Helping Haiti: Karah Cloxton

One of our regular attenders, Karah Cloxton, has taken the talents and connections that God has given her, and is helping Haiti.  She not only is taking a medical mission trip to Haiti, she talked her former coach at the University of Dayton into raising awareness AND support at one of their basketball games.  We should all take a lesson from her and seek out how we can use our giftings to glorify Him and help others in need.

Dayton Daily News: Ex-Flyer Talked Coach Into Game Fundraiser

Crew Small Group Micromission in the News

Cleaning Graffiti: Church Group Spends Saturday Scrubbing City's Eyesores

Reported by: Bryant Somerville
Reported: Oct. 10, 2009 5:01 PM EST

Eyewitness News Photo

"It's part of micro-missions for our church," Jonathan White said. "We really want to reach out to this city."

"We just really love our city and want it to look as best as it can," Lauren White said.

The old saying is "every little bit helps," and if you add that with a bucket full of cleaning supplies and a little bit of good old fashioned elbow grease, you get what members of the Crew Community Church are calling a solution to Huntington's black eye, also known as graffiti.

Tim Bailey doesn't mind getting up on Saturday, working and righting the wrongs of someone elses mistake. He doesn't even mind not getting payment, because for him it's about the payoff.

"Doing this, making Huntington look better, helping Huntington be a more inviting place benefits everyone," Bailey said. "I don't care to give my time to benefit the city."

White feels the same way, and he and his wife, Lauren, believe if you want to see change in your community...do it yourself.

"That's been an attitude I've seen since I've been here," he said. "Let somebody else do it...we don't feel like we're responsible for it. Christ didn't do a thing...He died for us."

"If every person does their little part, it's a lot easier than to depend on 10-20 people for the entire city," Lauren said. "If everybody did their part, it'd look really nice."

Doing their part, following in the steps of their Savior, forgive the sin and the sinner...and wash it away.

VIEW THE FULL STORY ON WCHS-TV 8 

SO... What can your small group do as a micromission?  E-mail info@crewcommunity.org if you have an idea and want to take advantage of the monthly $250 funds set aside for the Micromission ministry. Talk to one of our leaders for more details.

Service Project - Marshall Move-In Saturday August 22

Hey Crewites!
This weekend Marshall students will be returning to Huntington. We have the opportunity to show them Christ's love through serving them tangibly, i.e. helping them move into the dorms. I have done this many times before, and the conversations, relationships, and hospitality shared are absolutely amazing. The first three weeks of a college student's experience are essential to how they are going to live their lives the rest of their college years. Impacting them for Christ could literally change their actions and obviously lives.
Let's go out and help them move in, ease fears, talk about how awesome Huntington is, and even just hand them a water (because it's gonna be hot). If you want to come along, meet at the MU fountain at 9am (that's right, 9am) this Saturday, August 22. If you can't come til later, that's fine, just call me and you can meet up. This is a "replacement" project for the 5K that was unfortunately canceled. Let's pony up and show these students (and Christ) some love! Come for 1 hour or 4, every minute counts. SO again:

Meet at 9am at the Marshall University Memorial Fountain (outside the student center) on Saturday, August 22.

AND if you can't help physically move in for some reason, come out and help pass out water, start conversations, help ease parent and student's fears, talk about Huntington, whatever.

For more details, e-mail me at kim@crewcommunity.org or call at 304-691-0546 (Google Voice #).

Day 6: Estoy Calinete (or, this is why I'm hot)

Sorry I'm so late with this post.

Today was another great day. We headed to the work site early and did some block moving/cement mixing for a couple hours, which is my least favorite work but must be done. After that, Brad Wright (who is essentially now one of the most important/influential/inspiring people in my life) and I sat and colored pictures of the Lion King with all the neighborhood kids. We decided to take the second half of the day off and just relax and play with the children. It was amazing and just as rewarding as the hard labor.

Throughout this trip, Brad and I have been talking about how much we love being in Nicaragua, how it is honestly the most fulfilling time each of us spend in our lives. We've spouted a few ideas back and forth about starting a business or pitching international ads to companies like Gatorade or Apple, but today we broke through.

Both of us went to Cyndy and told her that we were passionate about this country and wanted to do some type of longterm work here (seeing as neither one of us really has a job right now and we're both out of school). Instead of hearing something like, yeah that would be great let's talk about it later and see what's available, she told us something amazing: She told us that there was a non-profit organization established in Huntington called NESH (Nicaraguan Education, Shelter and Health program). The organization is not affiliated with any church, but the only current members are from Fifth Avenue Baptist (so someone from this church should join that organization and help it grow). Cyndy said that NESH should have two ambassador-type people to live in Nicaragua. We were so pumped to hear that we would actually have someone backing us who we trusted and who would be able to communicate and take care of us without having to deal with a beauracracy.

The place where we are staying is called Peace Hope Trust and it is run by a British group who sends about three teams here each year for a short period of time. They rent the facilities out to groups like ours. The curator of the organization lives two houses down from the group home in a luxurious house. However, he is quitting and selling the house. Cyndy and the other group leaders flat out said they wanted to buy that house for NESH and we would live there! It's in a gated area so it is safe, plus it has modern amenities so we would be able to keep up with the times/with our loved ones.

It seems perfect. Pray hard for me. I think this is really what God wants us to do. I have already expressed a desire to live here in the past but it wasn't in God's time. I think this time it is in His time and He has set up a much better situation for me. He's so good, and I'm thankful for what He's doing here, even if it doesn't involve me living here.

Playing music at devotion tonight was incredible. God is doing wonders on all of us in the group. Also, the oldies on this trip are turning out to be awesomely sincere and hilarious.

Hopeful about the future,
Patrick

Anna's Medical Trip To Peru

I posted a blog from Lydia yesterday. Today I wanted to post one from Anna Keffer. Anna loves Jesus and people. Something cool about that. On Saturday nights she pulls a graveyard shift at a local hospital. On Sunday morning she plays bass guitar at Crew. On Sunday afternoon she serves food at the city mission. On Sunday evening she dies. She is a supertalented nursing student at MU. She's a Yeager scholar. If you're not from WV then you don't know what that is. It means that you're so smart that the state pays for your school, books, rent, and to go on 2 international summer trips during your undergrad. It means more than that of course.

Well this summer instead of choosing some laid back study abroad. She chose to go to an underfunded hosptial in Peru to love on people and serve them in any way she can. So check it! (THE REST IS FROM ANNA KEFFER):





Well, I've been in Peru for a week...and describing my time thus far as "pretty stinkin' amazing" doesn't quite cover the experience. I've worked as a nurse, a doctor, a translator, an evangelist, and a friend for the past 6 days. There is so much need here. It will probably take me awhile after I return next week to really process everything.

It's always hot and dirty down here, but all of us stink so it doesn't really matter. I've treated lots of people with skin diseases, the flu, chicken pox, infections, parasites, etc. The Peruvian hospitals are unbelievable.

The children and adults down here are incredible, gracious, and hard-working. The only similarity between them and us is that we both wear clothes. The Believers down here are so enthusiastic about God and faith and living in community; their entire survival depends on community.

Well, hopefully once I get all of my thoughts organized, I can give you some more in-depth goods.

Vaya con Dios,
Anna