New Year’s Resolutions

By Rachel Porter

There was a time in my life when I thought I had everything all figured out. I knew where I wanted to live, who I was going to marry, what my job was going to be, and how I was going to achieve it all. In my mind, I was on the road to success, and I even had a perfect little red sports car that would drive me there. I had a New Years Resolution that would seal the deal in 365 days and achieve success in each of these areas.

Then, I met Allison. And Leo. I found peace in their presence, love in the letters they wrote me… I met Jesus in their smiles and their cities. Allison and Leo are children I sponsor; children who changed my life.

These children showed me that life isn’t about having it all together. It’s not about marrying the boyfriend who makes six figures a year. It’s not about living in the 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home with a two car garage to park our fully paid-off vehicles in an ideal neighborhood. It’s not about having job security, full benefits, and a steady paycheck. This stuff doesn’t guarantee happiness. In fact, focusing on it usually creates stress.

The truth is, that boyfriend could decide he found someone he likes better, or his great paying job could end tomorrow. That home could flood, get a leak, or get broken into regardless of the neighborhood appearing picturesque. Those cars could break down after an accident. I could lose that job… Tomorrow. Placing my hope in all these things was setting myself up for disappointment.

But those children… Allison, Leo, Melanie, Karla, Marlon… All those children living in conditions I cannot fathom on a daily basis, they have something many of us wish we did (although we may not always realize it). They have the love of Christ stored in their hearts. They have their hope in a secure place; they are sure of what they hope for, although they cannot see the future (Hebrews 11). These children have found a peace that surpasses all understanding, as Paul talks about in Philippians. They have learned what it means to clothe themselves in love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3). They have found happiness and contentment in situations where it seems impossible. THAT is what life is about.

That is what 2012 will be about.

In 2012, I will strive to remember what I have learned by spending time with these children. I hope to remember as I am stressing about money, jobs, fixing the house, etc. that NONE of these things should have any effect on my happiness. Why? Because true happiness is found in a relationship with Christ. “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8 NLT)

My New Years Resolution is to remove the blinders placed over my eyes by this world, and to live in the freedom given to us by His Amazing Love. Years and years ago, Jesus paid our debt and washed us white as snow. As a result of that, I owe Him EVERYTHING. Out of love, I joyfully serve Him and give Him everything, not just a few things here and there. I will try my hardest to no longer clench my fists around the people and things I hold dear, but rather place them in open hands outstretched to God in prayer.

“Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe.” (lyrics by Kristian Stanfill)

“Amazing love. I know it’s true, and it’s my joy to honor You. In all I do, I honor You.” (lyrics by David Crowder)

I want to live out these principles. This is My 2012 Resolution.

The Story of Milford Place

By Rachel Porter

Milford Place is a street in Canton, Ohio; but, it is also the name of my home. It may sound strange to say my home has a name, but the reality is that I do not have a house. I have a ministry.

In January 2010, I moved into a small two bedroom apartment in Jackson Township. Jackson is an upper class, suburban portion of Canton, Ohio. My dad tried desperately to convince me to look into buying a house, but I refused. In my mind, when I bought a house it would be with my husband and family. At that time, I had a boyfriend of roughly one month and was nowhere near ready to settle down. I was not going to buy a house. End of discussion.

About one month later, I got involved at an after-school program in Southeast Canton called Tiqvah. I was teaching dance lessons and hanging out with students on the weekends, meanwhile becoming progressively more involved at a church called LoveCanton. As time progressed, I was spending nearly all my time outside work in the Southeast side of Canton, about 20+ minutes from my apartment. I loved hanging out with these children, but it began to get taxing to drive an additional 40 minutes total to and from their homes. I started feeling a little frustrated with my apartment location.

In August 2010 I visited Peru for a third time. Jim and Tony Kay Schutz had recently moved to Peru to live as missionaries of ChildReach (non-profit I am employed with), and as Tony Kay walked us through the neighborhood surrounding her home at the orphanage, God began speaking to me. I noticed how well Tony Kay knew all her neighbors. I saw how the children ran to her as she walked down the street. I saw how easy it was for her to visit with children in her neighborhood because she was their neighbor. Tony Kay wasn’t an outsider in her ministry. She was living in the midst of everyone.

In that moment, I heard God whisper, “It’s time to move. Canton is your home.”

I would love to tell you that when I returned home I started searching for housing in downtown Canton, but that isn’t what happened at all. When I came home, I felt comfortable in my apartment and insisted that as a single girl with no roommate, I wouldn’t feel safe in a Canton apartment. Buying a house was still not an option in my mind. I managed to convince myself that I didn’t hear God in Peru, but that I was caught up in the moment and it was mission trip excitement that made me want to move.

I then decided God wanted me to make friends in my current community, not find a new one. He just couldn’t possibly be telling me to move. A girl I met at church began coming over every Monday for Bible Study, and I thought “This must be it. God wants me to use my apartment! Maybe my neighbors will start coming, too! Yes, He wants me to use the home I already have.” It’s amazing how we can deceive ourselves when we are too stubborn to admit what God is actually asking of us.

In October I made the decision to renew my apartment lease. Around roughly 5am one morning the week I made that decision, I woke up to the sound of rain (or what I thought was rain). I love to sleep with my windows open, but when it rained outside that apartment, the water would splash in my windows and soak my carpet. I crawled out of bed to my window, but when I tried to shut it, I discovered it was already shut. I assumed the sound was coming from the spare bedroom, so I made my way for that room.

When I reached the hallway, my head was soaked. Confused and now wide awake, I turned the hall light on to discover that my apartment was flooding. I sprinted to the spare bedroom to shut the window and find a bucket, but saw that it wasn’t raining. Where was this water coming from?!

I grabbed every bucket and bowl I had to put in the hall, only to learn that my bathroom was soaking wet and the water was making its way through the ceiling into my family room. That’s when it hit me: I live on the second floor, not the top floor. I ran upstairs to see what was happening. My upstairs neighbor then informed me that her son had clogged their toilet and left it running, but didn’t wake her up. He let it run.

The water filling my apartment was sewage from upstairs.

After sprinting downstairs to cover my furniture with plastic, I packed up some clothes and moved into my parents house while things were cleaned up. I told my parents my apartment smelled and I was so grossed out that I didn’t know if I still wanted to renew my lease. That’s when that voice I heard in Peru came to mind: It’s time to move.

Instantly, my dad asked if I wanted to look at houses. I told him I would, but only if they were in Canton. He asked what sort of house I had in mind and I told him “one like Grandma Jennie and Papa Joe had.” My great-grandparents lived in a smaller three bedroom home located about 5 minutes from where my students live today. I still wasn’t too keen on the idea of being a home-owner, and I thought maybe since I had something very specific in mind I could drag out this process and find something to lease instead. The idea of purchasing a home and being locked into living in one spot for an unknown length of time was terrifying to me.

My mom and I decided to house hunt and make appointments for her, dad, and I to visit the ones we liked best. We must have found at least 20 homes for sale within just one hour, but none of them seemed quite right. She then said, “Ya know, Grandma Jennie’s old neighborhood is right here. I doubt her house is for sale, but I bet we could find some near her.” As we drove past Grandma Jennie and Papa Joe’s old home, I looked at it thinking “That house is perfect. God, I am only buying a house if it is just like that.”

Sure enough, we turned onto the street running parallel to my great-grandparents’ street, and there was a home for sale. Mom and I looked at the house and thought, “There is no way we are seeing this.” The home before us was built by the same builder who built my great-grandparents’ home. As it turns out, there were nearly a dozen homes built all in the same year in the same neighborhood with the exact same floor plan and brick. We walked up to the house and looked into the windows, and I immediately felt like I had time-warped back to my childhood. This house was identical to my great-grandparents, right down to the woodwork on the fireplace. What made this house even better: the current home-owners had completely restored the home with new carpet, wood floors, fresh paint, a finished basement, and were selling it with full appliances.

I told my mom I didn’t need to look at another house, this is where God wanted me to live. As I said those words, I had no doubt in my heart, but my mind was terrified. As we approached the sign in the yard to see who the realtor was for the house, we noticed it was a high school friend’s mother selling the home! I became much more comfortable then. After calling her to schedule a time for mom, dad, and I to walk through the house, we discovered the current owners were more high school acquaintances. I instantly thanked God for giving me peace in taking such a big faith step. Just think, had I listened right away, I could have avoided have sewage dumped on my head.

Within days the Milford Place became home. In January 2011, our first Thursday gathering took place, which included three amazing girls God led me into discipleship relationship with. I have loved living life with these girls, and I thank God constantly for bringing them into my life. After we finished a study on Ephesians, I asked the three of them if they would be willing to open up our time together to anyone who wanted to join. They each said “yes” and I prayed God would bring us ladies who were as passionate about getting to know Him as we were. He did. By the last gathering in December of 2011, we had 15 girls consistently gathering each Thursday to study God’s Word and Will for our lives.

Every Thursday at Milford Place has been a tremendous blessing in my life. God has taught me that obedience is not always easy, but I need to trust His plans regardless of how crazy they seem to me at the time. I am so thankful for the home God has blessed me with, and every day I give it back to Him. I do not have a house; I have a ministry.

Love the Children

At November 6th’s LoveCanton Celebration, /agape was joined by Heather Conley. Below is a brief version of the story she shared:

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Heather Conley, an elementary school teacher and member of the LoveCanton’s Women’s Village, began Love the Children Ministries eight years ago during her freshman year at Malone University. She was inspired to become more active at home in Canton when she took a mission trip with her classmates to Athens, Ohio. Conley’s heart was further awakened when one of her professors spoke frustratedly about a local toy drive by saying, “Why do they have to have new toys? Those kids should be happy with what they get.”

In that moment, Conley hit the ground running and never looked back. She began a toy drive in 2003 with the hope of providing Christmas gifts for 50 children; but, in 2011, God has blessed Love the Children Ministries to be able to provide both gifts and meals for over 300 children and families in Canton. Love the Children Ministries makes it their mission not just to provide, but to let these children know they are special and loved. Each gift is specially purchased, wrapped, and labeled with the child’s name and the Christmas party is catered with ham and all the fixings.

LoveCanton is excited to partner with Heather and Love the Children Ministries this Christmas season! To sponsor a child this Christmas or volunteer your time, contact lovethechildrenministries@gmail.com or call 330-455-7734. For additional information, visit www.lovethechildrenministries.org.

Scott’s Story

Written by Kiersten D. Troutman

He paused to take a long sip of his unusually strong coffee, while the sound of grinding coffee beans wailed in the background.  He had walked to the local coffeehouse to meet me; his feet take him everywhere.  His hands were worn and his legs tired, but his face had a story to tell.  His hands wrapped around the hot mug, and soon the other coffee patrons seemed miles away as his story of discovery unfolded, a journey through pain, despair, hope, and renewal.

Forty-three-year-old Scott Grimm has walked a thousand miles with $1.79 in his pocket, a hockey bag full of clothes, and a pair of old slippers on his feet.  He knows what the streets look like after dark.  He knows their sounds.  Loneliness is deafening.

His wife had kicked him out of their house in West Virginia when his alcoholism and drug use began to consume him.  She filed for divorce.  Unemployed and devastated at the separation from his one-year-old son, he was dropped off in his birthplace of Massillon in March 2010.  Even his family members did not know what to do with him, and so he ended up in downtown Canton, on the streets…homeless.

The day he returned to Ohio, he attempted suicide…again.  He had attempted it once before when he was only sixteen.  He recalls this as his lowest moment; he had hit “rock bottom.”  This time it landed him in the hospital cardiac unit for a week, followed by a week at the Crisis Center.  Scott smiled, and added that it was “seven fabulous days…the pressure was off”, citing that it was as if the seven days were able to peel back layers of life’s daily pressures.

After his release, he went to the Refuge of Hope, where he stayed for a total of four months.

“I felt dehumanized, insulted to have to go there….but I met some great people there, a poet, a decorated vet.  We discussed a lot of things, discussed Einstein.”

He walked and he walked and he walked, everywhere…in slippers.  He saved money by selling plasma and doing odd-end carpentry work.  His goal was to get off the streets and in to an apartment so that his son could visit him.  He stopped using drugs and drinking alcohol.  He grinned proudly, announcing that he has “been clean for one year” as of March 28, 2011.

His eyes became serious for a moment.  “The homeless are not only a forgotten people, but completely ignored, because no one will look into their eyes.”

He took another sip of his coffee.  I had to remind myself where I was.  He went on.  I was back in this compelling story.

Born Catholic, and raised Pentecostal by his grandmother, Scott knew Jesus, but only on a surface level.  That was about to change.  After three months of being at the Refuge of Hope, he was walking again, in conversation with God.

“It was a hundred degrees out, and my feet hurt.”  He sat down on an abandoned porch step to read his newspaper in search of an apartment.  He had saved $1,000 and was determined to find a place.

“You could smell the house [from the porch].  There was rotting food, dirty clothes, urine, feces, wild animals, and roaches.  It was a crack house.”

Then he spotted it, an ad for a house for sale for $1,000. He came to realize it was the very house where he was sitting.

His first reaction:  “Really, God?”  He didn’t want it, but God told him that “this was the house” and that he “needed to fix it up.”

His obedience was tested when others scoffed at him, but he replied boldly, “God doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

What started out as a solution for him and his young son, soon evolved into something much bigger.  It was God using a broken life to reach others stuck in the same despair.  It was love working like a quick-moving stream, touching every life it ran through.

Construction soon got underway to revive this condemned home in a not-so-safe neighborhood, while God worked secretly behind the scenes.  Scott encountered several stumbling blocks with bringing the house up to code, but with each time, his faith in doing what he was called to do proved to be rewarded.  Several people stepped up to help him complete the tasks, including the need for a new roof.

In addition, a youth group from First Christian Church of Canton visited Scott’s house in the spring as part of a “Mini-Mission Weekend.”  In response to their apprehension, Scott warmly replied, “Don’t be afraid of anyone in this neighborhood.  Say ‘hi’, invite them to eat with us.  It doesn’t matter what their addiction or life situation is; the death in their eyes is what would have attracted Jesus to them.”

Lacking a lot of the necessary tools, Scott admits that the first few doors were put up using a rock for a hammer.  He noted that “faith can move a mountain, but you better have a shovel.”

It is quite obvious that God has given Scott the gift of communicating His love indiscriminately.  He began to talk to his neighbors, and the homeless men that walked the streets.  “God filled me up.  I just talked to them and had them in for coffee.”  These were people who struggled with their own problems, addictions, and despair.

“There were nightly break-ins, drunken arguments, etc… Now you hear the crickets at night,” explains Scott. “People now see people caring and working, and having fellowship.  Neighbors are feeling respect, something they never had.  We take pride in our neighborhood.  We are a passionate group.  We don’t just mow our own yard; we mow each other’s.”

It was quickly revealed to Scott that there was a serious need in Canton, on the very street with which he now lived:  Sandal Place.  He now holds informal Bible studies in his home, open to any who want to come.

Scott has a job now working the midnight shift for the electric company AEP.  His future goals include purchasing more properties in the same neighborhood, within four blocks, to help get other homeless people off the streets.

As for Scott’s personal spiritual goal, he wants to “know God more, not just know Him, but what He takes in his coffee.”

It all started with one homeless, broken man who had a serious conversation with God and an insatiable desire to see how it would unfold.

Start listening.  He’s talking.

Stuart’s Story

In the summer of 2010 I was living in Canton, studying my way through a bachelor’s degree at Malone University. This particular summer I was unemployed and badly in need of work. My pastor, Jason Lantz of LoveCanton, called and informed me of a job opening at Trinity Lutheran Church. They were looking for a custodian and within a week I was cleaning, vacuuming, and tending to all the various tasks that came with the job. Initially I was thinking that the job would simply be an opportunity to earn money while being in school, but God had bigger plans than this.

When I arrived at Trinity, the church was in what I’ll call an awkward place. The church had been a part of the Canton community for nearly 200 years, but currently they were having trouble filling the pews. Within a month or two, the congregation was looking into possibilities of closing the doors, merging with another congregation, or other plausible options. The Trinity Church community was visibly hurt by their current predicament, but they kept with the Lutheran tradition of working hard and being diligent with all their responsibilities. The congregation’s poise during this difficult transition still inspires me today.

I quickly came to the understanding that the people that I served were eager to share their stories. Me being the “bright eyed youngster,” as I had come to be called, was keen to listen.  Members came to me and opened up about their experiences at the church. Although the congregation was small, it seemed as though each individual had a history at Trinity. There were 4^th generation members whose parents had been married in Trinity; consequently, many of the individuals telling me these stories had been baptized, married, and had their children baptized in Trinity. The history of the church and its members always mesmerized me. God had been working in and through this congregation for many years; why would He then allow it to break apart?

Trinity Lutheran Church has been a part in many outreach programs and even started a non-profit organization, Urban Ark, to meet the needs of the growing population struggling through poverty. Urban Ark, run out of the basement of Trinity, feeds and clothes 400 families and serves nearly 200 hot meals a month. Urban Ark is largely run by volunteers from Trinity’s congregation.

As the custodian of the building I got to see the interaction between the congregation’s members along with the Body serving the community. Although I have been a part of churches most of my life, it was still awesome to see a Body working so hard to better the community in which it resided. The members took to serving Canton much like we take to doing our jobs. Urban Ark’s volunteers work as though this is their duty and never take the attitude that showing up is enough.

It was not until January, around the time when Trinity was preparing to have its last service, that I realized what God was trying to teach me. The whole time I worked at the church I struggled with the question of why God would allow the congregation and church to close. Trinity had such a rich history and its involvement in the community of Canton is beyond reproach. God began to speak to me through the book of Jeremiah, specifically the passage concerning the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-35).

Jeremiah was writing to the people of Israel while they were displaced from their homeland. Their kingdom had been overrun by the Babylonians and the entire nation of Israel was taken captive back to Babylon. The people were in complete despair, they had lost everything, and they did not know where to turn. Jeremiah brought them the word that God had laid on his heart; this word was restoration and renewal. Although it was termed a New Covenant, it was really God telling his people that although things looked bleak, He would restore their covenant through His working.

Jeremiah’s words are just as pertinent today. We have come to understand this New Covenant as being the actions of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection we are given the free gift of grace and the opportunity for salvation. Through this salvation we are able to be in relationship with God. At the time of Jeremiah’s writing the New Covenant, the people of Israel could not have understood what God’s intentions were for them. They were lost and desolate, but we see through this example how God uses all things to bring His good and mighty Will into being. When thinking of the Israelites and how God used their entire history to bring about salvation for us, I came to the place where I didn’t have to ask God why anymore. Instead I trusted His ways and understood that God can work all things out, especially when it doesn’t make sense to us. 

In the situation of Trinity this looked like many things. Although the congregation has currently merged with St. Stephen of North Canton, Urban Ark continues to serve the people of downtown Canton. The history and the mission of Trinity Lutheran Church has not died, and it is not lost; the history and mission of Trinity can be found in those that are volunteering, serving and being served in Canton. The word of God is being preached weekly at the church’s old building, people are being served, and the community is being impacted on a regular basis.

For me, the lessons I learned while serving the congregation have progressed into opportunities to share the word of God with the people of Canton. If you come by the old building on any Sunday around 4pm, you will find me doing my usual custodian duties or sharing the word of God in the Urban Ark community service. LoveCanton and Urban Ark gave me the opportunity to lead one of the community services held in the churches chapel. This has both been a challenging and exhilarating experience. I am tested each time I step up to speak, but I feel it is a part of my duty to continue the mission of Trinity Lutheran Church. More importantly, I serve with the same diligence and fervor that I witnessed on a regular basis as the custodian of Trinity Lutheran Church.

God’s Story Through Morris

Written by Brent Barger

One of the great privileges of being a part of LoveCanton is the people you get to meet and learn from. One of those people for me is Morris Dubose, Jr. Last year, I was asked to fill in and preach one Sunday morning at a church on the east side of Canton. The ask came from a guy named Morris, and I certainly had no idea it would be the start of a great friendship and partnership in the Gospel.

Let me start from the beginning. I helped launch the Southwest Village of LoveCanton a couple months back. As a group, we prayed that God would help us meet people in southwest Canton who would be partners in what God was calling us to do. Our Village was centered out of The Total Living Center, and I eventually met a guy named Morris who lived just a couple blocks from the TLC and had been volunteering there for years. I began to tell him about our Village and some of the things God had planted in our hearts, and invited Morris to join us. It turned out that Morris had already been living out the mission of God among his neighbors for years.

Morris and his family have lived in this neighborhood for over 20 years, and they have been a beacon of kindness and hope. Morris has been married to his wife, Dawn, for over 25 years and they have four children who all live in Canton as well. They have been an active their neighborhood for decades, and the fruit of their lives is easy to see.

The more time I got to spend time with Morris and his family the more inspired I became. Morris and his wife are people who truly love their neighbors.  As we walked through the neighborhood with Morris on day, he knew almost everyone; people would stop, yell out his name, and say hello in a warm and cheerful manner. It was clear there was a deep respect for this man. For quite some time, he has been delivering groceries to some of his neighbors who have fallen on hard times; furthermore, on the third Thursday of every month Morris takes off work to serve at TLC’s grocery giveaway. This is a man who loves his neighbors in real and practical ways. This is a man living a life like Jesus.

The amazing thing is, this lifestyle is a natural thing for Morris; it is just who he is. His love for God and people simply motivates him to do something to help and bless those around him. He doesn’t ask for accolades or a pat on the back; he simply serves joyfully and consistently. He is the definition of steady and faithful in all that he does.

This attitude is carried over into his family as well.  His daughter, Ivana, is actively and deeply involved in ministering to the growing Hispanic community in Canton. She provides transportation for many families, as well as English lessons to those who want to learn.  Yet another example of the fruit of a man who has loved those around him well. Of course much credit goes to his wife, Dawn, as well, who has been his faithful partner through it all.

For about the past year Morris has been an active part of the LoveCanton Southwest Village, and we consider it a privilege to call him a brother and friend. We are waiting and anticipating God’s final restoration together. In the meantime, we can follow the example of people like Morris and Dawn who bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth.

God’s Love at MDS

By Anna Wilson

In September 2010, I began working for Multi-Development Services of Stark Country (MDS) as the Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator. MDS is an organization doing great work in the community, particularly with youth. During my first week, I was asked to visit Schreiber Elementary School to observe the MDS after-school program.  The staff was great with the students –engaging them with reading, assisting them with their homework, and offering them love and support.  After only one day, I was anxious to return and interact with the children more.

My chance came the following week when I was asked to develop and teach an artistic activity for the students.  Together, we discussed the six pillars of character that are taught at Schreiber: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.  I challenged them to pick one of them and draw a picture story illustrating that character trait on the cartoon strips I handed out.  Pretty soon, I had children calling for me, “Miss Anna! Miss Anna!” They were anxious to show me their progress, and I had them share the story behind their drawing to see if they had grasped the concept.  The kids were so creative with their stories, drawing people helping animals, doing their chores, and picking up litter.  I was so moved by their eagerness to create and share their stories.

One child, in particular, caught my eye. He was a boy in the 3^rd grade class and he seemed less than amused by the assignment. I looked over his shoulder and saw that he had drawn a stick figure with a conversation bubble that said, “I’m bored.” Determined to change his outlook, I sat down beside him and told him that I liked his picture. He paid little attention to me so I decided to ask him more about the picture. He told me that the stick figure was LeBron James. After probing further, I discovered that this boy really like basketball and was trying out for the school team the following week. I suggested that he draw a story with Lebron James showing kindness to someone by inviting them to play basketball with him.  The boy loved this idea; he picked up his pencil and went to work. I came back to him some time later and found that he had used crayons, colored pencils, and conversation bubbles to bring to life this story of kindness. This boy was my challenge and in the process of getting through to him, he taught me the value of patience and persistence.

By the end of the session, the kids had learned something from the lesson, and I learned from the students.  This experience was so fulfilling for me, knowing that I got to participate in their learning process and see into their hearts.  I will never forget that day. I’m sure that many of these children have been raised with little knowledge of God, but I saw Him in every one of them that day.  He was with them as they hunched over their drawings, carefully plotting their stories. He was in their eyes as they searched for someone to tell them that their character story was, in fact, a masterpiece.

There is nothing more powerful than participating in the education of youth. They are the future of this community and world.  MDS understands this and invests strongly in the youth of Stark County. I am blessed to be a part of this organization and look forward to seeing how God works in these children as they continue to learn and grow.

Lovin’ Jerry

By Aaron Brown

It’s not about the work you do, it’s about the relationships you cultivate. I learned this life-changing motto while on a mission trip to Peru in 2009. It took me 30 years to learn this principle.  Recently, I witnessed firsthand a group of high-school students already living out this principle in their teenage years.

The work of this community event was to gather the fallen sticks and branches throughout the neighborhood known as Fulton Parkside and turn them into mulch for a garden. This is not your ordinary garden. This garden, better known as the Mothers’ Memorial Garden, is a collaborative art project between ArtsinStark, Community Building Partnership of Stark County, Inc. and the residents of Fulton Parkside. Conceptually, the Memorial Garden was created as a tranquil destination site within the neighborhood that would display the favorite flowers and inspirational sayings of mothers from the area.

The Saturday project was thought of by the residents as a two-fold proactive opportunity to clean up the neighborhood and make mulch for their garden. These residents set their day and time and were ready to take on the task. Meanwhile, and unbeknownst to the residents, a group from ChildReach Ministries in Canal Fulton and LoveCanton were planning a mini-mission trip into the city of Canton for the same day. Coincidence? I think not. God foresaw this collaborative effort long before these groups came together. He saw relationships being built in a neighborhood struggling to survive, centered on a wood-chipper that might produce a little confidence in some residents, and a need of people that a group of high-school students could fulfill. Only God could have orchestrated this day.

Let’s take a walk together and recount some the blessings God had in store for the day.

Blessing number one: it didn’t rain.

Several days leading up to the project it rained, making most of the people involved with the project a little pessimistic about the weather. Needless to say, living in Ohio can have that effect on a person.

Blessing number two was simple but crucial.

To get the wood-chipped required the use of a truck with towing capabilities, and long-standing resident Jerry Hoover agreed to meet me at Home Depot at 6:30am to pick it up. Jerry is an older member of the community, and has a bad back that at times keeps him at home for days at a time. To have him willing and able to come out at that hour in the morning is truly a gift.

Blessing number three: spontaneous prayer.

Towards the end of the day, a few of the students wanted to go on a prayer walk. I asked if any of them had been on a prayer walk before, and only one girl of six raised her hand. We had just 10 minutes, but we set forth on our walk. There was one resident that I needed to talk with, and thought this would be a great opportunity for everyone involved. When we got to her home, we gathered on the porch and chatted a bit about some upcoming neighborhood meetings. After a few minutes of friendly conversation, I explained to her who the group was. I simply stated that they had a few minutes left before they needed to leave and wanted to go on a prayer walk. Then, I asked if there was anything she wanted the group to pray for, and she clammed up a bit. The girl who had previously been on a prayer walk stepped up and prayed an innocent prayer of protection over her family. It truly was a beautiful, sweet moment.

Blessing number four: over 60 volunteers and residents took part in the day.

Immediately, the large group was split into smaller groups to handle the needs in the neighborhood. One group drove throughout the neighborhood in a truck collecting sticks and branches. One group followed resident, Mike Schray to her home to rake leaves and collect sticks. A group of artists painted rocks for the garden. Another group walked the streets of the neighborhood collecting trash. The wood-chipping group stayed on site to make mulch. The final group assisted Jerry by cleaning up his backyard. This, by far, was the greatest blessing of the day. Because of Jerry’s back, he is unable to do strenuous work. This group also exemplified that relationship building is the core work to be done.

Both during and after the students’ work with Jerry, he continued to echo the words, “These young people are so well-behaved. They are such hard workers.”  What Jerry was witnessing was the love of Jesus living through these young people. They worked to make Jerry’s home a better place because God asked them to love Jerry. They talked with Jerry because God asked them to love Jerry. They listened to Jerry because God asked them to love Jerry. They loved Jerry because God asked them to love Jerry.

Jerry felt the love of Jesus because a group of high-school students obeyed what God asked of them. This was the heart of the day and the reason why people, both young and old, need to build relationships with one another. God will always provide work or opportunities for us to show the love of Jesus to each another, and this mini-mission trip was full of people listening to what God was speaking:  “Love people no matter where, no matter what.”  He says this to all of us.  Are we all tuned in to what He is saying?

Letter from the Editor: Rachel’s Story

When asked to explain why I have such a passion for /agape, I never know how to respond. People have referred to /agape as my “baby” and give me credit for its coming to be, but the truth is that I have no idea what I am doing. I simply pray and follow the leading of the Lord; I am no more than a vessel for His work. I am no different from my neighbors, family, friends… you. I once lived a much different life than I do now, and I suppose that is where my passion comes from. My life was forever changed by God’s love, and when you experience His love you cannot help but want to share those stories with everyone you meet. Then, when you see Him do the same in the lives of those you love, that passion grows. I simply said “yes” when Jesus asked me to follow Him, and never retracted that response. Here is my story… Here is my passion… It’s the best answer I can give.

In May 2009, I graduated college without a job in my field; in June, my career ended as a professional cheerleader and dancer; and in July, I was flying solo after almost three years in a relationship. Vulnerable, confused, and empty inside, I had no choice but to return to my hometown of Canton, Ohio and move in with my parents. The selfish lifestyle I had become accustomed to fell apart. I lost everything I thought I wanted. To the world I appeared a lost twenty-something. To myself, I was a complete failure with so many loose ends dangling my life looked like a disassembled package of shoelaces.  However, to God I had never looked more beautiful.

In August, I found myself standing in the middle of a Peruvian desert staring into the big, brown, almond-shaped eyes of a Spanish-speaking orphan named Allison. I was on a mission trip in Peru with ChildReach Ministries, a mission organization that offered me a position part-time in marketing. Feeling fairly hopeless, I had no personal mission other than to not spontaneously cry and frighten the people I was traveling with. In all honesty, I pitied Allison for getting stuck with me in front of her. Her joy confused me, and her smile intrigued me. Out of nowhere, she hugged me and I could not help but smile and hug her back. Awkwardly, we began a game of soccer, which turned to volleyball, and ended in doing math homework. By the end of our week together, I unconditionally loved this little girl despite our obvious inability to communicate. I cried when I left her, but had a newfound hope in my heart. I didn’t know it, but God was at work within me.

Three months later, I was on my second mission trip. After arriving home from Peru, I began sponsoring a little boy in Ecuador named Leonardo, or “Leo” as I’ve lovingly nicknamed him. My anticipation to meet him began the moment I filled out his sponsorship papers with ChildReach. By the time I arrived at his school in Quito, Ecuador, I had a meeting concocted in my head involving a fireworks show and a slow-motion run towards each other while his classmates parted in awe to make a path for us.

None of that happened.

Leo and I met when his teacher whispered to him “Your Godmother is here.” He had never seen me, so she had to direct him toward me. Then, an ornery smile spread across his precious sun-tanned face, and Leo ran full-speed at me, pushing his classmates out of the way, jumping on me and giving me such a forceful hug that I stumbled backwards. It was ungraceful, unplanned, and the most perfect moment of my life. Leo sends me cards and letters constantly, each one bringing tears to my eyes.

The day I arrived home from Ecuador, a friend of mine invited me to LoveCanton for the first time. This church amazed me; I had never seen anything like it. These people weren’t going to church, they were being the church wherever they were. I had a familiar feeling within me. The feeling of hope I found when I was in Peru, the love that began growing in Ecuador… it was all right here.

Suddenly, everything was pieced together. I loved the children I met thousands of miles away, but it wasn’t them I was chasing. It was the agape love of God I felt within when I was with them. God was in Allison’s smile, Leo’s hug, and the very room I was sitting in. With these children, God was preparing my heart for the city of Canton. Allison and Leo taught me to love in a way I have never known or experienced. Through them, God developed compassion within me, taught me to put others before myself, and suddenly I was not my biggest concern. He taught me to love someone the way we’re intended to love everyone. I was learning to love people with the agape love of Christ that is only able to be felt and shared when His Spirit is present within your heart.

The next Sunday, I joined a group of LoveCanton people at a church in southeast Canton. When we began, a fifth grade girl filled the seat next to me. She introduced herself and we became instant friends. As a church family, we left the building and walked the community. We stopped at a house to pray, and the same young girl spoke. Someone she knew took his own life there earlier that week. We walked on and prayed at a playground; a shooting had recently occurred there. It was her school playground.

We continued walking the neighborhood and I carried her on my back (literally and figuratively). Our group prayed at various spots throughout southeast Canton, and ended the journey at the church where we started. Despite the dismal stories we heard throughout the walk, there was a contagious, familiar hope in the voices of the group. God’s agape love was present that day in the hearts and voices of each person praying, and it has been each day since.

I am now the sponsor of Allison, Leo, and Melanie, another child in Ecuador. The same young girl I met and got to know on that walk in southeast Canton so long ago is an active member in the junior high youth group I am blessed to be a part of. AND ChildReach and LoveCanton have both welcomed me as their Communications Representative. What has happened in my life since these loose ends tied up is more than I could ever have dreamed…

The city I attempted to wash my hands of as a naïve 18 year old has become a place I am proud to call home at 24. I have learned to rejoice in hard times, because I know they are just more strings being added to the knot of loose ends God will one day tie together. In some ways, I am still a lost twenty-something, but I’m not afraid of that title. I’ve embraced it.

That’s a piece of who I am… What’s your story?

Agape,

Rachel Porter

Editor… Visionary… Disciple of Jesus

Telling an amazing life story

Abby Skiba

On April 29, 2011, I sat on the floor of my bedroom writing in the final pages of my journal. I thought this was extremely significant because as I was getting ready to close this notebook filled with my thoughts, prayers, desires and fears, I knew that I would be walking across a stage to receive my college diploma that next morning. Talk about closure.

I sat on the hardwood floor leafing through the pages of the past reminiscing on everything God had revealed to me and the events that took place in just four short years. It was amazing to see how much things had changed, and I began thinking about my life and how the words I had written were just like a story.

During my last semester at Malone University, I took a final class in the communication arts department known as Senior Capstone. This class was challenging because it forced me to reflect on who I am, who I was and who I want to become in the future.

One of our assignments was to listen to a pod cast by best-selling author and public speaker Donald Miller. In his speech, Miller talks about stories. He says that every great story needs a protagonist, a great ambition, a conflict and a resolution. Without these elements, you don’t have a story worth reading. These elements can be applied to one’s life as well.

As Miller went on, he talked about Jenna Lee Nardella, the executive director of an organization called blood: water mission. At just 22 years old, Nardella started her mission to fight against HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa. Several years later, her vision has served over 600,000 people. Without her story, those people would’ve probably suffered greatly. And because of her great ambition, this is a story worth telling.

When we allow God to take the pen and write our stories with us, these are the kinds of things that happen. Even at the age of 22, someone like Jenna Lee Nardella started loving and serving the poor in Christ’s name without knowing the end result. That’s radical faith.

As a recent graduate ready to embark on adulthood, the story isn’t always clear. But when I look back at my four years spent in Canton, Ohio, I’ve seen the Lord work and move in ways that I could’ve never imagined or written myself.

I believe that God works through the lives of people and his word to transform our hearts and plant seeds of great ambition that help us start writing stories worth putting on the silver screen, adapting into a novel or simply recording in a journal or a simple magazine article.

Canton, Ohio is filled with several non profit organizations all working in the name of hope, change and redemption. As a Communication Arts major with a focus in Journalism and Public Relations, I never thought that I would find myself working with inner city children at an after school program, but that’s what I have been doing for the past two years at Lighthouse Ministries.

Everyday I walk into Belden Elementary and get to see beautiful children of God who have so much life and energy that I can hardly believe it. Through looking into the lives and hearts of these children, I have learned just how important telling a great life story is.

When I began working at Lighthouse Ministries, I wondered what was in store for me there. I was interested in pursuing a career in journalism, not social work, and I began to question what I was doing. These thoughts of doubt were soon squashed as I had the opportunity to use my major for the ministry through the title Director of Communications. Not only did God know what he was doing, he made me think critically about why I was questioning him in the first place.

God invented stories and the scriptures point us to examples of great stories lived out by ordinary people like you and me. In Hebrews 11 we see numerous accounts of lives transformed and changed through faith and obedience. And it is that faith that not only created an amazing life story and examples for us today, but gives us an idea of what having faith should mean in 2011.

By faith we can do great things, even at the ages of 21, 81 or 12. When we surround ourselves with people who are also seeking a great life story, Christ transforms our hearts and allows us to make right choices and decisions.

And these stories cannot remain silent. It is also our job to communicate such tales with the intention of bringing about great change and hope. Someone’s story could truly change someone else’s life. As Christians we have a responsibility to give a voice to those who cannot convey their stories themselves.

Canton, Ohio is full of people who have something to say. From pastors, to businessmen, from the homeless to the wealthy, this city is diverse and a place where we can all learn something new. We just have to seek these stories out.

As I finished the final sentence in my journal that reflected on the past four years of my life, I thought about everything I had done—all the people I had met, the conflicts and resolutions, the hardships and trials, the parties and celebrations, and I thanked God. I thanked Him for the life stories I have gotten to hear from professors, mentors, children and friends. I thanked Him for placing me in Canton, Ohio—a place that may look abandoned and boarded up, but is actually a place that has filled me and given me more ambitions than I ever had before.

My neighborhood doesn’t look like it would have a very happy song to sing. It’s a place that has seen trials and tribulations and violence and drugs and prostitution. It’s a place that some might not want to spend very much time in. But it is also a place of joy, energy, movement and pride. And it’s a place that has forced me out of my comfort zone in order to discover Christ’s love in such a great way.

Most of the children I work with do not have father’s. Most of them don’t have three balanced meals a day. Most of them have a family member in prison. Most people see these children as a statistic. It’s what I saw. It’s what I saw until I allowed them to speak into my life, to greet me with a smile and a hug everyday, to show me the A+ they got on their math test, to let me know that they made the basketball team. Their stories affect my story.

And not all stories have a happy ending. Not all of the protagonist’s come out on top. But as along as we’ve sacrificed something, committed everything, never relent and carry joy and love, we will have stories worth telling.

This is a place with a story worth telling.

Now it’s our job to have a part in it.