Welcome to Atlanta

I have been living in Atlanta for two weeks now. I live on Sunset Ave in the English Ave community. I'm living in community with six other people. We are all part of a program called Mission Year. In case you are wondering, Mission Year is a year long program in which people live in an urban neighborhood to experience intentional neighboring and discipleship. There are many other aspects to the program. They are justice, community service (volunteer work), church partnership, and simplicity. I am very excited to see how all these aspects will play into my year, and what I will learn from each one.

Mission Year is set up for relational ministry. It is a chance to befriend people and truly pour yourself into their lives and allow them to pour into yours. I believe that there will be plenty of times that I am blessed more than I bless. My reasons for coming to an urban neighborhood is not to save it from being urban or to save the people. My reasons for coming is to live in solidarity with my neighbor. Do I intend to share Jesus with my neighbor, absolutely. Do I intend to love my neighbor with every fiber of my being, yes. Do I want to see my neighbors come to Jesus, of course. (That is if they do not already know Jesus.) But I intend on seeing the beauty that God has already given English Ave. I am not the communities savior. Their savior died on a tree and rose again over 2000 years ago. I am just hear to tell my neighbors about him and about what he did for them. I want to hold to the model of Mission Year. Love God. Love people. Nothing else matters.

As I said before I have been here for two weeks, and for those two weeks I have been in what is called orientation. Orientation for all intents and purposes is a two week long class about what Mission Year is all about. Many of the trainings made me think deeper and harder on my convictions. Some of the training was very emotionally draining which is not a bad thing. I experienced a roller coaster of emotions, that ranged from anger to guilt. It was all in all an amazing experience, and I hope to be able to use what I have learned in my day to day living. I pray that I can use it to find injustice, and pursue the correct avenues to fight that injustice. I am glad that I was able to experience these two weeks of training and orientation. I feel that it has readied me for the year.

Now that orientation is over, I will begin working at my service site next week. I will be working at a place called Cafe 458. I will be running the kitchen. Anyone that knows me is probably freaking out about this fact. All joking aside, I am very excited for this opportunity. Cafe 458 serves a program for the homeless. I will be cooking lunch for the program! I truly can not wait to get started.

I will also be serving in an after school program, at my church New Life Covenant, called S.A.Y Yes. I will be working with youth from the our neighborhood ages k5-2nd grade. I'm stoked about this opportunity and I pray that God blesses me as much as he uses me in this experience!

Thanks for reading! May peace and grace fall on you! God Bless!

Peace,
Adam