Blanket Love
Balvina was carrying a gift through the streets near downtown Minneapolis. It wasn’t wrapped, and boasted no name, a fact that did not diminish its importance. There were no diamonds, rubies or emeralds. No gold, frankincense or myrrh. Still, its value was priceless. As Balvina scanned the streets she spotted Pedro, who was hanging out […]
Removing a Cloak of Shame
The flashback was almost instantaneous for the Tucker, Georgia woman. There was no ignoring the young mother standing near her van as she and her three small children held up the hand-scratched sign, “Hungry, Help.” Decades of memories and emotions fell away and Jonell Permenter was suddenly a girl of 10, standing behind the local […]
What Does God Care About? Part 3: “Holy Hands and Just Feet”
Editor’s note: This is the final installment of a three-part series looking at What Does God Care About? What has He called us to care about? What has He commissioned us to do? What should be our practical response? Last week we examined the power and responsibility of stewardship and its impact on justice. we focused on who God cares […]
The Message is in the Meal
Three widows. Twenty-one kids. Zero turkeys. Enter Bishop Gershon Suan and his Coat of Many Colors Ministry, a Houston-area church that operates a soup kitchen and other helps-oriented programs. The church is located in the old section of Baytown, which was founded in 1948 on the northern side of Galveston Bay, near the terminus of […]
This Little Light Spreads
Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on the exponential power of Cru® Inner City’s discipleship training. In the first installment we explored how the training impacted Blanca Nuñez’s spiritual walk. Here, we get a glimpse into how she’s using it to impact her community. Like most Americans, your 2020 calendar resembled no other yearly […]
Powered Up by Love
Giselle loves playing with hair, makeup and clothes, while younger sis, Melissa. is an artist, bent on discovering new ways to hone her craft. In many ways, they are typical teens, but in other ways circumstances have made their lives much harder. The sisters, the youngest of five siblings, grew up in a lower-income community […]
Teen Delivers Immeasurable Gospel Message
LaToria peeked inside the simple white bag. Looking right past the candy and other sweet treats, her tiny hand went straight to the colorful, beaded bracelet. She pulled it out and tied it to her wrist. Each color represented an aspect of the story of Jesus. LaToria, a first-grader, instantly connected with the story, and […]
Honoring the Blues While Chasing Them Away
Every Easter, rain or shine, Blackwell-Israel Samuel A.M.E. Zion Church, an historic building with rutted limestone facade and broad arches, hosted a community egg hunt within its massive walls. A beacon on Chicago’s South Side, the 134-year-old building has hosted worship services and more, as thousands have gathered under its high-sloped roofs to attend club […]
Sowing Hope, Reaping New Life
Rossana Aguilar lives in one of the most productive and lucrative farming communities in America. But this area, once dubbed the world’s breadbasket, is not immune to food insecurity. Rossana can testify to that, having spent much of 2020 stuffing bags with donated food at Centro Cristiano Agape, her small congregation serving southwest Bakersfield, California. […]
Navigating Through a COVID Time Warp
Jayson Choe, a Cru® Inner City staff member in New York City, trekked to the grocery store. It was hot, typical for mid-July. An event poster plastered along the route captured his attention. His eyes locked on the mid-March date. As he scanned surrounding flyers he noticed they all had similar dates. Reality smacked him […]