Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Overseas Update: India cleans up a city (literally) and provides children's camp for migrants

The work of Christ For the City International has not simply been with children south of the border. We also have worked heavily with people on the other side of the globe, like Amos Humtsoe, the base director for CFCI-Nagaland--in India. Below he shares some of the (relatively) recent activities he and CFCI have been doing there to promote the transformation process.


Migrant Children’s Camp
July 5, 2014 Dimapur, Nagaland


This was a one-day camp for the migrant children in one of the migrant-inhabited places in Dimapur. Altogether, 33 children attended the camp. The children said that, in fact, a one-day camp was too short; however, since they are responsible children, they had to leave the camp to help their parents and do their chores. 

Dimapur Clean Drive Program
July 26, 2014


On July 26th 2014 a mass social work project was conducted in Dimapur by CFCI-Nagaland in collaboration with District administration, Dimapur municipal council, Naga hoho (public organization) Dimapur, churches, and missions organization under the banner of “Jesus Christ in the marketplace.”  The whole city of Dimapur was divided into 25 areas, and each church (interdenominational) and some mission organizations took part in cleaning the city. The Clean Dimapur program is not just for one day; there is a commitment to continue for some years. This program will be followed by a mass educational program.



So clearly, God is at work in India.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Child Immigration Crisis: Dr. Anderson speaks out, Part 2

The child immigration crisis is a difficult and complicated problem, with many facets and strong implications, whatever your party affiliation. While it’s easy to focus on the situation in the United States, that situation is only a result of the poverty, violence, and gang activity that dominates these Central American countries. The sad truth is that either way, there seems to be little future for these children. If they stay with their home communities, they’ll become a sad footnote in the annals of gang life, doomed to a short and violent life. 

However, if they come to the United States illegally, they will have little opportunity of doing anything that will raise them above the poverty line.

The logical question, then, is what is being done in those Central American countries to change that situation.
Dr. Duane “Chip” Anderoson went on KCRO 660 AM to talk about how Christ For the City International has been in several of those countries for years, working with churches, government organizations, sometimes even gangs, to provide programs and ministries to improve the situation of these communities.

Sometimes even gang members feel the need to escape. Listen to the half-hour show with host David Clark.



What do you think about this whole situation? Comment below!

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Child Immigration Crisis: Dr. Chip Anderson Speaks Out

Few stories have pricked our sensibilities in recent months more than that of children who have illegally immigrated to the United States from Central America. While this has been happening for a few years, the reason it has finally come into the national spotlight is the sheer numbers of these immigrants—more than 57,000. Those numbers do not appear to be diminishing in the near future. Naturally, this has prompted spirited debate from both the right and the left; the conservative right wants to take care of interests at home and are worried about the entrance of great numbers of children that our system is unprepared to handle and our economy unprepared to support; the liberal right is concerned about the fate of these children, fearing to return them to devastating poverty and unsanitary conditions.

However, what is often lost amidst the endless criticism of various political ideologies and their proponents is the simple fact that the children’s arrival in the United States is not the root of the situation; it is only a symptom. With that in mind, CFCI president Dr. Duane “Chip” Anderson appeared on Omaha’s Christian talk radio station, 660 KCRO. Though his full interview is below, here are some key points to give some perspective on the national immigrant children crisis.

·         There are two things that are driving this immigration:
o   The rumor that amnesty for illegals is on the horizon in the United States
o   The looming threat of gang-related violence to these kids or their families, especially if the child does not want to join a gang

·         Eighty-four percent of these immigrant children are teens

·         These families are in such desperation over their current situation that they are willing to pay enormous sums of money for the possibility that their child would enter the United States

·         By building a better, safer, stronger community, you can prevent these families from having to make these terrible decisions

·         Christ For the City International is directly involved in these dangerous Central American communities to provide safe havens for these teenagers through tutoring, soccer programs, medical clinics, and vocational training

·         In El Salvador alone, we CFCI is positively influencing about 450 kids and their families, probably about 3,000 people total


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Check back tomorrow for our second post about this important and challenging issue.

Friday, August 1, 2014

An Open Letter to Future Short-Term Missionaries with CFCI



Greetings Future STI’s!

I have spent over 2 months here in Cordoba and they have been some of the most challenging, refreshing, spiritually-growing, joyful and enriching days I have experienced in my life. Challenging in adjusting to a new culture, ways of life and communicating in a language that is not your own. Refreshing in that this culture is laid back, relaxed, go-with the-flow and relationally focused. Spiritually-growing in the vibrant atmosphere of the church, passionate prayers of the Christians, radical styles of worship and time for personal pursuit in running after the Lord. Finally, this time has been so joyful in getting to know the host family, other friends in Christ for the City, serving those who have a great need, and getting to have an adventure in Cordoba. The overall experience has been a blessing to me and I truly feel as if I have been given more than I gave.


My prayer before coming Cordoba was to have an open heart and to be ready to serve. Both of those are essential to your experience here as you will be challenged, but will grow through those challenges. There will be things you won’t want to do, times you don’t want to serve, think of better ways to do something or even have a lack of hope at times with the situations in which we serve. All those thoughts are normal, but will humble you as you go through them. Break through your pride and rest in being humbled. No one here knows of your accomplishments, accolades, or talents from your life in the United States- this is such a positively humbling bonus. You can only show people who you are through serving with your heart and through your actions.

Two verses that have given me great encouragement are as follows:

“Take delight in the Lord and He will give you your hearts desires.” (Psalm 37:4) 

Remember to run after Him during your time here and He will satisfy you. I pray you have late nights, early mornings and days full of prayer, scripture reading, and meditating on the Lord. Use this time to allow Him to fill you up!

“Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthews 20:26-28)

As you prepare for your trip and raise support and get your packing list together, make sure your prepare your heart (as this is the most important part to prepare). Be open to what the Lord is going to show you through the host family, CFCI, the church and being a servant. Your mission here is to spread the Gospel, but the greatest avenue to do so is through service. One STI had a talented voice, so she served through singing. One had a talent for making videos, so he made a promotional video. Serve with your actions in whatever way the Lord leads you!

Lastly, in regards to the language barrier, this can be difficult to deal with at times. Regardless of your speaking ability, unless you are fully fluent, you will experience some sort of frustration. I am an intermediate speaker, but times I lack being able to fully express my thoughts on a topic; this can be frustrating. During deep conversations, brainstorming sessions, or reflections, I desire to say one thing, but have to say something less eloquently because of the language difference. This is humbling and has shown me that my actions will always speak louder than my words. I have also been shown that the Spirit can speak through me without words and has caused me to lean even more on Him.

I pray that your trip here will be a great blessing to your life and also that you will make an impact here!

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring it’s own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:33-34) 

Be encouraged by these verses and seek the Lord above all else as you prepare to serve with Christ for the City!

God bless,

-Justin Cardenas

Ps. I still don’t know what “STI” stands for, but that is what we are called so embrace it!

Note: STI stands for "Short-Term Individual" and is the phraseology used by the Central Office to distinguish between an individual and a team.

Edited by: John Michael Den Hartog