A Dusty Trail & Wagon Wheels

We have so much to share about what God is doing presently, but that will have to wait another week…here is a bit about our journey and part of the reason and strategy of what we´ll be doing.

A DUSTY TRAIL, WAGON WHEELS

Several times on this adventure we have felt a bit like the pioneers of the 1800s, at great risk of loosing the comforts of home, leaving everything and going west or in our case south. Making preparations to leave our home, friends and church to go to a new place is an odd feeling. We´ve counted the cost. The way I see it is if you are going to leave everything behind you either have to be chased out by the poor conditions or situation (poverty, persecution, need a new start, etc.) or the belief that there is something much greater ahead that warrants the hardships and risks. We by no means fit in that first category—so what is this greater thing laying ahead? In our case it isn´t gold or land, but the desire to follow our God wherever He leads us. We know that as we march onward we will see many crowned with beauty, gladness and praise instead of crowns of ashes, mourning and despair (Is. 61:3). We know the trail is dusty, that special or important things will have to be tossed out of the wagon, and there are real dangers ahead. We cling to Jesus as He is the hope and reason we move forward.

Keeping with the theme, let us share a bit of our strategy and reason for going to Los Angeles. With the movement of people around the world due to people seeking economic opportunity or fleeing war or persecution, the opportunities for us to reach the world for Christ has changed some. Imagine with me a wagon wheel, which for this illustration we´ll call an ethnic wheel1. This illustration will help explain how using the natural relationship connections (the spokes) between immigrants and their homeland we can see new Christians and churches rise up in new locations throughout the world. The hub of an ethnic wheel is the home location (country) of an ethnic group. The rim is the city where people from this ethnic group or nation have relocated, in our case Los Angeles, which allows us to have connections with many people from many nations by first generational contacts (family members, friends, past employers, etc.) to the hub nation. We anticipate reaching many people groups and being able to train up leaders and send people out to influence the entire world for Christ by positioning ourselves in this strategic city of immigrants and bicultural people. As we do what we´ve been called to do—raise up leaders and plant a strong local church—we believe many of the people we come in contact with will bear much fruit through relationships within their ethnic groups, a task that would be much more difficult for us (traveling around the world, learning language and cultural norms, buildling trust, etc.)


STATISTICS SPECIFIC TO LOS ANGELES

· There are 130 different languages spoken in Los Angeles Unified School District representing 190 people groups. These 190 people groups represent 99% of the earth. If we could plant a church in each people group there would be first generational contacts with most of the world—allowing nations to be touched by God.

·In Los Angeles there are more American Indians and Samoans then anywhere else in the world. There is also the largest population of Mexicans, Guatemalans, Salvadorians, Thai, Pilipino and Korean outside of their country (in this one city!)

·Los Angeles has more Mexicans then every city in the world except for Mexico City.

·Los Angeles has more Africans and African-Americans then all the nations in Africa except for one.

·3.5 million of about 9.5-10 million people in Los Angeles County are foreign born (not counting undocumented illegals). That is 36% of the population...and of that 3.5 million 2.1 million are not citizens. By a reasonable estimate if we add in the illegals it takes it up to 66% of the population of the county is foreign born.

·1% of every Latin American city claims to be Evangelical. Less than ½ of 1% of Latinos in Los Angeles claim to be Evangelical making LA the most unevangelized Hispanic city in the Latin world.

Please pray with us about the following:

·A continued increase in monthly support. We´ve set a goal to be at 70% by April.

·Key, strategic contacts with ´people of peace´ (Luke 10:5) in Los Angeles.

·We know how important it is to lay a foundation of prayer over the church we are going to plant. Marinate it with us with God´s blessings, His will, etc.!)

That the whole world may know Jesus,
Chad & Fabiola Wolyn
and Rebecca (3) & Justice (1)

(1The wheel concept was initially developed by David Boyd in You Don´t Have to Cross the Ocean to Reach The Wolrd).
(Sources of statistics: US Census Bureau; US Dept. of Homeland Security; Out of Ashes by Keith Philips)