Houston Update

When you type "HOUSTON" into Google Search, the first thing that appears on the screen is:  "SOS ALERT: TROPICAL STORM HARVEY" Harvey has spread it's destruction across every county in Southeast Texas, flooding into parts of Louisiana. It's said to be the worst flood in all of U.S. history–and it's in CSM's own backyard, effecting our partners and ministry there. But, glory to God, Harvey has only brought the community closer together, according to CSM City Director, Jason. Jason and his wife evacuated their home this week by boat (see photo below), along with thousands of others who are now waiting to return to see what is left. "Yeah, we'll lose some stuff, including our two cars. But we can recover from that." And that's the attitude and reflection most of the city is choosing. Hope. Optimism. And even thankfulness, as many people have expressed "It could've been worse." "I've always been proud to be a Texan," Jason says, "but the biggest thing I've seen from our community is unity without complaints. We're really coming together in profound ways."   "But, we're going to need help."  While financial support and prayer is essential, what's also needed are volunteer groups. "Really, this isn't promotional, I promise. But we will really need groups to come on mission to Houston to help with the cleanup." Jason said that the cleanup will go into next year, even summer 2018.    CSM: It's time to help our Houston family.  Please spread the word or even signup to be a part of a team to come serve Houston.  It's not CSM that needs to shine through our efforts, but the love of Christ seen in helping our neighbor.  It's as simple as that.

City Staff Highlight: Keysha Boggess

CITY STAFF HIGHLIGHT

Keysha Boggess

CSM Denver City Director

How long have you been with CSM?

I have been with CSM for 13 years! I started as a City Host in Chicago while I was still in college. After graduating, I moved back to Chicago, the city that stole my heart, and became the Associate City Director. I worked under an incredible City Director who helped me discover my passion for social justice and supported me to further develop my leadership skills. When she moved on, I was given the opportunity to move up to the City Director position, and I led our Chicago site for 3 years. I felt led to come home after 5 years in Chicago, and I worked for a while in a food and clothing bank. I was then asked to start the CSM Denver site, and I have been the City Director in Denver for 8 years.

What brought you to CSM?

In High School, I went on 3 CSM trips with my youth group. Those mission trips gave me a bigger world view and showed me that I wanted to work with people in low-income situations in some capacity. When I got the chance to work with CSM, I jumped at it and found that it merged 2 things I love: supporting urban ministry work and educating students on social justice issues and God's heart for people.

Why did you choose CSM Denver?

I'm a Colorado native and Denver has always been my home. While working in Chicago, I always had the dream to see CSM in Denver one day. It was such a gift to become the founding City Director for our Denver site. I'll never forget the very first group I led on the Denver prayer tour. It was a very surreal experience and almost felt like I was coming full circle in many ways.

More about Keysha...

College: Oklahoma Baptist University 

Degree(s): Family Development and Cross Cultural Ministries

Hobbies: Traveling to new and favorite places; growing things in her veggie garden; going to a Colorado film festival each year with friends

Favorite Coffee Beverage: Americano

Favorite Quote: "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style." -Maya Angelou

Fun Fact: I've spent time in 39 states and hope to get to the other 11 at some point soon!

A Christian Response to the Refugee Crises

Refugees and Immigrants have been with us since the days of Cain and Abel. People have moved by the pull of a better life and have been chased away by an unlivable home.

We have often tried to get a handle on the new reality of people movements around the world by categorizing people: Legal/illegal, citizen/alien. But by doing this we not only fail to come to terms with the global problem, we also leave gaping holes of injustice in the wake.

Instead, let’s talk about people: Jose fled with his parents and siblings to L.A. from Guatemala, after a five month walking-trip through Mexico. Though the parents had no visa, still L.A. is all Jose has known since he was 22 months old. He hasn’t even learned much Spanish in his new home. To talk to Jose this week you would know his constant fear that is keeping him up every night, wondering if he will have to leave. 

Joseph spoke out against a tyrannical and murderous regime in his African home, and the result was a burned down house and bullets at his car. He came to NY under an asylum application but is scared that it will now be denied, after nearly 2 years of going through the process. Where can Joseph go? Back to a sure death?

Sari is a 12 year old little girl, who arrived to JFK with only a small suitcase of all that she owns. Her parents sold everything they had, left after bombs destroyed her city, and prepared to move in with Grandma. She has nothing to go back to and now, it seems, nothing ahead of her.

There is a lot in the Bible about how you treat “others” – those who are not of your nationality, race, faith and status. I have been guided for many years by three simple truths that help me navigate the complex, controversial and growing refugee and immigration realities in America:

1. Our response to refugees must be born from a RADICAL HOSPITALITY that is informed by God’s stated expectation in the Bible.

       a. God’s Creation: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and ALL WHO LIVE IN IT…” Psalm 24:1

       b. Remembering Who We Are: “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.” Leviticus 19:33&34.

We are a nation of foreigners; we are, as the NT reminds us, “aliens” in this world ourselves, and our ultimate citizenship is in eternity. God expects us to treat those who come to us as if there were no borders - to treat them “as ourselves”.

       c. Knowing How Jesus Expects Us to Treat the “Other”: “Then Jesus said to his host, when you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you WILL BE BLESSED. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:13ff

       d. Know Who God is and That We Follow His Example: He knows what it’s like to be the guest (Luke 19:5), stranger (Matthew 25:35-40), and Host (Rev.19:9)

2. Know why people come to America. 

Most think they come for prosperity, to flee war or famine, to rejoin family, and some fear they come to do Americans harm. But the Bible is very, very clear that it is GOD WHO DETERMINES WHERE AND WHEN PEOPLE LIVE. “From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries where they reside.” Acts 17:26.

God ultimately has a purpose for relocating the populations of the world and that purpose is missional; “God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps find him, though He is not far from any one of us.” Acts 17:27. 

If we see the refugee and immigrant as God’s mission to us it has to replace fear, selfishness and complacency.

3. The Bible is very clear on what justice to the “foreigner” looks like. It’s in the same chapter as our beloved “Ten Commandments”: “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.”

This is not a political issue, it’s a moral issue, a justice mandate and a Christian’s response.

The crises of the new “Ban on Refugees” must cause us to weep now for those who are suffering, remember the call of Jesus to welcome them, and pray for a dawning of hope for those trapped in the turmoil of the unknown.

Join me in being Proverbs 31 kinds of people who, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31: 8&9

Come join with CSM and help be Christ to the refugees our partners serve in the city! To learn more about how you can do this, please visit our website at: http://csm.org/signup.php



(Article written by: CSM President Dan Reeve)