hoi hoi!
om te “slagen” voor dit internship moeten we allerlei dingen doen.. waaronder een portfolio maken en lessen schrijven en opvoeren.
ik heb ook een reflectie verslag geschreven en die wil ik graag met jullie delen;)
Before I came here, I had no idea what it means to live and minister in an inner-city. But I had a sort of an impression because: I heard stories from my youth pastor. Years ago he used to work in the inner-city of Chattanooga. I read blogs of Dutch Metro interns from past semesters. And I read different books like: “Whose child is this” from Pastor Bill, “The Cross and the Switchblade” from David Wilkerson and “Run Baby Run” from Nicky Cruz. I saw different movies like Step-Up, Honey and Hardball.
All those things gave me the impression that children in the inner-cities have to act/live like grown ups. They have to deal with situations that adults usual have to deal with. Most of the time the kids are on the streets and nobody cares about them. They live in broken families. They see shootings they see the drugs deals around them. They see the gangs. Kids are victim of all of this. And some kids are part of all those things. They are drug dealers, members of a gang, they cause a violent environment. And that is all because nobody cared about them. With all this information I came here,
but only because I’m right here in New York City, all this information, all those stories are turning into reality. I walk through the same stairs with pie and bloodspots on the wall as the kids of that building. I saw 2 girls selling candy for their school and at the same time the mom was selling drugs. I see broken family’s, I see young fathers, young mothers, grandma’s raising up their grandkids.
I see pain in the eyes of parents when they open the door for me. Scared eyes. I see a fifteen-year old girl half naked opening the door for me.. What was she doing?
Every apartment, every person has their own story,I don’t know what happens on the other side of the doors. But I know what they can expect when they open the door for me. They see an ambassador of Jesus Christ!
And just like Jesus loved/loves those people, I will visit them, I will love them.Jesus visited the people everybody avoided; He was willing to visit people that no one would visit.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” [Luke 19: 5-7, 9]
For me it is an honor to go on visitations and knock on doors. But it is also a responsibility. I’m the one who they see every week. I’m the one who can be close with my families. I’m the one who have to pray for and with them. I have the conversations with the kids and parents.
I spoke to a lot of teenagers in my side. And they all went to Yogi Bear. But most of them are not really involved anymore. Maybe it’s because it’s an intern side. Yogi Bear people come and go..
One boy he had a lot of questions about what he learned at Yogi Bear Sunday school. One of them was: …if nothing is impossible with God, why is it that my mom is still in a wheelchair… And another teenager said: “…but I’m too old. It’s not for me anymore. I believe in God and that is enough.”
But I believe there is more for those teenagers; I believe that the “I used to come to Yogi Bear” teenagers can be and make a difference in Boston Secor.
People already reached out to them.
They were won to Christ.
But now they need to be discipled trough the study of God’s word.
And be involved in God’s plan for their lives.
Like it says in Matthew 28: 16-20 to complete Gods Great Commission. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
I believe they can be leaders, teachers and pastors. I believe they can minister to the next generation. But I am here now to minister to this generation. And I try as hard as I can to get those teenagers. It’s not easy. But it is encouraging to see that they have the right foundation. They remember a lot from what they learned at yogi bear Sunday school. Nobody can rob away what we sow. for this reason I love to minister to children.
They need to hear the word of God! They need to hear the truth of the bible. They need to know who God is. They are hungry for God. But someone has to tell them.
I believe that Moses was a good leader because of his parents. And as young as he was, his mom nursed him and told him about God. But she had to give him back to the Pharaoh’s daughter.
9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses saying, “I drew him out of the water.”[Exodus 2: 9-10]
The Pharaoh’s Daughter didn’t teach him about the God of his parents.
Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. [Acts: 7: 22]
But years and years later he recognized God’s voice at the Burning Bush.
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”[Exodus 3: 4]
And Moses became one of the biggest leaders of Israel.
So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” [Exodus 3:10]
Would he ever recognized God’s voice if his parents didn’t tell him about God?
Would he ever recognized God’s voice if his parents didn’t teach him to listen to God?
Would He ever be a leader if nobody told him..?
What if nobody teaches this generation that there is a God? What nobody tells about his great works. What if I don’t speak about God to the next generation? What if I do not show how to live for God?
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. [Acts 18: 9 -10]
It is my responsibility to share; Souls need to be saved for Jesus.
1 My people hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old3 things we have heard and known things our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. [Psalm 78: 1-4]
Here I have the opportunity to share every day, to tell about God every day, to step out of my comfort zone. Back home I never really testified about Jesus. I was always like: people will know that I’m a Christian because of my lifestyle. But I never really told people about God. But I realize the urgency. Not only here, but also back home in Holland. The cry in Holland is big too. And only a Christian lifestyle is not enough, because there are more “good” people in the world. It’s a combination of sharing the gospel and living it out. Ministry is not only here, but it is everywhere. The next generation is hungry to hear the truth. The next generation is crying, and I don’t want to get used to it. I don’t know yet what God has planned for me, but I know that wherever I go, I will go, tell and live God’s life.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. [ psalm 23 :5-6]