God of this City...

I've been to a lot of places in the world, and I'm so thankful for the opportunities to see and experience different cultures. I've been to third world countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America...and each of them lived up to their name of "third world." It was unlike any place I had ever seen.

This past week, I headed with a team of 21 students and 5 other leaders to Philadelphia, PA. After 14 long hours on a bus, we pulled into Kensington, West Philly. If I didn't know that I was in fact in the U.S., I would've guessed we'd entered into a third world country. The district was so run down. There was trash lining the streets, hardly anything green (grass, trees, etc). Many buildings looked run down, broken into, or were covered in graffiti. And there was just a heaviness over that district as we pulled up to Union Tab (where we'd be staying).

After "settling in" at the church, we decided to hit the streets and see a little more of the area we'd be staying in. While walking around we were told a bit more about the neighborhood. Drugs, alcohol, prostitution...you could find all of it here.

A prayer we prayed over and over as a team was that God would break our hearts for the things that break His heart. Without any doubt, we experienced that this week. Our hearts broke at for those trapped in a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol. Our hearts broke at the thought of girls finding self worth through selling their bodies for the highest price. Our hearts broke for the kids who were starved for love and attention because they don't get it at home. Our hearts broke as we heard hurt and anger collide in raised voices filled with hate. Our hearts broke.

Yet at the same time, my heart rejoices when I think of how we saw God move in West Philly. My heart rejoices that students stepped up and boldly shared their faith with others. My heart rejoices that kids who believed they were unlovable and uncared for experienced unconditional love. My heart rejoices that students experienced God in ways they never expected to and it ignited within them a passion to "live a life worthy of the calling they have received." My heart rejoices because though we may never know the full extent of our impact on Philly, there is one thing we can be confident of...HE is God of that city. HE's the Light in that darkness. HE's the Hope to the hopeless. HE's the Peace to the restless. And through Him, greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done in that city.

I'm praying for changed lives in Philly, and I'm praying that through our experiences there, we'll also see changed lives here at home.