Service in the City

Moody's got a great outreach coming up this Saturday called: Service in the City. We teamed up the mayor's office's faith based initiatives department to go to the most broken neighborhoods in the city. There are about twelve centers we'll divvy into(retirement homes, after school programs, churches involved in community development etc..). The city opened its pocket and food banks for us to bring food and make food for the communities. The rest is a time of sharing the Gospel. there are two centers where its more of a work based day of service. The central focus is around the discussions, and sharing food. Being social to promote the centers we'll be at so neighbors will think to go there for help, safety, and care.

If there's one thing I've learned this year serving at Starfish in the Westside ghetto of Chicago. The people you serve will take your handouts, be polite in your company, but they know full well that you're leaving after the day is through. My presence is almost salt on their wounds even though that is not my intension. There's this injustice barrier, poverty barrier, and cultural barrier that isn't healed by the outside dropping by with milk and cookies. Sending money, serving up mash at the food shelter once a year, hanging out with kid, those seem to be more meaningful to the giver than the receiver. Its inevitable to, at least for a while, grow a messiah complex: "I'm gonna point the poor people to Christ. I'm show them the answer and the Bible. Then God's love and care will show them out of marginalization, oppression and the ghetto.

It'll all be good, then I go home to my neighborhood, pray and God is gonna clean up the hood and i helped. Urban ministry means moving in, gaining street credit: That I'm not just a here-today-gone-tomorrow curiosity. I give "big props" to my brother and his wife for choosing to live in Garfield Park, raising kids there for the sake of Jesus. -Not just serving and leaving. It takes huge faith to believe that moldy ghetto can behold the influence of God almighty. They are prayerfully developing a hope in Christ for the community, through nourishing presence, regenerative social programs and withstanding hate.

Moody isn't trying to perpetuate a hood mentality by dropping food and leaving. We are advertising help 24-7 to the worst hoods in Chicago. Who knows I might get plugged in and asked to become a resident where I serve.