Why Chattanooga? eNews for February 2020

DISCOVER Chattanooga Discover is my word for 2020.  It's a new year, new city, and new beginning. There is still work and projects in Vietnam for both of us, but we're enjoying finding out more of why God has led us here for our home base. In the same way that we tackled our first year in Singapore twenty years ago, we want to learn Chattanooga. What follows is some of what's happened so far. (Don't miss a great offer from World News Group at the bottom of this email) What's the Strategy? Find out where God is already at work, and join him in it! Last year, while we were only part time in Chattanooga, I began enjoying remarkable divine appointments. Clearly the Lord is guiding a discovery of some wonderful people and ministries here.  Anything in turquoise below has a link to that ministry. There seems to be common themes in what I'm finding, and it is quite new for me: JUSTICE issues and helping strengthen community & build supportive networks within the bonds we share in Christ. (Oh, and this is a picture with the Mayor of Chattanooga on MLK day of service!) A highlight of 2019 was hosting a fall retreat for The MOMentum Network. They are a faithbased support organization for single moms who are going to college. I'm getting to know the directors of MOMentum and Foundation House Ministries. This is another organization who serves pregnant women who are coming out of trauma. The story that follows this month has these organizations/issues woven together: Chattanooga Endeavors comes alongside exoffenders for "a second chance." An Über driver introduced me to their programs for re-entry. This includes volunteers who write letters to prisoners while still incarcerated. The Bethlehem Center is a Christian community center in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood near us. Senior Adults. In recent years I have spent a lot of time in different Retirement Homes, Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing facilities. I now have a tenderness toward Seniors who are feeling marginalized. Because of of their advancing years and decreasing abilities, its easy for them to think they are of little use to society. I continue to ask, "Lord, is there something here where I can encourage our precious seniors?" What follows is just one of the exciting ways God is directing my steps to discover this new place! GIVE ME THAT LIST and I'll find you some more volunteers...somehow!  One thing that grabbed my heart from the very beginning was the work of Chattanooga Endeavors. Last July I began writing to three prisoners who call Chattanooga home. It appears to make a significant difference in recidivismand I enjoy writing cards, and can do it from anywhere.  In November, Jim and I met with their staff. It was so educational for us. This is not an area we are very familiar with. Besides the training and support they offer when prisoners are released, they try to start their supportive relationship while in prison. Many prisoners have no visits or mail for their entire stay in prison! What I was surprised to learn is that thirty prisoners had signed up to receive letters and were still on their waiting list! I couldn't stop thinking about that. Heading into the holidays and no mail? I contacted Chattanooga Endeavors. "Give me that list!" I said, and wrote to all of them over Christmas. I told them, "I know only about 12 people in Chattanooga, but I'm going to help you find more volunteers!" Home School Networks, Christian College Students...Senior Adults! I was not short for ideas of target groups who might be willing to take it on. But I knew NONE of these! Seniors, "the greatest generation," know the art of letter writing! So I started with them. On Tuesday, January 7th, I started researching Senior Centers in Chattanooga and felt a bit daunted. There are a lot of Seniors groups here. Where should I begin? Ugh. “Lord, I don’t know where to start!" I prayed. "Please show me which one I should approach first.” The next day I went to the Post Office with Jack, my Singaporean terrier. In the back seat of my car was a bag of non-perishable groceries (leftovers from Christmas with the family). Near the Post Office is a food pantry at The Bethlehem Center in a lower income neighborhood. I sensed a strong inaudible prompt, “Call Gloria the Activities Director there to make sure she’s in. If she is, then go, and stop by and visit her. Offer to pray for her in this new year.” Twenty-eight year old Gloria and I had never had a real conversation before. Our small group from church had volunteered for two Bethlehem Center community events in 2019. She was in her office that afternoon and seemed quite happy to see me when I came by. She invited me to sit down and I asked her typical coaching questions about how she feels going into a new year. “What’s exciting?” and then,  “Where are you stuck?” Of all the things she could have answered, she said to me, “Well, there is one thing that comes to mind. In our centers, we have Seniorscome together to play BINGO every month. They like coming together, but I sure wish I could come up with something that they could work on that is more meaningful.” I nearly jumped out of my chair! "I didn't come here today with an agenda about this, but I have an idea..."  She instantly lit up when I told her my idea of how her seniors could encourage our brothers and sisters in prison. She gave me a date to come and join their next BINGO night and I've aleady been once. February 27th, The Beth seniors will begin making this the first part of their monthly BINGO nights. I'm supplying preprinted and addressed postcards that will be mailed to prisoners. There's even more that happened next, but I want to keep this short!  Read the rest of this story on the blog. God bless you in your discoveries! On February 21st, I'll be heading to Los Angeles for our sending church's Missions Conference. I'm looking forward to catching up with friends and donors in the South Bay. Thank you for your partnership and prayers with us! Together we are all bringing the light and truth of Jesus to a world that needs him! Kimberly jkcreasman.novostaff.org Chattanooga Endeavors is the group I've partnered up with to write to prisoners who are from this county and will return here upon their release. Lord, for your beloved who have made criminal mistakes and are in great need of your mercy, forgiveness, and strength to change we pray. For those who work tirelessly in our Criminal Justice system, as social workers, parole officers, and ministries to ex-offenders, we ask for wisdom and grit to keep hopeful. Give them your heart for the prisoners, and guard them from hardness. In Jesus' name. "Biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires." THIS IS THE BIGGEST NEWS!! Through February, WORLD is offering 6 free issues. Give it a try! For years JIm and I have read WORLD Magazine. Last year their podcast The World and Everything in it became my primary news source. I liked it because it's a smart news source that isn't snarky. Each day’s half hour starts with a news summary, followed by longer stories, interviews, and reports from WORLD journalists. I'd enter all your names and emails myself, but thought better of it. You can sign up here.  Last month WORLD began a new podcast, Effective Compassion. It is an investigation into what's really working in the fight against poverty and how thinking biblically aids in the restoration of human dignity. The program is made for people who want to elicit real change because they know true hope. Learn more at wng.org.