What breaks God's heart?

What breaks your heart? My heart breaks at the screams of a neighbor girl desperately pleading, "No, Daddy! No!" The Lord knows what is happening in that household. "Lord, how can we help?"


My heart breaks at seeing one family live in the park across the street from our house and eke out an existence without any walls, without any plumbing or electricity, without anything. My heart hurts even more when I begin to realize there are many families in this situation--and we have so much. How can we give so we are really helping and not just putting a Band-Aid on a really big problem?


My heart breaks for the hero status that a young boy, a member of the local gang, gets after being shot. I have seen many in our neighborhood with shirts commemorating his life--he is flashing his gang sign for all to see why he lived. "Lord, put the words in my mouth…help me to be a part of bringing these broken youth to a restored relationship with their Father. Come to their gatherings and be there with them, heal their hurts, and start a movement among them for your glory."


My heart breaks for the 11- or 12-year-old boy that was in handcuffs as I drove down the street. He almost looked proud. I weep deep from the heart, and tears fill my eyes when I see the prostitutes out at an hour when most people are finishing their breakfast or reading the morning news. Why must this go on?


My hands feel tied. What can I do? A quote from William Shedd comes to mind: "A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." We know we are here for a reason. Lives are in the lurch. The battle is the Lord’s, and He will build His Church. Many of these scenes have been brought across our eyes and ears in the last couple of days because God wants us to pray. We are called to be light in this dark place and to offer hope. Please join with us in praying through these situations and asking God for His answers. We would love to hear from you directly if God lays anything specific on your heart to encourage or guide us in our ministry here. Thank you for lifting us and these beautiful people up before the Lord. It is an honor to be serving the Lord with you.



"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken." ~C.S. Lewis (The Four Loves)


We continue to be available to our community and build relationships. We are continuing to blossom some of our relationships and watching for a person of peace--somebody that is receptive, is recognized and has a reputation in the community (based on Luke 10).


• Please pray for fruit—lives snatched out of the depravity of sin and godlessness and thrust into the overwhelming grace and goodness of Jesus.
　
• Pray for wisdom in how we spend our time and resources. Some people appear to be receptive, but really just want to suck our time and resources, while others appear to be closed, but after a second act of kindness have broken open.
　
• We open our home weekly for people to study the Bible, pray and share life. Please pray that these times would be fruitful.


Broken, yet restored in Christ.

The Wolyns

The Widow's Mite - Giving Out of Poverty

Well contrary to the title of this entry Maria (all names have been changed) isn’t a widow, but her generosity in giving the little she had so freely reminded me of the story in the Bible where the widow gave of all she had (Mark 12:41-43). Maria and her husband Roberto have eight children and live in the park during the day and sleep in their van at night. The children’s names are Jesus, Gracia, Jacob, Ester, Sara, Kenya, Robertito, and the baby, Benjamin.

Kenya, Rebecca, Ester, Gracia, and Robertito after Fabiola came to do the girl’s hair one day a week or so ago. Our house is the brownish one in the background to the left. Roberto, their father, is in the background to the right. Juan is sitting on the bench by the tree.

We went over to the park the other morning to have breakfast with them at the picnic table where they prepare their meals. We brought a pitcher of coffee, cups, napkins and some Mexican sweet bread. We shared what we had with them and the various visitors that came through. We met a man that has also befriended this family who has been homeless for many years as well. His name is John and he has no known family since his parents died when he was fairly young and his brother died soon after that. As the children were all seated munching on their bread, Maria began cooking up breakfast and offered us a generous stack of tortillas, with meat and a hunk of Mexican cheese. We were a bit hesitant and uncomfortable to take so much from somebody that had so little, but she insisted. We’ve learned that it is important to not turn such an offer away for our comfort or convenience (for what would that communicate?), but to allow them the blessing of sharing and giving. We were served first before anyone else in the family or their friend John. Still somewhat embarrassed we began to eat, just then two other Hispanic guys that just happened to be passing through the ‘camp’ asked if the food was ready and if they could eat. Fabiola wanted to defend the little that this family had, especially since we ‘took’ some from them, and tried to shoo them off, but Maria offered them a taco stuffed full of the carne asada. I was surprised and reflected on how much better the portions were here than at the various taco stands we’ve eaten at that give you a kibble of meat and about four crumbs of cheese. Maria leaned over to Fabiola as she continued to heat up more tortillas once the two men had left and said, “If God has enough for one, He has enough for thousands. We aren’t going to deny anyone food, because we know it comes from Him and know He could keep us from eating at any time.” In hearing this I felt a simultaneous conviction in my heart and a ball well up in my throat at the emotion of it all. Soon another friend we’ve made at the park, Juan, came over. He seems to have been depressed lately and hasn’t wanted to talk as much. We keep him in our prayers. He had been one of the biggest advocates for a church in the park and there is definitely a network of relationships between this group, who knows of God, but needs to be taught the Word of God and be restored to a relationship with their Father. Even joggers and others walking their dogs paused to say, “Hi” or “Buenos Dias” to us all as we sat at this bench. Once the kids were done eating, Rebecca and Ester had a great time running around and playing.

Gracia and Rebecca at the park.

Some of the family dynamics came up when Gracia, the 13-year-old came out of the van. Like many teenagers she had slept in while the rest of the family had started their day. None of the children are attending school, at least not very regularly, right now. Maria face visibly changed from one of happiness in serving us all and visiting with company to one of hurt and betrayal. She recounted to us that she and Gracia had argued and some ugly words were passed on to her from her daughter. Living in a park out of a van with a family of 10 requires a bit of organization. The oldest three children do a lot of watching the younger kids and run a lot of errands. In typical teenager form, Gracia complained and whined about having to run to the public restroom to fill up more water again or change another diaper. Her mom responded firmly and Gracia said something she later regretted. It was something along the lines of “if you die I won’t even cry.” Said in anger these strong words penetrated the heart. Fabiola had a chance to minister to both of the ladies and talk it massaging balm on the sore spots. We also found out that Gracia isn’t able to go to school because she doesn’t have the proper uniform or supplies. We made arrangements over the weekend and this afternoon we plan on taking Gracia to the school to see what she needs to do. We are ready to provide the needed school supplies and give her some of the extra white blouses Fabiola has so that she can attend school.

Beyond praying for Maria and her family here are some other ways you can support us and our community in prayer:

• This Thursday we have a strategic meeting for our future church plant. We will be meeting with other Los Angeles churches that have an interest in partnering with us in ministering to the people of South Park. Each person present has a vision to see a new, healthy church planted in this area. Some of those present may be future team members; others may be leaders that have people or resources to offer to the start up process.
• Weekly meetings with Pedro and Valerie (and kids Olga and Alicia) and Consuelo. All of them have mentioned the desire to invite other family members to these Bible study and prayer times. Please pray for us to have a consistent, powerful time of meeting together and that this time would grow in numbers.
• Thank God with us that Zelma, one of the first people we met here, has returned to her husband and we’ve reconnected with her (after losing contact with her). Pray that something would come of this relationship—she has told Fabiola that her husband would like some marriage counseling, which we would love to provide.

Fabiola and Rebecca talking with the Señora Margarita, a potential woman of peace in this community.

• A tentatively scheduled coffee time with Señora Margarita in this coming week.
• Future play dates (for Rebecca) with Jackie and opportunities to share more about God with her mom (Daniella) and grandma (Tania).
• Others we’ve met recently that need to be lifted up: John, Juan, Roberto and family, Efrain, Howard, Dre’, and Romeo.

Thank you for praying with us!

Freely we receive and freely we give.

A Car Wash at the ‘Dump’

I've mentioned before that one of the things our park, South Park, was known and used for was the local dump. This was true, but appears to be no more. Besides the chronically bad case of littering our community seems to have there were about ten dumpsters that were placed across the street from us and took over a parking lot there. Late at night, various neighbors would bring truck load after truck load of garbage and it would be piled sky high and overflow into the surrounding pavement and grassy field. Both in our private and family times with God we’ve been inspired to pray along the lines of Jeremiah 29:7a that says, “…seek the peace and prosperity of the city…” While we pray this verse for our city we see ahead into the future as our community is transformed from a place of violence and despair to a place where people desire to come, where the true beauty of the people is able to come out and in turn be reflected in the parks, homes, schools, businesses and churches of this community.

Though we prayed about the parking lot that had become a mass dumping ground we hadn’t yet mobilized to speak with the park bureau or city commissioner, but then one day the city came and took away all of the dumpsters and masses of garbage all around them.

An illustration of South Park in its early days, Circa 1905

East Side Playboys gang members congregate at South Park just a stone’s throw from where we have our Sunday outreaches. We are believing God for the peace and prosperity of this area.

Within a week the local gang, the East Side Playboys, gathered in mass in that area and held a car wash to raise funds for the family of a member who had been shot the day before. Fabiola felt that we needed to go out and find out more about what had happened. She went out and gave a small donation to one of the ladies standing in the middle of the street just one house over from ours and found out more information. Upon returning we felt pressed to go and offer our consolation, prayers and neighborly friendship (besides we did need a car wash).

Taking care of their own. Gathered at the west parking lot of South Park (the old dump site) East Side Playboy members came together in the largest public gathering we’ve ever seen to raise money for the slain members’ family. There were 50-100 members congregated throughout the day…stopping traffic to ask for money, washing cars and selling food. It was a peaceful day.

I was a bit intimidated at first, but God showed us something powerful in our obedience to cross the street and enter into their world. We enjoyed our time and were able to introduce ourselves as their neighbors and let them know that we were here to bring peace in the community. They were polite, respectful, humble, well organized and unified. Our kids played with their kids and made the stone- hard stares of the ladies melt into laughs. We joked with the guys and felt honored to have our car washed by God’s future leaders. Please pray that we’d make a connection with key members and be able to see a breakthrough as they become part of the Church. Much of what we saw that day helped us get a glimpse of how the early church in Acts functioned—yet missing such an essential element, the reason, motivator and enabler: Jesus. Wouldn’t it be beautiful to see these heavily tattooed and battered-by-life children of God worshiping unabandonedly their creator out in the middle of South Park—their ‘hood, their community!

Building relationships, trust and being part of the community. Local gang members wash our car (our house is the brownish two-story house in the background)—they did a great job!

The Playboys (PBS) were started in Los Angeles in the early 1960s that started as a car club and then became a full-fledged gang. Out of all the South Central gangs, the East Side Playboys have the third largest territory and the fourth largest membership. The Playboys are one of the most active gangs in Los Angeles and are known for many murders of their rivals in past decades; currently they are ranked number twenty on the top twenty list of most dangerous gangs.

Article from the Los Angeles Times:

South Park: Mauricio Jimenez, 22
Mauricio Jimenez, a 22-year-old Latino, was shot several times in
his chest, abdomen and extremities and died Aug. 15. Jimenez was shot in the 400 block of East 52nd Street in South Park, officials said.

Los Angeles Police Department Officer Rosario Herrera said Jimenez was a gang member who was standing in an alley about 3:55 a.m. with a female acquaintance when two men, also believed to be gang members, approached and started firing.

The victim suffered wounds to his upper and lower torso and was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

This map shows the location of the shooting of Mauricio (the red dot), our house is located on the west end of the park at 50th Street, just a few blocks NW from the murder.

Not everybody has been happy about the clean up or the presence of the ES Playboys en masse. Rival gang activity has been on an increase. I also overheard one homeless man mumble to himself colorful complaints against the city that took his vast source of ‘resources’ away from him. The arrival of God’s peace and prosperity in the city does not come through a city clean up, nor in providing financial assistance and jobs for the poor. Peace isn’t even a lack of street or domestic violence. The issue is much deeper, one requiring God’s sovereign move and God’s instrument the Church to see a restoration of health on all levels—mental health, family/relational health, physical and emotional health and of course spiritual health. Believe with us this month for healing, for health…for continued peace, cleanliness and provision for the people here in South Central.

For His treasures locked in bondage,

Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca and Justice Wolyn

Marked Territory. South Park and surrounding businesses.

(We’re taking this territory for Jesus!)

Serving Lemonade at 'Ground Zero'

This year instead of preparing for another school year as I have done for the last 11 years, Fabiola and I are laying the foundation for a new church that is going to be launched in our community early 2010.

We are thankful for our home; living where we live has placed us at ground zero. We are living in a place surrounded by needs. Our park, South Park, is a true ‘multi-use’ park. There are joggers in the mornings, soccer and basketball games almost non-stop, the homeless live there, the gang members have claimed different corners, families’ picnic or barbeque, venders sell candies, snow cones and balloons, and children run around and play. There is something for just about everyone. We host the local ‘dump’, the local day care, the local aerobics class, the local pool and a baseball field used by pee wee football leagues and adult baseball teams. What an exciting place to live!

Our front meeting room (family room) and our large front porch have great views of this park…views that have spurred prayer and action. The other day Fabiola decided to go serve a family with eight children who live in the park during the day and their van at night. This picture shows Fabiola and Rebecca serving this family cookies and lemonade in their ‘family room’. Fabiola has since been able to continue visiting this family in their various ‘camps’ and pray with them.
On that first visit our daughter, Rebecca, asked, “Why are we giving them lemonade?” Fabiola responded, “Because they don’t have a home and are out in the hot sun and probably thirsty; it is what God wants us to do.” Then Rebecca responded, “But why don’t they have a home Mommy?” She wasn’t able to fully respond to our 3-year-old’s question, but in this short time here we are blessed to see how powerful it is for the whole family as we minister together, side-by-side.

Sunday afternoons we participate in two outreaches at the park. The first is providing both spiritual and physical food to the homeless. Mostly men arrive in all different states of need and we are able to be like Christ to them. In the second outreach children are invited to come and be taught about Jesus and the Bible through a VBS-style church service. Every week brings a different group and a different challenge, but one thing Fabiola and I are working at is getting to know not only the children, but really reach out to the parents that are watching from a distance at the edges of our activities. We are keeping our eyes and ears open as we bring the word and deeds of Jesus to our neighborhood as to whom the first disciples of this new church will be. Thanks you for helping us lay a foundation for this new work here in South Central Los Angeles through your prayers, encouragement and financial support.

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.