I take you through the lessons that God has been teaching me over the last 8 months ( 5 months prior to moving into an Apartment Complex Initiative location and 3 months after having moved in):  continue reading Alicia's story.

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If there is one thing I won’t be lacking this Thanksgiving season, it’s the joy God has given to me in serving Him through the work we do at Barberry Village.

I sit on a hay bale and look over at my fiancé, Matt, with two kids piled on each side of him, a wide grin on all three faces.

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love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind [and]…love your neighbor as yourself. these words are almost cliché amongst christian circles these days, but i didn’t have a clue what they truly meant until i moved into barberry roughly a month ago.

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In February of this year our Bible study group went to the Barberry Apartments to serve lunch and fellowship with the residents there. We met a young man that had recently immigrated and had only been here for three weeks. This meeting has brought forth an incredible relationship with him and his extended family of fourteen who are all refugees, as we were instantly drawn to them and them to us.

Over the past several months we have had some great times together. We have been able to assist them in everyday tasks such as shopping, transportation, learning English, translating at dentist appointments, getting clothing vouchers at Salvation Army, and taking some of them to church. Recently we took them up to Mt Hood to see snow for the first time. It was an amazing experience for them and us. We have also had them over for dinner, taken them to concerts and played dominos. It has been such a blessing to have them in our lives as we learn about their culture and language as we teach them about ours. On one occasion we were able to go to Google maps and see the refugee camp where they lived and actually see their old neighborhood and listen to them talk about their neighbors and friends they left behind.

Most of the family are not Christians and they were afraid that we would be offended because of that, but we assured them that that is not what our friendship is based on and that we love them for who they are. We continue to pray for their salvation and for God's love to be revealed through our actions and love for them.

To share with others just a few snapshots from life at Barberry:

A knock at the door. Four little girls with exotic looking flowers. “For you—a gift.”

Meet new brothers and sisters in surprising places. Be blessed by His providence in just the right moment.

Go to the Lord in prayer, totally unsure of what to do, begging for His will and His wisdom.

Meet a girl who is recovering from an addiction to Heroin. Answer her questions about God. Pray like you’ve never prayed before that she makes it through the night. Trust Him to love her and care for her the way you know you never could.

Go to get your mail. Come back half an hour later, sweaty from playing soccer.

Thank God with a full heart for the...

Prayer - We have been able to connect more with our neighbors through
some prayer walks recently. Pray for a family that is trapped in
"eckankar." Also for a young man that picks and chooses what he
believes. We recently heard of some families are selling foodstamps in
order to pay their rent. Pray that these families could learn english
and find employment. We also are studying a mens bible study through
proverbs!

Meal Dates Available:
June 11th
August 13th, 27th
Sept 10th, 24th
Oct 22nd
Nov 12th, 26th
Dec 10th, 24th

Weekly Prayer Walk - This thursday night, text Dan if you want in
(503-803-8541).

Community Meal - This saturday at noon (May 28th).

ESL Class - Jim and Paulie are teaching english to residents here
fridays 9-11am.

Discipleship - Bob Maddox might be dropping by to help jump start some
discipleship among the team and residents.

Child Evangelism Fellowship VBS - Ron Imig, June 27th - July 1.

CCCC VBS - Clear creek community church vacation bible school is
coming up mon-wed Aug.1-3.

Gresham Bible Church VBS - Jen is going to talk to them about doing a
VBS later in August.

I began my journey of Christian faith five years ago in the month of April. I, like so many, saw Jesus pass my way, and felt compelled to follow Him. I felt I had been given a second chance at life, and that I would never be the same. It was true; each year has been drastically different than the year before. As I look back, I see that the Lord has been calling me further and further down His path, deeper into relationship with Him, and into an understanding of what that looks like for me.

I always dreamed of the life of a missionary, even before I was a Christian. I envisioned myself being the hand that fed the poor and was filled with joy at the prospect of bringing hope to those who had little or nothing at all. When I received the word of Christ, I knew His intention for me included the sharing of His hope, the only hope for the world. So, I went to Africa in hopes that His path for me was leading in that direction. I was there for three weeks, testing the ground, praying, and waiting for confirmation that this was where the Lord was leading. But, when I returned home,