in humility consider others better than yourselves

Compassion is a gift from God. It allows us to see the suffering of other people and respond with love even if they are hard to love. Compassion has been grafted onto your spirit by the Spirit of God, and it is there to be exercised, developed and shown to others.

God expects us to care for the poor. Scripture is full of challenges to share ourselves with the less fortunate. Sadly, we have learned to give nothing away without some expectation of return. that is not God’s way. He has comissioned us to help the poor, lifting them up, without expectation of return or investment.

Is there a price for your compassion or is it unconditional?

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. -Philippians 2:1-4

From Lesson 3 of Compassion by Command

2 months to go....

I’m two months away from completing my yearlong internship with Here’s Life Inner City and very excited about what God has in store for the future! For those of you new to my blog, let me share my journey . . .

Five years ago God burdened my heart for the lost when I was a freshman at the University of South Carolina, involved with Campus Crusade for Christ. I developed a heart for the poor while serving with the 2006 Summer in the City project in New York, run by Here’s Life. What an amazing summer! I tutored inner-city kids, served in soup kitchens, ministered to women in shelters, shared God's love on the streets. In just a short time, these experiences changed my life! God gave me a vision to one day return to the inner-city to minister to people in need.

Back on campus as a junior at Carolina, God began to show me the needs of the poor in Columbia. I had to act. I teamed up with another Summer in the City alum and trained students at my church in evangelism and cross-cultural ministry. We volunteered at a shelter for women and a transitional home for children. Before long, 29 students developed a heart for the poor and followed me to New York for Spring Break. We spent a wonderful week serving the inner-city poor alongside Here’s Life!

God called me to become an intern on the Here’s Life team in New York City after graduating from college in May 2008. Whether I’m teaching kids about Jesus in Harlem, recruiting volunteers for our next event, praying with a 50-year-old homeless woman as she cries about her past, or helping teach a career development class to those deemed “unemployable” – God is being glorified. I have loved every moment of it!

And now I’m excited to announce my decision to officially join the New York City staff team of Here’s Life Inner City. After much prayer, I know God has called me into full-time ministry. In September I'll head South to attend New Staff Training and raise financial support. I hope to be back in NYC after the New Year!

Poverty Simulation

Attempting to sleep on a cold concrete floor without a blanket, awaking to someone kicking you out of your shelter at six in the morning, hiding your sweatshirt only to discover hours later that it was stolen, walking the streets of New York in the rain with no umbrella and forget about brushing your teeth or showering…

The Summer in the City students participated in a three and a half day poverty simulation to help them experience the day to day struggles of the working poor and the homeless in a controlled environment.

Wednesday night we had the students meet for a scheduled “prayer meeting.” After praying, we told them they were entering a poverty simulation and they had fifteen minutes to grab three items – literally, three. After collecting all of their money, cell phones, room keys and extra belongings, they headed to the Here’s Life Inner City warehouse in Queens for what would turn into a very long three days.

Each day, students were given $20 in “simulation money.” They had to pay for their transportation, housing fee and all meals, which usually meant they only had enough money to buy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and piece of fruit for dinner.

While participating in the simulation, students still served at their ministry sites, in the same clothes two days in a row. If any students ever arrived late or broke the rules of the simulation, they earned a chance card. Chance cards introduced various scenarios ranging from losing all of your possessions to paying for your child’s lunch. If someone couldn’t pay, they collected money from other group members. Just as in a real homeless shelter, if a student failed to carry all of their belongings at all times, it was stolen and had to be purchased to get it back.

In the evenings, we did various activities and studies to explore what poverty and the term, “working poor” truly means and how our stereotypes feed into our understanding of this culture. Saturday, students were sent out, in the rain again, to complete a scavenger hunt. They talked to homeless people and listened to their stories, gave away one of their possessions-a handmade blanket, collected cans from the trash and most ended up at various shelters across Manhattan to find lunch, all the while meeting people who live like this every day.

By the end of the simulation, they students were completely exhausted and sleep deprived, hungry and miserable. Let’s just say, their staff team were not their favorite people. But it was when they hit their breaking point that the Spirit really began to move in their hearts. Their perspectives were changing. Their hearts were softened. They were clinging to the only thing they had – their Savior.

Written by: Jamie, SITC staff

On the last morning, Dayne's barely hanging in there.

Just found out the poverty simulation is over!

Summer in the City (week 2)

Team 1 served in the Here’s Life warehouse on Monday. A shipment of food had arrived and needed to be sorted before it was picked up by our church partners. This food will fill food pantries across NYC. The rest of the week was spent serving in a food pantry in Brooklyn. The students worked with Omar, who is an amazing man of God with a powerful testimony. Here’s Life has partnered with his ministry for several years.

Team 2 served in Queens at a mission for men who are homeless and suffering from addiction. It was a lot of hard work but the students learned a lot from the program’s leadership and learned first hand about homelessness and steps that are taken to help people heal.

Team 3 served with Salt and Sea in Coney Island. Once again , students were blessed by working with Pastor Debbe. 20 years after being saved from a life of drugs, alcohol and living under the boardwalk, she is still amazed by God’s grace and forgiveness. She is a powerful spirit-filled woman. You never forget about time spent serving with Debbe. Students shared their testimonies, led worship and bible study for those who came for food.

Team 4 served with Coney Island Lighthouse. Lighthouse is a community centrer with a food pantry and after-school program. 50% of residents are below the poverty line. The team hosted a prayer station on the street. They were skeptical at first but had pages of prayer requests by the end of the day.

“Yesterday, there was a lady named Sheila who asked us to pray for her friend’s daughter. The daughter was in the hospital in a coma. It was wonderful to see Sheila again today passing by the mission & as she passed by she shouted that her friend’s daughter made it through last night, the day we prayed for her.”

As students approached people about prayer, a barrier was broken as people just shared from their heart. It was a perfect way to share the gospel and offer real hope.

summer begins for my harlem kids

With the start of Summer in the City, my schedule changed and I had to say goodbye to my Harlem kids in May. They go to school until the end of June so I was bummed knowing I would miss a whole month with them. I’ve missed them so much and have realized they are all a huge part of my life here. I got to drop in for a visit last week and help celebrate their last day of school. We had a cook-out with so much food- barbecue chicken, sausage, turkey legs, ribs and much more. They know how to eat in Harlem! It was so great to have fun with the kids and visit with some of their parents. Enjoy a few pictures from the cook-out below.