Sunday, September 11, 2011

West Coast To The South

It has been such a blessing learning from my work at PATH last year,  living in an intentional community in California, spending time with neighborhood kids and the youth group of FPCH, and God's work in me at First Presbyterian Church, Hollywood.  I know I will carry these experiences with me forever and hope to share these memories with others. The time I got to spend with my neighborhood kids taking them to movie premieres, TV shows, and teaching them how to surf,  and just learning about each one of them, and trying to be an example for them, were just a few of the ways God blessed me and helped me grow in my walk with him.  


The Neighborhood kids with my surfer friends

For my housemates, there were some crazy moments but we all grew to learn to respect each other, our differences in beliefs and faith, each others boundaries, and we learned to love each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. 


My CA roommates

The people I met from PATH (People Assisting the Homeless), First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, friends from different areas of LA, and from the Door organization have also affected my life. They welcomed me with open arms and trusted me to do what they asked, and to ask if I needed their help. Working with the Youth leaders, I learned from their examples and their dedication to Christ and the youth in that church. Thanks Nick, Bethany, and David.


 
The youth group of FPCH

The man in the sky pushed me through different trials and I learned from my trials. I have become a stronger christian because God showed me his graces this past year when I was away from home. Being on my own caused me to lean on God more, and take opportunities when God gave them to me.  My year in Hollywood has been eye opening, and I am so thankful for the experience. I met some stars, I learned to surf, and I actually became friends with Joel McHale,  Those experinence was not in my plan when I came to CA. However I do believe these experiences were part of God's plan for me.  God wants the best for his children. Thank you to Matthew (my leader), Brandon (my prayer partner), Josh, Brady, Alyana, Alex, and Robert (my housemates), the west coast life was awesome.  God is great!
Colossians 4:5-6
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.



I am back in TN. It was good to spend time with my family and friends for a week, before I left for YAV orientation in NY. It was good catching up with old friends and making new ones. While we were in NY, we battled through the rain and winds of Hurricane Irene during orientation. 
Now I moved to East Nashville, and have 4 other roommates in the house that I live in, and also have three others in our group that live in another part of Nashville.   We are now working for our agencies, 32 hours a week, and I will soon begin to work for my appointed church. I am working in the education area at “Room In The Inn”.  Room In The Inn is agency that helps homeless clients. It is very similar to my CA agency PATH. I will explain what I will be doing at the church in my next blog. 

My TN roommates

Reverse Culture Shock (a.k.a. "Re-entry Shock", or "own culture shock") may take place — returning to one's home culture after growing accustomed to a new one can produce the same effects. The affected person often finds this more surprising and difficult to deal with than the original culture shock.  Everything was so expensive in California that we really had to budget for everything, including food, and in Nashville we have a dishwasher!  I have my own truck here and in California I was dependent on my feet, the bus, subway, or one van shared by 6 people, to go anywhere.  Again, I learned to get along with others, give in sometimes and stand up for myself sometime, but most of all I learned to trust in the one that is in charge.  I have to say that to myself often.  God will take care of my needs and I need a lot less than I have.  I want to fix problems, but I know I should let go and "Let God".  
” Value judgements reflects our beliefs of how life can best be served. Moralistic judgments that imply wrongness or badness on the part of people who don’t act in harmony with our values. The experience I had last year dealing with different people or issues had taught me be more mature in judging. Now I am not saying I am judging all the time. Everybody judge. All I am saying that I am more relax and at peace with dealing with issues. I just give it to God the whole thing and let him take it. No more worry if it gonna be fix or do I need to talk to somebody, etc. God wants to take our problems and sometime our problems end up being little silly stuff. I come to realized that not everybody gonna get what they want or they always gonna be happy if I do everything with them. I let it be and let God work on it. Now if someone need to talk to me about issues, I will be more than happy to listen. Now speaking on this judgement stuff, being back home for a week after leaving CA, it seem that my childhood people seems showing the same behavior like always. Nothing wrong with that but my behavior have change so its not similar to others anymore. Its just weird. I am at peace now and I am in a spot where I do feel weird of what my friends say about others. I am just more into saying positive stuff about people than something that don’t need to be brought up. So that is what going on with me right now, trying to get used to being back home. I am thankful to be back home. Looking forward of what God got plans ahead for me and other YAVs this year. Please pray for me as I try to deal with the culture shock and the new YAVs at their sites. 
James 4:11, 12
Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?
God is Great!
Kyle

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A Pause In Life.



I was watering the garden in the yard of the community house, and I heard voices of kids on the other side of the fence.   I continue to water the plants as the voices get louder and closer. "Kyle! Kyle! Can I water the garden?" one of the 3 girls said.  I smiled and said yes. They quickly came and watering the areas that I haven't got to yet. They were giggled and smiling as they take turns to water the plants. They acted like they were gonna get me wet with the hose in their hand.  Then a girl got one of the girls really wet. All of them giggled loudly and for the girl that was wet, played along like nothing happened and giggled the whole time.  They was living in the moment of enjoying life with no worries.        

It was like the girls put all the worries away and enjoy what God provide them at that moment.  A pause to enjoy God.

 ------------------------------------------

At my church on 2 Sunday ago during worship, a stranger came down to the 2nd row and rudely interrupted the service. He yelled out loud of his worries on his mother's health and other things. The pastor was sitting in the front row and motioned to the worship leader to silence the music. The stranger with a mental illness was tried to escorted out. Then the pastor said a prayer in front of the congregation for this stranger and his worries. The music begins to play again. The stranger continue to be louder with his concerns and calling the police.  The music stopped again. Few people in the congregation came down and sat near him. Gave him water. Then the pastor opened up prayer time where a number of people in the sanctuary prayed out loud. Someone read out "Isaiah 43" from the bible.  He ended up being escorted out. When I witnessed this happening, I was thinking what is going on?  Who is this man?  But when the people prayed out loud, I felt full of God's grace with no concern of what just happened suddenly.  In the sanctuary, God was showing me to pray for him deeply and to love him with faith that God provide me to use regardless of what the stranger rudely did few mins ago.   In that moment me and others stacking up of prayers and showing the love of God to  the stranger.   I had no worries of the past or the future, just the present of the moment in prayer.      

I had a pause moment in the garden and in the church.  Since then I kept reminding myself don't worry of what the past or the future, just enjoy God now and watch his plans unfolded before me.  Love life and learn what God is showing to you in the moment.  HIS MOMENT. HIS TIME.    When you pause for sec,  look around and God is showing you something, just catch it.   He been waiting on you to listen to him since you been born.  Do you have time for him?     In the church and the garden there was pause moments for me where I just felt God and he was teaching me in a way that I can't explain it.    

God Is Incredible. 

Isaiah 43


1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,
      And He who formed you, O Israel:

    “ Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
      I have called 
you by your name;
      
You are Mine."
       
2 When you pass through the waters,
will be with you;
      And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you.
      When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned,
      Nor shall the flame scorch you. 


Friday, June 17, 2011

Faithful


1 Corinthians 7 :17
17But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.


" Wherever we are called, we are to be faithful."



3 John 1:6
 6Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:


The church needs people who will go out and preach the gospel so that the nation will hear the glorious good news.  But the church also needs senders who stay behind and raise the money and send them out in a God-glorifying way.  The kingdom of God has no second class citizens.  We are called to honor God whether we go and spread or stay and send. 


Back in May I had a opportunity to do a new project or a series of projects in the same structure.  I am now interviewing clients while I film at the same time to catch their story of what their life was before being homeless, being homeless, and what their plans now after being helped by PATH.  I have done little video work back in college but I am still learning new things to do with video. Its a new adventure for me. My favorite part out of the whole thing is listening to the client's stories.  One client had a job and kids. She was doing great until she got caught up with drugs and alcohol. So she lost custody of the kids and her job. She ended up staying at her mom until things got too complicated so she moved to couch to couch. It  got to the point where she knew she needed help so she went to rehab for awhile and heard about PATH while she was there. She was homeless and what she gonna do after rehab? Maybe get back into her bad habits and out in the street.  She didn't want that.  So she went to PATH after rehab. She end up doing few sessions with different departments that PATH have, to help their client with their program. She said she learning to get back on her two feet again and knowing how to handle financial problems. She been there few months now at PATH and she is in a waiting process to get a fresh start but she have to finish off the rest of her sessions before she is done.   Her goal is to be a mother again for her kids and see her kids graduate in few years.  A few days later after I interviewed her, I saw her and she told me that she got to talk to one of her kids and her kid will be getting a driver license soon. Its been awhile since she talked to them.  Her kid want to come down and see her.   She told them what have happened to her and what she is doing now. Her kids told her to keep going on with program and that they are proud of her knowing that she is trying to get better. Then she said I am so glad to hear that from my kids. That will keep me pushing for that goal. Almost every morning I see her as I walked to my office area and she will be talking other clients and then she will give a biggest hello out of the group to me. She is one of the few clients that I have been interviewing with.  My coworker Paul and Cali been giving me suggestions and my boss Jeremy thought I should try do this new direction. So It feel good that I have a group of people who trust me of the work I am doing to do for PATH.  I am really excited to take on a new challenge beside doing with design and photo-work for PATH. 


Its funny how God do things in your life when you at least expect it.  When I first started working at PATH, I was suppose to do design work in morning then work with clients in afternoon.  I end up working with development team for the rest of time and now I am doing both but still using my major to work with clients and development team.  So I am so thankful and faithful of what God taught me through different trials in this YAV life in Hollywood this year.  In about 2 month or less, I will be in Nashville for a year doing YAV again.   I am looking forward to that but not looking forward to saying goodbye to my CA families and friends.  God had me in CA for a reason and I believe I will be back in CA later on in life.   


Only worry about today and not tomorrow, God will take care of the rest. 


A few weeks ago, my parents came here to check out what I have experience here in CA.  I had a great time with my parents and it was good to catch up with them and eat down home country food. We did a lot of sightseeing and introducing my parents to pretty much everybody.  LOL.  





Please Pray for 

My roommate Josh and FPCH team as they go to Iraq for 2 week mission trip. 

Schmitt family as they prepare for changes in their location. 

Homeless people, clients in shelters, and agencies that help them.

My Grandma Willie Harvey 

Current YAV folks who about to finish up their year around the world and for upcoming YAV folks as they prepare to start their new journey with God. 

Me as I teach a bible study with FPCH youth group of middle and high school kids this Sunday.

My housemates as they prepare to pray of what to do after this YAV program end. 

Thanks for prayers and checking up on my blog.  I hope you have a great day!  God bless! 



Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Border of US / Mexico - Part 2

If you haven't read Part 1 yet. Then don't read this PART 2 till you read the previous blog of "The Border of US / Mexico - Part 1"


While we were in Tucson, AZ  we had a opportunity to go across the border to Mexico and visit few organizations that help immigrants who just recently been deported by the US government. One organization help immigrants get clothes or stuff they need. Another organization helped paid half for bus ride to take the immigrants back home after they got sent back into Mexico. There was a church who set up a housing place for immigrants to spend a night and have free dinner.


We got to talked to few immigrants as we waited for dinner being prepared.  All of us did mix of different things to fill our time at the church. Few of us did a hacky sack game, some played a guitar , some danced, some talked and listened to the people.  I talked to a young man with a help of my interpreter Stevie. The young man had a cell phone and showing me pictures of his large family and his job. As he was showing me pictures, he was speaking so full of love and peace, no anger.  I never seen so many pictures or videos in my life that was coming out of his cell phone. When dinner was ready, I sat beside a immigrant woman and immigrant man in front of her. Stevie joined us as well.  After dinner, all the immigrants left and went to their sleeping area.  We talked to a guy who was in charge of the shelter and did Q/A with us.   I got to see the guy's office and he had a cross with Bob the builder on it.



The next day we went to church and head back to the US.  Oh yeah, we got stopped when we crossed the border because we had a friend with us who just came from Germany to do internship at borderlinks in AZ for few months. Correna was questioned and the border police just wanted to know why she was here, etc.  After 12 mins, they let us go to US.

Monday morning we went to a place called CrossStreets ministry in Tucson at 6:00 am which help homeless people and provide them food and jobs if a opportunity arises. Few of us serves the food and rest of us just talked to people.  I served little then started taking photos and talking to people.




 I met a man who is around 63 years old.  He volunteer now at the church and volunteered at other places.  He told me his story of trials he been through of drugs, drinking, and being homeless.  He been sober since 1989.  He said he stopped because he realized he have better things to do than doing drugs. So he try to be a example of helping people and giving them encouragement.  He is homeless now but that don't stop him from helping other people. He said "It drives me crazy when people get angry or complained cause their free food is not warm or whatever it don't suit them." I was just like them but now I am pleased of what I get and I hope of my actions now will be seen by other people around me. When he was young ,he went to school to learn to be a computer programer but didn't finished due to his bad habit. Now he goes around Tucson and volunteer at places and sometime get a temporary job for a quick pay.


We got to listened and talked to "ICE" agents around lunch time. 


(Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security)   


Work on counterterrorism. Lead task forces. Training to detect narcotics and weapons smuggling, border violence.



Landscape - vast, hot dangerous. Majority of work is related to narcotics, addictions, human slave labor, etc. 
Cyber crime investigation. Child abuse, sex crimes. Developing intelligence on gang members. Prosecution of illegal, alien gang members. Money laundering, commercial fraud. Identify criminal orgs producing counterfeit goods. Ready for the challenge? Recruitment bit.
Customs investigated narcotics smuggling, money laundering, customs fraud, and illegal exports. Stemming the flow of firearms going to Mexico.  The purpose of the organization of ICE: border patrol, officers at ports of entry. 

Up above is overview of what ICE agents do.  I can't show questions and answers due to their request .  it was interesting and they really didn't answered a lot of our questions about the deaths in desert. Its seems like they were only limited to say what look good for their government. 

http://www.ice.gov/index.htm    Check it out.

Well that is pretty much the overview of what we learned while we were in AZ.

Starting this week, I am switching jobs at PATH but working at two different position on different days.     On Tuesday and Wednesday I will be working with Path in Hollywood with outreach team. We be reaching out to homeless people out in the street and I will be doing little filming / photo taking while I am out there.  On Thursday and Friday I be back at Path Mall in LA taking those photos / videos and making into a video story to post on the PATH website.  Please pray for the neighbors and the community house as it continue to grow. 

God is Good!


Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Border of US / Mexico - Part 1

Recently I was in Tucson, AZ for a retreat with my housemates, my director, and Tucson dwellers who live there. For the 4 days, I have learned about the problem in the border, the migrants, ICE agents, operation streamline, shelter for migrants, NAFTA free trade, and visa issues. I have my thoughts about the border issues before I came. During the 4 days stay, I developed mix feelings about all these issues that I learned. 

I was at a US court with the group to witness 60 migrants get sentenced for illegal entry into U.S.   This system is called Operation Streamline.  
Operation Streamline - is a Bush Administration program implemented in 2005 ordering federal criminal charges for every person who crosses the border illegally. In other words, it is a “zero tolerance” border enforcement program that targets even first time undocumented border-crossers. Instead of routing non-violent individuals caught crossing the border into civil deportation proceedings, Operation Streamline forces undocumented migrants through the federal criminal justice system and into U.S. prisons. Those who are caught making a first entry are prosecuted for misdemeanors punishable by up to 6 months in prison, and those who reenter after deportation may be prosecuted for felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Under this fast-track program, a federal criminal case with prison and deportation consequences is resolved in 2 days or less.   
I was sitting in the front row on the right side of the court. When the migrants get their sentences, they walked around the lawyer desk then toward us. I saw their faces before they walked out to the door 4 feet away from us.  You could heard their hand cuffs and ankle cuffs jingling. As I listened over and over of the judge reading their rights, public defender or public lawyers telling suggestions to their clients, and seeing the federal marshall making smirks at the immigrant's confession to the court.   2 to 7 immigrants at a time come up to face the judge as their lawyers stand behind them.    Here is one example of 6 men. One Guatemalan and 5 mexicans standing while being read of their rights by the judge. One man said  "I am guilty, i have been away from home for 15 days and my family doesn’t know where I am." They got sentenced for illegal entry in U.S.  Each 59 immigrant got mix number of days in prison then deportation back to Mexico. One was a minor so he was sent to detention and be deported later. Every now and then the prosecutor would stand up and say "The US Government submit." as the judge read migrant's present crimes and sometime past crimes. I felt that these people have the right to be sentenced and send back to Mexico for illgeal entry. I just don't agree with harsh behavior that border police treating them with.  I did not feel good as the immigrants walked up to my direction and I just couldn't just stare at them long enough for them to make their exit as I looked in a difference direction. I just wonder what they were thinking at the moment? Maybe these examples?

Why there are a group of white kids watching us getting sentenced?
What did I get myself into?
What my family going to do without me?
I don't understand what going on here, I wish someone will tell me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 We got to listened to several guests who worked with in the border areas. A man named Mike who put out water stations 9 years ago out on his tribal lands reservation to help immigrants. "Humane Borders publishes a death map at the end of every year.  It has red dots on each place where a dead human was found.  I started to see a cluster of red dots on my reservation.  I thought that it is my moral obligattion to do something.  I put water on the migrant trails.  in recent years. 42% of all migrant deaths in the Arizona lands are on tribal lands.  My battle is how do I compel my tribal govt to accept its moral responsibility to fight these deaths.  Its justification is that if we let these people come to put out water, then it will encourage migrants to come through the tribal lands.  Now over the years it has transitioned.  it follows the homeland security scenario.  we dont know who is crossing. “ they may be terrorists”  we dont want to give any aid that may be assissting terrorists in our tribal nation.  we share 75 miles of land with the border.  when I was the pastor out there, there was no humanitarian effort.  Nobody was or is doing anything about migrant deaths.  Migrant deaths have become common, and they have become accepted.  that is my tribal governments position.  there is no discussion about migrant deaths.  they just want to talk about the criminality of the issues coming across.  A lot of drugs are coming through.  that is my tribal govts position.  My issue is how to compel them to see that is our moral obligation to care about the migrant deaths." Mike said.  I can travel back and forth between the countries, because my tribal land is on both sides.  So i have a water station 10 meters inside the Mexican border.  People may be walking back and forth for days before they can find my water station. I have some big tanks of water and lots of little 1 gallon jugs that i take on my truck.  I saw that my tribe had bought a 2000 gallon water tanker.  I saw it drive past and water was sloshing out the top because the cap was not on.  He said that it was actually a 4000 gallon water tanker.  Guess who there water is for.    Cows.  they were filling up these water tankers to fill up to take to the cattle so that cows wouldn’t suffer and die, and yet they do nothing about humans, men, women, children, pregnant women, and infants dying in the desert.  so they spent half a million dollars to buy a truck to water cows but dont care about humans dying.  they have a moral responsibility, and yet we have a tradition of hospitality among the tribes.  are tradition is that we should always offer hospitality.  I continue to put out water as a humanitarian." He said.  There is race-based issues in arizona legislatiion.  there is a new law that has made high schools and colleges in Arizona stop studying Ethnic studies.  Ethnic cleansing has been a part of American history.  And this is trying to make people forget about this.  The focus is on progams in high schools, like native american studies, mexican american studies,  black american studies.  the legislature has banned the teaching of these studies.  they say that these classes teach people  to overthrow the government and they are race-based.  but what they really fear is the liberal education taking place.    After Mike finished his Q/A with us, we found out from a text message that said Bin Laden is dead.  We started to reflect on what Mike told us about immigrant's death in the desert and Bin Laden's death. We watched the news for little bit on Bin Laden. I was not happy with seeing so many people almost like praising that Bin Laden is dead.  Maybe that is patriotic for them.  We shared our thoughts about our Country killing Osama Bin Laden and what are our feelings about the situation.   Here is few people's thoughts 


"I felt a sense of hopelessness.  Its been like we have been after this man for so long.  we have now proven that one person has been killed.  our govt will shift to, now we got one lets get the next person.  Our govt will not know when to stop.  there will be another one to kill."

 "Why do we believe that American lives are more sacred than any other of another nationality? There is a bumper sticker that says:  Why do we kill people that kill people, to prove to other people that killing people is wrong? The tv was interviewing people who had relatives in 911 and soldiers. and it was like they were saying that killing Osama has made it all ok."    
"Why do we believe that some lives are more valuable? We believe that Jesus’s death made our deaths not so bad. It feels like the media is saying that Osamas death is making these other peoples death not so bad."  


Proverbs 24:17
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls.  Do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We went to Mexico for 2 days and 1 night.  We got to learned about a farmer making a garden so they will have food to eat. The farmer have said "There are some people think that I am crazy doing this." "I feel the need to do this to help and show other in my community that there is a solution to survive on." They hardly have any rain so they use water from a tank to water the garden. He also told us other ways he do to get water like making a ditch and he create large square bricks to sell. He also shared his thoughts on the borders.  







We learned about a coffee place where the coffee is being made from beans of farmers in Mexico. All the money to buy their coffee product goes to the farmers, not to the company.  When they first started it, they sold over 300 lbs of the first year, last year they sold over 50,000 lbs of coffee.  Their coffee is amazing!  I support this message. 






























We learned about free trade and did a skit with our group out in the plaza area.  I had to acted 
as a CEO of a bank for the US. 





























To Be continue for US/Mexico Border-Part 2 soon. 


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Which way to go?

 

        "The Road Not Taken"
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;       5

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,    10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.     15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood and
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.     20 
       - Robert Frost 


We have termites and our house is being tented and fumigated. So all of us went our separate ways to stay at  a co-worker, a friend, a grandparents while we wait for this process to be over. We are home - less for few days. 


I stayed at former YAV's apartment just down the street and it was good to catch up with Becky and her husband. I am jealous of them right now because they about to go to Nicaragua tonight.  I want to go back to Nicaragua!!  It was nice to have a 2 days break away from my housemates but I miss community times with kids. 

 A few weeks ago, a teen did some poor misbehaving at the house. I didn't accept that behavior at all.   I gave a fair warning and the behavior of the teen kept getting worse. Finally I sent the teen home. I didn't want to kick the teen out of the house  but I didn't want the teen's misbehavior to be a example of how to act in front of the little kids. I was sad.  The next day I talked to the teen one and one about the issue. "You have a good heart and you are setting a example to the kids how to act." "Do you want the kids to act right or be rude?" I said.  You are role model just like the other teens that comes here. It was a good talk with the teen.  We both come to agreement. After that week, the teen seem happier now.    It was hard for me to give any kid or teen a punishment of their actions at community house.  I had to go on the road that was less traveled.  I love the kids.  So after that talk, it seem like we bonded closer.  That made a big difference in 2 ways.  One is the older kids know to try to set a good example of a role model to the kids. The other one is that we bonded closer. GOD is AWESOME. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also a few weeks ago, 2 guests from Homeboy Industries came to speak at the community house. The guests was 2 former gang members and spoke about their past and how their lives changed after being involved with Homeboy Industries.  Homeboy Industries assists at-risk, formerly gang-involved youth and the recently incarcerated to become contributing members of our community through a variety of services in response to their multiple needs. Their free programs - including counseling, education, tattoo removal, job training, and placement - enable young men and women to redirect their lives and provide them with hope for their futures. 
 Check out their website   Homeboy-Industries website    
 I strongly recommended to get "Tattoos On The Heart" book.  Its about gang member's lives, how they changed, and how Homeboy industries got started.   It is one of my top 10 favorite books. 


There was a lot of neighborhood teens and group of teens from Oasis came to listen to the guest speakers.  

I am really pump up  for this week. A good college buddy Lauren is coming up to visit plus me and intern youth pastor David taking the FPC high school kids to LA Dodger game this friday night.  It will be great to get to know the high school group more outside of church.   Hope everybody have a great weekend! God bless!