Phew, What A Summer!!
SUMMER RECAP ☀️
Hello! We've had a full and fruitful summer! We are so excited to share all that God did in Los Angeles. There's so much to recap that it's impossible to give every detail, but we are truly grateful for you and all those who pray and support us.
This summer, we hosted three teams in LA, each with a unique purpose and emphasis. We also had missionaries to Japan, Devin and Breanne Harden join us and share with each team. Here's a quick break down of each group, along with some praise reports for each.
LA MISSIONS INTENSIVE ☀️
1. LA MISSION INTENSIVE (May 30 - June 5). Five days investing in a tightknit group of young adults who are feeling a tug toward missionary work. These days were packed with an intense schedule of both educational + formational sessions on topics relating to missions in the 21st century, including one morning of public outreach to the local homeless community in MacArthur Park. The Missions Intensive is designed to help these students to learn modern biblical missiology and to discern God's call on their life. We also hosted several missionary guests (Ben West, and the Hardens) who shared with our students. And boy, did God come through!
Highlights! Each student in our group confirmed their call to future ministry leadership, with a couple dedicated specifically to cross-cultural missionary work. One student was even baptized in the Spirit!
SUMMER INTERNSHIP ☀️
2. THE AWAKENING SUMMER INTERNSHIP (June 12 - June 29). We spent a little more than two full weeks with seven young adults who feel a tug toward ministry, potentially global missions. Like the Missions Intensive, their schedule included intense educational and formational sessions, but also built in heavy practical outreach experiences in L.A.These two weeks were so fruitful and fulfilling.
Highlights! We were able to serve multiple days with the local homeless and at risk communities (partnering with organizations like the Dream Center and Union Rescue Mission, as well as local ministers). During one one of our children's ministry days in Skid Row, four young children whose families are experiencing homelessness gave their lives to Christ! Through the many outreach opportunities, our intern team demonstrated impressive capacity to lead and Christlike spiritual maturity. Serving young adults like these reminds us that God is far from done. He's raising a new generation of current / future young leaders who are marked by his own heart! Jesus is still building his Church.
GIRLS CONFERENCE ☀️
3. West Coast Hispanic Girls Conference (June 24): Erica had the opportunity to serve as the guest speaker for a girls conference for our IPHC West Coast Hispanic Conference. Our female interns also joined her and assisted with prayer and breakout sessions. The girls were encouraged by the life of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and challenged to live a life, Undaunted, like Mary did.
Highlights! More than 60 girls attended this event and received prayer during the altar call. Our team was able to have many conversations with some of the girls about their relationship with and life calling in Christ.
LA OPEN TEAM ☀️
4. LA OPEN MISSION TRIP (July 10 - 17): A seven day domestic missions experience in Los Angeles for youth. Our team did outreach with the local poor and homeless community in difficult places like Skid Row, planned and led two youth takeover services for our partner church (World Agape) and a local Latino church. And like all our groups, we also provided discipleship formation for the missions students. Once again, God showed up and blessed us with an incredible team of students who were younger than our first two summer groups, but who nevertheless demonstrated extraordinary courage and servantheartedness.
Highlights! We were able to partner with a local Latino church and experiment with a new form of community outreach -- laundromat care (canvasing 6 local neighborhood laundromats, paying for people's laundry loads while giving out waters, inviting them to church, and praying with them). On the last day of their trip, right after I dropped off the team at the LAX airport, one young homeless man (who our group had ministered to earlier in the week) gave his life to Christ!
YOUTH QUEST ☀️
5. YOUTH QUEST (July 22 - 25): Erica and I participated as sponsors in YouthQuest, a large youth conference hosted this year in Jacksonville, FL. For several days, we continued building both new and longstanding relationships with students and leaders, while reconnecting with several young adults who had joined one of our three trips to LA this summer.
Highlights! Our Awakening team was able to teach a breakout session on Unreached People Groups and Missions. And, a couple of our Korean friends from World Agape Mission Church (our partner church in Los Angeles) attended Youthquest. They were the only west coasters (besides us) at the whole event. Hopefully, more willl come in the future, creating more and greater west + east coast synergy in our denomination!