They thought we were the KLAN

1. 

   
   

   
   

   About 3 or 4 years ago, God told us to take Kyle's big wooden cross to the Willow Pond apartments, which is pretty much all section 8 housing and REALLY rough! :) 

   
   

   Carrying this cross is purely obedience, none of us like to do it. But God told us to do it…his cross will draw his people to us. But it is still hard to obey…and that day in particular, I did NOT want to carry this cross in that neighborhood. 

   
   

   When we took the cross out of the truck, we could tell 2 ladies were watching our every move and when we started walking, they called to us…"hey, what are you doing with that cross?" We told them we were just praying for people and the apartment complex. They were relieved to hear that b/c they thought we were the KKK…!

   
   

   Picture it:  

   Kyle's "big red truck" and 

   his "skin head" with a 

   "large wooden cross"

   in a predominately black apartment complex

   …all we were missing were the white robes and hoods. Eek!

   
   

   They seriously thought we were about to LIGHT THE CROSS ON FIRE! OMG!  But when they saw us get on our knees and pray first, they figured we were safe…but they STILL "did not like white people!"

   
   

   After talking to them for awhile, Kyle had some specific words for them that he felt were from God. He shared them, and they were both in tears, and a little freaked out, saying "that must be from God, b/c you are exactly right and I have never talked about this before." From that point forward we were accepted as Lea's "white friends." Kristen and I would hang out with her, got invited to birthday parties and baby showers. And our friend Suzanne runs a children's program in that apartment complex, and Lea and Suzanne also became good friends and would talk on a daily basis.  

   
   

   A few weeks ago (3 to 4 years later), we felt like we needed to take the cross back to that apartment complex. Lea doesn't live there anymore, but I invited her and she was so excited and wanted to come with us.  

   
   

   She INSISTED that SHE carry the cross. She was thrilled to do something for God b/c of everything he had done for her. 

   
   

   

   
   

   
   

   Then she told us that she had just recently FORGIVEN the man that hurt her so many years ago and how her life has DRASTICALLY CHANGED sense she has forgiven him!!!! And when Kyle gave her a word from God,  the day we met her. it was about that man who had hurt her…she has been struggling to forgive him for the last several years.

   
   

   Then she told us, that it was after he hurt her, that her life SPIRALED OUT OF CONTROL: raging anger, constant violence, drugs, abusive relationships, etc. etc. She carried a razor blade under her tongue, for protection…and told us several stories about having to use it. But now, after forgiving this man, she said her life has totally changed. 

   And I can see it!  Forgiveness (giving and recieving) has set her free! 

   
   

   And this is why she was so passionate about coming with us to carry the cross and to tell her friends about how her life has changed.  Her friend, Sonja asked us to come into her house. And Lea immediately started testifying to what God has done in her life over the past few years. 

   
   

   Attached is a 12 minute (HI-LAR-I-OUS) audio recording of Lea telling her friend Sonja about the day she met us….when they thought we were THE KLAN! And in the end, Sonja talks about the change she has seen in Lea….and if can happen to Lea, she believes it can happen to her. 

   
   

    For the last 3 weeks they have been asking us to come back, they want to study the Bible and are hungry for MORE! And Lea wants to be in the middle of all of it. She can's stop talking about it…how good she felt after carrying the cross and encouraging her friend. 

   
   

   

   
   

   
   

   PLEASE PRAY for Lea! 

   Lea may be the key that unlocks this community…transformed lives, families and communities. All because of the powerful and miraculous ways of God.  

   
   

   If you are wondering, how could this possibly work?

   This 3 minute video illustrates what we believe God can do through Lea and others like her: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JCWml-cQ2o