Welcome: What this is all about…

This is the fourth edition of the NCC A1:8 missions newsletter! We hope that this will accomplish three goals: 1) give opportunity to the greater community to participate in the experiences of our missions teams and the amazing work that God is doing around the world 2) serve as an educational resource to learn more about each of the seven issues A1:8 is focused on this year 3) provide a space for missions events, fundraisers, prayer requests, and art to be highlighted and lifted up. Perhaps this will inspire a life lived more fearlessly.

Issue Brief: Peacebuilding

The aim of Peace Building is to tear down walls that separate and build bridges between communities. Education and dialogue provides an atmosphere to build that community; to engage with one another, share stories, promote understanding, and connect. It gives an outlet for the love of Christ and for the Gospel to transform people, nations.

Photos courtesy by Liz Oxhorn unless otherwise notified.

Arts & Mission

Back From the Field: Living in the Tension, Dave Schmidgall

“Gritty.  Raw.  Sobering.  Maddening.  Beautiful.  Ugly.  Primal.  Oh, and someone on our team was threatened to be shot and killed. -May 7, 2011”

These were the adjectives I scribbled down in my journal as I quietly sat on the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee watching the dawn slowly illuminate the Western hillside.

Israel and Palestine is a destination most people are lucky to visit even once; to enrich your five senses with the topographical dimensions of the land that our Savior walked; to allow the smell of the fresh breeze whisking off the Galilee to consume you, or to taste the most mouthwatering, delectable food in the world:  hummus.  Forget the hummus you’ve ever had; this is in a different league.  This is going to be on the menu at the marriage supper of the lamb.

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Mission Israel/Palestine

Team Members (not presented in any order or may not be photographed here): Amanda Giobbi, Dave Schmidgall, Shakwanzcia Charles, Gena Romano, Priscilla Ro, Christine Flohr, Liz Oxhorn, Ann Mugala, Emmanuel Caudillo, Molly Gill, Sean Lorenz, Celia Riley, Steve Graybill, Brian Duss

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Witness: Youth on a Mission – Interview with Shakwanczia Charles

Shakwanczia Charles is 15 years old and experienced her first plane ride and first trip abroad when she went on the Israel/Palestine missions trip. What makes her participation on a missions team so unique is three-fold: 1) She is so young; 2) She gleaned lessons beyond her years and is actively seeking to apply them to her life; and 3) She lives in Ward 8, a section of DC that has the highest crime and poverty rates in the city. Ward 8 has an estimated population of 140,000 and is home to a high rate of crime, drug trade, homicides, poverty and child poverty, and single-parent households. Ward 8 is also home to low high school graduation rates, grade point averages, and household incomes. Despite these odds, Shakwanczia is taking steps to persevere beyond these external circumstances and live a life that reveals greater faith, perspective on what truly matters, and issues that she is passionate about such as human trafficking. Mentored by I/P missions trip co-leader, Amanda Giobbi, through the Southeast White House mentorship program, Shakwanczia and Amanda met with me to share about her recent experience in Israel and Palestine.

Traveling to Israel and Palestine was your first international traveling experience. What was your first experience abroad like? It felt the same like I was at home. Like I was supposed to be there. The only things that were different were the food, people, and language.

What were your expectations before the trip? How did those expectations change during and after the trip? I didn’t really have any expectations. I had a good feeling about the people on the trip. They all seemed cool and chill. I knew I was going to get along with everyone. I was excited. I thought I was going to like the food the best because Ms. Amanda said I would, but I didn’t like the food. So that’s one that changed.

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Introspective: In Photos

Investigation: A House on the Hill, A Luncheon for All People, Amanda Giobbi

The Southeast White House is a community house located one mile east of the Anacostia River, over the John Philip Sousa Bridge.  The house is situated in an area that is often referred to as the forgotten quadrant of the city, because of the limited number of social services and assistance available to the community. Demographically, the median income is $17,000 per year, 22 percent of the population lives in public housing, 35 percent qualify for public assistance, and 77 percent of the children live in single-parent families. The Southeast White House calls itself a “house on a hill for all people.” This house desires to be a place of reconciliation in a city that is divided racially, politically, and socio-economically.

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Snapshots in the Community: Battleground YSC, Reagan Chaney

For almost two years women from National Community Church have participated in the Second Saturday Serve project at the Youth Services Center (YSC). This facility is the DC’s juvenile detention center and is run by the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. There are a lot of politics, policies and procedures in this place and at times the girls we visit often report feeling like prison numbers and statistics rather than people. This is our battleground on Saturday’s – girls that do not feel love or have never seen healthy love; girls that have been forgotten by families; girls that are victims and survivors of sexual abuse and forced prostitution; girls with hardened hearts from betrayal; and girls searching for meaning but getting lost in the confusion of life and responsibility.

There is peace being built on many levels through this Second Saturday Serve project. As a volunteer, I was totally unaware of the emotion and inner struggle that I would feel and face doing a service project. As you visit, your compassion turns into serious concern and thoughts of circumstances that would seem impossible to live with and bear. The hardest part for me and many of the women who volunteer is leaving the girls at the end of our visit. We build trust and short term relationships that are cut short by lunch time and schedules. With the turnover rate at YSC being so high we rarely see the same girls again during our next visit. When asked “what is the most difficult thing you experience with this project?”; Jessica York, a longer time volunteer simply said, “the walk out!”

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In the Pipeline: May Newsletter

ANTI HUMAN TRAFFICKING | Athens, GREECE | May 27 – June 6
Please pray for our team of NCCers going to Athens, Greece to partner with the A21 Campaign as they work to abolish injustice and human trafficking in the 21^st century. In addition to serving with the A21 Campaign, the team will work with a new church plant and explore Biblical history. If you would like to send the team a word of encouragement or have any questions about the upcoming trip, please contact Maegan Stout at Maegan.Stout@theaterchurch.com

Prayer Needs

Cori Wittman: Thailand
Prayer for strong Thai Christian leaders and for Buriram and Bangkok youth – that they would continue growing as they start heading back to their villages and schools this month.  That God would guide efforts to form a working group looking into prevention strategies for unsafe and uninformed migration from the rural areas into Bangkok. For our team at The Well.  Specifically, for my housemate, ministry partner, and good friend, Jup, whose grandfather passed away recently.  For our volunteers – one transitioning back home and three new volunteers coming on board in May. For continued growth in our relationships built through outreach and for development of a team to host study/discipleship times in the bar district. Praise God for a great trip with the youth to the beach and praise for some good conversations.

Jamie & Tasha: Indonesia
Praise God for campus ministry beginning at the Harvard of Indonesia. Praise for huge interest from the university students – 46 attended the first Friday Night Live service. Prayer for continued growth and for these students to be on fire for God and for reaching their communities.

Adam Taylor: Ethiopia
Praise for greater one-on-one discipleship with the boys. Pray for Adam’s spiritual growth. Pray for car dilemma – process to get a license is tedious and cars are rather expensive. Prayer as Adam struggles with the successes/failures of the project and prayer for government favor for this project.

Brian McArthur: Bolivia
Praise for friend visiting from the US and for a successful camping trip with the boys. Praise for several boys praying openly and regularly. Prayer for the boys’ continued spiritual growth.

Brad & Glenda McMath: Spain
Praise God for several more supporters. Prayer for the remaining support tocome in.

Mike & Debby Edwards: Germany
That the last remaining $2,500 per month of support we need is provided in order for us to return to Berlin. Ideas/opportunities to help the churches in Dresden. We are in discussion about church planting, short-term workers, and business-as-missions projects. Further development of the Post-Christian Training Center in Berlin. For my daughter Kim’s big push towards finishing 10th grade. For quality family time this month with our adult kids and grandkids. For ‘Big’ decisions ahead related to our return to Berlin.  Prayer for God’s clear leading. Prayer forsafe travel on upcoming trips in May to Knoxville, Lynchburg, VA, California, Washington (state), and Minneapolis.

Kari & Ann Olsson: Haiti
Prayer for the presidential inauguration and that the new government will be able to make positive contributions for Haiti and the people. For people to find the Living Water for their souls and for us as we continue to do what we can for Haiti and her people. Praises for  peace in the streets, for spiritual hunger – may it grow, for prayers and support.

Bill & Connie McDonald: Ecuador
Praise for 252 decisions for Christ since January through the medical clinic and praise for a new church beginning that already has an attendance of 300. Prayer as they launch Christian television in the two largest cities (Quito & Guayaquil) and prayer for the funds to support this work.