New Roots Garden

Last Saturday, some of us spent a rainy (periodically storming) day volunteering at the New Roots urban garden in City Heights. Facilitated by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), New Roots is a 2.3 acre urban garden, providing plots for approximately 80 families representing 12 countries, all refugees who fled from oppressive or dangerous circumstances, and relocated here to San Diego. Through this garden, these refugee families are able to grow their own affordable, healthy food, many of which can't be found in markets here in San Diego. Some sell extra produce grown to local restaurants, providing an additional source of revenue for their families.

Volunteers were of all shapes, sizes, ethnicity and age. It was a small taste of the kingdom of God, a rich experience that went far beyond merely shoveling and moving mulch. Thanks to Michael Kolbas for coordinating the event, and all the work you do for the Garden and the IRC.

/jon

The Tangible, Sobering Kingdom

It's been nearly 3 weeks since I posted about Cynthia, an artist living on the streets of Golden Hill. I created an online store to help sell her bookmark-sized original works of art, put the word out to friends, and those first sevens pieces of art sold in a single day. It was more than a little bit awesome.

I couldn't wait to see Cynthia and tell her the good news. It took though nearly 3 weeks to track her down. The cell phone number I had for her didn't work, and I hadn't seen her in the neighborhood.

On Saturday afternoon though, while I was in the front of the house watering the grass, I heard a "hello." Looking up, there she was. "Hey Cynthia! I've got some good news for you." I can hardly describe how good it felt to say those words to her. Sophia and I invited her inside, talked a bit, and gave her the thirty dollars from selling her work on Etsy. She hung out for awhile, met our girls and my mom, and told us some more about our home "back in the day," when it was a run-down drug house. She's been in the neighborhood for many years, and has seen a lot.

On Sunday night she came back with over a hundred new works of art for me to look at, and choose which to post online. As we spread them out on the table that night, and looked through every single one, we were amazed both at her talent, and the hope that this seemed to represent.

She was back over again Monday night, signing the ones we're going to post online. We had a good conversation, heard a bit more of her story, and got to finally pray with her. It felt good, hopeful, and right. I also saw though some of the pain in Cynthia, hearing a bit more about some of what she's up against, some of her pain and loss, and how her life has been—in her words—on a decline for a long time.

She told us of her Van Gogh dreams, only unlike Vincent, she'd like to earn the money from her art before she dies. I don't know what will come of selling her art online. Really though, I'm not sure this is really all about money and selling art. That's part of it. There's something though about getting to know Cynthia and hearing her story. She's part of my neighborhood and the pain of it's past. And in a small way, I guess she's becoming a part of my family's story. I still don't know her well, and we had to have some sobering conversations with the girls about the realities of entering into the lives of desperate people who are hanging on by a thread. I've been involved in the lives of people struggling with homelessness, addiction and other demons, and it can be a really sticky, uncomfortable, difficult mess.

I also know though, that that's where Jesus is. On the street, in the pain of addiction, loss, and struggle. He's also in the passion and hope of cool art, and what it represents. He's in the good news of thirty bucks when it's really needed, a glass of cold water and a listening ear. He's in the eyes of Sophia, my mom and girls, as I watched them invite Cynthia into our home, treating her just like any other friend we might have over.

I know a little bit more of what Jesus looks like over these last few days, and it feels really, really good.

If you want to check out Cynthia's art, you can visit her Etsy store here.

/jon

Casa de Esperanza

Casa de Esperanza, originally uploaded by hallywood.

On Nov 20-22, 2009, a group of us are headed to Casa de Esperanza, located just south of Ensenada, to engage in some "tangible kingdom" efforts.

Casa de Esperanza (House of Hope) is a home for women who are victims of domestic abuse, and their children. With 65 residents, only two full-time staff and extremely limited resources, their needs are significant. We'll be partnering with our friends Reflejo, and a church from Orange County (TerraNova) in a three day experience of working and connecting with the women and kids of Esperanza.

Space is limited, so if you're interested, let me know pronto. Just comment on this post and I'll get back to you with details.

/jon

A Glimpse of the Tangible Kingdom

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I picked up the book, "Re Jesus" by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch this week. Chaz, Rebecca, Peter, Derek and I had started reading it together when we all still lived in LA. It was one of those books that got shuffled around in our move to San Diego and I'm not sure that any of us had a chance to finish it.

This morning I experienced something beautiful of the tangible Kingdom of God. Frost and Hirsch say, "...we are never alone when we do a holy deed because we partner with God in the redemption of the world. In other words, a deed done in His name is a means of Grace, a sacrament........and grace goes two ways: such an action pulls a person away from their own self-involved concerns and directs them missionally toward other human beings in such a way that they, the person acted upon and the person acting find God in a new way." (p.152)

Right after I read this quote and the words surrounding it, I heard someone yell out from the street in front of our house, "Ken, wait! We have something for you! Its a surprise!" I quickly looked out our window to see who it was.

Ken is a homeless man who walks by our house in the morning and evening every day. He wears all black and carries three large canvas bags. I've seen the couple who live across the street from us talking to him once or twice but this morning they stopped right in front of our window so I got to listen in.

The husband stood and talked with Ken while the wife rain into their home to get her "surprise" for Ken. I so enjoyed watching them interact....tears filled my eyes as I felt God was revealing Himself to me through this couple's act of love toward Ken. The wife ran out of the house with a new pair of jeans, nicely folded, and a banana. Ken had a big smile on his face in responded in gratefulness for the jeans and said, ".... and Bananas are my favorite."

I haven't met this neighbor couple yet but I want to. I don't know if they know Jesus yet. And I want to tell them that they encouraged me with their act of love toward Ken.

I have to add to Frost and Hirsch's quote.... not only does the person acted upon and the person acting find God in a new way but maybe the people looking out their windows get to find God in a new way too. :)

Investing in the Tangible Kingdom

Inspired by the book we're currently going through, The Tangible Kingdom, today I set up an Etsy Store for a local street artist (that is, an artist living on the street) in our neighborhood. She signs her art "incinders," but her name is Cynthia.

Instead of pan-handling, Cynthia creates original, one-of-a-kind bookmark-sized original works of art and sells them on the streets of Golden Hill to passers-by. She creates her art on found scraps of cardboard, packaging, gum-wrappers and paper. Using paint, markers and pens, Cynthia's style is whimsical and expressive, belying her harsh reality of spending her days on the street.

Since moving to Golden Hill in Fall '08, I would buy Cynthia's bookmark-sized art whenever I saw her on the street. Her story, only part of which I've heard, is one of heart-break and recovering addiction. But it's also a story of hope. Inspired by her upbeat attitude and use of her talent to try and generate a meager income, I decided to share the love by setting up an Etsy store to sell some of her work online.

The Incinders Etsy store is here. For six or seven bucks (come on, that's like NOTHING for original one-of-a-kind art!), I'll include shipping. Buy more than one, and the shipping on additional items is free. 100% of your purchase goes directly to Cynthia.

— Jon

A day in Ensenada

Some of us spent the day in Ensenada re-connecting with some friends and visiting Casa de Esperanza, a home for women and their children who are victims of domestic abuse.

Is it about them? Or us? Or... both?

Jason Evans recently posted some terrific thoughts based on the passage 1 Kings 17:8-16, on what it means for us, as followers of Christ, to engage those in need.

"In this passage, Elijah is instructed to ask a poor widow for assistance. She has barely enough to feed herself and her son. She believes they are on the brink of death. Yet, God prompts Elijah to ask the widow to make him a meal. Can you imagine asking someone in a bread line to make you a meal?! There is a profound lesson for people of privilege to learn from this passage of what it means to be with people in need. Conversely, there is a profound lesson for people in need to learn from this passage of what it means to be with people of privilege."

Read his entire post here. Great stuff that should inform us a bit in how we need to engage those on the margins.

/jon