a quest to find pirate treasure -- treasure that can only be unearthed by multiplying and dividing negative numbers! Tomorrow begins Week #2 of the reading and homework-assistance classes for elementary school students. God has already brought together a group of 29 students and 15 one-on-one reading buddies to work with students who are reading below a third-grade level. The students who read at a higher level are excited to begin reading a novel in small groups.

As a newcomer to this neighborhood, I am struck by the consistency of Adventures Ahead -- Lauren's leadership, committed volunteers, and some students who have attended for a number of years allow this to be a program that families can count on to begin its classes every fall. In the midst of budget cuts and even violence and death, Jesus is bringing new life to the corner of Normandie and Jefferson, breaking generational chains of poverty with education and opportunity. What a testimony of God's faithfulness and steady presence with us!

Would you join us in interceding for this powerful work? Please pray for

• the logistics to work out to hold a parent meeting sometime soon
• children to come every day, on time, and ready to learn
• new teachers as they plan, prep, and get comfortable with their classes
• a few more college students or church members to serve as volunteers
  

How we roll

Last night a small army gathered at the Parks home. Twenty-five members of Church of the Redeemer shared a meal, a backyard fire and stories of our experiences with the "Take a Walk Campaign." If you haven't heard, this is a campaign to make our sidewalks accessible to wheelchairs so our disabled neighbors won't be forced into the streets as they are currently. Our team spent the summer surveying the damage, and mapping out the many problem areas. Our next project is to systematically gather petition signatures from the community and record personal stories from our neighbors who use wheelchairs. A very talented friend has offered to create a photo essay of both the sidewalks and the people whose wheelchairs can't get over them. We intend to put a very personal face, as well as specific narratives, on the abstract problem of "accessibility."

We divided up blocks for signature collection, and prayed for God to use our efforts in far-reaching ways. That we would become better listeners of, better friends to and better advocates for our disabled neighbors. That many of those we approach would offer not just a signature, but partnership in this cause. That we would find favor with the city agencies we approach. That our neighborhood would become a safer, more welcoming place for those who use wheelchairs. That sidewalk repairs would stand as a monument to God's love and power, and to his Spirit at work through our church. That this project would help our neighborhood come together in the future to solve even bigger problems!

Would you pray for these things as well? We plan to come together for brunch in three weeks. May we have many great stories to share!

If you would be interested in spending a Saturday or Sunday afternoon gathering signatures with us please contact Richard Parks at (323) 377-9686.

Weary Moses seeks Aaron and Hur

The night of September 14th our neighborhood was wracked by violence. In the previous post I described a shooting in our local park that terrorized everyone in the vicinity. One of the men playing on the basketball court described watching bullets collide with metal poles, and feeling amazed that not a single person was hit. The preschool director testified this morning, "You know, I pray. I walk the perimeter of this park all the time, and I pray." I believe her prayers make a difference. As do the prayers of Church of the Redeemer members who walk that same perimeter and pray. As do your own prayers, whether local or at a distance.

The shooting at Loren Miller happened at about 7:30pm. No one was injured, and the gunman was not found. Later in the evening, two homicides occurred. One was in front of the doughnut shop at Jefferson and Normandie. The other was on the 3700 block of Ruthelen Street, about one mile away. It's striking to me how intimately each of these locations are linked to the life and history of Church of the Redeemer. The doughnut shop sits across the street from the Adventures Ahead tutoring center. I've spent many late afternoons there sharing a treat with Adventures Ahead families or friends on their way to the Spanish worship service that meets there. The address on Ruthelen Street is just one block away from where Church of the Redeemer's pastor lived for several years.

The police force is seeking leads in all three incidents. Please pray for the families and friends of these two homicide victims, and for those whose sense of security was shattered by events at the park on Monday. And would you pray also for God's people here...Parks and Rec employees, Church of the Redeemer members, and everyone else who loves our Lord...to persevere in praying? Just as Aaron and Hur held up Moses' arms when they grew tired, you can hold up our sometimes weary hearts in your prayers.

Worst Case Scenario

This morning I walked Isaiah to Loren Miller Park for his first day of preschool. On our way across the basketball court we stopped to chat with our friend Sergio. As we neared the playground Isaiah's classmate Sirena called out his name excitedly. After some initial hesitancy he settled back into the classroom routine, and reconnected with his old buddies in that awkward, three-year-old way of his. Our boy even shared a bag of Cheetos with his former nemesis, a boy who incurred his wrath last spring by calling him "small." It looked like a promising start.

But sometime around 8pm tonight we heard a series of gunshots coming from the park, followed by helicopters. Jordan overheard our housemates talking and asked me, "Mommy, what's a drive-by?" Without really answering his question, I let him conclude that it had to do with running a stoplight. It turned out the incident was not a drive-by, by any definition. A friend of ours witnessed the whole thing. A man on foot had pointed a gun into the park and started firing at random, roughly twelve shots. A small group of families and soccer players were there, but we're pretty sure no one was injured. Miraculously. I called Sirena's mom whose house faces into the park. She was shaken up, but calm. And relieved that her daughter went to bed early so she didn't have to explain.

I have played with each of my kids at this park since they were babies. It's been a place for playdates, birthday parties and church outreach events. Jordan learned to ride his bike there. And now Isaiah spends three mornings a week in the park's preschool. My biggest concerns are usually the lack of shade and how long Isaiah will insist on me playing the troll under the playstructure bridge. But I am also always on the lookout for trouble in this place, and I don't like babysitters to take the kids there without me. Because every so often something crazy happens.

Please pray for the peace of God to cover this plot of land. Pray that violence would be pushed back and families would play together in safety. And thank God with us for his protection this evening.

I will say to the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. Psalm 91: 2-4

Isaiah's shows Abi just how good the preschool corndogs are.

Answered Prayers: Adventures Ahead Celebration

Thank you so much for interceding for our End-of-Summer Celebration! It was amazing that night to watch your prayers and our plans come together and see God at work in the neighborhood. Logistics went smoothly, attendance was great, and relationships were built and deepened in a way that felt both surprising and genuine.

The Celebration was part awards ceremony, part barbecue buffet, and part family get-together. The younger children sang and danced to a song "Teresa the airplane," explaining in simple terms how thrust, drag, lift, and gravity affect flight. The older students gave short presentations about science experiments they had done and displayed their science-fair boards for everyone to see. Each child received an award, and there was an opportunity to invite families to continue participating in Adventures Ahead and other projects in the fall.

After the program everyone ate carne asada and parents sat around talking while the kids ran around and played in a blow-up jumper. We were especially grateful for this time, as it allowed families to deepen their relationships with each other and with volunteers from the Church of the Redeemer.

We were very blessed to have these church volunteers help us plan and put together the event, doing everything from spending hours roasting 40 pounds of carne asada on two backyard grills to putting together the perfect playlist. This reminded us what a joy it has been all summer to see Church of the Redeemer partner so closely with Adventures Ahead and Redeemer Community Partnership. Church members prepared lunches, decorated the classroom, prayed, and volunteered both inside and outside of class times. In all this, many of them began to build relationships with Adventures Ahead families as well. Praise God!

In closing, please continue to pray for follow-up from the summer. Let's ask God to bring the same families that participated this summer back to Adventures Ahead when classes start in the fall, and to continue to build ongoing relationships between participating families and church members. And take time to thank him for the great work that he has done this summer, too!