Chicago

Chicago has been amazing. I am writing this post as the students and their leaders are practicing the games they will be leading for the Kid Kraze block party. I am so proud of how our students have worked so far.
I love Chicago! Every time I come here I find myself falling a little more in love with it. However, it has become very clear to our team the hurt that exists here. It's not so much that the people in Chicago are more sinful, messed up, or hurt than in Irmo; I think it's that the sin, pain and hurt are all compacted into a tight concentrated area. There is no hiding from it. Yesterday morning as we spent time with Jesus in a park, Barry and I had a conversation with a Polish man in his thirties named John...or Jonah...or David. He changed his name just about every time he told us. He also told Jade that he was the devil. He later told me, as I asked him if he had ever heard anything about Jesus, that he himself was Jesus (the second coming). I asked him if he had slept in the park the night before and he wasn't sure. He was too drunk to remember where he was the night before. He has been cut off from his family because of a history of violence with them, he has health problems because of his drinking and has hepatitis c. I don't remember the last time I talked with a man that made me as uneasy as he did. But it was completely clear that he is hurting. He cried four or five times as we spoke with him. He's exterior was cold and hard from all that he has weathered. But inside he is screaming for help. He acted tough at the beginning, but shortly into our conversation he showed how starving he was for love from someone.
There are many stories that we have been exposed to, too many to be posted in this blog. But please pray for us daily as our students interact with broken people. There are many. Pray that our students and leaders are broken for the lost. Pray that we would have a heart like Jesus in Matthew 9:36 "When he saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like a sheep without a shepherd." The helpless are many, pray that we might be a help to them this week.
I wish I could write more. There are many experiences we have enjoyed such as the church service, the walk through neighborhoods, and the interaction with people in the park. It has been such a great trip thus far and I can't wait for the chance for our students to share their stories.

p.s. Thank you for your prayers. We love you all. And sometime ask us about Sunday worship. It was awesome.