YWAM Modesto

A 9th Streeet BBQ

2008-11-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

Follow this link below to pictures from our BBQ on Sat night, Nov 8th

Kids, Cookies and Canadians

2008-10-22T13:48:00.001-07:00

We recently hosted a team from Stanley Park Church in Canada. They hosted a great day with our kids club with great games, food and activities. Here's some from the cookie decorating...

Some more phone pictures...

2008-10-10T06:49:00.001-07:00

Each week we spend time on South 9th Street in Modesto at a corridor of residential motels. Almost every meaningful change we've seen has come from spending time in this most notorious place in our city. Here's a few snap shots from around S. 9th St.

This is James. He's a friend officially still on 9th Street but (thank God) off South 9th Street...out of the motels and into a studio apartment. James loves to be with people and was just happy to come out and sit a while.

This is Arlene. She has had multiple strokes and is 71 years old. She doesn't remember much and has ended up in the motels on South 9th Street. She has no contactable family, no connection and no memory. She is stuck. She is funny, ornery, can't hear well so she speaks really loud and has had a life with a house and children and something just went wrong along the way. If by some miracle you happen to know her, please comment in this blog with your contact info so we can help get her connected. We've tried most of what we know how to do.

This is Ken. Ken is sick and lives alone. He has about 20% lung capacity. The team we just hosted from Stanley Park Church in Canada met Ken and heard about his not being able to patch the roof in his 5th wheel and the rainy season coming on. They moved with compassion and determination to help him get the drip bucket from out of the center of his bed. Ken is a quiet, proud, compassionate man who has been a truck driver, a bohemian musician, a diesel engineer and a husband and father. It is a pleasure getting to know him. He lives just off South 9th Street.

This is what it looks like to drive someone off 9th St. This is a friend that we have been getting to know for a couple of years. On this day (a couple of weeks ago now) she ran up to our van as we were leaving a motel and let us know she had gotten a spot at the recovery center. She was so excited to get out of there. Due to some technical things she is back out near 9th St. but working and determined to get things cleared up so she can go back in. Good things are coming.

All of these kids we met living in a S. 9th St. motel. They are all out and while still not in a great living situation, their lives are getting better and more hopeful and healthy all the time. We pick them up every Saturday for a snack, fun play time in a nice park and a Bible lesson.

There's hope for people in hopeless places. God is always there. He moves us to be there too.

Pictures from my day...by Chris

2008-07-26T00:47:00.000-07:00

Originally posted at cwhitler.blogspot.com

This is the inside of Viva Taco...it is a bus that is a Mexican restaurant. This is (left to right) Arlie, Jimmy's Dad, Pastor Sustar, Sylvester (owner and proprietor and cooking at the moment), John and Jimmy. We love the bus. The bus is good. The bus is here. It was good to be at the bus again. I would suggest the chicken burrito supreme...hot, freshly made and a quality like no other taco truck I've encountered (for my non-Californian readers, we get the best tacos from establishments that have 4 wheels and motors). This is an good picture from my day. Here's another taken by Joseph, the "super" at the Budget Inn on S. 9th St...

These were pretty fun and easy to be in. There are others.

There was the intense warfare of getting relationships right. There was prayer at the 9th street bridge. There was the picture of friends walking into one of the darkest, most depraved places I know of and calling for God's Kingdom to come and His will to be done. A picture of mercy as I saw people giving dignity to a broken man. I was in a picture of a family wracked by sickness and sadness. My mind took a snap shot of merciful hands asking for healing. A picture of hope super-imposed. Now an image of woundedness and grief...of a life never affirmed by a mother or father and even now a greater Father weighing in, filling up, setting free. On to, a circle of friends handing the dead parts over to Jesus. It is harder than it looks in the pictures. Next a scene of obligations fulfilled and letting go. Finally, my family with ice cream and laughter.

And in all of these pictures from today, there is a theme, a thread that links them all together. I don't know how these all fit into the same album but I close the cover on my day and the simple label on the front says, "Joy".

Aaron's Thai videos

2008-07-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

Aaron from our community has spent July in Thailand working with our friends at Compasio. Here's some videos from his time...

A new message from Chris

2008-06-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

Listen to a new message from Chris about ministry opportunity and how you can activate and get involved...Glonk here.

Thailand audio report

2008-06-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, for an audio report from Jimmy and Aaron about their recent trip to Thailand...Glonk here!

A Thialand story by Jimmy

2008-06-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

Ali is a two-year-old boy who runs the streets of Mae Sot, Thailand. He has no father and his mother is very sick, immobilized by an undiagnosed illness. Ali wears a t-shirt with no pants or covering of any kind. He begs for food and money, uses the side of the road as a bathroom, and sometimes sleeps on the street with three other children ranging from 4 to 12 years old. Ali’s mother was in a hospital on the outskirts of town.

After being kicked out her home, and having no legal status or money, a hopelessness that could kill the strongest person was working deep in her heart. I approached her with careful consideration as she was on the hospital bed with her covering removed, exposing what could be left of her dignity. Sia, Tik, Aaron, and I planned to transport her to a clinic a few miles away.

As I lifted her off the hospital bed and into my arms, she grabbed the bed-rail and hung onto it with all her strength. She was terrified. Sia told me that her former husband (who married another woman while she was in the hospital) regularly beat her. I removed her hand from the bed and placed her in the truck. When we arrived at the clinic, I lifted her from the truck and she began trying to roll out of my arms onto the ground, wincing in pain.

As I tried to keep her from falling and keep her covered as she was only wearing a hospital gown, I took her arm that was closest to me and put it around my neck, making her feel snug around me. She turned, locked eyes with me, relaxed her tired muscles, and fell exhausted into my arms. She found no reason to be afraid. I cradled her like a newborn baby and made my way into the clinic whispering into her ear, “Jesus loves you so much.”

This is our only hope.

I was honored and broken to have been given this chance to carry her to rest and safety. Jesus stood humbly before Pontious Pilate, not lifting His voice to defend. He only stood there patiently, gracefully. He told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world, that He was born into this one to bear witness to the truth. Nothing in this world would triumph over Jesus. He stood with His face resolute, waiting for Pilate to respond. Nothing could distract Him from the torture and death He was about to embrace, nothing would keep Him from laying down His precious life for all Pilate, confused and cornered by gentle majesty asked Jesus, “What is truth?”

Jesus stood in front of him. He looked into his eyes, answering his question with silent presence. Truth. Like a song in my heart it swells to a perfect pitch and rhythm. It lasts as long as I allow. It wants to choke the death out of me, but remains a gentleman. Waiting, holding for the moment to come through, Truth rescues and lifts me up to gaze into His eyes and touch His face. A call for help becomes a call to worship. I fall on my own will into His forever arms, finding no fault in Him. He carries me to rest and safety.

Thailand 2008 pictures

2008-05-20T16:27:00.001-07:00

Thailand trip

2008-05-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Aaron and I have returned from a life
and perspective altering time in Thailand. The plan at
the beginning of our trip (to venture into the jungle
for dentistry work) crumbled as the atmosphere on the
border was a little tense. We believe that God used
this as an opportunity to put us in the middle of the
desperate situation we originally intended to be
involved with.

Mae Sot, Thailand is a town that
borders Burma. Because of the appalling atrocities
being committed by the Military Junta in Burma, many
Burmese/Karen people have fled into the safety of
Thailand. Not everyone seeking refuge in Thailand is
blessed enough to receive legal or refugee status, so
many are there illegally. Among those people are
children who are not even having their most basic
needs met. These children are turned out into the
streets of Mae Sot to beg for food and money. This is
a terrible problem presenting so many safety and
health issues, and puts the children at even greater
risk of abuses such as slave labor, prostitution, and
disease. Some of the kids beg all day for their
parents and themselves, then sleep under a parked
vehicle, tables in the marketplace, or on the
sidewalk.

Aaron and I had the honor of working with a friend who
has given her life to rescuing these kids. Everyday we
sought out the street kids, fed them, tried to connect
them with safety, and just worked to be a support to
them in their suffering. This was heart-wrenching
work, and something that has influenced real change in
all of our lives. These kids need fathers and mothers.
They need safety and education. They have a future,
and we will give what we can that they may live life
abundantly. The love of Jesus is demonstrated in a
tangible way, and we will do what He commands.

“The compassion of Jesus is not generous benevolence,
it is a consuming fire.”
-Brennan Manning

Thank you all for helping us financially to do the
work that God is calling us to. Thank you for going
with us. God bless you.

Jim Sustar

Alrighty, let's get this blog rollin'

2008-05-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, Chris here trying to get our little YWAM Modesto blog going. There is much happening in our little community. Jim and Aaron are finishing up a visit to Thailand connecting with Al and Joanne Brown at Compasio and Kathleen at YWAM's Home of Joy. Please pray for the guys on thier way home Thursday. They have many stories to share. We'll be keeping you posted.

In our home community here in Modesto it has been a sad couple of weeks. Two of the neighborhoods we serve in and have many friends have been rocked by gang violence. Several shootings over the past weeks have necessitated community response. Here are a couple of ways from the bee that you can be involved...

The Modesto Police Department and the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department, along with the city of Modesto, Stanislaus County, Modesto City Schools and the Stanislaus County Office of Education, are hosting a community forum on gangs and violence Wednesday at 7 p.m. The forum, called "Break the Cycle," will be held in the Modesto High School cafeteria at 18 H St.

Area residents are invited to participate in a "March Against Gang Violence" from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 24. The march will start at the Stanislaus County Courthouse in downtown Modesto and end at Modesto High School. The event is sponsored by the Community Action Coalition of Stanislaus County, the city of Modesto, the Stanislaus County Office of Education, the Stanislaus County Community Gang Task Force, the police and sheriff's departments, the Hispanic Leadership Council, the NAACP and the Weed and Seed program. For information, call Jeremiah Williams at 568-3096.

Also on May 24, the community is invited to participate in the "Raw and Real Hip-Hop Symposium" about youth-on-youth violence, a collaborative effort of community mentors and educators. The event is sponsored by the NAACP, the King-Kennedy Memorial Center and Fathers Who Care. Details on the location of the event will be announced soon. For more information, call Jai Gullatt at 408-0277.

YWAM Modesto Newsletter

2008-03-27T11:41:00.001-07:00

Hey all, thought I'd let you know our new newsletter is done! I know newsletter can conjure feelings of boring statistics and a long commitment, but not this one...it's a five minute read about good news. Go ahead...

Download it here!

From KCRA

2008-01-24T13:03:00.000-08:00

Local news...

2008-01-24T12:37:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to our local paper's articles about the recent city council vote to make dumpster diving a misdemeaner ($500 fine and up to 6 months in jail!) Aaron did a great job at city council letting the council know how much this would affecct honest people's income. We know quite a few people that recycle just to have a bit in their pocket to feel normal. It's hard, honest work and earns a couple of bucks for a few hours of searching. Kudos to our local paper for lots of recent coverage about the homeless and issues on S 9th St. It's been nice to find out about social justice issues through the paper. Some ok coverage...

Read the stories here.

Thailand Pictures

2007-12-17T12:31:00.001-08:00

Hey, hey,

Our website has some new stuff on it. Explore here...YWAM Modesto

And here's a little slide show of our trip to Thailand...have fun!

Thailand

Official YWAM press release

2007-12-10T12:18:00.001-08:00

A lone gunman entered a Youth With A Mission training center in the Denver, Colorado suburb of Arvada early Sunday morning, opening fire and hitting four members of the staff. All were taken to local hospitals and two later died of their injuries.

The two wounded remain in serious condition. The gunman has not yet been apprehended, and police are continuing their search for him.

The deceased have been identified as Tiffany Johnson, 26, from Minnesota, and Philip Crouse, 24, from Alaska. Both served as staff members at the Youth With A Mission Arvada campus. The third victim, Dan Griebenow, 24, has a bullet in his neck and is listed in critical but stable condition. The fourth victim Charlie Blanch, 22, suffered gunshot wounds to his legs.

Peter Warren, the Director of Youth with a Mission Denver says they had just finished a Christmas banquet when the suspect arrived and asked a 22-year-old woman from Minnesota if he could be housed for the evening. When she told him they could not house him, that's when, Warren says, the suspect opened fire with an automatic handgun, hitting four people. Police say they do not know whether the shooting was random or if there was a motive.

Warren says, "The young man - I don't know who he is; I don't think [the victims] knew him - but he must be going through a lot personally in his own life to do something like this. Our belief is that only God is the judge and our place is to forgive and that's a difficult thing to do, but really, I think it's the right thing to do," said Warren.

There are about 80 people living on the Arvada campus and they have been transported to the group's mountain campus near Golden, Colorado where they will stay while the murder investigation is processed at their residence. Warren says they are trying to deal with this situation as best as they can.

"There's no blueprint for this," said Warren. "You know, we're just going to be honest, we're going to pray with one another and cry with one another. These kids were like our kids, you know. It's just such a tragedy, but who knows what's going on in this young man's life."

Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is an international and interdenominational Christian movement with operating locations in 171 nations. Launched in 1960 as a means for young people to get involved in short-term missionary service, it now has over 16 000 staff working in 1180 centers and trains over 25 000 people each year to be involved in the organization's primary goal - to know God and make Him known. YWAM is hugely varied in its approach, operating such ministries as drop-in centers for street children in South America; hospice care for AIDs victims in Africa; literacy and job creation programs throughout Asia; and is well known for its quick response and long-term commitment to global disasters, such as the 2006 tsunami.

YWAM International Chairman Lynn Green released this statement: "We feel a deep sense of loss today and we grieve with the families and those who were very close friends of the victims. Our surviving students and staff are being well cared for and we have total confidence in those who are responsible for the training program in Arvada to care for those who have been subjected to this assault.

"Those who lost their lives had dedicated themselves to serve and we feel the sorrow of their absence. Yet we take comfort from the assurance of everlasting life for those who follow Christ in loving service to others.

"It is a great tragedy that our culture seems to produce so many deeply troubled people who express their frustration in violence. We forgive the assailant and we rededicate ourselves to serving young people in the hope that we might bring healing to other needy youth."

BEEF!

2007-09-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

It's what's for lunch this Sunday, Sunday, Sunday at New Hope Church (at the corner of Dale and Pelandale).

Every year our team... uh... teams up with our church here to host a day of food and music for our friends from our community and our community of friends downtown.

It should be jolly fun (I'm just taking everyone's word for it because this will be my first BBQ since I've been around and in town). So come on out, have some food, hang out with us, meet our friends and get away from it all for an afternoon (whatever your personal "it all" might be)!

Hope to see you here.

True D-O-G!

2007-09-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

Once a week, we spend time with some kids we met on S. 9th St. This is one our way to the park this week...

New news!

2007-09-01T19:22:00.001-07:00

Hey, hey!

Not a lot of time to post lately as I've been working on the YWAM Modesto Fall Newsletter. It turned out pretty good. Download the PDF here...

Fall Newsletter

Not For Sale

2007-08-26T19:24:00.001-07:00

David Batstone's "Not For Sale" is an important book. In it, he presents the realities of the global slave trade in an accessible, story driven style. I'm so thankful that I found out about it. Mr. Batstone has travelled all over the world and interviewed many of what he calls the "new abolitionists". They are missionaries, social workers, activists and just plain ole people that could not turn a blind eye to the hidden oppressed. The book details stories of slavery and freedom happening right now starting in Thailand, Cambodia, India, Peru, Asia and finally, yes, actual slavery here in the United States. Just because it's against the law doesn't mean that it doesn't happen here.

I highly recommend it as it not only show the problem, it shows real people and how they have responded with compassion and zealously have given their lives to help free slaves. The book ends with an entire chapter about what we can do to join the new abolitionist movement. If you are near me and want to borrow it, you are more than welcome. Here is the books website for you to order your own...notforsalecampaign.org

by Chris

Leon

2007-08-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

Leon is a 79 year old veteran who we've known for quite some time. He would come around the bread truck a few years ago, try to cut line, say something crotchety and take off with a pie or something. We would laugh when he'd show up...a guy you can't help but like but he also can leave you a little taken aback at some of the audacious things he chooses to say. Let's just say, it's an adventure to have a conversation with him.

About a year or so ago, he stopped coming to get his sweet from our Thursday bread share at Chavez park. Then we noticed his car not parked at his house anymore. One month ago, as we're preparing to give out the bread at the park, suddenly, there's Leon! Jimmy quickly learned the story. Leon's wife had died and his son had him move in. For one reason or another, Leon's son finally asked his father to leave his house. He, a 79 year old man, had been sleeping in his car around the park for several weeks, showering at the truck stop and making his way as best he knew how.

Last week, while visiting another friend, Dean, at his lower rent apartment we noticed a vacancy sign. We talked to the managers and they were willing to help Leon. Now, it can be frustrating to find homeless people as they don't usually have a way to get a hold of them but finally, we found Leon again. He was willing to check it out. He applied for the place coming empty.

Last Thursday we got the call, he's accepted into an apartment that won't deplete his small pension check and can move in on the first! Leon wasn't at the park on Thursday...it can be really frustrating. Friday, we spent the day downtown and on south 9th st. We decided to have lunch with another friend in the park and wait to see if Leon would show up...no Leon. So, we said a prayer and decided to play a game and see if he'd show. Right when we finished our game, there was Leon. We got him into the van, over to meet the building owner, the papers were signed and he's in!

Sometimes, this work can be frustrating and difficult. People in desperate situations can be scarred, suspicious, afraid of change and stuck in hurtful patterns. Every now and then, God shows us how easily he can break through all that and just move. Pray for Leon, he's worried about furniture and a little fearful of a new place. Pray that what he needs will come to him in every way...physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc.

Well, here we go...

2007-08-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new YWAM Modesto blog! This will be a community effort among our staff to try to better communicate our work and life. Have fun and let us know what you think!