wakebird » ASF

Still at ASF, Wanna Join Me?

wakebird — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:58:00 +0000

I’m still volunteering at AIDS Services Foundation (ASF). It’s such an interesting place that is doing so much good to help people who are suffering from a horrible disease and who also are low-income/poverty level. The people who work at ASF only have their image of God-ness that is within all humans to motivate them to help those afflicted with HIV/AIDS. It continues to be fascinating in a tragic sort of way that more Christians aren’t volunteering at this place and helping to make an impact in a part of the world that needs Christ so badly.

We all have parts of the world that we are called to impact. I don’t like when people say that “everyone” should help in something. I have friends who have an Orphan Care Ministry, friends who work at a homeless shelter, friends who work with inner city kids, and friends who build playgrounds across the world. All these are good. A pet peeve of mine is when someone claims that their ministry is the most worthwhile. So that’s not what I mean.

What I mean is this: If you feel called to make an impact in the world for Christ, do something. Anything. Just don’t sit around and watch TV and that’s it. I love my TV shows, but I feel the need to get out there. If you feel called to impact a place that isn’t comfortable with the message of Jesus and has people who are poor, sick, and lost, then come join me at ASF.

Click here to volunteer with the Orange County AIDS Services Foundation.

AIDS Walk Report

wakebird — Sun, 13 May 2007 14:13:00 +0000

The Orange County AIDS Walk was yesterday and according to the OC Register the numbers were up from 4,000 people last year to 8,000 people this year. That’s so good because they had been going down the last few years. It was an amazing event. So many people and a festive atmosphere. My job was to be a shuttle. I drove one of the Calvary Church vans and shuttled water station/route monitor workers to their different spots and then I was available to pick up people that were tired. I was parked with the side of the van facing the walkers as the 8,000 people walked by. I got to meet some great people.

It was cool to see how other churches were involved. Some had booths and had tons of people in special shirts. The Walk organizers highly encourage people to come in “teams” to foster pride in their team and to get more people to come to the event.

My goals for next year:
1 Calvary Church booth that sells ice cream treats and all proceeds go to the fundraiser. Then we would also pass out literature on Calvary Church (completely acceptable).
2 Church vans with drivers to shuttle people
48 Route Monitor workers from Student Ministries
100 Walkers who raise an average of $500 each for a total of $50,000

Wouldn’t that be awesome?

OC AIDS Walk

wakebird — Fri, 11 May 2007 14:05:00 +0000

I will be helping set-up for the AIDS Walk for a few hours this morning and then volunteering at the Walk tomorrow for about five hours or so. I have definitely enjoyed my time helping out at AIDS Services Foundation. I have been getting to know people and they all know that I’m a pastor who is not there to judge them, but I want to get to know them and help the work that the Foundation is doing.

You can make a donation or even just go down to Angel Stadium tomorrow and check out the festivities. It would be a good way to meet some people and learn more about AIDS in “perfect” Orange County.

What stuff are you guys involved in that you love?

AIDS Services Foundation Story

wakebird — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:51:00 +0000

So I was working yesterday at the OC ASF on a mailing to send to supporters and doing some help with an email about the OC AIDS Walk and in the office behind my little desk is the Housing Services Supervisor. While I’m working a man walks in to meet with the Housing Services man about help with his living situation. I can’t help but hear the conversation and it was my first taste of what ASF does for people. This person was a homosexual male who attends a popular church in the area and was just diagnosed with HIV a few months ago. He is struggling to make ends meet with having to take time off for treatments and feeling sick from before he started medications and some other things. It didn’t sound like he was in a great financial position before he was diagnosed, but now it’s even more difficult – especially emotionally. He is going to receive some help from ASF for this month’s bills and then they are going to meet with him again to see if some potential employment opportunities work out.

I didn’t get to meet this man and I don’t even know his name, but I was praying for him throughout his meeting while attaching labels to envelopes. That’s bridgebuilding.

Another housing services person was acting all funny because I am a pastor and I had to say again that I don’t mind if they cuss. But then she said, “Wow, I can’t believe you are a pastor.” And she acted all weird and flustered, so I said, “If you ever need to talk…” She just laughed but it’s cool that I could make myself available.

10 Briefs

wakebird — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 13:50:00 +0000

1. My first day at OC AIDS Services Foundation was good. I talked for a while with the head of volunteers and helped dispell some of his presuppositions about pastors. I helped make an email list for the AIDS Walk on May 12.
2. Matt Doan, High School Pastor at Calvary Church, started a blog. It’s called OrangeCountyPastor which shows Matt’s love for combining three words together (The High School group is called EveryDayLife) and his nerdiness. It’s a cool blog other than the lame quotes on top and the RSS feeds on the bottom.
3. I am valuing the concepts of Sabbath and sabbatical more and more. Especially after conversations with staff members struggling with burnout. We need to “feed our forgotten souls” as Paul Borthwick says.
4. I’m going to see the movie “300” tonight. I’m a combination of excited and apprehensive. I’ve heard it’s gnarly.
5. I’m going to buy a new surfboard. Mine is about 10 years old. When I realized that I wanted to turn myself into a dorky high school freshman and make fun of myself.
6. We have a Kenya meeting this Saturday. I’m looking forward to this trip but it’s a bit all consuming.
7. Trader Joe’s banana bread is excellent for breakfast – especially with Kona coffee.
8. Be careful what you say in staff meetings. It can backfire on you.
9. I recently got Logos Bible Software and I suck at it so I wanted to go to a training seminar and I saw this. WOW!! I need to go to this. It’s for ministry.
10. GO UCLA BRUINS TONIGHT!!

First Day of ASF

wakebird — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 14:19:00 +0000

Today will be my first day volunteering at the Orange County AIDS Services Foundation. I will be there from 2-5pm today helping out in the office with whatever they need. It should be interesting.

We talked at our Lighthouse (small group) last night about the awkwardness of “witnessing” or “evangelism.” I’m not going to talk here about the stuff we all know – letting our life be the example, love people without agendas, etc. One thing that was cool that we talked about was something Jesus said to two of John the Baptist’s disciples. He said, “What do you seek?” or “What are you looking for?” or “What do you want?”

Do we ever just ask people, “What do you want?” or “What is it that you are looking for from life?” I love that question and it seems like such an easy thing to ask people that you are just getting to know to take a relationship from trivial and light to a deeper conversation. I don’t want to be reading the 4 Spiritual Laws to people but I also don’t want to have meaningless conversations with people that are disguised as loving them without an agenda.

OC AIDS Services Foundation

wakebird — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 14:45:00 +0000

I wasn’t going to post about this for a while but Mike has forced my hand with this post about the OC AIDS Walk. Our church has been on a series that is casting vision to our people for being more involved in our community. These need to be consistent ministry relationships that are close to our community where we can eventually talk about Jesus. Mostly we want to live Matthew 5:16 of letting our light shine before people so they see our good deeds and praise our Father in Heaven.

I knew that I was going to Kenya this summer with our high school students and an organization called Christ’s Hope ministering to people who have AIDS or are affected by AIDS. So I thought, why help across the world, but not at home? Then I started searching online for a good AIDS organization in Orange County and I found OC AIDS Services Foundation. A week ago I went to a Volunteer Information/Orientation Meeting at their office in Costa Mesa. It seems like they are doing good work and I can get involved in some different ways – starting with helping in the office and the Food Pantry. Then working at the OC AIDS Walk on May 12. Later I could deliver meals to client’s homes or drive client’s to the doctor office or things like that.

I’m excited to break some barriers between evangelical pastors and the AIDS community. It should be challenging, but fun and rewarding in a Kingdom-sense.

I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN ME ON THE AIDS WALK ON MAY 12.