Bringing God's Kingdom to Highland Gardens
What does it mean to bring God's Kingdom to Highland Gardens in Chester, PA? It is being visible in the community and showing Christ in our words and actions.
Now that Lilly is a month old, I have started taking her and Lizzy on walks every morning in Highland Gardens. Each day I strap the girls into our double stroller and start off. Over the last week God has brought a variety of people across our path.
On Friday (6/1) we took a short walk because it was hot out. While we were walking we met a little boy who called me over just to hand me a battery that he had found on the ground. He must have been taught to give those types of things to adults and I was the first one that he saw. On my way back home the stroller got stuck and a young man who was walking by gladly helped me out.
On Saturday Tom joined us. While we were walking I was amazed at the number of people who were out and about at 9am. We saw some friends of ours from Refuge in Christ Church who were driving to a church conference, they were stuck at the same red light as us, so we chatted for a little bit. While we walked by our fellow missionaries' homes we saw some boys from Homework Club. They were sitting on on the railing of their house and joyfully said, "hi," when they saw us. While we were talking, "Jack" said that he would go tell his mom that we were outside. I was a little nervous thinking he might be waking his mom up to tell her that we were outside, but that was not the case. She was up and in the process of moving furniture to their new house across the street. She smiled when she saw us and enjoyed meeting Lilly for the first time. After we left Jack's house we headed home. On our way we met two people who remembered us from our Friday night Bible study. Unfortunately we didn't remember them, but found out where they lived and hope to stop by and see them again. I like walking with Tom because of how he joyfully says, "Hi, how ya doin,'" to everyone he meets. Most people can't help but smile after that.
On Sunday we were walking by a house and I said, "hi," to the people who were outside. The young man whose there called out, "Aren't you the lady with the stroller that I helped the other day?" I said, "yes." He asked where I lived and after I told him he said, "aren't you the people that have barbecues?" I replied, "yes" and he then asked if he could come to our next one. What surprised me most about this conversation was that we had had three barbecues last year and each time we invited people, it either rained or no one showed up. Tom and I had talked the day before about having barbecues again this summer and I was hesitant, but after this conversation I was encouraged.
Going for walks is one way that we are visible in the community. Hanging out in our yard is another way.
A few weeks ago Tom was outside reading his Bible and some boys who live across the street were playing basketball. The boys had there hoop on our side of the street, which usually isn't a big deal but on this particular day they were using quite a bit of foul language. Tom went over to them and asked if they could move the hoop to the other side of the street. After asking this one boy was really rude to Tom. Tom calmly walked away and when the boys mom came home Tom talked with her. She said that she would talk to the boys and that he wouldn't have any more trouble from them.
On Tuesday of this week the boys were getting ready to play basketball and were trying to take some air out of their ball. Tom walked over with our ball pump needle and helped them let the air out of the ball. After he was done one of the boys apologized for being rude. We had let the issue go and were surprised and glad for the apology. It confirmed that we had handled the situation in a way that honored God.
This summer we hope to have many more interactions with our neighbors as we are visible in our community through walks and just hanging out in our yard. Our plan is to share these stories with you so that you can see how God is bringing his Kingdom to Highland Gardens.
Now that Lilly is a month old, I have started taking her and Lizzy on walks every morning in Highland Gardens. Each day I strap the girls into our double stroller and start off. Over the last week God has brought a variety of people across our path.
On Friday (6/1) we took a short walk because it was hot out. While we were walking we met a little boy who called me over just to hand me a battery that he had found on the ground. He must have been taught to give those types of things to adults and I was the first one that he saw. On my way back home the stroller got stuck and a young man who was walking by gladly helped me out.
On Saturday Tom joined us. While we were walking I was amazed at the number of people who were out and about at 9am. We saw some friends of ours from Refuge in Christ Church who were driving to a church conference, they were stuck at the same red light as us, so we chatted for a little bit. While we walked by our fellow missionaries' homes we saw some boys from Homework Club. They were sitting on on the railing of their house and joyfully said, "hi," when they saw us. While we were talking, "Jack" said that he would go tell his mom that we were outside. I was a little nervous thinking he might be waking his mom up to tell her that we were outside, but that was not the case. She was up and in the process of moving furniture to their new house across the street. She smiled when she saw us and enjoyed meeting Lilly for the first time. After we left Jack's house we headed home. On our way we met two people who remembered us from our Friday night Bible study. Unfortunately we didn't remember them, but found out where they lived and hope to stop by and see them again. I like walking with Tom because of how he joyfully says, "Hi, how ya doin,'" to everyone he meets. Most people can't help but smile after that.
On Sunday we were walking by a house and I said, "hi," to the people who were outside. The young man whose there called out, "Aren't you the lady with the stroller that I helped the other day?" I said, "yes." He asked where I lived and after I told him he said, "aren't you the people that have barbecues?" I replied, "yes" and he then asked if he could come to our next one. What surprised me most about this conversation was that we had had three barbecues last year and each time we invited people, it either rained or no one showed up. Tom and I had talked the day before about having barbecues again this summer and I was hesitant, but after this conversation I was encouraged.
Going for walks is one way that we are visible in the community. Hanging out in our yard is another way.
A few weeks ago Tom was outside reading his Bible and some boys who live across the street were playing basketball. The boys had there hoop on our side of the street, which usually isn't a big deal but on this particular day they were using quite a bit of foul language. Tom went over to them and asked if they could move the hoop to the other side of the street. After asking this one boy was really rude to Tom. Tom calmly walked away and when the boys mom came home Tom talked with her. She said that she would talk to the boys and that he wouldn't have any more trouble from them.
On Tuesday of this week the boys were getting ready to play basketball and were trying to take some air out of their ball. Tom walked over with our ball pump needle and helped them let the air out of the ball. After he was done one of the boys apologized for being rude. We had let the issue go and were surprised and glad for the apology. It confirmed that we had handled the situation in a way that honored God.
This summer we hope to have many more interactions with our neighbors as we are visible in our community through walks and just hanging out in our yard. Our plan is to share these stories with you so that you can see how God is bringing his Kingdom to Highland Gardens.
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