April at By The Hand

So the last few months have gone extremely quickly! I can't even believe it! It's been quite a while since I've last sent an update, so I thought it was about time.

The kids at BTH were on spring break in March, and I had the chance to hang out with some kids while they were off school. On March 29, we did a special event for some of our girls called "Color Me Beautiful". We talked about beauty, self-image, being African-American (sadly, many kids make comments that they wish they weren't black), etc. We talked with about 10 girls about how models don't necessarily look the same way when they get out of bed as they do in the magazines. We also showed them this video, created for Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty". I HIGHLY encourage everyone to watch this short video. It's an amazing reality check for real women to see how people in magazines look the way they do.

April 8th was the By The Hand Spring Benefit. It went EXTREMELY well, despite the lack of enough valet parking staff. :) We enjoyed listening to student testimonies, hearing the choir sing, watching the Super Bowl Shuffle, and hearing about the students' 2009-10 newspaper writing project. Each student at By The Hand wrote an article on the Chicago Bears and winners were chosen from each grade.

We also had the opportunity to listen to Lovie Smith, head coach of the Bears, speak to us. Several Bears players came that night and benefit guests were able to meet Zack Bowman, Tim Shaw, other Bears players, and Staley the Bear (the mascot).

I'll post pictures from the benefit and from Color Me Beautiful as soon as I can. Please keep praying for By The Hand. It's really difficult towards the end of the year, because students want to run around outside rather than be in the program. Pray that students continue to come to the program so that we can pour into them. Also pray about many fighting issues that are going on in the neighborhood. We've had to disenroll quite a few kids lately because of fighting issues that were becoming a danger to other kids in the program. Also pray for academics. Towards the end of the year, it'd difficult for students (and teachers) to be motivated, and we really want students to continue learning and improving academically. And as always, please pray that students will come to know Christ and grow closer to him, because it is that relationship that will influence every part of their lives.

Thanks so much for your prayer and support!

-Sarah

Worry and Stress

"Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives." (See Matthew 6)

"Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace towards others, or our tight grip of control." (OUCH!)

-Quotes taken from "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan

Compassion

Today in staff devotions, we had a local pastor speak to us. He talked about a number of different things, one of them being compassion. He said, "Compassion means, 'Your pain is my pain.'" If we're not making the pain of those to whom we are ministering our pain, we're not truly ministering. If we're not taking on the pain of others, we'd better just leave and get out of the way so that someone with compassion can take our place.

That's real talk.

God is not far away...A brief theology of suffering explained through rap music and a Swiss Reformed theologian...Yes, those two do relate.

We showed a great music video in chapel at By The Hand today by the Christian rap group "Lecrae" (yes, I do listen to Christian rap sometimes...who would have thought).

They wrote a song called "Far Away". The song talks about how sometimes God seems like He's far away. The video is set against the backdrop of Haiti, and Lecrae's message is that in the midst of struggle, disaster, and tragedy, God is not far away. Scripture says that God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5, Deut. 31:6). View the video here.

Psalm 16:8-11 says:

⁸ I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,

¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

¹¹ You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

I know it's easy for me to sit here in my comfortable living room with my great roommates while planning fun wedding events and talk about how God is not far away. I do not have the slightest idea or understanding of what those in Haiti are going through. I cannot imagine the destruction, loss, suffering, and devastation that exists there and in so many places throughout the world.

Where is God in suffering? God is in the midst of it, suffering with us just as his Son suffered for us. He is not far away. God is promising that he will redeem all of humanity, creating a new heaven and a new earth. Revelation 21:3-4 says, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

We have hope in the day that the old order of things--the suffering, the pain, the loss, the devastation--will pass away and all things will be made new. We have hope in the new creation, when God will restore the earth and we will be able to spend eternity with him. We can have hope that this life does matter, but this life is also not all there is.

Karl Barth, a famous 20th century Swiss Reformed theologian wrote, "If we fix our eyes upon the place where the course of the world reaches its lowest point, where its vanity is unmistakable, where its groanings are most bitter and the divine incognito most impenetrable, we shall encounter there--Jesus Christ. On the frontier of what is observable He stands delivered up and not spared. In place of us all He stands there, delivered up for us all..." Understanding the depths of the suffering of God in Jesus Christ reveals the character of God.

God suffering with humanity is an essential theological theme to grasp if we are to wrap our heads around the suffering of the world and the suffering of Christ. The suffering God is the loving God. The suffering God takes up the broken state of humanity and fixes it. He does not remain distant but rather relates so deeply to the human condition that he became human. He addresses our suffering in reality. He relates to our suffering in time and space, in a way we can understand. He defeats suffering through experiencing it and overcoming it in the resurrection. "Christ alone can speak here as he along addresses the kind of suffering which ruptures language and meaning--not as the one who suddenly introduces meaning into stark meaninglessness but as the one in whom God enters into and takes to himself the very God-forsakenness of men and women, the very depths of Hell and the absence of God" (Torrance, "Does God Suffer?"). Divine suffering does not imply imperfection, instability, or weakness. Divine suffering implies a God who relates completely to his creation, heals the broken relationship between God and humanity, and remains ontologically and consistently love in Father, Son, and Spirit.

God is not far away.

Watch the Lecrae video here.

*For one (among many) helpful article on this topic, see Richard Bauckham's article "Only the Suffering God Can Help: Divine Passibility in Modern Theology". I have many other helpful books and articles if anyone hasn't fallen asleep by this point in my blog entry and is still interested. If we are to have hope in Christ, understand his death and resurrection, and live and minister in the midst of a suffering world, we MUST develop a doctrinally sound and practical theology of suffering.

"Ms. Sarah..."

Neyah: "Ms. Sarah, you don't talk like you're white.

Me: "Really?"

Neyah: "Yeah, you talk like you're one of us."

In graduate school, we call that contextualization. I take it as a compliment. :)

Why I Should Be President...

Ms. Anna from the Yellow Team (2nd graders with a few 3rd graders) at By The Hand posted this...I thought it was very entertaining. :)

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This month's literacy lesson theme (based off of the LEAP curriculum for after-school programs) is government and community. This week my 2nd/3rd graders were working on mini speeches to read to their team, and then they were supposed to vote on a "President" of the Yellow Team based on the speeches. Here's some of my favorites (with most spelling/grammar fixed):

"If I was president I would give the whole world cookies and milk"-- no name

"Why I Should be President: First, I would help my country. Then, I would clean my town. Finally, [I would] help people get off the street. Because I can get people off the street. And keep people safe. And have pizza day. Vote for me!" -- Tyevell

"Why I Should be President: First, I would clean the whole world. Then I would clean my town. Finally I would let people love everyone." -- Unique

"I should be President because I love Jesus and my country and team and Anna" -- Jamari

"Why I Should be President: First I would help my country, Then I would help the poor people. Finally I will get a big house." -- Justice

"Why I Should be President: First I will save Chicago. Then I will try to get people off of the street. Finally I will take a Nap. Thank you for listening to my speech." -- Shamar

*** And my all-time favorites:

"I promise I will make the day fun. I promise I will speak for people. If I was president I will give people food. I'll teach you Spanish. I will help people. I love people. My mom is going to be President. She is a good girl. My dad can be President. He is a good man. The end. By by. Have a nice day. Good job."-- Eddie

"I should be president of the Yellow Team because I am brave and not scared of anything, not even werewolves. So that's why I should be president of the Yellow Team. 1. I'm a girl. 2. I don't be bad. 3. I'll teach you Spanish. Gracias. Thank you for listening to my speech and vote for me."--- Nesitia

By The Hand needs your help!

Dear Friends and Family,

First of all, thank you so much for your continued prayer and financial support for By The Hand. God has blessed us through so many different people who have supported By The Hand in numerous ways.

With that said, I'm asking for your help in obtaining some supplies for our kids.

Every week, we have something called the "club store". Students earn points throughout the week by saying their memory verse, attending the club, doing homework, etc. They then spend these points on little toys and things at the club store. Unfortunately, we have not been able to offer the kids very much with the store, because we've had to cut down on the budget. We would love to make the club store really special for the kids so that we can reward them for their hard work.

If you would like to donate, we are in need of donations for our club store. Usually, we order little trinkety things from places like Oriental Trading and put those things in the store. It's just small toys and games and other things that would be fun for elementary school students to earn. There are a few ways you can donate. You can donate money and designate that it is meant to go towards the club store or you can order club store items yourself and just have them sent to By The Hand. Make sure that it's clear that you are meaning to donate to the club store so that the items go to the right place.

You can sent items to our director and the address you can use is:

Attn. Sarah James

C/O By The Hand Club for Kids

1000 N. Sedgwick

Chicago, IL 60610

If you live in the Chicago area and prefer to just give donations to me, I can make sure that they get to By The Hand.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you so much for your support and generosity!

Love,

Sarah

Pictures from Winning the Fall Fundraising Drive

Dreona and Janiece with a filled coin jug

The Green Team!

More Christmas in the City pictures

Cleara with her new coat

Makiya with her new clothes from Old Navy

Reggie and Jumar on the bus

L-R: Reggie, Jumar, Justin, Derris

Above everyone is Kavar

Pictures from By The Hand

Here are some pictures from work. Most of these are from our Christmas in the City event.

Checking out the window displays downtown

Catching snowflakes

Catching snowflakes again

New clothes from Old Navy

Hanging out at McDonalds

Some of my boys at McDonalds

My boys with one of our new volunteers, Sarah

Makiya and Sherine, my girls

Jumar in his new coat, donated by members of Willow Creek Community Church

A long overdue update

Dear Friends and Family,

I have not been very good lately about updating the blog, but I am finally getting around to it! We are back in the swing of things at By The Hand after Christmas break. The first couple weeks have been busy and rather crazy, but the staff and kids are getting back into the routine. The next few months follow a much more normal schedule for our programming (until we approach the spring benefit on April 8th--then it gets crazy again).

Thanks to your prayer and financial support, my team (the Green Team) raised the most money out of all the By The Hand teams in the Fall Fundraising Drive! Thanks so much! We are excited and I'm very proud of the students for working hard to donate out of their own pockets. They also earned money by doing their homework and completing writing assignments while at the program. Our team gets a gift card to go out as a team and do something fun (like go see a movie).

During programming time the last couple weeks, we've been working a lot on reading and writing skills, as well as preparing for the ISAT tests. My culture elective is finishing up talking about Mexico. In Bible study and chapel, we are going through the Old Testament. Last week, we talked about the Fall and Adam and Eve sinning. This week, we're talking about Noah's ark. Please pray for chapel and Bible study especially, as we really want to pour into our students the Word of God.

On a different note, my "Q" student has not been in the program for the last couple months because we really were not sure what to do with him. However, after meeting with his counselor making some changes, and coming up with some new ideas on how to help him, we've asked him to return tomorrow. PLEASE pray for this, because we really want him back, but at the same time, he is a difficult student and I'm honestly a bit nervous about having him in the classroom. Also pray that God gives my director, his counselor, and me wisdom as far as whether or not we continue to work with him in the program, or we try to find somewhere else for him to go that may be a better fit for him.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support!

Love,

Sarah

P.S. On a totally different note, you may know that Colson and I are engaged. You can view our wedding website HERE.

We're getting married!

This post is LONG overdue, but Colson and I got engaged on December 12, 2009! We're really excited! Eventually (hopefully) I'll post some pictures of the engagement day. For now, you can visit our wedding website for more information:

http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/SarahAndersen&ColsonHauser

Fall Fundraising Drive-Last Chance!

Just so you know, there are only a few days left to donate for our fall fundraising drive! Any money donated to By The Hand will be matched dollar for dollar through December 31. If you would like to donate, you can write a check made out to By The Hand Club for Kids and then put CG-Green Team on the memo line. You can also donate online on our website at www.bythehand.org. Just make sure you indicate "CG-Green Team" somewhere on the online form. Thanks so much for your prayer and support!

A long overdue update...

We have had a LOT going on the last couple weeks at By The Hand. I will be posting more updates and pictures later on, but I just wanted to update you in the meantime.

We had our Christmas Tree Giveaway event a few weeks ago, which was great. Families from all over the community picked up live Christmas trees that were donated, drank hot chocolate, and listened to our choir sing Christmas carols. After the Christmas Tree Giveaway, I found out that a mattress, box spring, and frame were being donated and we decided to give it to one of my families. The grandmother was so appreciative and gave me a huge hug after we set it up for her! (Now, if I didn't stick out in the community already, I stuck out even more carrying a bed frame up 6 flights of stairs in a high-rise apartment building. It's too bad I don't have pictures of that.)

We took our kids to "Christmas in the City". This was a blast! Yes, believe it or not, we take 125 inner-city kids downtown on the same day to shop, eat food, walk around, and experience Christmas in Chicago. Parents and volunteers joined us and we were able to split into smaller groups and take the kids around. Each child received a $25 Old Navy gift card and a $5 gift card. It was really fun helping my boys pick out some new outfits. It was also a blessing to see them give what was left on their McDonald's gift cards to a homeless woman on the street.

We had our Christmas Gathering on Thursday. This was the last day of programming before the Christmas break. We invited the kids' families to join us for a chapel service. We had the bucket drummers play, the choir sing, the praise dancers dance, and one of our staff, Franklin, present the truth about Christmas. It was a great night (despite frustrating technical difficulties).

Last night, we had our staff Christmas party. This was soooo much fun! We went to Maggianos and enjoyed some great Italian food. Then, we played some fun games (at one point, I actually got "accidentally" tackled in a musical chairs sort of game.) During another game, there was a tie between 3 staff members that ended in a dance-off. Not your typical office Christmas party...and believe it or not, we started out of Moody Church. :)

Anyway, it's been a very fun, very eventful few weeks. And, just to add to the excitement, I got engaged last weekend. :) Yay! Colson and I are very excited and are looking forward to our wedding on May 9, 2010. More importantly, however, we are looking forward to our marriage. :)

Please pray for our kids over the Christmas break! When they don't have the structure of school or our program, they can more easily get in trouble. Pray that they make the right decisions over break and draw closer to God, not turn from him.

God bless and Merry Christmas!

-Sarah

P.S. One last note, if you are still interested in donating toward our fall fundraising drive, please do so before December 31. You can mail checks or donate online. Please write CG-Green Team somewhere on the check or on the online form. Anything postmarked by December 31 will be matched dollar for dollar.

Today...

1. I walked from train to work in -12 degree temperatures.

2. The pipes burst in the kitchen at work.

3. Because the pipes burst, part of the gym (next to the kitchen) flooded

4. Because part of the gym flooded, dinner had to be moved to the other part of the gym

5. Because dinner had to be moved, things were not quite ready and dinner was not set up for the kids when they came down to eat.

6. Because dinner was not set up, the kids were stuck having to wait.

7. Having about 125 kids waiting in one place does not make for a good, orderly situation. Rather, 125 kids in one room with time to kill means disaster.

8. We finally made it through dinner.

9. One team leader had to stand with his 1st grade kid and hold him back from running around the building and terrorizing everyone.

10. Our director had to do an errand downtown last minute with the high school kids, so she had to leave in the midst of chaos.

11. A parent called me and asked me to walk her daughter home, since that girl's brother was not here today.

12. I walked her home in sub-zero temperatures.

13. I returned back to the gym and was immediately greeted by a crying 6 year old with puke on her face.

14. I cleaned up throw up.

15. I washed my hands...thoroughly.

16. The same kid listed under number 9 in this list refused to go home. He spent about 10 minutes kicking our front door.

17. Myself and our director began to walk to his apartment to get someone to get him, since last week we literally had to carry this kid up several flights of stairs to his apartment because he refused to go home.

18. He finally went home, or at least went inside his building.

19. I walked to the train in sub-zero temperatures.

20. I gained feeling back in my hands.

21. I talked to my boyfriend who loves Christ and loves me.

22. I went home to warm apartment with wonderful roommates.

23. I went out to dinner and was able to eat until I was more than full.

24. I will not freeze.

25. I have an awesome winter coat.

26. I have gloves.

27. I have hot apple cider to drink.

28. I realized that I enjoy going home. I do not go home kicking and screaming. Home is a place of rest and rejuvenation for me, not a place of dysfunction, abuse, and pain.

29. I work in a community that is desperately in need. But I get to go home every night to a life that is so different than those with whom I work. They don't get to just hop on a train and leave difficult circumstances.

30. I am very thankful that I get to walk to work in a warm coat. I am very blessed to be able to minister to a 6 year old girl by helping her clean herself up after throwing up. I am very thankful for my boyfriend, family, and friends, who love me and are a source of joy, comfort, and encouragement. I am very thankful that I can pay my gas and electric bills. I am very thankful I have Trader Joe's spiced cider to heat up. I love my job. I love my friends and family. I am very blessed.

All things considered, it was a great day today. Psalm 116:7 says, "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you."

The LORD has indeed been good to me.

ABC Party

After every report card comes out, we have a party for all the kids who received all As, Bs, and Cs. We played games, did face painting, ate pizza, and had a great time celebrating good grades.

Face painting with Ms. Anna

Line dancing with Mr. George

Makiya and Dominique (Green team)

Daizhana and Daniel (Gold team-1st grade)

Garbage bag races

Reggie (from my team)

An update on my Q scrabble tile...

One of my kids I've nicknamed "Q" (the scrabble tile that's nearly impossible to use, but once you do, it's worth a lot!) just got all As, Bs, and Cs on his report card! I couldn't believe it! Thanks for praying!

The other student is still on the verge of being disenrolled. Please continue to pray for him.

"When I came to By The Hand and heard about Jesus...

...it was the best thing..."

-One of my boys said this to me today.

Some more info on "Christmas in the City"

Christmas In the City

On December 8^th-10^th we will be taking all our kids (a different site on each day – see below) downtown to Old Navy on State St, giving them a $25 gift card to shop as well as $5 for dinner at McDonald’s. This is a really unique experience for the kids, especially because everything is decorated for Christmas. The window displays at Macy’s are always a big hit! We are looking for people to donate gift cards for both Old Navy and McDonald’s.

Tuesday, December 8^th – Cabrini

Wednesday, December 9^th – Austin

Thursday, December 10^th – Altgeld and Englewood

CBK (to Water Tower)

If you would like to volunteer, please let me know! I definitely could use the help for this day! You need to be an approved volunteer to help out, but I can get you a volunteer application or you can apply on our website. If you don't want to volunteer weekly and only want to do special events like Christmas in the City, please just mark that on your application. Then you can just join us for events when it works in your schedule (ahem...siblings--can I get anyone any applications? :) )

This Week at By The Hand

There are only two days left until Thanksgiving! I can't believe it! Here are a few things to be praying about this week:

This Wednesday night: We provide an opportunity for the kids to symbolically nail their sins to the cross like Christ was nailed. Chapel will touch on holiness, closing our TORCH series (we've been doing a series called TORCH that stands for: Tell, Obey and Pray, Read the Bible, Church, Holy Life). In chapel, we will give the kids a minute to think of some things they have done that is not pleasing to God. Then during homework time they will write those things down on small pieces of paper. We will tell the kids not to put their names on the paper so no one knows who wrote it. But we will tell the kids that later on as we take the sins off the cross, we do read them so we can pray for them even though we don’t know who goes with what paper. These sins also gives us a better idea of what kinds of issues our kids are dealing with and what topics we can be teaching on the rest of the year using our other Bible study curriculum.

We will have a lesson about Christ, sin, and grace on Wednesday night. The kids will have an opportunity to nail their sins to the cross while we play part of the Jesus film.

This is definitely a powerful night, and a night that Satan has definitely attacked in the past. Please pray for this "Nail Your Sins to the Cross" lesson, which begins at 5:30pm on Wednesday night.

Recap from Boxes of Love: This past Saturday, some staff and volunteers delivered boxes of Thanksgiving food to families in our community. It went really really well, and I was really excited to have my brother, sister-in-law, their kids, my boyfriend, and a friend from church come and help out. They got to meet some of my kids and their families, which was really fun for me. There will be pictures coming soon!

Other prayer requests: Please just pray for this week with the kids (Tuesday and Wednesday). It's always crazy with the kids right before they go on a break for school. Satan also really attacks at times like this when we're going to do a lesson like the nail your sins to the cross lesson.

Also, please just be praying that I can get all my tasks done that I need to get done. We have quite a few things due by Wednesday, including write-ups on each of the students. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all that I have to do and I would really really appreciate your prayers.

As always, thanks for your prayer and support!

Love,

Sarah