Blog

Night Ride II

Wed, 23 May 2012 04:01:53 +0000

What about the johns and pimps? Where are the active neighborhoods?

Portland police officers work to eliminate sex offenders and traffickers

What about a john/a purchaser of sexual favors? When caught, they are normally cited. If they are first time offenders, they can choose to attend “john school” to remove the citation from their record. “John school” has been designed by the officers in the sex tracking unit. In this seminar, speakers explain to the johns that the girls are being trafficked. Because they create the demand, the johns are part of the problem. If there were no demand, the problem would go away. For further investigation, see how Sweden has all but eliminated “sex for hire” by penalizing the purchasers of sexual favors. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-31/opinion/sweden.beatrice.ask.trafficking_1_human-trafficking-prostitution-sexual-services?_s=PM:OPINION

My observation is that the officers’ main goals are to arrest and/or prosecute the johns (the men who buy sexual favors) and the pimps (the ones who not only seek clients for the girls and women but also “own” them emotionally and psychologically). This type of prosecution demands a huge time commitment and, in particular, requires cooperation from the girl. This is not always easy to obtain because she has been brainwashed into believing the pimp is the only one on earth who cares about her. To do the job right the bureau desperately needs more officers.

Another means for identifying girls and pimps is to set up a “date” and pretend to be a john. This takes an incredible amount of resources and planning. The unit is forced to make a decision whether to work the street (possibly more impactful) or set up a sting on a specific john. Two of the four officers in this unit are women. Sometimes they become decoys in an effort to pick up johns. This is risky as they put themselves in harm’s way in an effort to prosecute these guys. Many johns have been picking up sex slaves for so long they know to check for bullet proof vests once the girl is in the car to identify her as a cop. Thus the female officer cannot wear her vest when she is on this type of mission, further putting her in harm’s way.

Community awareness must occur

Many recognize the notorious 82^nd Avenue as the metro area venue for sex trafficking. I have heard people, including government officials, claim there is no problem in “their area” or “their town.” It is reprehensible that self-interests and tourism conceal the truth about teenage girls, held captive and raped, several times a night.

Websites, offering sexual services, reveal girls in Lake Oswego, Tigard, Salem, Beaverton, Vancouver, downtown Portland, etc. They are in hotel rooms, apartments or homes, essentially enslaved. Many girls will travel to a specified location, dropped off by their pimps. Hotel employees, including those from luxury hotels, look the other way or are too busy to notice. This on-line, underground business is called “indoor prostitution.” Most other suburbs and counties have no one specifically assigned to monitor the sex industry, in effect negating the problem exists through lack of enforcement.

Out of the mouth, the heart speaks

“Pimp” has become commonplace in our culture. Mainstream usage glorifies any number of things from houses, to jewelry, to “pimp my ride,” etc. Pimps are cowardly men who make money from girls and throw them away when they are no longer useful to them. Glamorizing the term “pimp” diminishes the severity of their actions. Evil becomes acceptable by simply using a negatively descriptive word in a positive manner.

Misconceptions concerning teens in the sex trade

The biggest myth about these adolescents is that they are in the sex trade by their own choice. These teenagers get lured into the trade by pimps who prey on girls who already have low self-esteem. The vast majority endured bad family situations, experienced abusive relatives/relationships, are newly homeless or are vulnerable in other ways. Pimps encounter teen victims at shopping malls, parks and similar areas, quickly discerning which girls to approach. Befriending them is the first step. Gradually, the girls start believing the pimps are their boyfriends. Then, they systematically strip them of all other acquaintances, including family. Finally, the girls have no other relationships but their pimps. The pimps break down everything about who these young ladies once were to where their self-worth is only realized by earning money for sex.

The girls appear to be free out on the street and it seems they can leave whenever they wish, but they cannot. Why? They are actually being trafficked, kept in slavery by unscrupulous men, who make their living by prostituting them. Information about how these teens are held captive can be found by typing “how to pimp” on either Google or Amazon. Why is there not a backlash from men in America about this this? Do we really believe that a teenage girl would put her life in danger, several times a day, by her own choice?

---Dan Quatier

May Prayer Requests

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:57:56 +0000

Consider Joining the Compassion Connect Prayer Team

Compasion Connect has a Prayer Coordinator (Karen Masulis). (Every couple weeks) prayer update emails please join the team by emailing:

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CC Prayer Requests for May 2012

Health - Compassion Clinics
Compassion Yakima - April 21
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

Lots of praise. . . 800 people, every medical and dental appointment was utilized. Hair cutting was once again the biggest need. Great food all day. About 150 volunteers; truly a great day.

Compassion No. Clackamas – mini clinic – April 21
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

CNC’s first mini-clinic went well. We saw 61 patients, mostly dental and chiropractic. 5 patients saw doctors or nurse practitioner. We have more than enough volunteers from 3 churches, BSLC, New Hope and New Life Christian Center. Of the 61 patients, 56 were Latinos but we had plenty of interpreters. For the most part the day went smoothly.

Requests: Please pray for:

The next mini-clinic at Milwaukie Christian Church on July 28 - for pts who weren’t able to be seen on 4/21 to get appts
To develop on-going relationships as they put together the follow-up on patients who have asked for more help with ESL, spiritual needs, employment help, food, clothing, etc. They currently have linked up with Los Niños Cuentan to provide some of those services right there at the church.

Upcoming Compassion Clinics (there are no clinics this month)
Requests: Please pray for:

All the clinics as they are starting their new plans and strategies for 2012
Each clinic to be guided according to the Lord's desire for their community
Compassion Connect (the body that oversees all the clinics) to be guided by Him
For wisdom and resources that are needed
Encouragement...seems like there have been a lot of clinics that are struggling because of burn out

Housing - Apartment Complex Initiative
Barberry Village
Requests: Please pray for these upcoming events:

Church Meal Dates Available: First and third Saturday of each month
Church Meal Dates Taken: None!
May 9 - Dennis Surprise Party - We are helping throw a surprise party for our manager
June 9 - Lane's Wedding
July 16th-20th - 5-day Club by Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF)
July 28th - (Tentative) Women's Clothing Exchange - Lane will help Andrea plan this event
Aug. 6-8 - Clear Creek Community Church VBS - Coming to Barberry

Requests: Please pray for the Team:

That a certain Chinese female resident would be saved.
God would help the transition as Lane gets married, and others potentially moving in.
Peter -
- One of my BIG requests is for my coworkers at the restaurant. There are lots of people who need to know the Lord, and I am praying that He brings the whole restaurant to know Jesus.
- I have been told I will get a raise. Pray that it is substantial and that it goes into effect quickly!
- Prayer for my Arabic/English lessons, that they could be gospel centered and effective for the Lord.
Lane - Had the chance to share the gospel with a resident, and is actively engaged in discussing a number of topics. Pray for her salvation.
Andrea - She wants more work, and to connect with a female resident.
Ryan - For his shoulder and direction with life.
Jennifer - She is thinking about starting a podcast for what is going on at Barberry.
Daniel - That I would initiate with a certain young man about discipleship here at Barberry.

Stone Creek
Requests: Please pray for:

Stonecreek to get traction with a community garden and cooking class as well as the standard connecting events (meals, craft nights, Bible studies, game nights, etc.).
Stonecreek has been in a difficult season since Easter when their apartment manager left suddenly. Continued prayer for healing of trust for the neighbors would be great. We've already seen God working in this, so just that the team and church partners would continue to have wisdom with how to proceed.

ACI Leadership
Requests: Please pray for:

We will be entering into an evaluation season over the summer months. We would like to hear God's clear leading on future direction.

Abolition of Human Trafficking
Abolition Now - A collaborative anti-human trafficking movement
Requests: Please pray for:

Monday May 7th at 11:00am - Good Shepherd Community Church is giving the Human Trafficking ministry an opportunity to present how much the ministry has grown, and how GSCC can support its vision. We feel God wanting us to spread awareness within the church, and to continue to support organizations such as Door To Grace, Adorned in Grace, etc

Adorned in Grace West – Bridal store to raise money to help victims of human trafficking
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

Praise that Kate and her husband, John were able to get away on a sailboat belonging to good friends! A much needed break!
Praise for faithful volunteers who have been proactive in problem-solving and tending the shop in Kate's absence. Thank you to Janelle and others who stepped in to bridge the gap!
Praise for new volunteers at the shop
Praise for those who so sacrificially give, even on a Saturday, so that young girls can avoid and/or escape modern-day slavery
Praise for the Volunteer Celebration on Wednesday, May 2nd at 7:30 PM

Requests: Please pray for:

Pray for additional Saturday volunteers, as well as a church/community liaison, dry cleaning donations/vouchers, printing of business cards and publications
Pray for the nuts and bolts of conducting a business-ministry; to keep Jesus first and the girls always close at heart while also being good steward of all the gifts we are given

Adorned in Grace East - design studio being developed to help at risk girls
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

Praise God for Terry Lumapas, the property owner (who previously donated 2,400 sf for the studio) has donated an additional 1,247 sf of office and conference room space for the Adorned in Grace Design Studio as well as Compassion Connect offices
Praise God for the Compassion Connect volunteers who are cleaning and preparing the space to make it CC's "home"
Praise God for Eden Community Church members who are "worshipping through service" at the space: painting, replacing florescent light bulbs and landscaping on May 6th
Praise God for a fruitful Global Giving Campaign that raised over $6,000 for the Design Studio
Praise God for a lovely open house that led to connections with new volunteers

Requests: Please pray for:

The City permitting process and wisdom on how to proceed under the zoning limitations for the basement.

Huge praises to God for an incredible "Dress for FREEdom: a silk and satin event"! Wow! 47 girls living in shelters or foster care had a blast playing games, trying on dresses, posing in a photo booth, making bracelets, eating fabulous food and listening to fun music. 44 of them found a dress that they loved and took it home for free. Many also received shoes to match along with a gift card from a generous, Jesus-loving family.

Each of these girls (and their caseworkers and/or family members) heard the testimony of a beautiful and intelligent woman who was born to a 13-year old prostitute, raised with abuse and in foster care, was finally adopted but still "felt the weight of the world on her shoulders until" she "met Jesus". The girls were on the edge of their seats with hope on their faces. A Holy Spirt-filled, Pentecostal black woman asked if she could pray. Heaven stood still.

A DHS caseworker later called to see if the woman who shared would consider being approved to meet with the girls' at the shelter! (well, yah!) How cool is that?

Pray that the seeds planted in these young hearts and minds (and those of their chaperones') would continue to bear fruit and glorify the Lord Jesus

Thank you, thank you to those who donate dresses, to those who warmly connect with the dress donors, sort dresses, store dresses, work in the outreaches and every one of you who pray for these precious children that the dresses touch. Thank you for making these God-connections possible.
Other:
Requests: Please pray for:

God to raise up a banquet prayer team...and we really want to make sure our hearts are right in this banquet planning process. Tha banquet will be Friday evening, Oct. 19th at Willamette Christian Church in West Linn, OR.
We have a really fun chart that will track donor and volunteer's involvement with Compassion Connect, but we need wisdom on how best to implement it.

Compassion & Authority according to Jesus

Fri, 04 May 2012 20:35:03 +0000

Reflections on The Gospels (Mark 1)

Mark 1: Jesus taught with authority and healed with compassion

There seems to be a balance here that is attainable but oh so distant. Jesus lived and walked by the Spirit. He did not teach with a distant divine authority that is so far removed from the human experience that I have no hope of it. He did not heal with a miraculous power that is reserved for the Godhead alone. He lived a higher way. He trusted in the will and ways of God.

At times I feel as though my compassion is completely lacking and my authority is contrived. When I stop to think, I know my authority is not in a title or a degree but rather it must come from a confident walk with Jesus. It was His confidence that drew me toward him a decade ago, and His was no contrived fakeness.

Compassion is all together different for me. Ironic once you look at my resume. I have seen flashes of it….but it is not a consistent quality I find in my daily life.
I find it interesting in the healing of the leper (V.40-45) that Jesus had an idea the man would eventually disobey him and cause him personal hardship by sharing the story with the whole region. Yet Jesus was filled with compassion and said “I’m willing, be clean.” How is that possible? How do you have compassion, complete and pure, whilst knowing the subject of your compassion will offend you? At times the paradox between Christ and myself feels overwhelming

I, by rule, will not give cash to (have compassion on) a beggar on the corner because I DON’T know if he will use it to harm himself. Jesus had complete compassion on a man He KNEW would harm Him.

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” –Apostle Paul

Author

Milan Homola

Generosity & Hospitality

Tue, 01 May 2012 01:43:30 +0000

Loving when it doesn't feel easy

1 John 3:11-20

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

“We should love one another” (vs. 3:11). “Should” implies that we have a choice to love or not, but also gives instruction which leads to the better choice – to choose love. We also see in verse 18 that love is an action: “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” I think it would be safe to conclude that love is not just a feeling, which is how we often judge it, but also a choice and an action. That is probably not a new revelation for anyone who might be reading this. In fact, some might say the “love is a verb” saying is becoming cliché, but I think it is an important point to remember before I go on, because when we are given an instruction to love one another, the next question that we might ask ourselves is “how?” “How can I show someone love?”

Think of the people who love you, what do they do to show it? Think of your friends, the people that are easy for you to love, how do you show them you love them? What are some practical ways that people show each other that they care for one another? As I was reflecting on these questions I thought a good word to describe ways of showing love was generosity. The word generosity displays the idea that you are giving of yourself somehow. Maybe giving your time, money/possessions, listening ears, service. Maybe you are giving your forgiveness to someone who hasn’t treated you well. Another good word is hospitality. I think this word helps display the idea that you are being welcoming. When you are hospitable you are doing what you can to make someone feel comfortable and welcome. Maybe that looks like offering them food or drink, talking to them, welcoming them into a conversation.

What about the weird, unlovable, strange, people that I don’t relate to at all. Those that I don’t understand and they don’t understand me. This is where it may take some extra effort. It is easier to show love to those that are more like us, and someone we would like to befriend. However, there is no distinction made between people we should love and people we shouldn’t; there is only “love one another”. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (vs. 4:9). Christ is our standard, and he showed us love by laying down his life for us. He gave the ultimate in order to show his love – that is generosity; that is grace. And before he died for us, while he walked on the earth, he welcomed the unlovely, unwanted, and those known to everyone as “sinners”. He served them, listened to them, healed them, taught them truth, and fed them.

1John 4:10-12

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us

Praise God for his love! I would not have known it if he had not shown it to me first. Lord I pray that you might increase my love for you and for others. I pray that I might be moved by the love you have shown me to then go and show it to others. Help me to be more giving, for you gave the ultimate. Give me eyes to see those opportunities when I can show generosity and hospitality, and give me the boldness to take those opportunities, for “there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (vs. 4:18)

Author

Alicia Crow

My Frenemy

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:31:54 +0000

Why Busyness and I Are No Longer Friends

Recently the Lord has been opening my eyes to see one of the more deceitful enemies in my life: busyness. Taking a good look at my life, one could easily assume that I feel I have something to prove to myself or to the world, and that I seek to prove it with constant activity. Christ tells us that we should have abundant life, but the only abundance I see anymore is in the number of tasks I need to get done each day. I don’t enjoy life; I just get through it. I don’t share the joy of what Christ has done in and through me; I just feel the weight of “the gospel” pushing down on me, reminding me of one more task I need to do today: tell people about Jesus, check. And some days I find myself running so fast and hard, when rest finally does come I am incapable of enjoying it.

Take last weekend, for example. It’s a lazy Saturday morning. The sun is out, and we don’t have an event at Barberry today. Immediately upon waking, I’m restless. The day, so empty of plans and full of possibilities, looms over me like a fearsome villain. My mind is frantically searching for tasks. I know there are a million things I’ve got to get done all of the time- why can’t I think of any of them right now? I can’t even enjoy my time with the Lord; true communion with anyone, especially our Lord, requires attention, focus, and a spirit of peace within one’s heart. I don’t have any of these things today. I cut my prayer time out, and focus on reading through the chapters of the Bible I’ve assigned myself. Needless to say, I draw nothing from it. The Lord may be speaking, but I am not listening; I’ve got things to do, if only I could think of what they are….

Can you see what I mean? Busyness is one of those sneaky “frenemies”. I like to think it means I am being productive and using my time efficiently. But when to-do lists are so long I stop bothering to write things down, when my close friends start sending me texts saying, “I sure miss you”, and when I have to drink more than one cup of coffee just to get through the day’s tasks after a too-short comatose period which can hardly qualify as sleep, I know I have befriended one who is not a friend at all. In fact, I’d like to suggest that busyness, although highly glorified in our culture, is one of those “friends” who should remain a mere acquaintance; someone you see from time to time, greet with sincere friendliness, thankful for who they are and how they are different from you, maybe hang out for a while, and then, go your separate ways.

Now, I am not advocating laziness, either. I do believe this world is not our home, and that we are here to be purposeful, diligent, and careful stewards of our time, talent, and treasure. However, the most important things we must steward are our relationships, since these are all we have that are eternal. When there is no time to seek the Lord in prayer, no time to bear the burdens of others, and no time to grow in gospel-reflecting relationships, this is not good stewardship. This is not the abundant life which we are designed to have. The Christian condition is one that requires not only times of hard work and warring, but also rest and reflection. How can one delight oneself in the Lord, when one has no time to get to know the Lord, let alone to learn what it means to “delight”? How do you know when you are conquering sin, or being conquered by it, if there is no time for introspection outside of that ten distracted minutes you give to the Lord during the Sunday worship service? This will not do. This is not enough.

I’ve learned another reason not to allow busyness to hang around too long: he is a thief. He steals our time, our relationships, and our joy. Here at Barberry, my whole God-given ministry hangs on my having the time to develop relationships with my neighbors. When I am doing my laundry, I am not just doing laundry- I am looking for opportunity to see a neighbor outside, willing to chat. Just the other day, in between changing loads of laundry I saw a friend of mine, *Mei, outside with her son. She is from China, and her two year-old son only speaks Chinese. They were playing with some Mixteco neighbors of ours, who only speak Spanish and Mixteco. What a delight to watch as the two toddlers played together, their parents calling direction and correction at them in their respective languages. What a delight to consider that if they were to stay at Barberry, these two children would have the opportunity to learn English, Spanish, Mixteco, Chinese, Arabic, and Karen! What a special joy to stand and talk with their parents, translating when I could, and to later have the opportunity to share with Mei about who Jesus is and what he has done in my life. What a delight, to know I have a Chinese Bible at home- and a delight to have the time to pray fervently for Mei, that one day she will ask me for that Bible. These are the delights busyness would love to steal from me- and I wouldn’t even know he was doing it.

He would tell me that I only go to the Barberry events to check them off my Christian to-do list: serving the widow and the orphan, check. He would tell me that the racial diversity at our complex is not a wonderful blessing intended for the further spreading of the gospel, but an overwhelming burden, as I don’t have the time to listen patiently to the careful and jumbled English of my neighbors as they share with me about their lives. He would tell me that I’ve got to have more to show in this life than good friends. And he would be lying.

So I am saying no to busyness the next time he comes knocking. Instead of signing on for yet another ministry, or more hours at work, I will say no to him and choose instead to spend my time enjoying communion with the Lord, spending time with my neighbors, or cooking good meals with healthful ingredients. I will choose a life of diligently seeking after Christ, of true rest, and of thoughtful, prayerful stewardship instead of a life of busyness, guilt, and joyless tasks. There will be times I will say no when asked, but will choose instead to pray that the Lord raises up another, and there will be times when I will have enough time to say yes, and know that I can serve well. There will be fewer checks on my to-do list, and more thanksgiving for the lessons learned while serving others. What about you? How will you respond to Christ’s call to resist busyness and find rest in Him?

*Attention: I've changed neighbor's names in order to protect their privacy.

(Image by Arseni)

Author

Lane Pelham

Gospel Challenge

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:16:26 +0000

Can you hear these challenging words from someone who has a right to speak them?

pictured above (Barberry Village Mission Team)

This morning I faced a big question…a very big question. It was one of those moments in which I realized something so powerful, so life-changing, and so obvious, that felt like a complete idiot to have lived this long in life without realizing it. Unfortunately, this happens to me often. Sometimes, I become convinced that I must have known it once, and just forgotten….and forgotten that I forgot. At least, I hope that is what happened. In any case, I know it now. And it causes that question to haunt me...as it should.

I, like many Portlanders, woke up and mourned the retreat of the warm, golden, sunny days we’ve had this last week. I shuddered slightly with in the chill of the crisp morning air, and resigned myself to another day of Portland clouds, possible showers, and, at the very least, the gift of a nice hot cup of coffee. I busied myself with tidying the kitchen, making breakfast, and thinking about the plans of the
day, browsing the internet for information about a new medication, and checking the weather report for an update on weekend. But, I felt like something was missing in my day. And there was, wasn’t there? Something that definitely should have been there…or maybe it wasn’t something, but Someone.

I hope you can see it, though I know I didn’t. At least, not until I sat down to read my Bible and bewilderingly processed Colossians chapter one. I go to the Bible because I want to hear the word of God. I want to know what it is He is saying, and I read the Bible with this question in mind. So, I sat down this morning and read Colossians, continually prompting myself with the question, “What is this chapter about?” I moved through chapter one and was about to move on to chapter two when I realized: it’s
about the gospel. It’s all about the gospel. It’s about how to gospel affected Paul, and then Timothy, and then the Colossians and about how these older believers are praying for younger believers who now believe the gospel, and who are learning what it means to live it out, and then it is directly about the gospel again- about Christ, and who He is and what He has done. And this is when I had my duh
moment, my great realization- the whole book of Colossians is about the gospel. The whole Bible is
about the gospel…Our whole lives are about the gospel. At least, they should be if we’re believers. And I had to ask myself, is my whole life about the gospel?

And this is the question we all need to ask ourselves, right? Because if you’re a Christian (by the Bible’s definition of a Christian) then the gospel should have changed your life…radically. Just look at Colossians: they have nothing else to talk about! Nothing else to live for! Or, look at the book of Acts, for another example. What do you see? Believers of the gospel- declaring the gospel, living out of the gospel, healing people for the sake of the gospel, selling all of their possessions to benefit the poor (because of the gospel), defending the gospel, praying for those who did and would believe the gospel, praying for boldness to declare the gospel, finding all commonality and community in the gospel, living and dying (literally) for the gospel. It is all about the Gospel. And so, I ask you: Christian, is your life all about the gospel?

In Colossians, Paul tells us that God has “delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”. (Col. 1:13-14) It goes on to say that all things, including you and me, were created for Jesus, by Jesus, and for Jesus. What more proof do we need (although if we do need more proof, it is found in every page of the Bible)? You are supposed to live and breathe and have your being in God. Are you living for sunny days,
coffee, work, your health, your pleasure….or for Jesus? Does your life support this answer? Is the way
you get out of bed in the morning, and the way you eat or don’t eat, the way you clean or don’t clean, and the delight you take in gifts like sunshine and coffee, a testament to your love for Jesus and the understanding that you doubly owe him for your life?

I’m not saying this from some position of authority, but as a sister in Christ, exhorting you with the very
lesson she learned this morning: live your life for the gospel. For real. Don’t live for your job, or your
mortgage, or your ministry, or your kids, or that cute boy at church, or whatever cause has caught your fancy. Live for Jesus. Live for the gospel that tells people who He is and what He has done. The pleasure you will find in being His servant, even for a day, is exceeding. I realized this recently too!

The other day I got to share the gospel with my neighbor, *Mei. Mei is from China, has never held a Bible in her life, and wasn’t even sure how to read it when we went through it together. She went through the verses with me, asking questions about baptism, about the work of the Holy Spirit, about how to be saved, and about my personal testimony. After a full discussion of the gospel, and answers
to her questions, she committed to reading her Bibles (our team gave her one in English and in Chinese)
and talking with me about it. Brothers and sisters, Mei never held a Bible before that! I met her at an
event here at Barberry last April and immediately felt a burden to share the gospel with her. A year, and
many conversations later, I was able to. She considers us on the team to be some of her closest friends,
and verbally affirms that our style of living here at Barberry, including our kindness, graciousness,
and generosity, has given a positive testament to what the Bible has to say. Can you believe that? Us!
Me! Regular sinners, redeemed and made servants, and we get to share the news of the gospel to
people like Mei. It’s unbelievable. I could hardly sleep that night, for the excitement of it all – and God’s
graciousness in answering my humble prayers for her over the last year. And if I lived for the gospel
every day, I am sure I would find this pleasure much more often- there are so many opportunities.

Most of the time, in fact, there are more opportunities than we have time for. On Thursday, myself and
Jenn, another woman from the team, will be going to visit another neighbor- a young Latina woman
who recently gave her life to the Lord, to offer to disciple her, and to welcome her to our women’s Bible
study. And there are so many stories like this! But, we need more workers. We need Christians. We
need people whose lives have been drastically changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ- people who are no
longer living for their job or their security or their fun. People who are willing to live like Jesus did, like
the disciples did, like Christians are supposed to.

Christians aren’t necessarily “supposed to” move to Barberry- or even serve here. But they are supposed
to live their lives for the gospel- something we just don’t see that much of in our “Christian” nation.
So, that is why I write this morning- in hope that this blog has helped you to ask some questions of
yourself, and what your life does look like. Maybe you should sell all of your possessions to benefit the
poor, maybe you should quit your job to be a full time evangelist, or start using it as an opportunity to
share the gospel with non-believers. Maybe you shouldn’t; I don’t know what it looks like for you…I only
know what it looks like for me, and what it means for all of us today: give up your life. Live for the gospel
instead. You won’t regret it.

*Note: Mei’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.

Author

Lane Pelham

Night Ride

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 00:31:28 +0000

Opening our eyes to protect trafficked victims.

After spending a night in a squad car, observing Portland police officers assigned to the sex trafficking division, I became more acutely aware of the plight of sex slaves, especially those below 18 years old. Because of this experience, I feel compelled to present my own perspective on this blight in our community.

Evening shift with the Sex Trafficking Unit
Before venturing out into the icy, night air, we pore over that day’s Internet ads from two well-known sites. Girls trapped in this lifestyle are forced by their pimps to advertise themselves in explicit, pornographic poses to sell their “wares” to potential customers.

The officers recognize the teen in the first submission. They know her name and also know she is 17 years old, even though the ad discloses her age as 19. She has been “posting” (posting ads) since 14 years of age. They indicate she is very soft spoken. They have talked to her on the street and tried to get her help. Undoing months and years of brainwashing by a pimp is extremely difficult in a couple of hours.

Outside on the street, it is cold. The girls are out “working.” The officers drive and look for the young women. This particular police team has been patrolling for years and knows what to observe. They want to find the johns and pimps. The only way to find them is to hunt for “working” girls. Like vultures circling their prey, johns and pimps can be found nearby.

When a young girl is spotted entering a car, the squad car follows and pulls the vehicle over. Without exception, every john confronted has a made-up story about why the girl is sitting in his car. Upon stopping the john’s vehicle, the officers attempt to connect with the girl. They want a trust relationship with her so that she will seek help. She receives information about how to get that help. They extend an invitation to meet with her to follow up. Sometimes, if the girl exhibits an attitude, they arrest her or cite her but basically as an effort to force her to get the support she needs. One of the young women we talk to is visibly embarrassed. More than likely, she will pursue the assistance offered.

Sex Trafficking Unit from Portland police employs officers with heart
The officers, working within the sex trafficking unit from the Portland Police Bureau, are unbelievably dedicated to their jobs, very compassionate towards the girls and extremely passionate about their mission. The police, from this small unit, operate with minimal resources and often pay for items out of their own pockets to secure a girl’s safety, if only for a few days.

Arrest record statistics do not adequately portray what is happening on the streets. The police are trying to help the girls get out of the sex trade. Arresting them is not always the best approach. As officers try to develop trust relationships with the girls, they give out their personal cell numbers. They inform these teens they can call any time, 24/7. As a result, these policemen spend hours of personal time, in addition to their normal shifts, on the job. However, if they do not make themselves available, they lose credibility with the girls. The bottom line: the officers want the girls to know the police are there to help them.

Proactive responses
I asked the officers and others, “What can the community, specifically men in the community, do?”
1.       Post letters and send emails to the Mayor and the Portland Police Chief.
2.       Work to support the police vice squad division. It is often considered one of the first units to cut during budget talks. (Portland shows a low ranking of cities its size with regard to the ratio of officers to the population.)
3.       Inform people about what is really happening and what the police are doing to combat this heinous crime. (That is why I am writing this.)
4.       Support harsher laws penalizing sex purchasers thus making the business less attractive and less lucrative. Review successful laws in other areas of the country, of the world. Sweden has an excellent law that has all but eliminated sex for sale. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-31/opinion/sweden.beatrice.ask.trafficking_1_human-trafficking-prostitution-sexual-services?_s=PM:OPINION
5.       Forward this article to other Portland area men for educational purposes.
6.       Contribute to organizations, such as Door to Grace, that are working towards implementing “safe homes.” (See category under “Rescue” on Abolition Now website: http://www.abolitionnow.com) Officers need secure places to take the girls for their safety and care.

Is there something you can do to help in this fight?

----Dan Quatier

Upcoming blog: What about the johns and pimps? Where are the active neighborhoods?

April Prayer Requests

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:57:14 +0000

Consider Joining the Compassion Connect Prayer Team

Compasion Connect has a Prayer Coordinator (Karen Masulis). (Every couple weeks) prayer update emails please join the team by emailing:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

CC Prayer Requests for April 2012

Health - Compassion Clinics

Compassion Queen Creek (Arizona) – March 10
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

Queen Creek was wonderful. Great collaboration and servant’s hearts. Really honoring to the Lord.

Hopefest w/ City Serve, Phoenix Arizona - April 14

HopeFest Phoenix, an inaugural event led by CityServe Arizona is a collaboration of hundreds of helping agencies, organizations and individuals, reaching out to thousands of people in need who will receive free groceries, haircuts, personal care items, clothing, financial counseling, tax preparation, ID cards, employment services, spiritual support, bicycle repair and many other helping services.
CityServe Arizona exists to convene and facilitate collaborative and transformative services to those in need. Our mission is to build networks of caring support across the faith, business, civic, government and education sectors to meet real needs in our local communities. It is our vision that every person in need knows they are loved because a “network of compassionate care” exists in their community.
For more info: http://cityserveaz.com/hopefest/

Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

PRAISE: For our staff and volunteer leads; for the $ and donations we’ve been entrusted with thus far.

Requests: Please pray for:

Strong collaboration between churches and other organizations in the city.
God’s love to be present and poured out on all who attend whether volunteers of guests.
PROVISION: $, personal care items, clothing, volunteers
CLARITY OF MIND: What has to be done between now and April 14th ; to be good stewards of what we’ve been given to serve the ‘least.’

Compassion Yakima - April 21
Requests: Please pray for:

The presence of the Holy Spirit the day of the event.
For much fruit that day.
That our God would be worshipped and glorified.
For much reconciliation.
For God to lead the team as they meet every Tuesday at 7:00 for prayer.

Compassion No. Clackamas – mini clinic – April 21
Requests: Please pray for:

The team to be able to coordinate schedules.
Additional doctors and nurses to sign up.
The client/guests to sense the love of Christ.
More volunteers to register and receive training.
The prayer team to have opportunities to share the Gospel.

Upcoming Compassion Clinics
Requests: Please pray for:

All the clinics as they are starting their new plans and strategies for 2012
Each clinic to be guided according to the Lord's desire their community
Compassion Connect (the body to oversee all the clinics) to be guided by Him for
wisdom and resources that are needed
Encouragement...seems like there have been a lot of clinics that are struggling because of burn out.

Housing - Apartment Complex Initiative

Barberry Village
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

The Discipleship Training was excellent and very practical.
Also praise God for working recently at an event here at Barberry. About 8 people made commitments to follow Jesus! Most of these were Cuban men who had just moved in. Please pray for those involved to disciple them.

Requests: Please pray for these upcoming events:

CEF - is coming April 7th. Starts at 1pm.
Praise Chapel Activity - April 14th. Orientation starts at 1:30. Movie and craft night. Some of the younger crowd could come and do the crafts, while the older crowd could be watching a movie.
Barberry team get together - April 21st or 28th.
Meal Dates Available: March 31st , April 28th, May 12th, 26th, June 2nd, 16th, 30th, July 14th, 28th, August 11th, 25th

Requests: Please pray for the Team:

That a certain Chinese female resident would be saved.
God would help the transition as Lane gets married, and others potentially moving in.
Peter - More direction and focus.
Lane - Is beginning to disciple someone. Praise God.
Andrea - Work, and to connect with a female resident.
Ryan - Peter and Ryan are going on a road trip to recruit some people for ACI, go to some classes, and fellowship with some believers. Also his shoulder is doing better.
Jennifer - Rest and energy.
Daniel - That I would be faithful in prayer.

Stone Creek
Requests: Please pray for:

We have a possible 3rd church partner! Wisdom for their involvement.
Protection over the on-site team and church volunteers. All are feeling spiritual oppression.
Our biggest request at the moment is for good health. All three of us have had issues with sickness &/or injury for the past several months. All of us feel that this has been a form of spiritual attack since it hard to be motivated to get together with neighbors when you don't feel good.

Milwaukie ACI
Requests: Please pray for God to continue to clarify the next steps, to encourage the individuals considering joining the site team, and to provide more church partners.

Beaverton ACI
Requests: For God to continue to move within the churches there and for Jen to be making the right connections to see if it may work to have an ACI location there.

ACI Leadership
Requests: Please pray forJen as she follows up on contacts from Apartment Awareness month and the Justice Conference.

Abolition of Human Trafficking

Abolition Now - A collaborative anti-human trafficking movement
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

Our PSU intern, has been helping us gather information about active organizations. She will we presenting in her class on how to stop the commodities of people in Portland. What a great opportunity to spread awareness!

Requests: Please pray for:

God's guidance and protection over the update of the resource notebook and creation of the new website. We want to be able to produce a notebook, listing all active organizations in the fight against trafficking, in hopes of having it place in other organizations and church offices to offer a collaborative effort of support and volunteer opportunities. We need more volunteers
HT Prayer & Awareness Ministry- I see an overwhelming need for people to be aware of HT here in Portland. Please be in prayer for the churches and neighborhoods to open their eyes and hearts to these issues and to respond. Pray for protection over those who are speaking out and seeking justice.
Protection over our volunteers and their families.
Wisdom in training new volunteers.

Adorned in Grace West – Bridal store to raise money to help victims of human trafficking
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

Thanksgiving for God's provision of faithful and gifted volunteers and wonderful customers.
Thanksgiving for a wonderful marketing visionary/interior designer who is investing many hours of her expertise to help the shop thrive.
Thanksgiving for the provision of a new(er) computer that is faster and easier to use.

Requests: Please pray for:

Stirring in the hearts of more sales associates, especially for Saturdays.
That new brides would consider sharing their special day (purchase a gown) and/ or share their dress (donate) for the purpose of setting captives free.
New sources of donations of dresses.
Wisdom for the leadership team as they work to "focus" on priorities: raising awareness and funds to meet the needs of victims and prevent young girls from becoming trapped.
Creative ways to market and use the gifts of beautiful formalwear that we received to bless others without overwhelming the donated retail space.
Adorned in Grace has been invited to host the Dudes and Dresses hole at a Golf Tournament on April 10th. Golfers will have the privilege of purchasing the right to tee off from the ladies' tee while wearing a wedding dress (and also bless the group behind them by donating a dress opportunity for each of them.) All donations raised at our sponsored hole will go to AIG. Please pray!

Adorned in Grace East - design studio being developed to help at risk girls
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

Praise for a Compassion Connect Board member who secured a spot for the build-out Project on the Global Giving Campaign website through the Nike Employee Giving program. The Adorned in Grace Design Studio Project will be featured on their website during the month of April.
Thanksgiving for Joy and Milan who contributed their time to help Linda prepare the website to launch April 1st.
Praise for a request from an east side church who would like to hear about the Design Studio work and how they can support it. Linda is scheduled to meet with them on April 12th.

Requests: Please pray for:

Pray that the Lord would grant the Project favor so that at-risk girls can have a safe meeting place to learn valuable life skills, connect with caring mentors and hear that Jesus loves and values deeply.
Pray for 30 students from Sacramento who are traveling to Portland for a week-long "School of Neighborhood Transformation" sponsored by our ministry partner, Second Stories. The students will meet at the future Design Studio location on Monday, April 2nd. Gary and Linda will speak to the issue of modern day slavery and the Design Studio's prevention work. Survivor AIG Bride, Mara will testify to how a 13-year old church girl can fall prey. Fifteen of the students will then volunteer at a nearby transit platform while the remaining 15 students will spend 3 days at the Design Studio site removing graffiti, pressure washing the stairs and parking lot, cleaning up trash and landscaping to show their support for at-risk girls.
Pray for the Adorned in Grace Outreach on April 14th to girls who are in the CASA program (court-appointed special advocates for children who have been abused or neglected) or are currently living in foster care. AIG and Clear Creek Community Church are partnering to host a dress-up party with food, fun activities and a photo booth as we raise awareness and develop relationships with the girls. Each guest will take home a free prom, banquet, party dress or outrageous costume as AIG's gift to them.

Other:
Praises: Thank God for His answers to prayer!

Praise for the steps forward that God is taking us through with PLF
The good response to the survey sent to our donors – it is helping donors to get more connected to the ministry.

Requests: Please pray for:

A lot of discernment for the staffing plan in the coming year.
Encouragement for the administrative team. There are a lot of details on the business side behind the scenes that are challenging and discouraging right now.

The Pitiful Princess

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:43:17 +0000

When Status Quo Isn't Good Enough

Compassion Connect executive director shares his thoughts on a local business in his neighborhood. The Pitiful Princess is a strip club that screams in our faces, as neighbors, that women are items to be taunted and flaunted in the 21st century. What if we didn't settle for status quo in Portland, OR in 2012?

I drive down the street, less than five miles from my home, staring off into space. As usual, I am thinking about an upcoming meeting while trying to pay attention to the road, of course. On this exact day, I notice a small, black and purple building, located just off the sidewalk.

Due to its blacked out windows and bright paint job, it doesn’t take me more than a second to recognize that place as a strip club. Sadly, there are so many in my neighborhood that one has to wonder about the principles of supply and demand. Nevertheless, this particular, purple building makes me gasp. The bright sign, atop the brick structure, reads, “The Pitiful Princess.”

I can’t think of any other business name that has ever struck me in the gut quite like that. It is akin to a slap in the face. But the question that has haunted me, and continues to haunt me as I drive by it almost daily, is “Whose face?”

I can’t help but be overwhelmed with emotion as I picture a woman searching for a job as she comes across The Pitiful Princess and decides to seek employment within. Without a doubt, I have no understanding of the pains and scars of her life that have brought her to the place where she would willingly work as a “pitiful princess.” I have two beautiful girls, five and two years old. I can’t imagine ever creating such a home environment that would drive them to that dark place later in life. It compels me to ensure they know just how beautiful and precious they are. I wonder if anyone ever told the women, currently working at The Pitiful Princess, they are beautiful and precious?

Not only do I struggle thinking about the individual women, I also feel lost when trying to pinpoint the societal evils that have birthed such a moral conundrum: A time and place where a business owner now can establish such a proprietorship and that he would brazenly call it such a thing as “The Pitiful Princess” and that it would find itself on a major street, showing the world that it is available to meet the “needs” of the community.

This particular business owner, most likely, possesses skills that could have been used for more noble means and yet, here stands The Pitiful Princess. Location choice is solid, as it shares a parking lot with a local, county health department where single moms can apply for health care and food stamps.

I digress. Back to the slap in the face. It is difficult to acknowledge this culture accepts such a pitiful business that so blatantly slaps its own women in the face by suggesting they are “pitiful.” But the slap in the face extends even deeper.

The Pitiful Princess is a slap in the face of God and His story.

“In the beginning God created…and it was good.” Those are some of the most recognizable pieces of God’s word, and yet, I look at a place, such as The Pitiful Princess, and realize this is in direct opposition to His statement that “We are created in His image.” There is nothing pitiful about being created in God’s image. Can you imagine the heart of God as He witnesses a poor, single mom, stepping through the doors of The Pitiful Princess, to seek employment?

God says to a woman, “You are beautiful. You are My precious princess.”

Instead, just down the street, my neighbors are saying, “You are pitiful.”

These are completely at war with each other. There is God’s truth and there is the process of the world coming to grips with that truth, but something in the middle is missing. Think about it in terms of an equation.

God says, “You are beautiful” + X = Women knowing God’s message

The missing X: it's you and I. We know God says, “Women are precious.” We know God can’t stand such a place as The Pitiful Princess. There are questions which need to be answered. Who is ever going to communicate the truth? How will the women in our neighborhoods know this profound truth if we aren’t communicating it? Who will ever tell her she is precious?

As I try to wrap my head around this reality, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is a Kingdom issue. You might wonder, “What does the Kingdom have to do with battling against a strip joint called ‘The Pitiful Princess?’”

We pray the Lord’s Prayer. How much do we mean it?

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done ON EARTH, as it is in Heaven.”

Jesus, when asked about the Kingdom and His identity, gave evidence of the Kingdom and its nearness. His evidence wasn’t the number of fluffy Christian books or the number of healthy churches, which to some might suggest a healthy Kingdom presence. Instead, His evidence was this: the blind could see, the lame were healed and GOOD NEWS was preached to the poor.

Is the Kingdom present, not only in our hearts, but also in our neighborhoods? I once heard someone say, “The Kingdom of God is an alternative to what is.”

How can we show the woman, working as a “pitiful princess,” an alternative to what is? How can we show the business owners, who want to make a profit by itemizing women, an alternative? How can we show the struggling marriages, that “drive” a man to demand the supply of The Pitiful Princess, an alternative to what is?

Honestly, I don’t know how but I’ve thought about it.

• What would it take to get some signs that say, “You are Beautiful, not Pitiful” and stand out in front of the establishment?
• What are the busiest hours for such an establishment, in order to optimize my time standing out there?
• What are the laws about picketing outside a business, if you stand on public sidewalks?
• It can’t be about picketing or closing down a business but rather, telling an alternative story.

Contact our Abolition Now team if you are interested in doing something. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you are interested there was an Oregonian article about this business in 2011.

Author

Milan Homola

In The News

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:51:53 +0000

"Portland Officer John Maul helps woman escape abusive pimp on 82nd Avenue"

Maxine Bernstein The Oregonian March 8, 2012

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf./2012/03/portland_officer_john_maul_hel.html

"How Pimps Use the Web to Sell Girls"

Nicholas Kristof The New York Times January 25, 2012

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/opinion/how-pimps-use-the-web-to-sell-girls.html?emc=eta1

"State House passes bill pressuring sex ad sellers."

Associated Press KOMOnews.com February 27, 2012

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/wash-House-passes-bill-pressuring-sex-ad-sellers-140659373.html