Singing in the Slums

Autumn is gracefully beginning to trim the edges of this Pennsylvania city.  Hints of reds and golds are set against the backdrop of dazzling blue skies.  Crisp mornings are accompanied with hot teas, the crunch of leaves underfoot, and the satisfaction of being caught up in such a lovely life.  I always dreamt of being on the east coast to witness the transformation of summer to fall.  I never thought that such a thing would happen in all seriousness, but apparently Jesus wanted me to experience that dream!  This morning I was on a walk with Jesus and I couldn't help throwing my head back and laughing at the sky.  I just love living life, walking alongside of Him.  He always leads me into good things.  Sometimes it's a nerve wrecking journey of uncertainty but the point never was the outcome, it has always been doing life together.  And what I have already been able to be a part of here in Harrisburg has been worth all of the trusting and following.

This past week our Burn family split up into groups and went to different street corners in our neighborhood to do worship and minister to anyone nearby.  Let me paint a picture of the neighborhood we live in, Allison Hill...

Known in Harrisburg as the roughest neighborhood in the city, Allison Hill is home to mostly low-income families and individuals.  It is basically the slums of Harrisburg.  Every street is covered in trash.  Almost every building is run down and covered in graffiti.  People aimlessly wander the streets and alleys, having really no where to go and nothing to do.  Poverty lies like a heavy blanket over the area, providing absolutely no escape routes.  Outside my window I can daily hear the sound of sirens flying by.  Crime is like a disease in this neighborhood.  Most days, drug deals take place right out in the open.  Theft, murder and prostitution are all normal.

I see the little kids running down our alley, just babies, and this is the only world that they know.  Just yesterday we drove by a drug deal taking place around the block and one of the guys had his 2-year old son with him, holding his hand.  This is normal here.  From the day these kids are born, they don't have a chance.  How can they?  This is their reality.

Throughout the week many of the kids will play in our yard as we have a nice big spot of grass perfect for games.  I see the light in their eyes as they get chased around by one of our guys or hear their laughter coming in joyful bursts as we give them piggy-back rides and spin them around 'til they are completely dizzy.  And I know that Jesus wants to give these little ones a hope filled future.  Jesus wants to bring transformation to this community.  Jesus wants to restore broken families.  Honestly, Jesus wants to be out on the streets picking up the trash.  Wasn't that what He came to do?  Didn't he come to pick up all the billions of scattered pieces... one by one?

Anyway, back to my story of our worship time...  My team went to a little park 3 blocks from our house.  It was this beautiful, little, garden-like park that I assume belongs to the church across the street, because all the fences have verses and proclamations of hope and transformation painted on them.  We were stoked to find instruments that had actually been built into the park - xylophones, bongos, chimes, etc...  So with our guitar, percussion instruments and voices we released a sound over our community.  Joyful songs of celebration.  Clapping, stamping, spinning, dancing.  Drum beats of freedom.  Melodies of hope.  Laughter in the face of such great poverty.  Laughter because it's a new day!

If anything it was so much fun.  There we were standing amongst the rubble of a community plagued by a dark and oppressive spirit, a neighborhood that locals warn us against living in, and we were celebrating the reality of the Kingdom we are a part of.  Romans 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

People might wonder, "Why are you living there?"  "What is that really accomplishing?"  But during that little, unorganized worship time where people looked on at us as they walked by on the streets, I felt something flutter in my heart.  It wasn't a bolt of lightening, but the beginning of a strong "knowing" in my spirit.  This is my land.  I live here because Holy Spirit called me here and therefore it is my spiritual territory.  I want to occupy this land and take back all the Enemy has stolen.  I have come to realize that the culture in me is greater than the culture around me.  Even if I am stepping into the darkest, Hell-struck city in the whole world, the Kingdom of Heaven is inside of me!  Whether it be through intercession, worship sets, praying for people on the streets or picking up trash, by living in this neighborhood and occupying the land, light will invade the darkness!

I am so excited to partner with Holy Spirit as well as with my family here in Harrisburg to see transformation in Allison Hill.  We are going to continue to hit the streets, doing worship sets, evangelism, and whatever the Lord leads us to do.  We want to continue to love on the kids in the neighborhood and see them encounter Jesus.  There is also a girls group that we are starting up for a handful of teenage girls that some of the girls in the house already have relationship with.  And who knows what else will come out of this house.  We are a community that believes Jesus when He tells us to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  














(Photos found on http://photos.pennlive.com/pennlivecom_photo_essays/2012/08/culturally_diverse.html#photo-11421644)