Peggy: "You Da Bomb...Threat"

(*names of the guys have been changed for confidentiality reasons)

Hey everybody!

I'm entering my last week here at CityTeam and I'm definitely not ready to leave! I'm already trying to figure out ways that I can come back and visit regularly or come back and volunteer. I'm having such a hard time emotionally/mentally preparing myself to leave.

Some Highlights:
- Friends and Family Day: Thank you all for coming!
- Going to Harvest Christian Fellowship -- the church that the CityTeam director is the pastor of
- Teaching the guys how to play mancala
- Watching two grown men go crazy over playing Monopoly
- Justin speaking at the shelter chapel -- go preacha', go!
- Playing basketball with my guys and the guys in the program
- Leading worship with Jeff and John at the shelter chapel
- The bomb threat and how our good friend planted it
- Studying the book of Amos, led by the amazing Wendy Hu-Au.

The Bomb Threat
Friday morning, we woke up to find out that there was a bomb outside of the police department, which is right next to CityTeam Ministries. We weren't allowed to go outside or go down to breakfast, so we had to stay inside. We ended up going to the rooftop to see what was going on and we saw that the cops had the entire block blocked off. A couple of the staff and guys in the program had left earlier so they couldn't get back in!

To make a long story short, we ended up trying to spend some time praying, only to be interrupt by a loud BANG -- we figured that meant they diffused the bomb. Halfway through prayer, another explosion and our hearts felt like they jumped out of our throats!

When we finished our prayer time, James* told us that the mysterious black briefcase was nothing...and that it actually belonged to Leo*, our resident homeless buddy. Leo is a mentally unstable homeless man who comes by CityTeam regularly but refuses to live in the shelter. He's quite the character -- CityTeam rehab guys will often give him clothes to wear, only to find him the next day not wearing the shirt or shoes they gave him.

Apparently, the briefcase belonged to Leo and he had given it to one of the CityTeam men, Wes*. Wes didn't take it because inside the briefcase was a broken DVD player, so Wes put it on top of a dumpster. I guess Leo decided to take it back from the dumpster and leave it suspiciously on the corner of Washington and 7th, causing a huge bomb scare for the entire morning.

Yay for being alive :)

Amos
We studied the book of Amos this weekend and it was so powerful. I'm still processing how to respond, how to be someone who seeks justice and yet also lets Jesus be the transformation in me. Living in Oakland for almost an entire month and living with guys who have gone in and out of prison has really opened my eyes up to the ways God cares for the oppressed and the needy. How will we return to God and let justice flow?

In 2000, American evangelicals spent about $850 BILLION on disposable items alone. Did you know that it takes only 5% of that to end world hunger? Sometimes we don't realize how our passivity and apathy is actually furthering the injustices in our world. Our comforts and our luxuries may seem harmless, but it may indirectly cause harm to another person.

One of the questions we were challenged to ask ourselves is this: not to ask "how much will this cost me?" when we purchase things but to ask "how much might this cost someone else?" Does my consumption of goods oppress someone else? Do my luxuries and benefits come at the disadvantage of someone else?

Anyway, my eyes are opened and I'm still in the process of figuring out how to apply this when I return back to San Jose.

Loving the Men in Rehab
I'm going to say it: I LOVE THEM! We're at a point in our relationship with the men in the program where we're pretty much all buddies. We have inside jokes with one another, we play games together, we know each others quirks and habits. I've been tutoring Jorge* consistently in the Learning Center and we've begun to make a game out of learning vocabulary -- to the point where if I'm unavailable to help, he says it's just not as fun. As a team, we've bonded with Jorge a lot, as he's invited us to his church activities and been so welcoming from the start, regardless of our socioeconomic differences, regardless of the fact that he's been in and out of prison, regardless of the fact that he has a major alcohol problem. He's become our brother and our friend.

Another man from the program that has been a joy to work with is Ron*. Ron's almost 50 years old, but has the heart of a 16 year old. He loves playing Monopoly with our team, dancing and singing in the kitchen and smiling. He never fails to make us laugh and he works ridiculously hard in the Learning Center, even though it's very difficult for him. He's like the baby brother of the program, even though he's one of the older men in the group -- the other guys constantly look out for him.

Wes is one of the men who is further along in the program, but still has so much that he wants from God. He writes poems and draws and takes us jogging around Lake Merritt. Many of his poems are straight from his heart: the truths about being in a rehab program, how he desires for God to change him, his love for Jesus -- Wes doesn't put up a front. His story is of being in and out of prison since he was a teenager and being here at CityTeam has given him hope and a future.

Darren* has bonded with us as well, mostly because he is one of the younger guys in the program (he's only two years older than me!). In fact, hanging out with him feels like kicking it with one of my own guy friends! He's been our resident baker, baking the birthday cake for Justin, for one of the guys in the program and also Jeff's birthday cake (we'll be celebrating Jeff's birthday today!). He has a deep deep love for his baby daughter, who he misses and talks about every day. It's hard to watch him be so far away from someone he loves and I'm constantly praying that he'll stick it through the program, finish it and go home a healthier father for his baby girl. He knows his need to recover from drugs/alcohol, but being away from his daughter is extremely difficult.

There's many more men in the program who have touched my heart and changed my life. These are just some of the guys that have changed my summer forever. Please continue to pray for them, especially the ones that I've mentioned because they're near and dear to my heart.

Prayer Requests
- Pray for my transition back into "real life": After BAyUP, I will no longer be working for InterVarsity. That's a really big step for me as I discern what God is calling me to next.
- Pray for the men! Yesterday night, one of the guys was kicked out of the program because he had alcohol at a family BBQ and came back to CityTeam drunk. It's heartbreaking to see him go, especially since he was really bonding with Jeff over learning the Bible.
- Pray for the CityTeam staff: I've been getting to know each of them and they do so much behind the scenes work and are constantly running around. They do so much for the ministry and they help make recovery possible.
- Pray for funding! CityTeam could use YOUR donations! Please visit cityteam.org for more information on how to give!
- Pray for me again: being in Oakland has really changed my life and changed my perspectives on so many things. Although I am committed to live in San Jose for this next year or so, I'm praying and trying to discern how God wants me to seek the shalom in Oakland. God has laid some sovereign foundations in my life (I have been praying for Oakland since I first started college, been a regular visitor to Oakland since high school, and have always wondered what it would be like to live here). This could mean looking for jobs in Oakland or even potentially moving to Oakland in the future. It's a big step and it's a big discernment process that I can't just jump in to. A call to the inner-city is not simple. Please pray for clarity and discernment.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS, YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR MAKING BAYUP POSSIBLE!

Much love and blessings,
Peggy

P.S. BBQ AND POOL PARTY TODAY! Whoo-hoo! I plan to get the rehab guys to throw Justin into the pool. Shhh. :D