Meeting Our Neighbors

There is so much more we would like to share then time allows in this 'update', but there are some great things happening. Let us give you a little insight as we ask you to pray with us and for us. (We've changed the names.)

Please join us in pray for:

Fabiola’s meeting with Zelma
Zelma is a woman that knows everyone. Fabiola was walking down the street to the store and saw a lady struggling to get down the street with her three children and stuff and asked to help her…this has started what appears to be a key relationship in the community. She has shown interest in studying the Bible and tomorrow potentially could be the start of a Bible study (one on one—with kids, or a ladies group) in the future. Pray for direction and spiritual wisdom and discernment for Fabiola during this time.

Fabiola and Rebecca gathering with a group of ladies at South Park in front of our house with Zelma and other ladies. Zelma has introduced Fabiola to many women already.


Our neighbor Ronaldo.
I was taking the trash out late one afternoon and saw that my neighbor on the other side of the fence was making window screens. I struck up a conversation with him about his work and then asked if he could come over to our house to see about putting in two screens that we were missing. Over the following week he was over every day for one reason or another. Everything was going well, we were getting to know one another and building a foundation for a relationship, when one weekend he came over to our house and asked for money ($10.00). I wasn’t home, but Fabiola explained that we didn’t have much cash on hand and that we didn’t normally loan out money. Before I got home that evening he stopped by again drunk and began flirting with Fabiola. We haven’t seen him since…though our heart still goes out to see him and his family restored to a right relationship and freedom with Jesus.

Pedro and Valerie and family.
From our family room window Fabiola saw a lady sit down at the park across the street with her baby and wipe the tears from her face as she was obviously dealing with something heavy. Fabiola moved to compassion began to cross the street to offer her help or comfort when her boyfriend drove up. They began to yell and argue openly and loudly when Fabiola intervened and asked if they would be willing to come to our house instead of driving off again angry in that state and allow her to see if she could offer them any help. They sat in our living room and confessed their sins and accepted Jesus, but are dealing with drug, alcohol, domestic abuse, relational issues and a slew of other issues right now. We ask that you would pray with us that the seed that has been planted would not be on soil that is too shallow, robbed, scorched or, choked out in any way (Mark 4:1-20) and that they might submit to Christ daily in their beginning stages of this new confession. We’ve seen similar situations bear little fruit, but believe God has a powerful plan of redemption and restoration for Pedro and Valerie and their family.

A group of four homeless men make camp at the pine tree in front of our house as a group of school-aged boys play soccer.



The homeless.
Unfortunately there are too many to name here. We’ve had the privileged to meet many homeless and have a house big enough to house some of them, but we aren’t ready for any steps in that direction. Our park has been a refuge for many. There are two types of homeless really. One group that loosely bands together is mostly adult males that are either mentally ill, alcoholic and/or drug addicts. Working with them is similar to my experiences in the rescue missions. The essence of this ministry is presence and consist love. The other group is families or partial families who come to the park and hang out all day and sleep in their cars or vans on the streets around us at night. Fabiola has a relationship with one of these families and we hope to share more about them as time progresses. The mother’s name is Maribel and she is very open to receive prayer and Fabiola’s heart-felt friendship. Her husband has been less trusting and open. Pray for their situation, their hearts and more opportunities to minister the love and truth of God to them in these coming days and weeks. They have six children and live in a van.

Continued direction and leading.
We continue to be in prayer about the specifics (leadership team, specific design and vision elements) of our church plant as we approach a launch date hopefully towards the first quarter of 2010. Join us in this exciting phase of creating what God’s desire is for His church here in this community of South Central Los Angeles.

Thank you for championing this cause with us in prayer!

Support of the Team

Part of getting situated and familiar in this "foreign land" has been going on walks around our neighborhood and driving around trying to get from point A to point B--exploring slightly different routes each time. It was on one of those drives recently that traffic was halted by the screams of about eight police cars racing across the intersection.
I watched and was overtaken somewhat by the intensity and velocity at which they pursued the call they received. I was especially drawn to one car that pulled over in the middle of an intersection blocking the on-coming traffic to allow the others to scream past them without cause to worry about what might come at them from the other direction.

As I watched this entire scene unfold, I thought about how valuable it is to have others looking out for us. We have responded to the "emergency call" God put out to this part of Los Angeles, and people like you are praying for us and helping keep us safe from danger and distraction, allowing us to focus on and accomplish the things God has called us to do--to reach the lost, train up leaders, and see the nations come to Jesus.

We have three prayer requests. First, pray we would meet strategic people and make contacts at strategic places. We live across from a park that is teeming with activity and have been able to meet some people there, often at the playground as we watch Rebecca and Justice play with their children. We have gotten to know some of our neighbors as well, but we still want to nurture those relationships and expand out further. There is an elementary school about three blocks away and a row of stores that we still have not gotten into yet--maybe key relationships and contacts will come through one of these places. Pray that we would have wisdom and be guided in His timing.

Second, pray for grace in our lives, especially in the area of our strength and energy. As we are confronting so many new things every day, we typically feel exhausted and fatigued--sometimes by mid-day. Pray for each of our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy levels and times of rest while we are constantly "on call" to our community.

Last, continue to pray for our protection. Though we have not noticed any blatant crime on our street, that is not to say it is not here. With the Fourth of July last month we felt a bit like we were in a war zone with all the bottle rockets and mortars going off day and night through much of the month. There is a lot of garbage around our house and the park, and as is typical in poorer neighborhoods like ours, there are unwanted visitors from cockroaches to mice and fleas, lice and termites to rats and opossums. We have only experienced a little of that so far, but we ask that you would pray with us that we would be protected from harm’s way in the physical and spiritual realms.

Thank you for going with us – your prayers are important!

Who Is Our Neighbor?

Just the other day I met a man named Ron. This year he began an outreach to the day laborers of San Mateo. On Saturday Fabiola and I met him by the railroad tracks downtown where the city has funded a semi-permanent structure in a parking lot as a safe alternative for these men to pick up jobs without hanging out on the street or Home Depots parking lot. We were able to spend a few hours offering them some snacks, hearing their stories, sharing the Gospel and inviting them out to a couple of the local churches in the area.

Fabiola and I started by talking to two Mexicans who just came in from Southern California two days before. One had left a wife and 2 children and paid nearly $2,000 to get into the US. He hadn’t yet been chosen to work (they use a lottery system), but was still optimistic. Fabiola was able to speak to him about what really matters—being with the family and not just making money for them and adding to that how Jesus is our provider and yet desires more than anything to be with us.

As Fabiola was ministering to them I struck up a conversation with Isaac, a Salvadorian who has been here for 8 months. As we talked it became evident that he knew a lot of the Bible and was a believer. I encouraged him to share his faith with the other guys—they often have ample time together to interact socially. Soon a Guatemalan, named Cristobal, came over and we were able to direct the conversation a little bit more towards him as we both continued to testify that nothing in this whole world can fill you up from the inside out and give you peace but Jesus. In my contact with each person I hope to impart something in this short time so that those that know Jesus already, like Isaac, can help Ron in his ministry. Ron doesn’t speak Spanish, but has a heart of compassion and love for Jesus and his neighbors that is clearly communicated.

We were stirred up by the opportunity to find a place to enter into meaningful ministry where the truth and love of the gospel were being communicated through service and action as well as the preaching of the Word. Fabiola was stung by a bee at the outreach and her hand painfully swelled up really big for a few days. While we are out extending God’s kingdom we are aware of the very real physical and spiritual oppression and attacks against what we are doing. Please pray for our safety and wisdom and direction every step of the way.

In addition to the 100-150 workers who regularly sign up for work at the center, there are probably an equal number who hang out on the nearby street corners hoping for a better chance to find a day's work. The harvest is indeed abundant.

Here’s what Ron had to say, “These folks represent a unique opportunity and challenge to Christians everywhere. They are largely unchurched young men in rather hopeless situations. Despite their conditions they remain outwardly cheerful and friendly. They have a high sense of honor and while they may be seen on corners everywhere looking for work, they are never seen begging for money.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddles masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lap beside the golden door.”

- Emma Lazarus (The New Colossus poem on the Statue of Liberty)

Regardless of our political views on illegal immigration it is rather hard as Christians to deny that these are the exact neighbors Christ commands us to love. Many of us sponsor missionaries around the world to carry the gospel to folks much like these who are in our own back yard within our reach. The only expense we need to spend to address these souls is a few hours of our time.”

“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien.”

-The LORD your God. (Bible in Leviticus 19:9-10)



Of the workers who utilize the center each day approximately 21% are being employed daily. To date at this one location alone 1,900 workers have enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, which are offered while they wait between jobs. Now thanks to the work of Ron and others they can also take a Bible study as well being offered every Saturday and pick up a ride every Sunday on a church van.

The Nameless Multitude Reconciled

What Is Worth Dying For? For What Would You Lose Everything?

Tears stream down my face. My heart feels gut retching pain. All this as God gives me insight into the suffering that people foolishly put themselves and others through as they look for something better, something fulfilling, some purpose in their life. We are prepared to go where we believe God has called us to go and believe it is a cause worth dying for.

Fabiola’s birthday was this Sunday so we spent some good family time and then a bit of time together, just the two of us.

We decided to go see a movie as well. We don’t get out to see movies very often maybe 3 or 4 (End of the Spear, Ratatouille and Fireproof) in the 4.5 years we’ve been married so this was a bit of a treat. We saw the movie, Sin Nombre, which deals with some of the cruelties and terror of gang life in the MS-13 gang (Mara Salvatrucha) and the difficulties and desperation of immigrating from Guatemala and Mexico to the US. The movie is extremely graphic, but I felt God speaking to me throughout the movie.

Many parents wisely don’t share all of the deep, heavy issues of life with their young children. Later when their children are more mature and a relationship of trust has developed a father might share something with his son to give insight and depth to what is going on in his heart. I felt like God held me the entire movie and cried with me over the issues presented—showing me how hurt he was over the insane violence and thoughtless disorder—how he hated the confusion and obscurity that people walk through daily on Earth. He showed me part of His heart—I feel closer to Him and I know there is a responsibility in knowing how His heart feels.

Above: Many Central American’s and Mexicans travel to the border atop trains for part of the journey north.

Above: MS-13 is a criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles and spread to Central America (6 countries) and parts of the United States (33 states). The gangs' names are commonly abbreviated as MS, Mara, and MS-13 they are composed mostly of Salvadorans, Hondurans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans. The FBI has declared MS-13 the world’s most dangerous gang. One of the most common hand signals displayed is the "devil's head" (formed by extending the index and little fingers of the hand while tucking in the middle and ring fingers with the thumb), which forms an M when displayed upside down.

(If you’re interested go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBzu3mOFOvo for a 4 minute informative video on the gang.)


Part 2 – Hope Extended…Our Part

The movie ends with one of the main characters making it to the US after losing everything. People she loves dearly have died along the way. The movie ends with her at a phone booth calling her only contact—dialing an unknown person’s phone number she was made to memorize along the way. That’s where we come in. Will we be there for her?

In Los Angeles, we will meet a girl very similar to this…with a background we can’t ever really fully understand—much more difficult and painful than we can take in, but we serve a God who became one of us and so we come representing Him to the immigrant and the gang-banger. We will have the opportunity to show God’s compassion and love—tell His story and explain what really is worth dying for. She is! We are! God loves us that much. He is worth living and dying for.

I stayed long after everyone else left, through the end of the credits until the cleaning lady came in and began to clean up. I just sat there and wept praying to God for these people who were represented in this movie. “Give us wisdom to do what we have no idea how to do. Teach us to be merciful, compassionate and a servant to the least. Give us your heart oh Lord, lead us to those who need you.”

The myriad of people represented by the few characters in this film are nameless, without names, unknown…lumped into a category and seen as part of the thousands like them—maybe never to be known as the individual that God knows them as. Do these many people without names have an identity? Of course they do in Christ and He calls them by name. We must help open their eyes and introduce them to their Creator so they might know their true identity and purpose.

Gang Members: They are willing to do crime, time and even die for their homies and their neighborhood for the seduction of belonging—in fact many think of themselves already dead. They are precious in God’s sight. He hurts with them and hates to see their hearts hardened at a young age.

“This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow….” Jeremiah 22:17

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’” Zechariah 7:9-10

Illegal immigrants: Leaving everything behind in hopes for gaining something greater. Many are willing to risk death, imprisonment, hardship and permanent separation from loved ones to cross into the “land of hope and opportunities.” Jesus wants to be their hope, their opportunity, their all. He wants to be sought after and pursued in the way that they make the all-out sacrifice to cross the border. Why do they die as numbers and not as people? Was it worth it?

What Do We Throw?

There were two scenes that illustrated our choice in how to treat immigrants or any other people ‘passing through’ our lives. As the poor, dirty and hungry Guatemalan immigrants were traveling on the top of the train they passed through two very different towns. At the first town they were greeted by the people with kind words, friendly cheers and sweet, refreshing fruit thrown at them to enjoy as they passed through the town. The greeting from the people of the second town was much different. The immigrants had rocks, empty bottles and hurtful, vulgar and unkind words thrown at them.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

Earlier, the same day as viewing this movie, I had the opportunity to go into MacLaren Youth Correction Facility, where many of the guys I visit weekly at the Juvenile Detention Hall (JDH) are relocated to do the length of their sentence. I was able to participate in a church service and ended up with the opportunity to speak to the group of about 60 guys. God put 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 on my heart. We talked about the old being gone and how we are a new creation. As a new creation we have been deputized as ambassadors of this ministry of reconciliation and true justice (Zech. 7:9). Just as Jesus reconciled us to the Father we now must see that all know this Good News. We also must find and maintain reconciliation between one another. It grew very quiet when I challenged them to forgive one another and those ‘on the outs’ (outside of jail) that had hurt them. This is the beginning. The beginning of violent and hopeless cycles being broken. The beginning of restoration and healing. The beginning of kind, sweet words being exchanged and lived out—in true reconciliation.

I saw them laugh to each other as I mentioned we’d be going to South Central LA. To many of them that is the capital of their world—the center of gangs, lust, drugs, violence and the ‘free’ life. I spoke to them about how God calls us to do impossible things through Him. The pastor their then challenged this group of young Christians to be praying for us as we go to Los Angeles in these coming weeks. Many responded affirmatively to the call to pray for us. Isn’t that exciting news?! There are Christians scattered not only through the United States, but in different parts of the world and now even at lock-down correction facilities praying for us and praying for the “nameless”. Some of those young men have a perspective and insight that will enable them to pray with clarity and power for others like themselves and to help us be fruitful and safe.
So do you! We appreciate your unique perspective and insight. Please continue to pray with us as God leads you.

Prayer Needs:

-Discernment, Direction, Wisdom. We will be coming into Los Angeles as greenhorns. Please pray for protection and spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear how God would lead us.

-Captured Opportunity. Fruit. Transformed and Restored Lives. We will be arriving to Los Angeles in the summer months a time of year when street life may be more active—please pray that we would be able to take advantage of the youth being out of school, the people out on the street, please pray for contacts with key people who are in need and open to the gospel. That the nameless—the people passing by us would not remain anonymous, but would be known by us and they would come to know God.

Important Note: We don’t necessarily recommend the movie. It is rated R and due to the themes and content would definitely leave you depressed without the hope of Christ. It is not something everyone would be able to handle or ‘enjoy.’ It is also entirely in Spanish (with English subtitles).

The Dam Has Broken

We have a great testimony to share with you today. Prayer has released the provision of God.

A visual of God’s ‘more than enough’ provision pouring out to us, breaking out over the dam.

Many dear friends and family members have been pouring into us faithfully these last 10 months since we officially began raising support for our mission work in Los Angeles amongst the urban poor. We have been blessed financially and materially, encouraged emotionally and spiritually and watched over, walked with and prayed for by more people than we can even count. We are so thankful for every person’s contribution. God has called us to a great task and we cannot accomplish anything meaningful without our friends, our brothers and sisters in Christ—that is the design of the Body.

The waters behind the dam (prayers for spiritual and financial blessings) have been steadily rising. Many of you have been praying and giving and watching excitedly as our needed financial support has gone from 20% to 30% to 40% and on…our goal for the end of April was 70%. Yesterday, the dam broke!

A World Impact board member, whom we don’t even know, responded to our need (as shared with him by our director in Los Angeles) to get us on the field and church planting in Los Angeles as soon as possible. He pledged $2,600 a month for a year. We would have written this update yesterday when we heard the news, but Fabiola and I were in shock…in fact it hasn’t fully set in yet.

We are now changing gears as we prepare to transition as quickly as possible to Los Angeles (more to come on that later). Praise the Lord!!!

We credit this amazing news not only to God’s faithfulness and your generosity, but also to the many months of prayer stored up behind the dam (see the extra section of quotes on prayer below). We think back to the personal emails, calls and visits we’ve had with words of encouragement and faith from the Lord—birthed and bathed in prayer. We also remember with humble awe the thousands of people in Mexico praying fervently for us and the needs of the people in Los Angeles just a few weeks ago. Our time has been used well these last 10 months…God has spoken to our hearts at many levels and has continued to teach and train us valuable lessons in this season. Our prayers—yours and mine—have been heard and answered.

We still need, if not more than ever, prayer for all that is ahead of us. While our focus now will primarily be on our move, saying good-bye and beginning the work the Lord has put on our heart in Los Angeles we cannot forsake, and ask your prayers for, the need for continued and new financial support. Our God can move mountains. Without an army of monthly supporters and prayer warriors we’re not in a position to be able to minister long term. Since this gift will last only a year we ask that you’d pray for 25-50 new monthly supporters to gradually take the burden and bridge the gap of this $2,600 over the next months.

Building a strog base is critical.
Pray with us that we'll be able to continue to build a deep and wide financial support base to enable us to minister to the lost and huring of Los Angeles.
We're on the road. We'd hate to have to stop or turn back to figure out how to fill in the gap.

Thank you for rejoicing with us and continuing to love us and pray for us in this exciting season.

Thankful we serve a BIG God,
The Wolyns
Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca and Justice

The Generosity of Mexico, Flesh to the Vision

So an amazing thing transpired. We got an invitation to come to Mexico to share our vision at a pastor’s and leader’s conference and then at several different church services in Puebla and Veracruz. We just got back.

Puebla, Mexico is a city of over 1.5 million people situated in a large valley surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. The city is located 67 miles east of Mexico City. The photo on top is a picture of the most active volcano Popocatepetl. The photo on the bottom is looking back at the neighborhood I (Chad) lived in when I came to minister in Puebla 7 years ago.

We were blessed beyond our imagination by the great reception we received. Fabiola’s home church in Puebla invited us to share with the congregation what we’ll be doing and they have agreed to support us $500 a month as a church and many individuals have also made a pledge to support us with what they can 50 pesos or 100 pesos a month (about $3.50 - $7.50 USD). They have put us in on their weekly prayer agenda and are excited about reaching the world through missions in Los Angeles, California.

We were taken care of very well – much of our trip was paid for and extra offerings that we received helped out as well. It is amazing how many people in Mexico know of somebody in LA. We now have some possible contacts (family members, friends, business partners, etc.) to start with once we get there. During our three weeks there we met with about 90 different pastors and leaders and spoke in front of and were prayed for by about 2,400 people in various churches.

Veracruz, Mexico

(located 3 hrs. east of Puebla (driving) and 250 miles east of Mexico City on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico).

While in Veracruz during a Saturday evening service after we had shared with the people and invited them to join us in prayer they took time out of their service to pray intensely for this mission. While they were praying, Fabiola received a picture from God of gang members coming off the street throwing down their weapons and money and coming to embrace the cross.

Veracruz, Mexico – March 21-22, 2009

Top: Church Service on Sunday Morning Bottom: Men’s Encounter Retreat

We also participated in a powerful Encounter Retreat for the men of Veracruz on our last weekend. It was there after sharing our vision to plant churches in urban America amongst the poor, the gangs and drug addicts that a man came up to us and shared his story with us. His name is Alberto.

Alberto came to the United States like many looking for opportunity, a better life and more income. Instead, upon arriving to Los Angeles he found drugs, violence and a life of crime. He joined with the mostly Hispanic gang called 18th Street (also seen as XV3, XVIII, 666, dieciocho, etc.) and sold and used drugs in and around MacArthur Park.

MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, California is known for its addicts, gangsters and homeless.
World Impact currently has a church plant meeting at this park every Sunday.

He got a job at Burger King and continued selling drugs even from the drive-through window. He lost his wife to a heroin and crack overdose and then was arrested with major charges while hiding out at a hotel for the possession of drugs and 2 firearms. He was originally sentenced to 15 hard years, but then had the sentence lowered to 7.5 years. Eventually Alberto ended up only serving 3.5 years bouncing around to 3 different, but hard - he emphasized - prisons. He met Christ through another inmate in jail and was deported after serving his shortened sentence. He moved to Veracruz, Mexico and began to work and has been doing well—he is remarried and has two kids. He is active in his church and continuing to pass on the good news of Jesus Christ to others.

The 18th Street gang has grown to be California's most fragmental and largest street gang, with membership in the tens of thousands, with many satellite gangs. Out of this, it is estimated that about 60% of its members are illegal immigrants, according to a confidential report by the state's Department of Justice.*

The story of this man of God, Alberto, and his journey to become a Christ follower filled us with so much more hope and even more urgency as it put flesh to the vision we have to see men and women brought to Christ and restored and then raised up to serve God in the capacity they were made to serve Him. We desire to plant a church that will reach the Nations—we believe that in Los Angeles we can see that vision realized. Please join us. The Mexican people we spent these last 3 weeks with were praying so sincerely and so intensely. Let’s join their prayers and believe God to transform one our largest cities so that within this “city of Angels” we, the growing body of Christ, might be a fountain of life and hope to the world.

Please pray with us about the following:

·A continued increase in monthly support…that God would unite our hearts with others that desire to see God’s kingdom advance and have the means to give – even sacrificially to the cause.

·Wisdom on a move date to Los Angeles—God’s timing.

·Key future leaders would be touched and set apart by God for His glory…and that we’d be able to connect with them and help them effectively become productive and powerful members of the body of Christ by God’s power once we get to LA.

Inspired by God’s sacrifice and love-His goodness and grace,

The Wolyns

Chad and Rebecca with an old Kid Links disciple, Miguel, and his sister much grown up since our days together in Mexico in 2002.

*"Southern California's Largest Gang Aims for Dominance", The Los Angeles Times November 17, 1996

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)