tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30446895868173956032024-03-13T12:38:22.781-04:00The Beekman NotesLivin' it up with Jesus and the folks of Beekman Ave in the South BronxJillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-62232129873402728302010-03-08T19:35:00.002-05:002010-03-08T19:59:04.984-05:00Devastating News From Close Friends in MoroccoThis time last year, we were just moments away from a week long service trip to Morocco. We were called there to help serve the seven foster couples, collectively raising thirty three children. I think I speak for us all when I say that this trip transformed our lives in some way, shape or form if not turn it on its head. The faith of these parents is unlike any I have ever witnessed; faith in the Lord's direction, calling and according provision. I, like many others, was challenged and stretched by their blatant obedience to the call of the Lord. <div><br /></div><div>Today, almost one year later, the Moroccan government, Muslim by law, raided and evacuated all foreign occupants, leaving thirty three children, alone, once again in their short lives. We ask that you join us in ceaseless prayer and fasting for the these children, for the hearts of those involved in the Moroccan government, for the families and parents so quickly uprooted from their lives. Spread the word! Tell what authorities you can get a hold of, write to the press, make a ruckus and continue to lift up these needs to our Father in heaven.</div><div><br /></div><div>Attached is the most recent press release, please check back here for constant updates and reports.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 14px; ">MOROCCAN AUTHORITIES INVADE CHILDREN’S ORPHANAGE – EXPEL PARENTS FROM COUNTRY<br /><br />On Monday, March 8th, Moroccan authorities raided Village of Hope (VOH), a children’s home in the Middle Atlas mountains of Morocco, originally founded by two Americans in 1957 as a home for orphaned children. The authorities arrived during the school day, entered the classrooms and told the adopted children their parents are being told to leave the country and will be leaving the children behind.<br /><br />In the ensuing chaos, officials told the parents at VOH that they are being expelled from the country because they have been talking to their children about Christianity.<br /><br />In 2002, the Village of Hope registered with the Moroccan government as an official Christian organization and received permission to talk about Christianity to the children in their care. Under the Moroccan government, it is illegal for anyone to talk about their Christian faith without first being asked. In the case of these parents, they had gotten permission to do so from the government.<br /><br />As the secret police raided VOH, children cried out hysterically for their parents who were being forced to board a bus to the airport 30 minutes after receiving this news. The authorities are not allowing the parents to take any of the children with them which leaves behind 33 children who were in their care.<br /><br />The staff at Village of Hope had moved there to dedicate their lives to adopting unwanted and orphaned children. In Morocco, it is only legal for Muslims to adopt children so the parents were acting as “foster parents” but in actuality the children considered them to be their parents.<br /><br />The staff were told this directive came from the new Minister of Justice for Morocco, Mohammed Naciri.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">In Christ,</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Kirstin</span></span></div>Kirstinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16856306789659008786noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-58450242745350266972010-02-11T11:02:00.002-05:002010-02-11T11:16:56.718-05:00Snow DaysSo Yesterday was a snow day for the kids and for a few of us.<br />I think snow days for us are what God had in mind when He asked us to practice Sabbath.<br />For crazy New Yorkers, for stressed out students and members of the workforce, forcing oneself to take a Sabbath, a REAL Sabbath is near to impossible.<br />But Yesterday? Yesterday was magic. Yesterday was beauty at it's finest.<br />Yesterday was one of those days where you've penciled every little detail into your planner and then God throws your plans out of the window with a wonderful Blizzard leaving you guilt free and awe struck.<br />Yesterday God said "Go play in the snow, you need it". "Rest, you need it" "Spend time with the children, you need it - to see what happy is, to see what carefree is, to see what trust is."<br />God said "Seek first my kingdom and my rightousness and these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own" Matthew 6: 33-34<br />Some of you know that I have been stressed out lately - anxious, almost losing my mind.<br />Yesterday I felt good for the first time in a long time. Last night, I slept better than I've slept in months.<br /><br />That was the first miracle the snow day brought.<br /><br />The second miracle was that for the 1st time, ever, I saw people from this neighboorhood act like kids again. I saw teenagers that stopped pretending they were 'hard', that put their walls down for a few hours because little flakes of frozen water and air were falling from the sky.<br />I saw grown men scream and laugh as they boarded down the hill.<br />I saw 13 year olds ACT 13 for once.<br />Yes, there were some whining children, Both Kiwi and Justin were pretty sure they had frost bite.<br />Yes there were injuries, Mani's lip was bleading at some point.<br />But all of it was funny, and all of it was sweet and all of it was happy, because yesterday?<br />Well, yesterday was a day of God.<br />It was a day of childlike faith.<br />It was a day of sledding down.<br />It was a day of letting go.<br />It was a snow day.Valproshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05070653568638847134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-87799192812666260612010-02-05T00:29:00.004-05:002010-02-05T00:50:14.888-05:00Count Every Day A BlessingToday, as I was asked to recount my story and how I ended up here, at 321 Beekman Avenue, I couldn't help but marvel at the sovereignty of our Lord. He is so great, so mighty, so all-knowing. He has brought me here and blessed me beyond my wildest dreams and has consequentially shifted my life plans, goals and ambitions. As I struggled to explain the many ways that God has shaped me since moving here, I couldn't help but to come back to the reality that I <i>feel</i> God here, that somehow, He has made himself tangible--in this house, on this block, in these people. <div><br /></div><div>Tonight, as Sara and I sat around a table cloth with girls dressed in princess outfits, sipping tea, I thought that this must indeed be the Kingdom of Heaven. We spoke of our princes back home and our unicorns waiting downstairs, of our shining castles and expensive dresses. As I mentioned the later ballroom dancing that was to take place, Nyah exclaimed "How does it get better than this?!" I simply thought, "It doesn't." It doesn't get better than a weekend full of tea parties and dance parties, sleepovers and home visits. We look forward to the next few days as prayers continue to be answered, as boys sleepover in Harlem with admirable men serving as role models in their daily lives. We look forward to the girls slumbering here, in our castle, with equally admirable women of Christ, and to Kelly headed to Harleysville for a second time. <div><br /></div><div>And while I'm excited about the headway we're making here, the development of our friendships and relationships and ever eager to expand and do more, I am too often grounded by compromise--of money and time and everything in between. I ask you to join us in praying for continued expansion, for a re-establishing a commitment to schedule within our house and community and for continued enthusiasm. I ask that you pray against such compromise of our hearts, of God's will both here and around the world. Furthermore, I ask you to continue to pray for our neighborhood, for the most recent victims of violence, for the police that have re-established their presence and for the disadvantages that our friends are faced with daily.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, I encourage you to find the little girls in your life, to accompany them on an extravagant tea party of your very own and to learn, in the process, everything you've ever needed to know.</div><div><br /></div><div>Grace and peace,</div><div>Kirstin</div></div>Kirstinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16856306789659008786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-48566950516128273482010-01-01T22:19:00.004-05:002010-01-01T22:28:50.003-05:00Check What Our Friends Are Doing!Happy New Year Everyone!<br /><br />In the spirit of making resolutions (which I always thought was silly but now am seeing as a chance to set goals for myself especially in my relationship with God and to the world that I actually can try to keep!) I wanted to share something that our super cool friends Whitney and Allie are doing.<br /><br />They both moved to the city this last May and have quickly become dear friends of ours and these ladies are literally some of my favorites, if I didn't live with the best roommates ever already I'd want it to be these girls. BUT, this is what they're doing: they aren't buying nay new clothes for a whole year! And these girls arent jeans and a t-shirt girls or anything like that, they are for sure the best dressed girls I know, Allie is even starting an internship at Manolo Blahnik! So check out their website and be inspired! (Click the title of this post to link to their site.)<br /><br />http://nonewclothes.wordpress.com/<br /><br />PeaceJillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-73310564047150402952009-12-28T06:46:00.002-05:002009-12-28T06:58:37.054-05:00Updates!Hi All!!! <div><br /></div><div>So I just realized a bunch of you who are so important to my life don't even know about this Blog! Just for a re-cap this is a blog where you can read up on what my roommates and I are doing, how you can pray for us and our lives in community with our neighbors in the South Bronx, each other and Jesus! </div><div><br /></div><div>Right now I am writing this from Kenya and although I am enjoying the wonderful break from the winter cold I do miss the babies and my roommates incredibly! :( </div><div><br /></div><div>In recent news, I took the 3 younger girls next door to see Princess and the Frog! Just so you know it's the best Disney movie since the DIsney classics so if you haven't seen it, leave your computer and do so immediately!!! </div><div><br /></div><div>It truly was a blessing to take the girls and I praise God for the first black Disney Princess. I don't know to which extent the girls realized that this was a moment in history but I really believe looking back they'll see that they experienced something special. It was definitely special for me seeing their faces light up and hearing Mani say "she looks like me!". </div><div><br /></div><div>We also got to open presents with the babies and have them read the story of Jesus before they did so. It was really an amazing and fun night doing that with them and I'm so grateful that we have some kind of hand in sharing the meaning of Christmas with them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Prayer</div><div><br /></div><div>I would just like you to pray for our boldness in sharing the Gospel with the adults!</div><div>I'd like to pray for men to come in and mentor our young boys who really need it!</div><div>I'd like to pray for strength and encouragement of our community with each other, God and the our neighbors! </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope your Christmas was amazing and filled with love!</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy New Year and be blessed!</div><div><br /></div><div>" If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:32 </div>Valproshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05070653568638847134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-74568978363056029292009-12-01T17:03:00.002-05:002009-12-01T17:11:02.380-05:00Advent TimeGreetings All, <br /><br />I hope you had a great time of Thanksgiving. One of the things I am thankful for this minute is our new slow cooker (actually my mom's old one from the 80s) in which our curry for our first advent dinner has been cooking since this morning! So what is this Advent Dinner? We aren't really sure yet, but hopefully it will be a time within our house community and with those who are really instrumental in our ministry here to gather and set our eyes and hearts towards Christ's coming. How great will it be when He comes back once and for all and the Kingdom is completely fulfilled?! <br /><br />We have a little advent wreath on our dinner table and we'll be lighting the first candle tonight (Churches do it on Sundays but we have church on Sundays so Tuesdays are the next best thing). We are reading from Isaiah 60, vs 1-5:<br /><br /> "Arise, shine, for your light has come,<br /> and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.<br /><br /> See, darkness covers the earth<br /> and thick darkness is over the peoples,<br /> but the LORD rises upon you<br /> and his glory appears over you.<br /><br /> Nations will come to your light,<br /> and kings to the brightness of your dawn.<br /><br /> "Lift up your eyes and look about you:<br /> All assemble and come to you;<br /> your sons come from afar,<br /> and your daughters are carried on the arm.<br /><br /> Then you will look and be radiant,<br /> your heart will throb and swell with joy;<br /> the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,<br /> to you the riches of the nations will come. <br /><br />I hope that y'all are able to see the hope we have in Christ in every possible way tonight!Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-39369469978112261772009-11-17T21:34:00.003-05:002009-11-17T21:43:20.622-05:00Sisters, SistersHi Friends,<br /><br />I just wanted to update about a special trip we took with some of the girls last week to go ice skating in central park. Kirstin and I had promised to take one of the younger girls out a while ago and so we finally decided to take her and her older sister out ice skating. We had such a great time and the girls were really pros- by the end they were skating backwards and on one foot and even doing spins! It was also a great time for them to bond as sisters which is much needed and tough when the older/younger battles are always going. Here are some pictures:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SwNe05AxKTI/AAAAAAAAAE4/wm9QC0v5iNI/s1600/me+and+beba.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SwNe05AxKTI/AAAAAAAAAE4/wm9QC0v5iNI/s320/me+and+beba.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405268240524978482" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SwNe0pTAzdI/AAAAAAAAAEw/SyzAtfqHArE/s1600/neenee+and+beba.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SwNe0pTAzdI/AAAAAAAAAEw/SyzAtfqHArE/s320/neenee+and+beba.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405268236306533842" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SwNe0VAayAI/AAAAAAAAAEo/K5wzqYdEWKs/s1600/ice+skating.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SwNe0VAayAI/AAAAAAAAAEo/K5wzqYdEWKs/s320/ice+skating.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405268230859835394" /></a><br /><br />I hope you're all doing well and getting as excited for the holidays as we are, we've got lots of great plans for how to spend them that are gonna be loads of fun and hopefully a blessing to our neighborhood too, grace and peace folks!Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-45404744781738842652009-11-08T12:15:00.002-05:002009-11-08T12:27:30.304-05:00Sharing the GospelGood Morning Everyone,<br /><br />It's been a really exciting week here as God has been showing up pretty unexpectedly in our conversations with neighbors. As He would have it, all of those neighbors are teenaged boys and He has not in fact given us any men to mentor these boys but He has placed a curiosity in their hearts. Most of the time I don't really understand God or the way He moves but I think that is a good thing. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />On Monday night<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span> this week, Sara and Val were hanging out with two boys from the block and one of our guy friends who was staying with us for a while. One of the boys comes over all the time but is pretty wrapped up in the hood lifestyle and mostly just talks about girls, this boy brought over one of his friends who we'd never met before. Conversation of course turned to girls, and our friend Clinton who was staying with us was able to preach the gospel to them about girls, sex, being black, drugs, and life in general. Sara and Val were pretty floored and encouraged by their talk and the boys seemed to really take it to heart and be interested, one of them even mentioned it to me the next day.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Then</span></span> on Thursday Kirstin and I were having dinner with the other two boys who live next door, they come over almost every night now and I make them grilled cheese. These boys have quickly become some of our favorites, for some reason they love hanging out at our house and telling us about their days. They are so respectful and smart both of them (although of course they've got their issues too). We were just having normal conversation when all of a sudden one asked me, "Who killed Jesus?" Kiki and I looked at each other stunned and I gave an explanation, ending with telling them about our own sin and that really Jesus had to die for each of us. Then they asked, "So who was Jesus?" We talked about it a bit and then dinner ended and we had promised to take some of the girls ice skating so we left. I think I'm going to give each of these boys a copy of the new testament and ask them if they want to read it, either on their own or with some of us!<br /><br />I never imagined that God would ask us to be the spiritual mothers of these kids but until he provides them with more permanent men in their lives who are willing to take on the task we are happy to do it! Pray for us that we'd have the boldness and understanding to speak the gospel into these boys lives and that we would be able to find men to also do this with them!<br /><br />Peace,<br />(with more to come on the ice skating adventures as soon as Kiki puts up the pictures)Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-10059980513553354242009-10-27T10:48:00.002-04:002009-10-27T11:02:31.474-04:00We REALLY REALLY Need Men!Hi Friends,<br /><br />I hope Fall is treating you well, we are having a great time up here and are really enjoying spending time with our neighbors. We are all really one big family now, we don't lock our roof doors anymore so everyone from next door just comes over whenever and vice verse. We are seriously considering finding one big house for all of us! <br /><br />One new thing is that all the teenagers have really been spending time here since school has started. The little kids all have afterschool programs till 6 or so and now the older kids come over as soon as they get home to get snacks and hang out. Most of them in fact are boys (ages 12-15). We love them so much and really act as stand in mothers for most of them. A typical day looks like one of them coming home from football or school and coming straight to our house to talk about the day, use the computers, and have us make them grilled cheese. It is so much fun and we love these boys like they were our own. <br /><br />Because we love them so much, we want them to grow up into great men who really love God and love the people around them. Friends, it is so so hard for them to do this without the influence of other men in their lives. We can spend all the time we want with them but we aren't men so it is just not enough. They are at such a vulnerable time in their lives and face choices everyday that could make or break them. We would love for each of them to be mentored by one of our wonderful guy friends! This would ideally involve spending scheduled time with them weekly, maybe even reading the Bible with them. We would pay for you to take them out and do stuff in the city every once in a while. One of the greatest challenges for us has been the lack of male support/influence with our family here. Would you please consider committing to one of these young men, I really can't think of a more worthy investment! Thanks for praying with us for this, ,we are trusting God that he will provide for our boys!<br /><br />PeaceJillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-86478696566613534312009-09-22T22:47:00.002-04:002009-09-22T22:55:05.646-04:00Pictures from the Last Month!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmN_d9HCsI/AAAAAAAAAEg/c4Rs9bHZ0FE/s1600-h/other+group+apple+picking.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmN_d9HCsI/AAAAAAAAAEg/c4Rs9bHZ0FE/s320/other+group+apple+picking.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384490951010355906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmNbQMpKCI/AAAAAAAAAEY/35N5NInp3ys/s1600-h/group+apple+picking.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmNbQMpKCI/AAAAAAAAAEY/35N5NInp3ys/s320/group+apple+picking.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384490328562276514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmNasl2zZI/AAAAAAAAAEI/m7RB3VjQS7s/s1600-h/zoo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmNasl2zZI/AAAAAAAAAEI/m7RB3VjQS7s/s320/zoo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384490319284194706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmNaV5q3rI/AAAAAAAAAEA/H5h39-gMckU/s1600-h/kiks+and+val+and+babies.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmNaV5q3rI/AAAAAAAAAEA/H5h39-gMckU/s320/kiks+and+val+and+babies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384490313193283250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmNZ7pUSII/AAAAAAAAAD4/A0oN65S4b3A/s1600-h/kelly+and+yoyo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SrmNZ7pUSII/AAAAAAAAAD4/A0oN65S4b3A/s320/kelly+and+yoyo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384490306145372290" /></a><br />Welcome to Fall everyone! It's been so nice to be able to cook and stay inside without sweating and we've had a great time sending the kids back to school and doing lots of other fun stuff. There have been some ups and downs but it seems like everything is settling into place now.<br /><br />This past weekend we even took a bunch of the kids and their Mom to go apple picking in NJ with our Navs friends. It was such a great time and we are loving being with our extended and adopted families up here! Here are a bunch of adorable shots of the darlings...Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-29306442559522858962009-09-09T14:00:00.002-04:002009-09-09T14:13:16.427-04:00Praying for Our EnemiesHi Friends,<br /><br />The first day of school has come and Kirstin and I got to wake up this morning to see the kids off on the bus. They were so excited and their smiles were so big it was really the cutest thing ever! We snapped a couple pictures so I'll put them up a little later. <br /><br />I'm really writing to let you all know about some issues we are facing with the police here. I grew up having a great impression of law enforcement and never having really dealt with them other than on TV and in the Movies. When I moved here though that began to change, within a week of moving in cops were telling me to "get the hell out of the hood" and not so nice or respectful things. Our block is certainly a dangerous one and since another shooting happened a few weeks back we have had 24 hour police surveillance and they've brought in special teams to try and deal with the "hot block."<br /><br />This is all fine and we don't like shootings either but the police have begun to harass our neighbors, some deservedly so but in the last week they have detained our 13 year old neighbor simply because she was sitting outside and wouldn't leave. Of course no charges were pressed because sitting on your front step is not actually illegal but it is certainly a traumatic and unjust thing for a girl we care about deeply. Last night Kirstin was sitting out again with this girl, her brother and some other friends at around 9pm. One of the boys had pliers since he had just fixed his bike and a cop came up and asked "if he had a problem." The boy explained that he was fixing his bike, which the cop didn't believe, Kirstin vouched for him, which he still didn't believe. They were all then told that this was the worst possible place to be, and if they didn't go inside they could arrest them all. <br /><br />After all the teenagers went inside, Kirstin and I went to speak with the cops about this harassment. We explained our bad experiences with the police and that we did appreciate what they were doing but would also appreciate it if they spoke with more respect to our neighbors. (In more words than that of course). We definitely had a decent conversation but it was striking how different their perspective was. These police were offended and threatened by 13 year olds who didn't respect them even though they had not respected them in the beginning. I asked them to try and show that they were in fact at least ten years older and come at the kids with a little bit more respect since they were not in fact doing anything wrong, they sort of agreed to this but then ran off on some sort of emergency. Just a few minutes later they were back just standing on the corner. Please pray with us for them that they would be given the mindset of Jesus and have a little more compassion for the people who have no choice but to live on this block that they hate so bad. We want them to do their jobs in protecting us but also in respecting and loving the community they are in. Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support and let us know if you've got any radically loving ideas for how we can deal with this situation!Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-91354781246345153892009-09-08T20:19:00.002-04:002009-09-08T20:31:57.768-04:00Back to School!Tomorrow is the first day of school for NYC public school students and we can't wait! It's been an incredible summer and we've been able to really solidify and build relationships with all of our neighbors. But man are we excited for the kids to get back to school! <br /><br />We get to wake up early tomorrow morning and send them all off with their fresh new uniforms and school supplies. We also all started class today which for Sara and I was our last-first day of class ever! We'll all have a lot of decisions coming up over the next few months as to what God has for us next so be praying with us for his guidance and for his protection over our kids as they go off to school, that they would be able to learn and that we and their teachers would be able to love and serve them well.<br /><br />Peace!Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-30305056707850604962009-07-16T11:14:00.002-04:002009-07-16T11:27:25.424-04:00Summer DaysHi Everyone,<br /><br />I hope you're enjoying the long summer days that we are here, they've brought with them a lot of great neighborhood bonding and a little piece of the Kingdom of God! We've continued to get to know more of our neighbors as we all sit out every night and we've especially gotten to bond more with those that we've known all year. Our next door neighbor Itza (mom of the seven kids) was able to get a day time job so we've gotten to eat dinner with her a couple times and she is so much fun to hang out with! Pray for us that we would continue to be a blessing to her physical needs and that through this Christ would begin to meet her spiritual needs as well.<br /><br />Thank you to all of you have given to our camp fund, 4 children are getting to learn about Jesus for the first time because of your generosity! I got to pick them up on their first day and the excitement with which they told me about Jesus feeding the five thousand was contagious! They also said they had read it from the Holy Book of Luke which was super cute. Pray with us that they would continue to be excited by the Word and that it would sink into their hearts.<br /><br />We've also started our own little Bible camp here with the Spanish church. Last week was the first week and it went fairly well, it was kind of crazy and we had to be really flexible but we got to know some more people and hopefully serve them a bit, as well as partner with the Spanish church in something they really want to do. A lot of people were just surprised to see the place open and were excited about that which makes us long even more for the larger church to be renewed and open once again. On that note pray with us that God would give us the 200,000$ it will probably take to do that and the faith to keep pursuing that which he has called us to do!<br /><br />Finally, Kirstin and I have both gotten to spend some extra time with the kids who aren't going to camp everyday (too old or too young). They are in the middle of summer boredom phase and last week I got to take three of them to the Bronx Zoo (which was amazing!). It was great to see them get so excited and their minds to be opened a little bit. Kirstin is taking them to the Museum of Modern Art today, pray with us that these outings would not just be fun/cool things to do but that the girls would know of our and God's love for them through this time. Thank you all for your continued support and prayers, let us know if there is any way we can be lifting you up also!<br /><br />Peace,<br />JillianJillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-38257921468938664472009-07-04T14:17:00.002-04:002009-07-04T14:24:03.802-04:00Movin on up... to the Bronx!So! This is my first Post on the Beekman Notes. It's crazy being the new roommate in here and it has already changed my life around! <div>I moved in almost 2 weeks ago now and it already seems like I've been there quite awhile. In the latest news, we just had the welcome/info session/community building party for camp and I think it was a great success. There were water balloons, freeze dance competitions, new friends, and most importantly Tostones. It's cray how much you can feel God move throughout this community and bring people together. I don't know what His plan is, or how long I'm meant to be in this house for but so far it's just been an honor to serve along with these lovely ladies. In further important news, I have remembered the recipe to some amazing apple pie that could be coming to you shortly. </div><div><br /></div><div>That is all. </div><div><br /></div><div>God Bless!</div>Valproshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05070653568638847134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-68769714086902851402009-06-29T15:52:00.002-04:002009-06-29T16:06:14.091-04:00The House Where Everyone Goes<div>Hey guys... just thought you might enjoy reading this. It was written by Kelly, the oldest girl of the 7 kids next door. Enjoy, but make sure to read the new entry below too!</div><div><br /></div>Story written by: Kelly Webster<div>Typed by: Kenyah Francis</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Beekman Avenue and 141st Street. A block where you see people walking up and down. Wether they are big or small. All ages. Noise, music, excitement, etc. Yup! That's Beekman Ave. </div><div><br /></div><div>One place where many people go is to the house down the block. The one all the way down the block. You know what I'm talking about? Right? The house where everyone goes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Let me tell you about that house! Well 321 Beekman Avenue, Apt. #2. There's many things to do up there. From cooking to watching movies and all. That's the house where everyone goes!</div><div><br /></div><div>People from everywhere. Texas, Maryland, Manhattan, and even Beekman Ave. </div></div>Valproshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05070653568638847134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-3233379379525630322009-06-29T15:03:00.002-04:002009-06-29T15:15:22.381-04:00Help a Child Know Jesus!<p>We have recently been made aware of a camp at a local church! We believe our neighbors, children aged 5 to 13, would benefit from spending their days in such a camp. Not only would this fill their idle time, so too would they be presented with the love and truth of Jesus Christ. Someone has offered to pay for the kids to go to camp for one full week, praise God! However, looking to the rest of the summer, we are eager to provide these kids with productive activites. The camp, already paid for one full ,is actually three weeks long and costs $25 per kid. We would love to send these children there for the entirety of the program and are praying hard for the funds. If you are able and willing, we would love for you to take part, to sponser a child for a week and to become a pen pal of one of our beautiful children! </p><p>God Bless,<br /></p>Kirstinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16856306789659008786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-35636313689354727152009-06-25T19:47:00.001-04:002009-06-29T10:52:52.116-04:00Difficult Times<p>Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ,</p><p>Last night we were made aware of some dire financial needs on our block. Although we are not comfortable explaining the details in this venue, know that it involves a family with whom we are very close. We believe that God wants to provide for this family in an amazing way, and calls us to be a part of it. Please begin to pray hard and earnestly for this cause and if you are inclined, please don't hesitate to contact us about any way in which you might be able to help. All of our contact information is listed below:</p><p>Meredith Janke - 262 389 8386 - mgj218@nyu.edu<br />Kirstin Edwards - 215 651 1938 - kme273@nyu.edu<br />Sara Frazier - 817 980 1288 - sfrazier@nyu.edu<br />Jillian Roche - 484 354 5289 - jmr543@nyu.edu<br />Valerie Prosper - 2404816011 - avp236@nyu.edu<br /></p><p>Thank you and God bless,</p><p></p>Kirstinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16856306789659008786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-31073047882235678662009-06-23T22:37:00.005-04:002009-06-23T23:08:00.035-04:00New Faces<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SkGXaJUvGII/AAAAAAAAADY/bGODmd20FwE/s1600-h/all+the+kids.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SkGXaJUvGII/AAAAAAAAADY/bGODmd20FwE/s320/all+the+kids.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350724307728144514" /></a><br /><br />Hi Y'all!<br /><br />I hope you're having a blessed summer so far! Despite the rainy weather here on the east coast we've actually been spending a lot of time outside and have had some really exciting times with the people in the neighborhood. In other really we had a new roommate move in this past Sunday. One of our good friends Valerie just got back from studying abroad and was willing to take DeWanda's spot in the house. Its been so energizing for us to have her here these last few days and we're really looking forward to out community growing!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SkGYO9MtgHI/AAAAAAAAADw/_WkzahpkLNA/s1600-h/mani.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SkGYO9MtgHI/AAAAAAAAADw/_WkzahpkLNA/s320/mani.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350725215006326898" /></a><br />Also we've gotten to meet a ton of new people this last month, I think there are about 30 new people we've met and spent time with in some capacity. A few times we've had over twelve kids running around the house, most of whom continuously ask if we are a school or if we are "open" on Saturdays. We've also gotten to spend a lot of quality time with a few of our neighbors who are closer to our age (in their twenties) and have begun to have some really good conversations with them that have allowed us to share our faith and here their beliefs and needs. Pray for these brothers and sisters and our witness to them as we continue to look for these conversations and show them love. Thank you all so much for your encouraging thoughts and prayers!<br /><br />Peace! (really) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SkGXrZ4buII/AAAAAAAAADo/nMOcQ8LTXSs/s1600-h/justin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SkGXrZ4buII/AAAAAAAAADo/nMOcQ8LTXSs/s320/justin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350724604230613122" /></a>Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-56750362200528103382009-05-31T23:40:00.003-04:002009-06-01T00:10:32.276-04:00Jesus is in the details.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>There's so much to say and not much time to say it, but I imagine I best just bite the bullet and get it out there, so here it goes!<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>First of all, hello! This is my first post on the Beekman Notes and going on my fourth week in the house (wow--I can't believe its only my fourth week). My life has been completely consumed these past few weeks and has quite honestly, been turned on its head. I am in continual amazement at the works my roommates and sisters-in-Christ have already accomplished on this block. I see Christ in their every interaction and their hearts vying for the love of Jesus to be shown to our neighbors. I admire their undeniable passion for life and intense love of the one and only King. I am excited to be joining in their mission to serve and love the people of the South Bronx.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Let me give you a quick update as to the happenings of the house, our dreams and vision for the nearby future. As some of you may know, and as others of you may not, there is a vacant church that sits at the end of Beekman--Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Unida. Both as a house and amongst friends we have been discussing the possibility of such a piece of property, excited about the ventures we could accomplish within the infrastructure and eager to start some type of community project for the summer. We have spoken of and prayed about implementing such things as a structured tutoring program for individuals of all ages, providing food for the hungry, healthcare services and provision for young mothers. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Since these initial discussions, we have met with various groups of authority over the church and it looks like this just might be a possibility! While all the stages are intermediate at best, we hope and pray to see the community re-build itself, through infrastructure and through services and most importantly through Jesus Christ. Thus far, we have met a wide variety of individuals, all passionate about what the Lord is doing/promises to do in the South Bronx. Pray with us that individuals will continue to see and understand the vast potential of this neighborhood and the urgency of its cry for help. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In the next few weeks we will continue to go through the bureaucracy of renovating a building and of helping to provide the community with the agency they deserve. We will simultaneously be working to find and write grants appropriate to this type of aid and trying our best to encourage our neighbors to take part in the project and to express their personal needs.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I ask that you pray for our humility, in that what we are doing is to no esteem of our own. Pray that the ventures both within the project of the church and outside of, are only to His will and testament. We know that the Lord is present here and now are trying our best to listen intently to His call.</div>Kirstinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16856306789659008786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-35733260398962986922009-05-27T12:56:00.002-04:002009-05-27T13:09:49.244-04:00Goin' to ChurchGreetings Folks,<br /><br />God is answering so many of our prayers for our neighbors right now I almost can't believe it. The most exciting thing is that He is beginning to meet their greatest need, Himself. Two weeks ago one of our friends, S, asked if she could come to church with us. We brought her to Trinity Grace and she came back this past week again! We have all invested a lot of time in this relationship and she is really so close to our hearts. Pray with us that God would really speak to her and meet her where she is at, that he would give us wisdom to ask the right questions and protect her from the lies of the world that would take her away from Him!<br /><br />We are also looking for a church to bring the kids from next door to, they pretty much want to do whatever we do so they've been wanting to go for a long time. It's too much though to take them to our service at TGC downtown and we'd really like to bring them someplace that is kid friendly. Pray with us that we'd have wisdom in this and that God would make it clear the place He has for them. Explaining Jesus to an 8 year old in a genuine way is about the hardest thing there is we've found out so we really need the spirit to move in them! Thanks for partnering with us in these needs,<br /><br />Peace!Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-73198977713517366502009-05-27T12:35:00.002-04:002009-05-27T12:46:54.424-04:00We Need Men!We really do! If there is anything our neighborhood is really lacking it is good male role models, men who will stand up for what is right, protect, lead and provide for their families. A friend who attends a church a few block away from us told me a story of the Mother's day service. The pastor mentioned that it was time to celebrate the moms and everybody cheered, he then said that soon they would be honoring their dads and everyone booed. When my friend looked around the room he saw that there were no fathers in the room. It is a shame but this is the relationship most people in our community have with the men in their lives. It is the exception not the rule for a child to have a man who loves them well and is present in their life here on the block.<br /><br />It is one of our hopes that the boys we are spending time with now, from the teenagers right on down to the babies would grow up to be men of God who will break this cycle of generational sin. But it's nearly impossible for them to do this without the help of some good men to show them how to be! We can care for them and play with them and feed them everyday but until they see how a man is supposed to treat the women around him they won't get it. It is also difficult because for liability issues we can't spend all our time with the teenage boys. They are so lonely and bored but the other day I was the only one home and one of them came to the door, I was able to give him a snack but had to send him away because it's just not alright for us to be alone with them. <br /><br />On this note, we've been praying for some Guys to join us here for over a year now, Gos has provided good examples as some of our friends do spend a lot of time here but we believe the block needs some men to move in! We've asked some of our friends to consider moving into one of the other houses but it doesn't look like that will be happening in the near future. We are trusting God for this but would you pray with us also for some men to be convicted to move to our block, and for the youth to grow up and break the cycle. Also if you're a man and have nothing else to do, come move to the Bronx- you <span style="font-style:italic;">will</span> change some lives and you'll have a house full of girls who spend all their time cooking right next to you!Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-58221764003622066752009-05-14T10:01:00.002-04:002009-05-14T10:03:19.204-04:00Message from SundayHi Everyone,<br /><br />Here is the message from Trinity Grace Church this past Sunday when Sara and I spoke. I hope it blesses you and that you experience God today!<br /><br />http://www.trinitygracechelsea.com/sermons.php?pageType=sub&pageID=188&pageName=%2FMedia%2FSermons%2F<br /><br />Grace and PeaceJillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-54136836656052477332009-05-11T12:18:00.002-04:002009-05-11T12:28:30.265-04:00New Roomate!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SghSHtvgOMI/AAAAAAAAACU/VR5SVs5YA6s/s1600-h/Kirstin+with+Beba.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tpEvlYWKEz8/SghSHtvgOMI/AAAAAAAAACU/VR5SVs5YA6s/s320/Kirstin+with+Beba.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334604051111753922" /></a><br />Hi Everyone,<br /><br />We are all done (or almost done) with finals now and are so blessed my having some more free time to spend in the 'hood! Another thing we've been so blessed by is our new roommate Kirstin moving in this week! Kirstin and I met last August at NYU during a navs pizza table recruiting event and she came up to our house just a few weeks later, and she was just a freshman! She loves kids probably more than the rest of us combined which is so exciting and I've been so impressed with her maturity and servant heart just in the last few days, God is going to do big things through her presence here. Pray with us for our in-house community to grow and that we would challenge and strengthen one another this summer especially as we all have more time to commit. <br /><br />Also Sara and I spoke at our church in the city (Trinity Grace Church) this last weekend and shared our story of moving to the Bronx with everyone. These believers are really taking following Christ to new levels and their encouragement was such a blessing, as soon as the sermon is posted online we'll post it here. Also stay tuned for a very late but very exciting post on our Easter celebrations! <br /><br />Grace and Peace, and let us know how we can be lifting you up in prayer!Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-1084763034743588722009-04-28T00:26:00.002-04:002009-04-28T00:31:15.311-04:00Summer ShootingsDear Friends please pray for our block tonight. There was a shooting a bit earlier around 9 and an innocent boy was hit. None of us were home and all of the neighbors we know well are fine as well but it is a sad thing when people are afraid for their children to play on a summer night.<br /><br />It is also sad that we could feel this coming, the other night talking with one of our neighbors we remarked that it felt like something like this was bound to happen soon. That should not be the case! Pray that as it gets warmer people would be filled with peace from the Holy Spirit and that Beekman Ave would not see another shooting this summer. Pray for wisdom for parents and us as we decide when and where to play outside with the kids. Also please pray for the boy and his family, we're unsure of his status right now. Most importantly pray for those who would use guns to solve their issues that the bullets would be stopped in mid-air and that they'd find peaceful solutions to disagreements.Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044689586817395603.post-50949687096425720092009-04-20T14:32:00.002-04:002009-04-20T14:49:24.028-04:00Your Kingdom Come?Hi Friends, <br /><br />It has certainly been a while and we have so much to update you one, including our Easter celebrations! Keep an eye out for that post, hopefully the lovely Sara Frazier will be writing it;) This weekend I got a chance to take a group from the NYU Navs back to my parents house in PA which was great. It was a warm and sunny weekend and a great time to relax and fellowship. <br /><br />I was filled with such joy the whole time which carried over into our church service at Trinity Grace last night. There is usually some sort of call and response liturgy at the end of the sermon and last nights was a little unusual. It was combination baptist gospel/old time episcopalian liturgy. We basically shouted back our response as a reminder to ourselves of Jesus' call to action at the end of the sermon on the mount. Sara and I were both so excited afterward that we really couldn't contain it. Which got me to thinking about the Kingdom of God.<br /><br />We say that we are trying to bring the Kingdom of God to earth, to the here and now to live as though we are under God's rule and not the worlds. This we say is the way to draw people to a relationship with Jesus, by inviting them to live in the Kingdom. But what kind of Kingdom are we preaching? We walk around plagued by worry and fear, we let the insignificant things bring us down and we are constantly battling to stay above the rising tide of issues being thrown at us. We are cynical and pessimistic and rarely filled with joy or excitement, we even tend to think that those who do constantly have a bright smile on their face are faking it. <br /><br />Friends, this is not what the kingdom of Jesus Christ the living God looks like! I'm pretty sure when we are reunited with Him face to face, standing in His glory in heaven, we will be so overcome that we'll just turn to the brother or sister next to us and scream. Have you ever watched one of the those America's Funniest Home videos where a kid gets exactly what they wanted for Christmas and they just flip? Like they scream at the top of their lungs for so long that they can't breathe? We look at those and laugh, thinking "oh children, they've got nothing to worry about and get so excited over the small things. How cute."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">WE HAVE GOTTEN EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS WANTED. JESUS CHRIST DEFEATED DEATH AND ROSE AGAIN SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOD WHO CREATED OUR EVERY FIBER AND THOUGHT<span <br /><br />Now pause, think about that for 5 seconds and scream, I don't care where you are or what you're doing. It'll be good for you, trust me. If someone asks you why you're so excited/crazy, tell them. Invite them into this kingdom where instead of worry and stress the streets resound with singing and dancing and celebrating, all commanded by God. Why is it that the commandments of God we choose not to follow are those telling us not to fear or be anxious? We're willing to do everything else but we still want to live with fear and anxiety? That's crazy. Let's give it up right now, together and display ourselves as a people so redeemed that they have complete freedom to be joyful and celebrate the glorious work of our God!Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02922204966768546536noreply@blogger.com0