Because of the excitement of Jeremiah’s birth, we are a little behind on updating everyone on Hope City news. On July 1st, we had the streets blocked off right in front of Hope City for our annual neighborhood outreach. We had cotton candy for the kids, free haircuts from professional hair dressers, face painting, a rock climbing wall, and of course food! One of the men on our staff who grew up in the neighborhood, rapped about the coming of Christ. Towards the end, a man who goes into prisons preaching the Gospel gave his testimony of how Jesus delivered him off of drugs and into the Kingdom of God.

I was really impacted as I talked with a young man while Theresa was making cotton candy. I pointed out Theresa to him and said that she was my wife. He asked me, “So, tell me about this marriage thing.” I explained to him that marriage is between one man and one woman for the rest of their lives. He listened intently as I explained it to him. It broke my heart to see a young man who pretty much knew nothing about this covenant relationship that God set up at creation. He had lived with a girl who he had fathered a baby with. I advised him that marriage is not something to be entered into lightly but should be seriously considered.

I got a chance to try out the rock wall. I didn’t realize how high it was until I got to the top!!