October 1, 2009
Dear Team,
Taking youth and children to camp is one of the highlights during the summer, both for me and for the youth that we take. This summer we had the opportunity to take three youth and five kids to summer camp at Morning Star Ranch in Florence, KS. It is a World Impact camp that we go to every summer.
The last week of the summer program was the children’s week at camp. Three of the five kids who went were siblings. About an hour into the drive to camp, we were driving by a field full of cows and Darren, who is 10 years old, asked what we were driving by. It was at that moment that I realized that Darren had never before seen a cow in real life.
After talking with Darren a little more, he went on to tell me that he has never even been outside St. Louis city limits. So, to see a cow in person and not just on the television was a huge deal to him and his siblings. His reaction to every cow that we saw on our seven hour trip was “OOH, look at the cows”. I wish you could have seen the excitement on his face and in his voice. After we arrived at camp, which is also a ranch, he saw many different animals for the first time. I think the funniest reaction was when he saw a frog for the first time. The frog was jumping around and got real close to him—and I am sure you can imagine it was another priceless moment.
At the end of the week, we always stop on our way home for an evening meal at a McDonald’s. Each kid got a drink and as we were at the soda fountain to get our drinks, I noticed him struggling to figure out how to work the lever. I did not think too much of it and I showed him how to get a drink from the soda fountain. I then asked him if he had been to a McDonald’s before. His response floored me. In Darren’s 10 years of life, his family has not had the means to ever take him to a McDonald’s.
After we arrived back in St. Louis, Adria asked Darren what his favorite part of camp was. Darren’s classic response was “the WHOLE thing was my favorite part”. It was in that moment that God allowed me to see just what this trip had meant to Darren. I cannot put in to words what an honor it was to be a part of that experience for him.
I relay this letter to you because you are a part of this. Because you have sent Adria and I through your prayers and support you make it possible for us to love Darren and his family in a way that they have never experienced. You may not be right here with us, but you have sent us and we are representing you in our ministry together in St. Louis. Keep praying for Darren and his family. They are involved in a great local church and God has great plans for them. All glory to the King of Kings!
Grace and Peace,
Andrew & Adria Medlen
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
I'm just a Christian Doing My Job
When the days start to blur together and I start wondering if I'm having any effect at all, it's stories like this that give me new vigor. This morning Andrew and I sat talking with a fellow staff member after our morning prayer meeting and the conversation turned to a young man who has been part of our programs for several years. This year he has shown huge steps in his desire to follow Christ and since he lives just down the street from Randy (our fellow staff member), Randy has been meeting with him on a regular basis.
This young man is 14--soon to be 15--and is one of those kids I loved from the moment I met his squirrelly self. He is so bright and funny and has blown us away with some of his wise comments in group discussions.
So, the story is this: Yesterday he was hanging out with Randy as Randy finished up his evening yard work. As they talked and joked, Randy walked to their back dumpster to pick up the trash that inevitably collects in the alley and this young man pitched in to help. Randy encouraged his participation by saying to him, "You are a gentleman and a scholar."
The young man, vigorously scooping up trash, responded, "Nope. I'm just a Christian doing my job."
Later he pondered aloud, "We're kind of like superheros. No, we're Super Christians, doing good that nobody knows about."
What a beautiful, hilarous connection. It is amazing to see this young man "getting" it. Please pray for him as he continues to grow and learn about what it means to walk with Christ. He has so much potential, has such an open spirit, is so bright...God is eqquiping a mighty man for Him, I think. Still, there are struggles in his home life; this young man takes care of a great deal at his home, and he struggles in his education...though very smart, his education has failed him and he has difficulty reading. Pray that he will continue to be a witness to his family and that he continues to teach us a thing or two about following Christ as well!
This young man is 14--soon to be 15--and is one of those kids I loved from the moment I met his squirrelly self. He is so bright and funny and has blown us away with some of his wise comments in group discussions.
So, the story is this: Yesterday he was hanging out with Randy as Randy finished up his evening yard work. As they talked and joked, Randy walked to their back dumpster to pick up the trash that inevitably collects in the alley and this young man pitched in to help. Randy encouraged his participation by saying to him, "You are a gentleman and a scholar."
The young man, vigorously scooping up trash, responded, "Nope. I'm just a Christian doing my job."
Later he pondered aloud, "We're kind of like superheros. No, we're Super Christians, doing good that nobody knows about."
What a beautiful, hilarous connection. It is amazing to see this young man "getting" it. Please pray for him as he continues to grow and learn about what it means to walk with Christ. He has so much potential, has such an open spirit, is so bright...God is eqquiping a mighty man for Him, I think. Still, there are struggles in his home life; this young man takes care of a great deal at his home, and he struggles in his education...though very smart, his education has failed him and he has difficulty reading. Pray that he will continue to be a witness to his family and that he continues to teach us a thing or two about following Christ as well!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
September 1, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
My eyes were supposed to be closed, but I can never resist the temptation to look around when the speaker asks everyone to close their eyes and raise their hand, “If…. This time I justified my sneakiness by reasoning that our youth were the ones responding and we needed to know the answer to better help them.
It was the last night at Jr. High Camp where youth from several World Impact ministries spent the end of their summer learning about trusting in the firm foundation of Christ and allowing Him to build new things in their lives. The statement they were responding to this time was “Raise your hands if you have been told that you are worth nothing or that you wouldn’t amount to anything.” Hands went up all around the room.
Then the speaker asked those students to come to the front of the room and the camp counselors to come pray over them. The sound of metal chairs scratching on the concrete floor filled the room as broken and timid youth walked forward. There was a solemn pain in the air that seemed palpable as I stood up front, for the second night in a row, with a Jr. High girl holding tightly to me. This night the arms wrapped around my waist were those of a young girl from the World Impact Dallas ministry. The youngest of all brothers, she was scrappy and full of attitude. Tonight, however, I could see past the protective walls she had built and saw a little girl trying to survive the pain and lies that made up her experience with life.
As I looked around the room I saw another young man with a reputation for clowning around leaning against the wall, staring straight ahead as slow tears tracked his cheeks, a counselor adamantly speaking truth over him. Yet another boy, a sweet, tenderhearted boy, had his head buried in the speaker’s chest crying.
A deep river of pain had been tapped into and even as we finished our prayers and closed out the session, many of the kids continued to cry, needing someone to help share the burden of their heavy tears and to fill their ears with whispers of hope.
It was one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking moments I have experienced. Their weary and tear-stained faces spoke of the abuse, neglect, rejection, and lies these youth have known, but even as I saw brokenness I was taken by the beauty and purpose written on their faces. And I wished so much that somehow they could see their faces just as I saw them then, surely only an imperfect version of Christ’s view of them.
As long as Andrew and I have been here in St. Louis we have witnessed things for which we have no answer in and of ourselves: Why do so many of these kids have to experience abuse? Why are people’s family members senselessly killed? Why do some have to experience the hardships of poverty?
I was reminded that week at camp that no words I can say will make right what those kids have experienced, but a willingness to see people as Christ sees them and to simply hold them and speak new words to them, words of life and of hope, can be life-changing. It was not by accident one of their memory verses that week was Jeremiah 29:11, because our God is a God of healing and of new beginnings, and He is a God who lovingly looks on each of us saying, “For I know the plans I have for you… plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Pray for these youth, and for our neighbors, that they would experience the healing of our heavenly Father and come to know their worth and purpose in His Kingdom.
For His Kingdom, Andrew & Adria Medlen
Dear Family and Friends,
My eyes were supposed to be closed, but I can never resist the temptation to look around when the speaker asks everyone to close their eyes and raise their hand, “If…. This time I justified my sneakiness by reasoning that our youth were the ones responding and we needed to know the answer to better help them.
It was the last night at Jr. High Camp where youth from several World Impact ministries spent the end of their summer learning about trusting in the firm foundation of Christ and allowing Him to build new things in their lives. The statement they were responding to this time was “Raise your hands if you have been told that you are worth nothing or that you wouldn’t amount to anything.” Hands went up all around the room.
Then the speaker asked those students to come to the front of the room and the camp counselors to come pray over them. The sound of metal chairs scratching on the concrete floor filled the room as broken and timid youth walked forward. There was a solemn pain in the air that seemed palpable as I stood up front, for the second night in a row, with a Jr. High girl holding tightly to me. This night the arms wrapped around my waist were those of a young girl from the World Impact Dallas ministry. The youngest of all brothers, she was scrappy and full of attitude. Tonight, however, I could see past the protective walls she had built and saw a little girl trying to survive the pain and lies that made up her experience with life.
As I looked around the room I saw another young man with a reputation for clowning around leaning against the wall, staring straight ahead as slow tears tracked his cheeks, a counselor adamantly speaking truth over him. Yet another boy, a sweet, tenderhearted boy, had his head buried in the speaker’s chest crying.
A deep river of pain had been tapped into and even as we finished our prayers and closed out the session, many of the kids continued to cry, needing someone to help share the burden of their heavy tears and to fill their ears with whispers of hope.
It was one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking moments I have experienced. Their weary and tear-stained faces spoke of the abuse, neglect, rejection, and lies these youth have known, but even as I saw brokenness I was taken by the beauty and purpose written on their faces. And I wished so much that somehow they could see their faces just as I saw them then, surely only an imperfect version of Christ’s view of them.
As long as Andrew and I have been here in St. Louis we have witnessed things for which we have no answer in and of ourselves: Why do so many of these kids have to experience abuse? Why are people’s family members senselessly killed? Why do some have to experience the hardships of poverty?
I was reminded that week at camp that no words I can say will make right what those kids have experienced, but a willingness to see people as Christ sees them and to simply hold them and speak new words to them, words of life and of hope, can be life-changing. It was not by accident one of their memory verses that week was Jeremiah 29:11, because our God is a God of healing and of new beginnings, and He is a God who lovingly looks on each of us saying, “For I know the plans I have for you… plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Pray for these youth, and for our neighbors, that they would experience the healing of our heavenly Father and come to know their worth and purpose in His Kingdom.
For His Kingdom, Andrew & Adria Medlen
Monday, August 31, 2009
August Update
August 1, 2009
Dear Team,
Greetings family and friends in the mighty name of our Lord! I (Andrew) hope this letter finds each of you well and giving your all for Christ. I wish each of you could come to St. Louis and experience one of my favorite things that we do each summer. Christian Family Day at the ball park is always a highlight for me. It is a day that World Impact receives a certain amount of free tickets to take our children and youth to a free baseball game at the St. Louis Cardinals stadium.
What a treat it is to partake in the activities of this day! This year we took 13 kids and youth to the game. The day started out with a carnival at a park downtown, where the kids played games and ate a free meal and ice cream. Then we went to the stadium where we enjoy watching baseball and eating a hot dog from the vendors.
If you had come to the game with us I would have introduced you to a nine-year-old girl named Jackie. Jackie is a girl that I met at the start of our summer program. She has been coming faithfully to our program and learning about Jesus and the love He has for us. Through her attendance and good behavior, she earned the reward to attend Christian Family Day with us. Jackie is like most of the kids that we bring to the game, in that this is the first professional baseball game that they have ever been too.
It is so neat to see the excitement on their faces as they finally reach their seats and just look around to see everything going on around them. They cheer for their team and just love being in the atmosphere of it all. I had the opportunity to sit next to Jackie that day. During the 3rd inning, I opened up my book bag and brought out some peanuts that Adria and I had brought for the kids that day. Again her eyes just lit up with joy. About five minutes into eating her peanuts, Jackie looked up at me and asked if I was having a good time. I told her I was having a great time and asked her if she was having a good time too.
Jackie looked at me with a huge smile. “I am having a good time,” she said. Then about 30 seconds later, she looks at me and said again, “I’m having a great time.” Then she sat back in her chair and said, “I’m just sitting here with Andrew eating peanuts and enjoying myself. Andrew and me are just sitting here eating our peanuts and enjoying ourselves”. In that moment, it all became clear to me how much this event had meant to Jackie.
I will never forget the day that I had the privilege to take Jackie and so many others to experience their first baseball game. Bringing joy and excitement to a kid seems to be more and more difficult these days. But that day, it was easy as a baseball game and some peanuts. Please keep praying for kids like Jackie. She has a rough home life and needs the love of Jesus Christ to come and complete her family. Pray for Adria and I as we continue to pour into these youth and children the joy that a relationship with our Lord can bring. Thank you for helping us and making this a priority for you. We value you so much and count it a joy to be on the same team as you.
All for our soon and coming King,
Andrew & Adria Medlen
Dear Team,
Greetings family and friends in the mighty name of our Lord! I (Andrew) hope this letter finds each of you well and giving your all for Christ. I wish each of you could come to St. Louis and experience one of my favorite things that we do each summer. Christian Family Day at the ball park is always a highlight for me. It is a day that World Impact receives a certain amount of free tickets to take our children and youth to a free baseball game at the St. Louis Cardinals stadium.
What a treat it is to partake in the activities of this day! This year we took 13 kids and youth to the game. The day started out with a carnival at a park downtown, where the kids played games and ate a free meal and ice cream. Then we went to the stadium where we enjoy watching baseball and eating a hot dog from the vendors.
If you had come to the game with us I would have introduced you to a nine-year-old girl named Jackie. Jackie is a girl that I met at the start of our summer program. She has been coming faithfully to our program and learning about Jesus and the love He has for us. Through her attendance and good behavior, she earned the reward to attend Christian Family Day with us. Jackie is like most of the kids that we bring to the game, in that this is the first professional baseball game that they have ever been too.
It is so neat to see the excitement on their faces as they finally reach their seats and just look around to see everything going on around them. They cheer for their team and just love being in the atmosphere of it all. I had the opportunity to sit next to Jackie that day. During the 3rd inning, I opened up my book bag and brought out some peanuts that Adria and I had brought for the kids that day. Again her eyes just lit up with joy. About five minutes into eating her peanuts, Jackie looked up at me and asked if I was having a good time. I told her I was having a great time and asked her if she was having a good time too.
Jackie looked at me with a huge smile. “I am having a good time,” she said. Then about 30 seconds later, she looks at me and said again, “I’m having a great time.” Then she sat back in her chair and said, “I’m just sitting here with Andrew eating peanuts and enjoying myself. Andrew and me are just sitting here eating our peanuts and enjoying ourselves”. In that moment, it all became clear to me how much this event had meant to Jackie.
I will never forget the day that I had the privilege to take Jackie and so many others to experience their first baseball game. Bringing joy and excitement to a kid seems to be more and more difficult these days. But that day, it was easy as a baseball game and some peanuts. Please keep praying for kids like Jackie. She has a rough home life and needs the love of Jesus Christ to come and complete her family. Pray for Adria and I as we continue to pour into these youth and children the joy that a relationship with our Lord can bring. Thank you for helping us and making this a priority for you. We value you so much and count it a joy to be on the same team as you.
All for our soon and coming King,
Andrew & Adria Medlen
Friday, July 17, 2009
Keep It R.E.A.L.
I love Keep It R.E.A.L.. It has forever changed our youth programs. It's the standard we teach, enforce, and have fun with! Below are the words to the Keep It R.E.A.L. rap (written by one of our staff) and a video of the kids singing it.
KEEP IT R.E.A.L.
By Will Ward
Chorus:
(Keep it REAL)………..The “R” means respect each other……
(Keep it REAL)………..The “E” means encourage one another…….
(Keep it REAL)………..The “A” stands
for attitude adjustment……..
(Keep it REAL)………..And the letter “L” means listen up, and……
(Repeat 2x)
Verse:
Love each other more than yourself,
That’s what the bible says in Romans, verse 10, chapter 12…
Ephesians 4:29,
Says always try to say the right thing at the right time………
Philippians 2, verses 3 through 5,
Says be unselfish……keep a humble mind……
And James 1:19 tells me,
That I should be….quick to listen, slow to speak !!
KEEP IT R.E.A.L.
By Will Ward
Chorus:
(Keep it REAL)………..The “R” means respect each other……
(Keep it REAL)………..The “E” means encourage one another…….
(Keep it REAL)………..The “A” stands
for attitude adjustment……..
(Keep it REAL)………..And the letter “L” means listen up, and……
(Repeat 2x)
Verse:
Love each other more than yourself,
That’s what the bible says in Romans, verse 10, chapter 12…
Ephesians 4:29,
Says always try to say the right thing at the right time………
Philippians 2, verses 3 through 5,
Says be unselfish……keep a humble mind……
And James 1:19 tells me,
That I should be….quick to listen, slow to speak !!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
July Update
July 1, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
The more I come to know the Gospel the less I understand what it is that happens in that moment of realization of one’s powerlessness to make right all that has gone wrong, when a finite human being dons the very likeness of the infinite God and Savior. And the more I learn of the love of God the less my mind is able to wrap around the fact that a perfect, holy God calls each of us by name to a relationship with Him.
Though I may not understand God’s ways, I do know that I too often think of the Gospel as a static thing, something fixed in time. But the reality is that the Gospel—that is the truth about the person and work of Jesus Christ—is constantly in motion, drawing some, repelling others, and continually slaying any of our self-assured attempts to control our lives. The truth of the Gospel is no less at work in my life today than it was the day I first accepted it as truth.
My friend Patricia has allowed me to see this process more objectively than I can see it in myself. You all have been so faithful to pray and to encourage Patricia and her daughter Laniecha as I have continued to share their story with you. And as always, God has been faithfully working. If you have been following our blog you may already know some of the ways in which He has worked. God continued to deepen my relationship with Patricia and knowing that she has been unemployed for the last six months I encouraged her to attend a Christian job training program we partner with, and she agreed to go. At first she went to find a job, but very quickly our weekly meetings became so much more to her. And one night after class we sat in the car and talked about God’s plan for her life. Although she said she had never before been told the full truth of the Gospel, she then heard it clearly and was drawn to God’s faithful and personal call.
That moment she donned the likeness of our Savior. It is a miraculous and mysterious change; however, so much of the miracle of the Gospel happens after that moment. In the following weeks I have seen Patricia shed the daily hold depression had on her life, she graduated from the job training program and enrolled in G.E.D. classes. She has tirelessly been searching for a job, refusing to give up on her new goal to work towards retail management even in the face of disappointments. Patricia has begun to work on being a better mother. She is striving to be an example of success to her three daughters and is trying to repair damaged relationships through family counseling.
To me the miracle is evident each day that I see the anger gone from her eyes and her smile revealing new hope. I pray that Patricia never gets over the Gospel. I pray that for myself. I pray that for you. Thank you for your faithful prayers—you see, God is working miracles because of them. Patricia recently told me something about her family’s journey that I believe is true for all of us under the influence of the Gospel: “How long you’re on the journey depends on how far you’ve got to go—and we’ve got a long way to go. We’ll get there, but until then we’ll be on our journey!”
Being Ever Changed by the Truth, Andrew & Adria Medlen
Dear Family and Friends,
The more I come to know the Gospel the less I understand what it is that happens in that moment of realization of one’s powerlessness to make right all that has gone wrong, when a finite human being dons the very likeness of the infinite God and Savior. And the more I learn of the love of God the less my mind is able to wrap around the fact that a perfect, holy God calls each of us by name to a relationship with Him.
Though I may not understand God’s ways, I do know that I too often think of the Gospel as a static thing, something fixed in time. But the reality is that the Gospel—that is the truth about the person and work of Jesus Christ—is constantly in motion, drawing some, repelling others, and continually slaying any of our self-assured attempts to control our lives. The truth of the Gospel is no less at work in my life today than it was the day I first accepted it as truth.
My friend Patricia has allowed me to see this process more objectively than I can see it in myself. You all have been so faithful to pray and to encourage Patricia and her daughter Laniecha as I have continued to share their story with you. And as always, God has been faithfully working. If you have been following our blog you may already know some of the ways in which He has worked. God continued to deepen my relationship with Patricia and knowing that she has been unemployed for the last six months I encouraged her to attend a Christian job training program we partner with, and she agreed to go. At first she went to find a job, but very quickly our weekly meetings became so much more to her. And one night after class we sat in the car and talked about God’s plan for her life. Although she said she had never before been told the full truth of the Gospel, she then heard it clearly and was drawn to God’s faithful and personal call.
That moment she donned the likeness of our Savior. It is a miraculous and mysterious change; however, so much of the miracle of the Gospel happens after that moment. In the following weeks I have seen Patricia shed the daily hold depression had on her life, she graduated from the job training program and enrolled in G.E.D. classes. She has tirelessly been searching for a job, refusing to give up on her new goal to work towards retail management even in the face of disappointments. Patricia has begun to work on being a better mother. She is striving to be an example of success to her three daughters and is trying to repair damaged relationships through family counseling.
To me the miracle is evident each day that I see the anger gone from her eyes and her smile revealing new hope. I pray that Patricia never gets over the Gospel. I pray that for myself. I pray that for you. Thank you for your faithful prayers—you see, God is working miracles because of them. Patricia recently told me something about her family’s journey that I believe is true for all of us under the influence of the Gospel: “How long you’re on the journey depends on how far you’ve got to go—and we’ve got a long way to go. We’ll get there, but until then we’ll be on our journey!”
Being Ever Changed by the Truth, Andrew & Adria Medlen
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