The Best Day of My Whole Life

"This is the best day of my whole life!!!!" 


"Why is that?"


"This is the first time I have ever been to the beach before and I LOVE it!"

This was just one of the comments made by a kid who came on the SOZO Kids Spring Break Field Trip.  The day was also filled with many squeals, giggles, screams (after finding a dead fish head!) and much laughter!

25 kids and 10 leaders went on an hour bus ride to a park on the Key Peninsula on one of their Spring Break days.  They loved the ride as we went over the bridge to Gig Harbor and drove along different parts of the water.  It had been raining a lot the past week and was supposed to all day, but God held the clouds back for the nearly three hours we were there.  The ground was super soggy though...perfect for splashing and muddy feet/pants--all a part of the fun!

We split into groups and went on a scavenger hunt when we arrived and groups began excitedly running about to find the items on their list.  It was amazing to see their curiosity to a very unfamiliar world at the beach.  Kids were collecting as many shells as their hands could hold and quickly found the best places to find all sorts of cool things (especially many tiny crabs) were under large rocks.  By lunchtime, there were all sorts of stories being shared of the different discoveries of the day by different groups.

When it was time to leave, it was nearly impossible to get all of the kids on the bus.  They were not ready to be done exploring!!  It is amazing how simple taking kids away for a day can be...and how their world is enlarged...I love what I get to do!!!

Air's Testimony

Tacoma Youth for Christ ministries showcasing Air (& family) as they share their story of how Jesus has changed their lives!  It also shows a SOZO from this past fall and several of the youth that I work with.  Air just celebrated her 21st birthday and she currently has a full time job and is in school to finish her GED--we are so proud of her!

Tacoma YFC from Ainsworthstudio.com on Vimeo.

"Amanda's" Story

On the surface, “Amanda,”15, seems like a fairly typical high schooler.  She is a faithful attender of SOZO and has even been a volunteer with SOZO Kids the last two years since she accepted Jesus.  

I have interacted with her frequently on the nights she is at SOZO/SOZO Kids.  She has a strong faith in God and prays often, unintimidated to get help from the leaders when she needs it.  

On occasion, I have seen a glimpse of deep hurts that show themselves through anger or isolation/sorrow, but she has been good at keeping things hidden.

Recently I have had that privilege of becoming Amanda’s discipler/mentor and have learned more of what has been going on under the surface.

Amanda has missed the majority of school this semester and is failing all but one of her classes.  Last year was the same story.  Part of the reason is that during this last year and a half, her father has gotten very sick and then just before school started this fall, he passed away.  Her father did not communicate his love to her while she was growing up and she has deep hurt from this in addition to the hurt from his death.  Her and her mom are not close either and Amanda has become very skilled at pushing her away.  

Rejection has not just come at home, she is also fairly used to it at school as well through her peers--she longs to have friends her age at school, but has kept at a distance to protect herself.

Another reason school has been difficult is that last year a teacher told her essentially it was no use trying in her class, as she was going to fail anyway.  There is so much shame there.

Please pray for Amanda...for her healing, for hope, for confidence.  She is looking at her options for school, please pray for motivation, follow through and discipline.  Please also pray for me that the Lord would give me wisdom in leading her.

SOZO Snapshot

Christian rap music is playing loudly and you can smell the chili being prepared for dinner. There are several kids who have been coming for months, even potentially years who are greeting their friends and leaders with hugs. There are also some kids who are new--they come in more quietly and definitely on guard. 

This past week the leaders had joined in prayer for those kids we have not seen in awhile, asking God to bring them this week--many of these youth begin showing up! One gal we have not seen since summer camp comes in and her friends from camp and leaders run over to her.  I get to share with her that we have been praying for her specifically to come and the largest, dimple-filled smile comes across her face. 

After a prayer, the youth file in line (always ladies first!) for some chili and cornbread and leaders begin to mingle with the kids. I am cleaning up from dinner when all of a sudden I hear kids making loud noises--they are playing a trivia/basketball free throw game in teams. After the game, the SOZO Soljaz (SOZO youth who have written songs/raps as an outreach tool) get on the stage and sing a few of their songs from their new cd. Most youth are singing along and even dancing (including me)!

Then Myron (the SOZO pastor) has all of the youth sit to hear the message for the night. There are kids sprinkled all over the room. Most are engaged, but there are a few in the back who came for the first time--one, Hakeem, just out of Remann Hall (juvenile detention facility) with his friends who are all still involved with the gang lifestyle are less engaged (but they came to SOZO!) Myron then begins to share about how our anger can build defenses and push others away who are trying to love us, including the Lord.  Hakeem is called up to the front for a demonstration and Myron begins to share about his belief in him--that he is growing and that he knows he will make it. Hakeem is one of many who we have seen come in his position, get radically loved and decide to live their life for God.

Prayer is then made available and kids soon pile in leaders cars to go home. 

Thank you Jesus for Tuesday nights!

In the Gap...

Eager and zealous to jump in to all that God had placed on my heart; I am currently in the “gap” of a vision and the release to go and fulfill it. Vision comes fairly easy for me--I am bursting with 1,000 things to do with the youth of this city :) 

I recently realized that in this “gap” season the work that He is doing in my heart to prepare me for full-time ministry is much more valuable than I had foreseen.  It is like getting to build a new building--I am so eager to see it up and functioning, but the foundation must first be laid.  If it is not properly attended to in the beginning, the building will not be able to stand.  

I think of the gap David had after he was told by the Lord through Samuel that he would be king and then the years that passed before it was actualized.  I trust that the God who has a history of being very involved in timing of events has not changed and is leading me in this “gap” season! 

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.  In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6 (Amplified Bible)

Let the journey begin!

It has now been 13 years since I moved to Tacoma, Washington and began the incredible journey of working with kids in this city. I have found myself working with children aged infant to high school in a variety of settings: public school, children’s ministry, outreach events, to most recently starting/directing a primary school through my church.

Six months ago I was at church, and heard a message that gripped my spirit and I have not been the same. Bishop Freeze, an ex-convict, ex-gang member and now fellow Tacoma youth ministry leader was sharing his testimony. During this, he began making an urgent request for us to “go get the kids.” He was putting before us the very real fight that youth today are in--either we go after them, or the enemy will. That night I knew God was telling me it was time to jump into loving broken kids in a more radical way.

The next day I called Sierra, age 15 and Victoria, age 14; two young girls I’ve gotten to know in my neighborhood. I invited them to Sozo, an urban youth outreach ministry here in Tacoma. This ministry was started with City Central, our mission base in Tacoma, in partnership with Tacoma Youth For Christ. The girls’ stories are messy--filled with abuse, homelessness, absence of a father, failure at school, and turning to boys, alcohol and cutting themselves because of their depression and anger.

This past July Sierra and Victoria decided to come to the annual SOZO summer camp and I had the privilege of co-leading their cabin with Airfeira, a student leader who has turned from gangs and drugs and is now leading other youth to a relationship with Christ. Camp was filled with powerful testimonies, prayer ministry for each kid and messages of God’s plan for their lives.

Sierra and Victoria accepted Christ at camp and learned about their destiny and purpose and received times of prayer and healing from past experiences - they both prayed forgiveness of those who have abused them and had other powerful times of ministry. At the beginning of the week they did not want to take part in worship and by the end of the week they were writing their own songs/raps of their love for Jesus and how He turned their lives around! Sierra even sang a song she wrote in front of a group, something she had never done before!

Sierra walked back into dysfunction in the home the day she got home from camp, but she continues to write songs and is excited about her new life in Christ. Victoria has more responsibility at home with her three younger siblings than any 14 year old should have, but she says that she has been talking to God every night since camp. They both really want to live differently, but they need support.

During this time, I have also started leading SOZO Kids, the urban children’s ministry where Victoria’s three younger siblings attend. Each Friday night 50 to 75 kids ages five to eleven attend our program for a night of games, biblical teaching, worship and fun. These kids are desperate for love and truth in their lives in order to prevent them from going down similar paths that we see in the SOZO youth. There are many young girls, as young as age 12, who are involved with gangs, drugs and prostitution in Tacoma. These children must have an opportunity to know the truth of God at a young age “...you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32.)

I believe God is asking me to partner with Tacoma Youth For Christ team full-time and invest in the lives of youth like Sierra and Victoria through SOZO, I plan to do this through spiritual discipleship as well as supporting them in completing their education. Part of my responsibilities will also include oversight of SOZO Kids to help continue to move this vision forward. I have begun training some of our older youth to be student leaders at SOZO Kids--their influence and connection with these kids is key for transformation.

I will be updating this with many more stories in the future of the kids I have grown to love and all that is happening in Tacoma as I jump into my new role!

Pusan!

Monday am...left for the train station packed for a few days in Pusan!!

Soooooo fun!  Great time with Pastor Oh, Soo Jung, Joy (6), Grace (4) and Haim (3).  The train went up to 310 km/hr so we arrived in just under 3 hrs.  We had to go straight to the beach and get our feet in.  It was cold, but so fun to be at the Pacific Ocean!  

For 2 full days we played at the beach.  The rainy season is officially over and now it is time for HEAT and humidity.  At the beach they put up thousands of umbrellas on the beach and then you rent one with a mat or with lounge chairs with towels on them.  We camped out all day while vendors constantly walked by with iced coffees, popsicles, chicken, red bean ice cream, corn on the cob, etc.   We for sure took advantage of their services--popsicles especially came in handy to cool down for a moment. 

 The water was also great for cooling off. It only took a minute to get used to it and it was so refreshing.  All the kiddos had tubs and they rented some addition ones for us big kids too.  We played a lot with the kids and rode the waves. 

David enjoyed the water too. Running back and forth in the waves and playing in the sand (and a tiny bit of eating the sand--who can blame the guy).   He also had the ability to win over every Korean there.  Many times daily he would be suddenly surrounded by several Koreans, touching his cheeks, trying to shake his hand, using every english word they knew.  I am fairly certain that he will show up in photo albums around the country :)  He plays along too--his favorite seem to be waitresses--waving to them from across the room.  He is quite famous!

The best part about the time was the fellowship that we were able to have with everyone.  Pastor Oh and Soo Jung are fun parents and we were able to play a lot with the kids--they knew english animal names and would shout them out for us to act out and they would teach us random korean words...including some that we used before finding out their meaning--typical preschool humor :)  We will miss their family as they have become friends.