So the ministry here, Denver Ignite,
just had their internship kickoff yesterday afternoon. As everyone involved in
the ministry arrived, the beautiful tapestry of the International body of
Christ became very evident. We are extremely Blessed by our creative Father to
have two interns from Guatemala, one from Myanmar, one from Thailand, two from
Ethiopia, one from Rwanda, one from Ukraine, and a few from wonderful
California and Colorado as well. We also had some incredible youth who wanted
to join us this summer to serve while they are out of school, we hope this
population grows as we reach out with a desire to love and teach the youth and
young ones of the Love of Christ and the exciting hope-filled life they can
have, as He uses them in ways unimaginable. Because that is the character of
our God. To take a soul polluted by the world’s un-satisfying lies, redeem it
with unrelenting love and healing, and empower it to do and say more than it
could ever dream, hope, or imagine to bring God the fullness of Glory. He
deeply desires to use the young people to change an extremely broken, robbed,
plagued, and flat out hopeless world. This is what we, as followers of Christ,
with the Power of the cross and its out pour of grace, will go out on the front
battle-line for the sake of empowering His loved ones in Christ.
The weekly youth outreach ministry that Ignite has established has over 60
youth that come from many countries across the world, especially those that
have been persecuted for their race, ethnicity, religion, or minority. They
came to Denver as a safe-haven and relocation from their corrupt governments.
Many are extremely open to something different from a religion they were forced
to obey and follow previously in their country. We pray that this summer each
intern can walk alongside and guide a group of youth into the truth and
discipleship of Jesus Christ. Please pray that each intern will be led to the
exact youth they are supposed to reach out to and disciple. Just as the
disciples of Jesus learned the most by just living day to day with Jesus and
going out to do what He desired them to do, we as interns will learn this same
way. As we are guided by the Lord’s heart, desire, and small whisper through
the Holy Spirit we will be His hands and feet here in Denver, CO, in hopes that
other hands and feet will follow. Then just as the disciples did, ourselves and
our youth will have many questions to present to Jesus as well as the elders in
the ministry. The interns will also be organizing and serving the youth through
Thursday night outreach with worship, teaching, small groups, games, and
fellowship with a meal. We will also be doing a lot of park ministry, sports
like soccer, volleyball, badminton, basketball, and games with the youth,
families, and kids. Please pray for Christ to win and Hope to rein here in
every thing we face!:) Thank you for reading, y Dios te bendiga,
Jezu-dimbahdaye (Burmese for thank you) y Murakoze! (Thank you in
Kinyarwanda-Native Rwanda language) We are learning slowly but surely!:)
-Meli
At our first intern meeting we
watched a video called the power of a whisper by Bill Hybles. This video gives
you five ways to filter your whispers from God to make sure that they are
actually from God and not our imagination, our hopes, and our dreams getting in
the way of what God wants us to do. Learning to listen to Gods whispers is a
huge step for all Christians. Not only do we forget to take the time to sit and
listen but for many of us waiting and being patient for him to speak to us is a
difficult task. For me this has always been a difficult task. Rarely do I take
the time to sit and pray and wait for God’s whispers. But the times that I have
waited and listened for Him to speak to me have been the best times of my life.
Going to Azusa Pacific University
was one of the times when God whispered to me his plan for my life. I went to
visit my cousin at APU and the moment I stepped on campus I felt peace from
God. Later as I was praying about my decision for the school and knowing all
that I had to give up if I chose to go to APU, I felt in my soul him telling me
that only there would I truly grow in my relationship with him. Because of APU
I had the opportunity to meet Melissa and hear about the work her parents were
doing here in Denver, Colorado. I have also had this heart for different
cultures and never have I been able to pinpoint the love and passion to one
specific culture or even continent. With Denver Ignite I get the opportunity to
be in relationship with people not just from one country but from all over the
world. Coming on this trip was not an easy choice but nothing worthwhile is
easy. God wants to challenge us to grow in him and learn to give our lives up
to him and know that his plan for us is greater than anything that we could
have ever chosen for ourselves.
One of the biggest blessings that I
have encounter on this trip so far was our first day of our internship. We
split into groups and went to the apartment complexes that many of the refugees
live in. The group I was put in had to locals that knew the people in this
complex. However, Madison (a Colorado native that is working for her first time
with Denver Ignite), and I ended up being left just the two of us because the
other interns had to go home for things. We really weren’t sure what we wanted
to do but we both felt that we needed to reach out to the African population
because not many of them know about Denver Ignite. So as we were walking around
the complex we went and introduced ourselves to a Somali family that was
sitting outside their apartment. Unfortunately they spoke no English. So
feeling defeated and a little pathetic that we can only speak English, we
started to head out of the complex. On our way our we ran into a boy named
Michael who is Ethiopian but was living in Kenya and has only been living in
America for a year. We talked to him for a long time and explained what Denver
Ignite was and he seemed excited to join us this coming Thursday for our youth
events. As we were talking another African girl walked by and he introduced her
to us her name is Aran and she hasn’t been in America for very long either.
Madison and her talked for a long time and we ended up being late for dinner
that night. But we didn’t care we were sad to have to leave them and felt
blessed that God led us to a group of people here that didn’t know about the
ministry. We are excited to continue our relationships with them and their
families and see how God can work in all our lives.
I am excited for what God has in
store for me and all the interns, youth, and families that I will be working
with. Pray for God to be at the center of what we are doing and for his angels
to protect us from things of this world that can get in the way of Gods work
here in Denver. Tablu (thank you in Karen)!
***Aimee
