A Visit to Sunshine

This afternoon we got a small glimpse of love in action

 during an Open House visit to

Sunshine Gospel Ministries

in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago.

They opened their doors for friends to come 

and see how the grace of God 

and a little vision 

can begin to transform a community.

I confess that when I think of urban ministry

 I get initially inspired, 

but then the emotions pass under the overwhelming need.  

When Jesus says to love the poor I choose to not think about it.  

I'll leave it to the visionaries, the policy makers, or the radicals.

Seeking the renewal of the city 

seems like such a big job.  

I kept thinking today, while I toured Sunshine Gospel Ministries with a group from our church, of some comments from a book I'm reading about Anna Karenina by Gary Morson (a Northwestern prof).

He writes, "Life is an everyday affair, 

and the sum total of unremarkable,

 daily happenings defines its quality.

  Like good, evil affects us most strongly

 in countless small ways,

 each of which is barely visible...

 sainthood is often small acts 

of thoughtfulness that are barely perceived."

We often expect great acts of good (or evil for that matter) 

to come with great drama, fanfare, or invention.

But sometimes great good, great love, is accomplished through surprisingly practical means.

Like computer literacy, for example.  Computers?  Really?
One of the ministries of Sunshine is a computer lab and computer training program.
 For $30 one can take a six week training course in how to use a computer.  But who doesn't know these days?  According to Joel Hamernick, executive director of Sunshine, lots of people!

  

After knocking on the doors of hundreds of neighbors they found that less than 50% of the households in the neighborhood have a computer.  Of that 50% less than half of those computers are connected to the Internet.  "Walk into any Home Depot or Wal-Mart today and try to apply for a job," explains Joel, "and what you will be given is a computer on which to fill out your application.  If you have no idea how to use the computer merely to fill out an application what are the chances of you actually getting a job?  Literacy is now a matter of having knowledge of computers as well as reading."

Now think about your neighborhood.  

Count how many grocery stores and businesses 

you have within two miles of your home. 

What if your street looked liked this (see below)?  

What if your neighborhood 

that was the size of a small city (picture Portland's East side)

 was empty of business?  How inspired would you feel? 

What if no one wanted to come to your neighborhood 

because everyone said "Oh, a business couldn't make it there!?"

Sunshine Gospel Ministries says "We think businesses can make it, so let's pray that God would provide a way for us to acquire an entire empty block where maybe some locals can start a business. Maybe a coffee shop.  Maybe a space for art.  Let's try it."  

And so they did.  

As of last week they signed on this property you see above.  

One business at a time, one block at a time,

  love starts looking really practical.

Thank you Sunshine for royally entertaining us with a little Christian Hip Hop and cupcakes!

If you are interested in Sunshine Gospel Ministries click on this link to find out more.  Part of their mission is to "equip churches to consider the issues of race, poverty, and the urban context through a Biblical lens, while also preparing them to meet the long-term needs of their own changing communities" (ie. short term mission trips).

And any blog post on the city would not be complete

 without a picture of the food we ate on the way. 

 This is a Brat Jason and I shared at Frank N' Dawgs (in Lincoln Park).

Those are 'pickled lotus roots' on that dog!