Walking and wrestling with God, people, culture and ........

Con Men or Lobbyists?

2011-08-31T09:56:00.001-07:00

The second musings from Hans Christian Andersen's story about the Emperor’s clothes refers to those two con artists who lobbied the leaders into thinking that what they were saying was the truth, when actually it was one big con. Perhaps today a better term for them would be political lobbyists.

Political lobbyists seek to gain favor with national, state, community, business and local leaders so they can push their agenda or ideological desires and try to get the best possible deal or laws for their own small specific interest group.

These supposed weavers were doing the same thing; they sought to gain the ear of the Emperor. Their desire was to get their agenda pushed forward. They knew the Emperor was obsessed with clothes and how he looked. They sought to leverage that obsession for their own comfort, wealth and wellbeing.

The Emperor and his counselors gave in to the sweet words and pressure.

In 2007, it was believed that there were approximately 15,000 lobbyists at the federal level of the US government and they spent about $2.85 billion pressurizing and sweet talking leaders.

In 2010 the number had dropped to about 13,000, although the spending had increased to $3.50 billion.

In Nov 2009 it was estimated that there was a total of about 40,000 registered lobbyists at the state and federal level of the US government.

Leading in the context of government is supposed to mean serving the people. However the emperor and his entourage were conned because they were hoodwinked by sweet words that fed, not public service, but their egos. When the servant gives in to wanting the best in life rather than achieving the best for others, a mindset of expectation rather than an attitude of assistance comes to the fore. Before long the leaders lose their servant attitude and must try to build their power base to achieve more power. They are prone to attach themselves to what seems the best emerging interest or pressure group, just to keep or gather power. Power that can give them the edge and help them achieve their own or their power base’s agenda. This gives the opportunity for people to inflate the leaders’ ego for their own self-interest rather than give counsel for the community’s benefit. Just like the weavers who couldn’t weave with cloth but could weave with words of deceit.

The people who seek self worth often have to make a show of their influence and wealth by parading it for all to see.

However, in the Hans Christian Anderson's story we read that as this affluence and power is paraded, the simple truth, spoken by a child, “He’s naked”! is heard. The cry of the innocent rises up and people are encouraged to listen. The best advice anyone can give.

When leaders turn away from the cry of the innocent society breaks down.

Today the innocent cry comes from all walks of life. The poor and the wealthy; the sick and the whole; the young and the old

The poor who have limited and dwindling access to the resources that would help protect them from abuse, oppression, slavery and that would assist them in journeying through their poverty.

The wealthy who are badgered and persecuted by illegal practices and preyed upon.

The sick and the dying who can not get adequate care because they are a burden on corporate profit.

The young whose educational opportunities mean they are burdened with debt. Or the 12 & 13 year old’s that are being trafficked and sold within our communities.

And the old who give much to society and are then set aside as if somehow redundant and no longer able to be part of the community.

I am reminded that at one point Jesus was hemmed in and enclosed by people who were vying for his attention and wanting things from him. Yet in that moment he heard the cry of the innocent.

A women who had been bleeding for many years and who had once been financially affluent but had lost it in her quest for health.
She had not been able to get any help from her health care providers and was living on the margins of society.
She desperately needed healing and believed Jesus was the one who could provide it and came in secret and touched his cloak.
Jesus felt her, heard her and listened to the cry of the innocent.
The transformative touch from Jesus helped bring this woman from the margins and back into a whole relationship with the community she belonged to. Many women, men and children, who are enslaved in our communities today desire that same transformation.

Today lobbying goes on in London, Washington, New York, Paris, Belgium and various other capitals of the world, by people and organizations who are seeking their own and/or their special interest or corporate sponsors’ well being.
The challenge for leaders is:-
Are they going to be confused and misguided like the emperor? Led astray by smooth talking counselors who want only power, wealth and their own ideological desires? Or will they listen to the cry of the innocent and those that represent them? Will they act in a manner that will restore and transform lives, that will bring freedom and give hope for the future and enrich and enhance community life?

The Empire’s New Clothes

2011-06-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

Today I was contemplating the Hans Christian Andersen's story, The Emperor’s New Clothes and I couldn’t help but to see it in a new light. For those of you unfamiliar with the plot, it tells of two weavers who give an emperor an empty box, telling him that it contains a set of clothes that cannot be seen by foolish or incompetent people. Refusing to admit that he himself cannot see them, he puts them on, as a mime artist might, and “wears” them with pride, marching down the street completely naked. It isn’t until an audacious young boy exclaims, “But he isn’t wearing anything at all!”, that the town realizes the truth.

When I think of this story, I think of today’s society.
We’ve come to believe that we are the most advanced and civilized society in history. We have been told that our country is a place of justice, equality, and compassion and our pride is more than happy to cultivate this illusion. We and most other people are pulled into this fantasy, but the reality of our present state is there for everyone to see.

North America and Europe owes a debt of over 32 trillion dollars. America and Great Britain alone owe 14 and 10 trillion dollars respectively.

Whilst the average age of a girl bought and sold into slavery is 13.
Many corporations and shareholders are doing anything and everything they can to maximize their own profits, and their blind, insatiable greed has destroyed communities and the lives of their own employees. This mindset has often led to the company’s own demise and further community turmoil.
To call something so controlled and manipulated a “Free Market” seems like a cruel joke.

This is only a snapshot of what we are hiding underneath our new clothes.
The global industrial revolution enjoyed massive expansion in the early 1900’s, although now we see that it was only on the back of child labor and cheated immigrants. We now call this era The Gilded Age, because while it looked like a Golden Age from the outside, a glimpse beneath the layers revealed a dark and tragic time in our history. Perhaps we always have been in a gilded age, only now, much like the emperor’s clothes, people are beginning to see straight through our facade.

So where then do we find hope for ourselves?

For our country?

For our world?

Our God has offered an incredible opportunity - the chance to partner with Him to work against injustice and apathy, and in doing so, build up the Kingdom of God on Earth. We need to stop thinking about our own well-being, the wealth we can accrue or even the Heaven we’ll go to after we die, and start thinking about the Heaven that could be right here, right now. This is our calling: to hear the cry of the weak and oppressed and to act within the community we are part of.

To not sit still.

To refuse passivity.

To be people of faith.

To live out acts of faith.

To step outside of the illusion that we are constantly being drip fed.

Of course before any of this can happen, we must face the truth. The beautiful, colorful clothes we have wrapped ourselves in do not exist, it is they that are the illusion and everybody knows it. It will not be an easy pill for us to swallow; nor was it for the emperor. Even as the town calls out to him, trying to warn him of his nakedness, the leader marches on more proudly than ever. It is my hope that we might be wiser than the naked emperor. That we might listen to the voices of those who try to warn us of the road we are on and where it will lead.

It will take humility to let go of our perceptions. It will mean listening to those we traditionally disagree with and accepting that perhaps their ideas may have some merit. It will mean working for the abused, poor and marginalized and not for the ideological or personal reputation. In short, it will not be easy. But it is more than possible. After all, this is not our plan we are fulfilling, it is God’s, and God has the capacity to do more than we can ask or imagine.

K.Potter & D.Tozier

Potter Prayer updates

2011-03-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

The following was one of the final comments from our last prayer email and it certainly proved true.
"Lastly, the next several months look like they are going to be intense and full and we would all appreciate your prayers for strength and peace."
Thank you for those prayers and support.

Linsey definitely had an intense last quarter although she has recently enjoyed a week's rest(!) from her studies and now starts back with a vengeance. After this section she gets to have the summer off and just concentrate on being a mum again. One brilliant blessing is that Fuller has given Linsey a scholarship for this quarter that covers all tuition fees. It's been superb to see how God has used people, situations and the miraculous to help Linsey journey through her time at Fuller.

Charys has battled well through the early part of the year but now has a heavy last few weeks as she looks to finish middle school and give herself to her end of year music/drama events. She is taking part in a major school music presentation on "Evita" and has separate singing presentations with the Blair IB Singing ensemble and her final year exams. She is also doing a great job of organizing and chasing some personal dreams and we would appreciate your prayers as she tests the waters as to their viability.

Josh is in the run up to his IB finals and would enthusiastically appreciate all the prayer he can get as he focuses towards this major intersection in his life. There's been a little bit of a change in direction for his GAP year. He is now looking to spend most of the time in Uganda, hopefully with Oasis Uganda and, if appropriate, Cherish Uganda. He has also been accepted for NY University to study Civil Engineering, although this is just one of a couple of places that he is looking at. All of which will need a significant move of God to implement.

The Musicians Institute, where Ben would like to study begins its next semester this Wednesday, when Ben should be registering to start in April. He and we would appreciate your prayers for provision and wisdom regarding the decisions that need to be made over the next couple of days. Ben has enjoyed working at Jameson Brown and at his various other jobs, singularly saving with but one focus in mind. During these last several months interesting musical contacts and networks have also opened up to him, which he hopes will develop further and he wants to thank you for your prayers. These last six months have encompassed much of what he had hoped and envisioned for last fall.

So! Those comments at the start of this email definitely represent the last few months for us and OasisUSA. Oasis has travailed through finding stability, whilst at the same time working at developing resources and avenues of intervention to meet the rising crisis of people who are being trafficked around the country and being bought and sold.
At a recent Oasis TFC (Traffic Free Community) gathering in Pasadena, Kevin was talking with an LA County Director of Probation and she passionately expressed how in her 30 years of working, this current situation is the worst she has seen it. Young people are being branded by gangs/pimps and she said "you can track the gangs by the brands that the girls carry".
Our communities are impacted by drugs and by guns - the first and third most profitable industry for criminals. We would be remiss to think that the second most profitable criminal industry is not also surreptitiously infecting our societies and people's lives. Praise God that Jesus and was given a mandate to set the captives free. Please pray with us for an overflowing of a whole range of resources so that the Kingdom of God may actively overcome and impact the challenges ahead. Pray for the OasisUSA board as it develops an appropriate longterm strategy for the rising challenges and looks for a new Executive Director. Also for Kevin and his colleague as they juggle a multiplicity of organizational issues that affect the local and international dimensions of the work and seek to keep things moving forward. Kevin is also liaising with the USA board and the Oasis global office trying bring stability to a very fluid, complex and critical situation.

Last thought -
Jesus came with the very nature of a servant. We would like to pray for all of us, so that, in these tough days, our lives may boldly illustrate something of that servant nature and be reflected into the various places we are situated. Looking at our times our family is challenged, perhaps more than ever before, that what we do and don't do, what we buy, how we interrelate, care and respect people and our surrounding society has a continuous unfolding impact.
We hope and pray that God gives us all strength so that your and our impact brings hope, love and freedom.

Thanks again for your prayers and support.
Loads of love from the Potter

2010-11-08T21:41:00.000-08:00

Perceptions and Reality.

We do wonder sometimes what people’s perceptions are of Los Angeles, especially with all the gossip shows, glitzy films, raunchy TV series, network of highways and mies of beaches. LA County has about 26 billionaires living within its boundaries and many, many more movie stars, musicians, producers, directors and well known personalities. It has been the hub for many church revivals, and church growth initiatives. Creative inventions and many innovative ideas have come out of this area. It also has one of the top ten universities in the world in Cal Tech and a premier rocket research lab at JPL.

However, LA has also been called the first 3rd world city in America.

The state of California is the 5th largest economy on the globe yet has similar financial troubles as Greece and is billions in debt. Teachers are being sacked and government offices are closing down for several days a week to save money.
One of the largest contingents of folks living on the streets, anywhere in the US (about 11,000 people), reside in Los Angeles at Skid Row. Altogether, LA County is home to a total of 80,000 street people. However, these numbers are disputed as being 2007 statistics and that currently there are only about 50,000 folks on the street.

In 2009 a film was released called The Soloist. It starred Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. Last month one of the directors of this film released an in-depth, real life documentary on what it is like living on Skid Row. Check out the film clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvG_UlvqggA&feature=player_embedded . I would recommend seeing how the “other half lives”.

We would ask you to pray for the people of California and LA. It is a state of wonderful vitality and hope. Yet there are also many challenges. Perhaps one of the most significant for people who follow the teachings of Jesus is how radically are we willing to live out Jesus’ love in such a diverse place of wealth and want.

We are currently exploring, with some other folks, what this would look like in the context of this urban culture and would appreciate your prayers for wisdom.

Oasis USA update for 'the refuge' community in Colorado

2010-09-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

Oasis USA - A Traffik Free Chocolate Fondue Auction

2010-07-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ben Potter's Drum Audition

2010-07-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

Journeys within journeys

2010-07-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

Ben has received his work permit and his social security number and is busily applying for work. He has also been informed that he is eligible to apply for a full ride scholarship at the Musician’s Institute and by the end of July he must submit a media piece giving an overview of his drumming abilities. He is composing an original score for this scholarship and if he is accepted then the media piece will be posted onto the web for people to vote on. When that occurs we will ask you to join us and to vote for him.

Charys has broken up from school and finished the year with a fantastic Ovations performance at the Pasadena Playhouse. This playhouse is where the likes of Dustin Hoffman and others have performed. Charys’ performance ran for two nights and one matinee. Some folks wondered if the school she attended was a performing arts school as the show was sooooooo good

Josh has also broken up from school for the summer and finished this year with straight A’s. Although we have not yet heard back regarding the the recent IB exams, he has hope. He has qualified for a driving permit, and under the CA state law he must be accompanied by an adult until he can take his full driving license test. Josh has excelled at climbing and is now training and volunteering at the climbing club. As he moves into his final year at IB please pray that he would complete the early drafts of his extended easy which is on the early Harappa civilization in the Indus valley.

Linsey has had an eventful and intense three semesters at Fuller and is taking the summer off. She has done well with her studies which is fortunate as if she had not kept to a certain GPA, due to visa restrictions, we would have had to leave. No pressure!!!!!

She has made loads of friends and become the College Mum to many of them (although Linsey thinks its more like big sister).

Since our last newsletter Kevin has been regularly reminded of the sadness of traffiking in the USA. The average age of a girl being traffiked in the US is 13 which involves the girls being raped and abused. It is estimated that over 100,000 children are being traffiked around the US linked primarily to the sex industry. Kevin has also been developing links and networks within the LA area and wider afield for Oasis USA and Oasis is currently developing Traffik Free Communities. These communities consist of groups of local people impacting their own local area to stop traffiking.

‘STOPPING TRAFFIKING ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME.’

The first six months of this year were challenging, fun and an intense time for us as a family. Like a number of folks the current economic environment can hit you hard. However, in that place God’s provision is clearly visible as there is nothing else to fall back on.

We can thank God that He has impacted into some of our intense situations and we wait for his intervention and wisdom in others.

Each month there have been various ingredients that have shown us God’s love. These interventions have helped us either financially, practically or emotionally. They have also given us a deeper sense of the unconditional love of God that only fuels our hope and desire for God’s character to be revealed in other areas that we know need these resources. Not only for our own lives and the lives of our children but also for our friends and the folks that we study, work with and advocate on behalf of.

Psalm 34:8 says “taste and see that the Lord is good”

Earthquake:

We recently experienced our second major earthquake. This was of a 5.2 magnitude, a rise of 0.8 on the last one and we shook for a little longer. (half the family didn’t even notice it as Linsey said “W are not easily moved!’)

Maybe its time to get our earthquake supplies in place. We are supposed to have a cache of provisions that would enable us to last 3-7 days if a major earthquake occurred.

Education

We would ask for your prayers regarding Josh & Charys’ education. Due to the massive state budget cuts in California their school has had to let 20 excellent teachers go, libraries are closing and the principal, who was instrumental in turning the school around over the last several years, is leaving. The problem is that some on the school board would like to cancel the IB program. This would be extremely detrimental to Josh as he has one more year to go before he completes the diploma. The middle school that Charys attends, which is part of the same complex as Josh, is going through major construction which will last until the early part of next year.

Please pray for a wise and discerning principal who would be able to further develop the school in a time of crisis.

Pray that whoever it is would be an advocate for the children in a time when there is loads of political jockeying. Area school district members, who decide on schools, can be parochial, as they are voted into office, and do not necessarily have a long term view.

Freedom!!!!!?
In a land that is perceived to be a land of freedom there are many lives that are not free. As we get to know more of the stories around the issue of slavery here in the US, rape and abuse are constant threads that weave their way through. A significant method of control, amongst the traffickers, is to rape a person on a regular basis for at least a year, so that their self-will is broken and they become a compliant commodity. Beatings and threats of physical violence are also common factors.

In a recent survey by an LA health organization it was found that there are several points of community interaction that a traffiked person can experience.

These range from meeting health care providers, relatives of the abuser through to interacting with people in shops and restaurants.

However, one point of contact highlighted on the list was congregations. Some people who are traffiked are taken or go to a local church.

The silent cry of the abused is outside and also inside the church.

Our challenge is; are we a community of love that enables the cry to be raised and in our life together do we have ears to hear it?

Another challenge was in mulling over that Charys, our daughter, is now 13 years old. This is also the average age that girls are traffiked and trapped into sexual bondage.

One of the areas traffickers focus on is towards women, children and various people who feel unloved and not included.

We are challenged as to how often we express unconditional love to our children and make it clear through words and action that they are loved. This alone is a simple yet powerful shield to combating traffiking.

There are various ways to fight traffiking and to get involved in freedom. Some are listed on this page. However, one simple way is to be actively part of a community; family, friends, church, school or work place, that is safe and loving and engages in living out the love of Jesus Christ.

This community has the possibility of creating an environment whereby someone who is being abused or traffiked would, either immediately or over a period of time, be able to share their situation and seek help.

Some ways to fight traffiking:

Join or set up a Traffik Free Community group in your town or city.

Join the Oasis 13 campaign and donate $13 or 13 GBP a month to the Oasis USA work.

Asses your lifestyle - What can change... i,e, Join the Oasis campaign against chocolate producers who use enslaved children in coco plantations. Then don’t eat the chocolate

Parents love your children, children love parents

Care for one another…. 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Oasis Globally prayer

2010-05-29T16:48:00.001-07:00

Oasis, in its various guises around the world, are going to collaborate and use the month of June to pray and fast for the people God has linked Oasis with and the environmental issues that affect the poor and margenalized.

Join in if you wish

Blessed Earth from Blessed Earth on Vimeo.

End of April Prayer & encouragement

2010-05-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

Ben has returned to the US and at the end of last week he heard that he had been accepted for the Musicians Institute in LA. Pray that we are able to access grants, scholarships and various other creative funding streams to facilitate this next eduction phase. We are a little new to the whole scholarship scene so if you are aware of any of the above please contact Ben directly at englishdude1213@yahoo.com or bounce a reply to this email.

Our friends in Colorado who were having tests to check out about a suspicious cyst in the pancreas have been diagnosed as negative for cancer which is a huge blessing. However, we would ask that you continue to pray for Linsey's sister-in-law who will be having tests on her neck artery and for Kevin's Mum. Pray that God would give them peace, healing and strength.

Recently we heard that the IB program, that Joshua is in the middle of, was going to be cut due to the financial problems in California. Also that these cuts were going to affect the music program which Charys was involved in and this too was going to be axed. We have since chatted with the principal and the IB program is safe and it looks like the music program will also be kept. The school has to raise funding from within the private sector and the principle, who is great, believes this is doable. However, please pray for the inner city kids here; these programs and especially the after-school programs are key to helping keep the kids off the streets and to actively engaging them away from predators and pimps who would abuse them and from the pressures of gang involvement.

Linsey is enjoying her courses this quarter but 2 of her classes are very intense and she is finding them extremely challenging. We have also applied for various scholarships for her, please pray for favor.

OasisUSA is still facing some financial challenges. We have submitted grant proposals with several foundations and would appreciate prayer for those to be successful. Oasis will be running a Fair Trade/Traffik Free chocolate fondue silent auction event on May 1 in Pasadena, CA to help the funding shortfall. There are some excellent items in the auction, signed merchandize from THE FRAY, Memorabilia from the TV series CHUCK signed by all the cast, high-end photographs and paintings, etc... There will also be music and it should be a great evening, check out the Oasis USA web site for details. If anyone would like to donate an item to the auction please contact me. OasisUSA would be very grateful and Ben is helping organize this event.

Kevin ask for strength and fruit as he grapples with the issues of anti-traffiking/slavery and sees again the horrendous characteristics of this trade. The stories that arise of women and children being systematically raped, beaten and brain-washed so that they can be controlled by individuals or gangs brings deep sadness and anger. People being de-humanised. In a recent IJM video it was stated that slaves used to be sold for about $50,000 yet today children are being sold for $20, $30 or $40. You can get details of the film at http://www.attheendofslavery.com/, it's an excellent media piece.

This work reminds him of our previous work in India with the women who were HIV+ and from the red light area. Also of the stories of Amy Carmichael who rescued children from temple prostitution in South India in the early 1900s. In these places the love of Christ lived out through His people made a difference and God's blessing and provision was encouraging, freeing and restorative. He firmly believes and hopes that this will also be the case for todays women and children.

One of the key factors in the current case of people who are enslaved is that they are cut off from their communities and isolated so that they can be controlled. Pray that Oasis would be able to further explore and implement the opportunities of a safe house and/or a reintegration community within the metro area.

Pray that we and Oasis would be able to impact and influence the LA metro communities and partner with the national movement in obliterating traffiking & slavery. Pray also for Christian Growth international as they facilitate our stay here and as they move forward with Cherish Uganda (http://www.cherishuganda.org/) and in dynamic church growth around the globe. You can see the scope of what CGi is involved in at www.christiangrowthinternational.org.

As a family we would all appreciate prayer for insight and resources as we engage in the adventure and opportunities lying in front of us.

If you or anyone you know of would like to join with us and invest in fighting slavery contact Richard Fox at richard@christiangrowthinternational.org or Paul Hong-Lange at paul@oasisusa.org.

Also check out the connect page and you will be given the details of how this can occur.

April Prayer

2010-04-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your prayers.

There has been some encouraging developments, and we have been through our first tangible Californian earthquake.

After a bit of a journey with the tax situation we have been able to clarify with a CPA, here in Pasadena, that our tax submissions over these last five years have been correct and we do not owe a substantial sum of money after all. Praise God and thank you for your prayers.

Ben finished his time in India. It was hard for him saying goodbye, although he was able to move onto the UK and see God provide for him. He will be coming back to the US on Sunday and we cannot wait to meet up again.

When he comes back we will then be exploring further the options for his future and we would appreciate your prayers for this next phase. He will need to get a work permit and thrash through the issues of further education.

Charys had a grand birthday and we took her to a restaurant called "The Cheesecake Factory" were we had her " rites” of passage" meal. A tradition within the Potter family is that when the kids get to thirteen Linsey and I take just them out for a nice meal and we spend the evening together chatting. She is busy practicing for an end of year school musical extravaganza and is very busy.

Linsey finished the last quarter with more peace and less intensity than had previously been experienced. She started again on Monday after a very short break and would appreciate your prayers for this coming quarter. We are awaiting news as to wether we have been successful in our scholarship applications for 2010/11. Please pray for this as it would be of tremendous assistance.

Josh has done very well in his track and field events winning his high jump, 400, 4x400 and the 200 which has recharged the batteries for him a little bit. The financial situation in the Californian school is a major pressure but Josh is pushing forward.

Pasadena, LA and California are in some very dire financial straits and in our area teachers are being laid off, libraries are being closed, after school activities are being stopped and a whole slew of other cuts are being implemented due to the financial problems.

Please continue to pray for the folks in our wider family who need healing and strength.

We have recently heard from some very close friends in Colorado who need prayer. This couple, who are very special people ("Top Drawer" as a friend of ours in the UK would say) are undergoing tests to check out about a suspicious cyst in the wife's pancreas. Please pray that the tests would be done well and come back negative and she would find healing and restoration over these next few months.

OasisUSA is still facing some major financial challenges and prayers for resources and key contacts would be appreciated. As would prayer for wisdom as the organization looks to strengthen its current initiatives. There is a desperate need in LA for safe accommodation for people who have been rescued from slavery. Women, youth and children are being raped, abused and thrown away like some used up merchandise. Oasis is exploring, with a housing company, an opportunity that could help in this need and we would appreciate your prayers. The abuse and oppression that girls are experiencing through the vicious business of slavery is horrendous and there is so much that needs to be done and christians need to be at the forefront.

Regarding the earth tremor, it was of a magnitude of 4.4 and hit us at 4am in the morning. It was like a train was rattling through our apartment: everything shook and we all woke up. Well, everyone means Linsey, Charys and I, Josh slept through the whole thing, although, he did say that in his dreams he noticed that everything started shake for several seconds.

California normally averages multiple earthquakes per week and in the week of the recent quake there were over 400 tremors but we only felt that specific large one as the others were very small.

God has been meeting with me on a very personal level over these last few months and has been encouraging us as to His past provision and to the trust that we can have for the future.

This encouragement is sorely needed as recently we checked out some local resources on our quest to get an insight on the type of influences that are around us. Within a 25 mile radius there are several thousand members of various occult, pagan and black magic groups that actively engage in the practice of their "art". A couple are even focussed on vampirism and make the point that they are not groups that read the various vampire books or meet to watch the films but that they are actively engaged in the practice of vampirism.

This is not surprising as there was a guy called Jack Parsons who lived in Pasadena and was called the father of the American space age. The other thing that he was involved in was trying to bring the gods of babylon into Pasadena and the USA. He did this by trying to use practical and magical methods. Check him out on wikipedia.

As I mentioned in our last email our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the various powers and principalities that would seek to bring deceit, deception and destruction into our lives and the lives of our friends and community that we are part of.

Thanks again for your prayers and concern.

May God give you strength, peace, joy and influence as you live through the various life experiences within your community. We also hope that the love of Christ sustains and enriches you on the journey.

Paradigm Pioneers - by N. Gordon Cosby

2010-03-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

Mr Cosby says

"The majority of people are settlers.

They like to settle a land pioneered by others. There are fewer paradigm shifters and paradigm pioneers, those who are ready, and sometimes even eager, to enter the new.

The biblical understanding is that the new is always beckoning us. God, by definition, is "One who does a new thing." And our desperate need is for the new. A new neighborhood. A new city. A new world which respects and honors and cares for all of its people.

The paradigm shifters and the pioneers are the ones who lead us into that newness."

Source: Sermon (September 7 1989)

This is a great quote but what he does not mention is that this is an adventurous but also a very uncomfortable place to be. These people do get to see the new thing outworking before them and the tangible earthy reality of God. However, it also takes you to honestly plumb the core and the depths of who you are, what you believe and who or what you trust your family or children to.

2010-03-13T19:38:00.000-08:00

Have a look at this clip its hard but does gives one picture of whats happening in the USA.

The Film has been out for a while but I would encourage folks, especially in the USA, to get the film and have a look at the whole thing.

CARGO INOCENCE LOST- DECEPTION

Cargo: Innocence Lost | MySpace Video

California insights.

2010-03-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

We have been asked what its like in our new environment. Well in many ways relocating to California from Colorado was like moving to another country. This is not so

out of the ordinary as the state has the fifth largest economy on the globe. We had to change our driving licenses, re-register our car; all the various utility companies and service providers were different. Fortunately, two months after we got here the bank we used in Colorado finalized a merger with another bank from California and came out to join us, which meant we could at last access our account and our money.

California and especially the Los Angeles area has a mystique of cool beaches, surfers, beautiful people and the glamour of the film industry. Over the years, through film and TV, there has been a brilliant PR job done to cultivate this idea.

There is wonderful countryside and as we walk around the block were we live you see lemons, oranges, and grapefruit hanging over the footpath.

There is a system in some places were people can drop off their excess fruit and it will be distributed to the poor. However, the reality is also that in this environment there are also approximately 80,000 people living on the streets in the county of LA, 10,000 alone in the valley were we live.

Kevin who normally enjoys gathering the news has tapered off watching the daily evening news as there are so many reports of people being shot and/or murdered within the metro area. Praise God that this year there has been a drop in the crime rate.

This large Californian economy has one of the highest home foreclosure rates in the country. It has 12% unemployment and is a major global centre for the pornographic industry. Last financial year the state was approximately 6 billion in debt and at the end of this fiscal year it is estimated that there will be a 22 billion dollar shortfall. Schools, social services etc.. are suffering huge cuts.

As in so many places we have sojourned, what you see or what is portrayed is often only a part of a mosaic.

A place of contradictions?

Wealth and poverty live side by side. Sun and high temperatures run through most of the year, yet as I write this we are in the middle of a series of storms that has brought a 25-30 ft swell along the coast line with flooding in certain areas. Water spouts and tornados swirl around. In the foothills just up the road approximately 2000 people were evacuated due to mud slides and fears that the hills may move due to the vegetation that was lost after the massive wild fires, earlier in the year. Snow now covers the mountains behind us and flooding is widespread.

This state is also a place of generosity even amongst the debt and financial crunch. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been given to help Haiti, whether in cash, goods or services. Many well- known people are using their leverage to raise more. Numerous rescue teams have left to assist in Haiti and overall the people and the government are pouring out to give aid and support to the people of Haiti.

Is it a place of paradox, or maybe just a place where ordinary people are trying to live amongst the extreme realities and complexities of life and are willing to be generous to those who are in extreme need.

Our experience is that the kingdom of God is made real in the ordinary day to day activities of life; amongst ordinary people who are open and desperate for God to do the extraordinary.

We hope and pray that this may be the situation in Haiti. What is happening there make the complexities of LA pale in comparison. Huge amounts of aid is flooding into the country. Please pray that this aid would be distributed to the people and that the country would not become a political pawn in the machinations of governments. Having been involved in a couple of disaster situations pray, that after the TV cameras have gone and the situation is off the print pages, that the practical love of God would be evident, and sustainable ongoing reconstruction would take place, plus that people would not forget Haiti or play political games as has been the case in the past.

Pr 21:13 If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

Winter update update

2010-03-06T17:42:00.000-08:00

The last quarter of 2009 was quite a bit of a venture; as we say on our blog “A venture can be defined as an undertaking of uncertain outcome and with an element of risk” and these months have been quite risky in their own way. The journey has impacted our emotions, our faith and hopefully strengthened and transformed both. Ben left in September to begin his time in India and is having a great adventure. It was quite a tear for us as, up to that point, we have journeyed through our adventures together. Linsey started her course of studies at Fuller which was a time of intense emotional and mental stretching and molding. Charys and Josh began at Blair IB Magnet School. Kevin became more immersed in the work of OasisUSA.

The kids school, Blair, is a multi-ethnic school and both of them are in the minority group within their school. We are told that until the 70’s the school was a mainly Caucasian school and then due to various education polices in California approximately 15,000 white families left the public school system. Private schools then flourished in Pasadena and went from virtually zero to 50. Many call this time the white flight period.

We like the school and its diversity is great. However, due to the large state cuts in education there are significant challenges which means that the school gives Charys and Josh a large workload. Josh has way more academic studies than Ben did in Colorado but less actual class time, and this heavily impinges on other creative and athletic pursuits.

It’s also been a time of stretching for Josh. He and Ben were very close and they had travelled through the various school systems together and watched over each other. On this venture Josh was the one pioneering for Charys and they have both been great.

The relationship between Charys and Josh has strengthened and it is lovely to see them working together. Not least of all on the games console as Charys slowly eats away at Josh’s lead and becomes more proficient and raises the competition level.

Josh, as stated, has had a lot more academic work this year and may not be able to compete in any track and field as he has to take courses in a local community college to supplement the need of his I.B. Program. This will be hard as he got to state finals last year in both the high jump and sprint.

However, he is able to get in a couple of hours a week at a local climbing club called ARC.

Charys is dong well in school but misses the UK. She has already been in a couple of musical events and will be in the main drama/music presentation in May.

Kevin has been able to get a feel for Oasis USA during the last few months of 09. The organization is in a phase of change and development and is also facing major challenges in this financial crisis. New ventures and funding streams are being explored with the existing systems being strengthened. It’s interesting that our journey has once again brought us to partner with another organization traveling through this sort of journey. Kevin’s work permit came through just around thanksgiving and he has been able to immerse himself more into his role. This role has some similar characteristics that were present during his role with other organizations. One of the exciting opportunities being developed is in helping communities unite in fighting trafficking and slavery. The thrust is called “Traffiked Free Communities” and involves helping the people in a city work together to influence and impact those who are being trafficked. In this early stage Kevin is also helping Oasis develop its prayer focus, strategic relationships and networks with the local and national church and with local government authorities.

Stories of Hope

2009-12-04T10:41:00.000-08:00

Fancy having a Christmas or New Years Eve party with a difference?

Gather a few friends, have some fun, be encouraged by hope and have an impact.

Oasis will send you all the materials that you need. It will include fun stuff to do and also deep things to think about and ways to make a global difference this Christmas and New year.

All you will need to do is sign in at the link below or click on the image above.

Check out the underlined link above or if that fails use the following: http://www.oasisglobal.org/storiesofhope/index.htm

Dec 09

2009-11-11T23:02:00.000-08:00

Ben is having a great time in Chennai, India. If you want to read some of his insights and follow his blog check out, http://benpotterindia.blogspot.com/

LA another perspective to glamor of TV & Films.

2009-10-11T21:08:00.000-07:00

This is a short video that gives an overview of one of the more sad sides of Los Angeles.
Please pray for the poor wherever you meet them.

Oct 09

2009-10-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

Before we left Colorado our gorgeous friends at 'the refuge', our lovely community on the edge of the Rockies, put on a concert on behalf of 'Stop the Traffik'.

This is one song from that excellent evening and in the sadness of the song you have the delight and freedom of the children. Knowing, however, that there are other children who are not free to dance but who trapped and trafficked.

Oct 09

2009-10-01T21:58:00.001-07:00

Check out this opportunity.

Oct 09

Prayer & update for May 09

2009-05-13T12:58:00.009-07:00

Dear Friends
Thank you for your prayers.
Cuidad Juarez has had another month were the murder rate has been low but things are hotting up a little. However, on the positive side there has been no outbreak of the swine fever in the city. The attached link gives a good insight for prayers for Juarez http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1888111,00.html.

This virus does seem to be starting to level off in México and life is slowly returning to normal! The US currently has over 2200 cases and folks are concerned that the virus will return in a more virulent fashion in the fall. We would appreciate your prayers against this occurring.

We have also had some personal encouragement; a little while ago we asked you to join us in prayer regarding the factors impacting our future plans.
Recently all Linsey's transcripts reached Fuller Seminary, after a lot of confusion, and last week we were offered accommodation, from Sept, in an apartment complex in Pasadena at a cheaper rent than we are paying here in Colorado. On top of that friends in the UK have facilitated a place that we can stay during our time on deputation, Praise God.

For us these are significant answers to prayer as we move forward in linking with Oasis. Several other areas of prayer still being worked on are; obtaining a vehicle during our stay in the UK, developing the final additional funding required for our placement with Oasis US and Fuller Seminary and for the children as they go through this transition period. Especially Ben who leaves school and is hoping to undertake a GAP year 6 months of it in Mumbai with Oasis.
One way the funding part could be attained is if we could get the equivalent of 50 people, churches, groups of individuals or any other permutation you could think of to each take up approximately $30 or £20 units of support per month. If any one would like to know the details of the financials and what is required, see the links on the blog below titles Oasis & Fuller; what to do?

Please pray for the IFM team in the three centers, Colorado, Texas & Mexico as they look to develop into this year. The violence, economic turmoil and the virus epidemic is significantly affecting IFM's role and wisdom is needed as the ministry looks to the future. Please pray specifically for Kathy Hart who Linsey has closely worked with during our spell in Colorado and who will be facilitating the outreach department without Linsey. Praise God that Joe Hart has been given a good measure of health this year.

We are also involved in an event highlighting issues of trafficking & slavery on sat, "songs for our babies". Paul Romig Leavitt, has written some brilliant songs, please pray for its impact.

As a family will be taking part in a 10K run on the Monday. This is significant as only a few years ago Kevin was 12 hours away from being paralyzed and has taken a couple of years to be able to regain his running ability so this run is quite a statement as we look to move on.

We appreciate your prayers and believe they are significant to the development of the kingdom in the areas we are living and working. Its also interesting to note that we have even seen a slight increase in the exchange rate and every little bit helps us.
God bless you.
Kevin, Linsey, Ben, Josh & Charys

Oasis & Fuller - What to do?

2009-05-13T12:57:00.008-07:00

What to do?

To move into this next venture we will need to raise additional funding on top of what we have already developed.

As you may imagine raising support is not our most favorite past time and we can actually find it uncomfortable. However, if we can get this increased level of support it will enable us to link with Oasis US and Fuller Seminary and get intricately involved with impacting the horrendous situation of women and children at risk and those caught in slavery. We will be able to assist organizations and churches to live out their Kingdom mandate, locally and globally, and work together to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the most vulnerable in society.

So what do we do?
We put aside our discomfort, as it is nothing compared to the suffering that we are called to impact, and look for ways to raise the support costs. One avenue is to ask folks, you, to join our support team and contribute on a regular basis so that we can help meet the needs of the folks mentioned above.

Join us and support us through this next journey. You can do this through your local church, through CGi in the UK, through Oasis US in Pasadena or on an individual basis.

To reach the appropriate level so that Fuller Seminary can issue us documents that will enable us to apply for a visa is comparable with the equivalent of 50 people, churches, groups of people or any other permutation you could think of each taking at least one support unit of $30 or £20 per month. If you want to join in and take responsibility for one or more of these units:

If you are in the US:
Contact us at kevin@potterabout.com or through Paul Hong-Lang at Oasis US, P.O. Box 2583, Pasadena, CA 91102-2583; web: http://www.oasisusa.org/
Email: info@oasisusa.org; Tel: 626.447. 0400 .

If you are in the UK:
Contact us at kevin@potterabout.com or through Richard Fox at Christian Growth International, 4 Hanbury Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 3AE
Email: info@christiangrowthinternational.org
Web: http://www.christiangrowthinternational.org/
Telephone: 01245 255775

Oasis USA, alongside Oasis Global (http://www.oasisglobal.org/), is inspired by Christian Faith to work for a just and inclusive world through advocacy and community development. Currently Oasis domestic projects include work to end human trafficking as well as work to strengthen the environments where urban children live. We are inclusive in our approach and seek to come alongside individuals and communities in a way that draws out and builds upon the existing resources.

Stop the Traffik is a global campaign with over 1000 member organizations. Oasis USA spearheads the campaign on the West Coast of America. Oasis works to end human trafficking through education, advocacy and intervention.
Human trafficking, commonly referred to as modern day slavery is a global problem effecting both urban and rural areas. The U.S. State Department estimates between 600,000 and 800,000 people are trafficked across an international border each year. It is also estimated that up to 17,500 individuals are trafficked into the U.S. for prostitution or forced labor each year. This does not include the thousands of individuals who are trafficked within the U.S. There are approximately 300,000 youth who live on the streets of America each night. Most of these will be approached by a pimp within 48 hours of leaving home. Once under pimp control they are forced into sexual slavery.
Oasis aims to create “traffik free” communities through an integrated approach including advocacy on behalf of victims, education of the public, law enforcement and service providers about how to address the issue and intervention that empowers trafficked people to experience freedom.
In 2009 we Oasis will continue the strategy with an emphasis on reaching the Chinese community and expanding outreach to day labor sites and the Latino community. We continue to call the church to actively respond to the issue of human trafficking.

Oasis Blast Off is a community empowerment program that increases the capacity to develop children in urban neighborhoods. In Pasadena it currently takes the form of an afterschool program serving approximately 25 children. In 2009 Oasis seeks to expand the program to work with children in three environments: afterschool, in school and in the home. This holistic approach will approach will focus on empowering local churches to take an active role in the community to build up parents and the support children and teachers in the classroom.
One fifth of residents of Northwest Pasadena live in poverty. As elsewhere poverty takes so many forms, including poverty of opportunity. The neighborhood where Oasis works has been known for gang violence, which worries families as they seek to do the best they can for their Children. Only 37% of Hispanic Students achieve appropriate English Language Proficiency levels and only 30 % of their parents have graduated from High School.

May 09

Future - April 09

2009-04-21T10:35:00.003-07:00

In the summer, we will be relocating from Colorado and leaving IFM. While working with IFM in Juarez we have seen the extreme violence that is impacting the city and the Mexican people. This has confirmed for us the need for local, national and global partnerships that focus on issues facing children at risk, people being trafficked and forced into slavery, oppressed families and the poor. This has only reinforced the insights we have gained from our time in India and the UK (and IFM,) that the love of Jesus, the practical message of the kingdom that Jesus taught and the action of the community of believers are the answers for the hurting, abused and disadvantaged of our society.

Therefore, we as family will be looking to depart Colorado on the 7th July and relocate to Los Angeles, via the UK, at the beginning of fall 2009, to study and partner with Oasis US.

Oasis US helps equip the church with a focus on local and global issues of justice for children at risk, people caught in trafficking and slavery, community development and church planting. Oasis US is a local expression of a global network of Christians (http://www.oasisglobal.org/) and in the 90’s we worked with Oasis India in Mumbai where we developed an AIDS care community for women and children from the slums and red light area of the city.

Currently Oasis US work amongst multiracial and diverse communities. Each of these communities are intricately tied back to their original countries of origin and in the Hispanic communities that means into the injustice and abuse that is currently going on with the drug wars and border violence.

We are writing to give you details of our leaving date and to invite you to join with us as we seek to implement this opportunity. There are a number of ways in which you can join in and support us.

Firstly, we would appreciate your prayers as we leave IFM & Colorado and move into a new setting, change is always unsettling and stressful.
Secondly, we invite you to join us in financial support. This has two thrusts to it.

§ The first is joining our long term financial team

§ The second is in short term immediate support and helping us raise specific one off funding, similar to the support needed for a mission trip, which will assist us in moving into this new venture.

Over our time we have been involved in various global grassroots mission and church developments. Each of these ventures has had a lasting kingdom impact. To contact us leave a comment or email at kevin@potterabout.com

How do we feel & how are we doing?

2009-03-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

Recently in our email box we have had some emails from folks asking how we are feeling, as we often major on the people we are involved with and not so much on ourselves, so here are some thoughts straight from the horses mouth……

“Being a missionary’s daughter is tough. First, you move a lot and never been able to have friends for life. Second, you see and hear some really depressing stories from the places you visit and live. Third, when you move a lot all the places you live usually feel like home so you don’t know what to call home. Although being part of a missionary family is tough I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world’….. Charys

“Um! What do I think about moving? Its gonna be interesting. Its gonna be really fun and exciting but its gonna be scary. I really like this place and its gonna be hard to change and leave behind what I have here. My friends and everything I have grown to enjoy and like about Colorado. So yeah! Its gonna be different but you know its part of life and I would rather this than staying only in one spot. Its so much more rewarding and I would encourage people who haven’t been away from home to go. Its worth it. Its hard and its challenging but what is life without a few obstacles to overcome and a few ways to grow. So here it is my biggest , toughest move yet. I would appreciate it if you guys would help by praying. I know gods gonna help me through it I really do. I only have one thing left to say… Bring it on life”….Joshua

“What with college coming round the corner, and the loom of the future in my face, I’d say I’m pretty stressed at the moment. But as to how I feel about being here in the US I’d say I’m pretty chill. Although being a mish-kid has its negatives, the positives definitely come out on top. We get a lot of experiences and get well brought up in order to lead a healthy future out on our own. That’s my say”…..Ben

“This last year has been complex, emotional, challenging and fun. It’s been a mixed bag; our family road trip, Ben reaching 18 and soon to be graduating, Charys, Josh & Ben developing further into the awesome people they are, the violence on the border and God’s intervention in peoples’ lives, thinking about relocating, Joe Hart’s cancer, Linsey’s huge stress-filled IFM responsibilities and our little alternative community called The Refuge organically developing in lovely ways. I have also been able to run at last! As you may recall almost 3 years ago I was 12 hours away from ending up in a wheel chair and being paralyzed due to an old rugby injury. Well, after months of exercise I was able to enter a 5k run and complete it. I took the dog and had to drag her around for the last part which also gave me an excuse to walk a bit. However, my back is good, my right leg has strengthened and even though the calf muscle is weak other muscles have taken over. The body is an awesome thing.
A significant personal tough challenge living here has been not being part of my family’s hands-on-care for my mother, although it’s not been as tough as my Dad has experienced. He is superb. He has loved in such an unconditional manner, he doesn’t just talk of love - he actually lives it. All the immediate family in Wales are so caring and doing wonderfully, but sometimes I think that I have let them down by not being there. Then there is the tension that develops when looking at leaving the needs of the poor and disadvantaged we are connected with. What to do!
Peace and patience in what you are asked to do; I suppose.
Believe it or not, I personally do not like packing up but have done it a few times now! We have lived in this current home for nearly 5 years, the longest one out of them all, and there is quite a bit to pack up and get rid of. This time in North America has also been an influential time for the children so for them it’s quite intense. I would personally like to thank you for your prayers and support during this period. There have been so many wonderful, miraculous interventions into our lives and those we worked with that it can be hard to know where to start. We will have to get a coffee (or green tea), when we are in your area and chat. Better still perhaps I should actually write in our blog!!!! That would be novel”….Kevin

“A lot of what Kevin has expressed applies to us all. 5 years is a long time in a family of pre-teens and teenagers. Not to mention (which he didn’t) that Kevin turned 50 while we were here! It has been a time of real growth for us as a family in experience and maturity. We have made some amazing friendships and have loved being so close to the family for the first time in our married lives.
But it does feel right to be moving on. It will be with a lot of sadness, but with an absolute sureness that it is the right time. As Kevin said – for the children it is probably the hardest move that they will have done. For Ben it is hard to know that he is moving into really different ground but at the same time not knowing where his family is going to be. The kids have made some very close friends here (of different genders!) and it is going to be hard to move on from those geographically. We will be expecting lots of visitors!”….Linsey

Decisions, Decisions!!!
The time has come to make them and so In these uncertain times we will be relocating from Colorado in the summer and leaving IFM and boy! - are we resting on God!
We along with others and with the help of your prayers have been seeking God’s heart for what the next step may be for us. As you may know, last summer we had been thinking that we would be relocating back to the UK. However, since then various factors have come together to lead us to the conclusion that this might not be the case and that God is leading us elsewhere. Then over the last several months we gained a sense that we need to press in and look to move deeper into the issues of love and justice for the poor outside of the UK. Working with IFM in Juarez, and seeing the extreme violence which is now impacting the city and the Mexican people, has confirmed the need for local, national and global partnerships with regards to the issues that face children at risk, oppressed families and the poor. Working along the border has only reinforced the insight we have gained from our time in India and the UK - that the love of Jesus and the practical grassroots application of the message of the kingdom is a significant answer for the hurting, abused and disadvantaged of our society, and we feel we need to further pursue this thrust. We also sense that there is an opportunity, in this next phase of our lives, to see the various strands of the kingdom that we have been involved with come together in an integrated manner.

So to this end the Potter family is looking at linking up, once again, with the global Oasis family (http://www.oasisglobal.com/) and specifically Oasis USA (http://www.oasisusa.org/). The current plan is that we will go back to the UK in the summer for some deputation, and then hopefully relocate to Los Angeles at the end of summer/beginning of fall 2009. There we will partner with Oasis USA, undertake further study and Josh & Charys will complete their IB education. Ben is hoping to do a GAP year, half of which will be spent in India working with Oasis. After that he hopes to take a BA in Music at the Musicians Institute in LA. This all depends on three major hurdles that the Lord has to get us over; one is being accepted for a course of further study, another is visas and lastly funding.

Oasis USA outworks the kingdom of God amongst the multiracial and diverse communities of the city and is currently assisting the Hispanic, African American and Chinese communities in LA. Each of these communities are intricately tied back to their original countries of origin and in the Hispanic communities that means they are tied into the injustice and abuse that is currently going on with the drug wars and border violence.

Oasis USA is a local expression of a global network of Christians who are partnering with others in endeavoring to meet the needs of the urban poor in an integrated kingdom manner. You may recall that we used to work with Oasis India in Mumbai setting up an AIDS care community for women and children. The organization’s heart is to equip the local and national church, city and national governments, plus to assist the wider community to focus on issues of kingdom justice for children at risk, people caught in trafficking and slavery and in integrated community development. Amongst these thrusts their hope is to develop different expressions of community/church to meet the needs of the people they are involved with and ultimately the wider communities. To hone this thrust Linsey will initially spend a significant portion of her first couple of years in LA taking a course of further study at Fuller Seminary
(sharpening our effectiveness) and Kevin will partner with Oasis on this latter development.

Prayer March 09

2009-03-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

iPrayer
With all the ipod; iphone; itouch; etc.. going around Kevin thought we should try to have one for ourselves, so how does ‘iPrayer’ sound? It would stand for impacting prayer. Initially this was a bit of fun, but the more he thought about this little joke we were reminded that thanks to the prayers and support of all of you we have had the pleasure and challenge to be part of some amazing moves of God. These brush strokes of God have made incalculable differences in the practical and spiritual lives of various individuals and impacted communities all around the world and on their behalf we thank you.
In this regard we would appreciate your prayers for:

The children as they relocate and finish in school. Especially Ben who takes his final exams and graduates this year. For us as a family as we move into this next phase of life.
The folks & church in Ciudad Juarez – 3000 additional troops were sent to the city at the beginning of March due to the ongoing crisis and it is martial law in all but name.
IFM – Wisdom and financial provision as the organization moves forward and that God would raise up others to help them as we relocate. Also for sensitivity and wisdom in the diverse opportunities and challenges that face IFM within the complex scenario in Mexico.
The Refuge – This community is journeying well with dynamic relationships that are impacting people and communities. Please pray especially for the venue@thegrange which are a series of concerts with the proceeds going to local needs.
Cherish Uganda – The folks in the village have had a tempestuous start to the year. Please pray for a grant proposal that is currently being considered. If accepted this would have a significant impact on the area and region that they are working in.
Ardent Faith – As it develops Alpha and various initiatives in a trailer park in Huntersville, North Carolina.
Our families – In the UK and the US, for health and peace.
We would also appreciate your prayers as we leave Colorado and move into a new setting. Change is always unsettling especially when it is so all encompassing. Pray for the visas and funding but also for the desperate need. Trafficking is the 3rd largest global criminal activity and interlinked into the illegal drug industry. These initiatives are fundamentally present in the communities that we all live in and especially with whom Oasis USA works and along the Mexican border. A major way of impacting these and other evils and helping the people is through local grassroots intervention, of which the church can be a major contributor.
When we go to the UK in the summer we will need to locate ourselves somewhere for a couple of months (early July – early Sept). If you know of someone who wants a house sitter for a couple of months or you know of a cheap house to rent, or if you are happy for a family of five to invade your home please let us know. It would be great if we could be based in one spot and travel around from that location.
For long term and immediate funding. Also that there would be an increase in the exchange rate of the UK pound as it is significantly impacting folks and projects here and in Africa, India and Bangladesh.

With our different lifestyle we understand something of the various difficulties of these times and realize the challenges that some people face. We have also had folks ask us to keep them informed of how they can partner with us in impacting families and communities with the practical love of Jesus’ Kingdom. Therefore, the following are a few current ways that folks can partner with us and join in this opportunity of directly impacting the people we have talked about above:

You could join with us in prayer.

You could financially support this endeavor. The financial support has two thrusts to it, long term and immediate:

The long term aspect is joining the financial team and committing to support this thrust in whatever way that looks like for you.

Short term you could help us raise specific one off immediate funding for what we have called a ‘Genesis fund’. This is to be used to assist in the relocation from Colorado to the UK and then onto the work in LA. The Genesis fund will be developed from our existing support, individual gifts or grants and from the sale of our possessions in the US.

Or we can keep you up to date with the various initiatives we are or have been networked with and you can be an advocate or can get practically involved with them. Over our time God has opened up for us as a family to have direct hands-on involvement, with others, in: rural and urban mission; developing an Aids care community in India; a Christian community development foundation impacting the poor and local government in the UK; local and alternative church development in India, the UK and the US as well as training and equipping the church in Mexico and the US. See Present N Past on the side bar below. There may be some initiative that could be helpful to you or someone you know.

We do hope that in this next phase we will see a convergence of the various strands, and hope and believe that it will result in the love of Jesus impacting at the grassroots level of the abused, poor and marginalized.

2008-12-10T20:27:00.000-08:00

December 08 Prayer update:

Thank you very much for all those who gallantly sent Linsey a happy birthday congratulatory email. She was blown away by the response and it was a very encouraging time for her and I cannot thank you enough. Linsey is merrily working her way through each one, and hopefully you will get a response in a little while, if you have not already received one.

Over Thanksgiving Linsey was also able to have an excellent break from various stresses that had built up and is now fully recharged for the upcoming fray. We appreciate your prayers.

Please carry on praying for Joe & Kathy Hart as they journey along the path of their cancer therapy. They are currently tracking through an alternative diet therapy and will make a decision on the surgery later. Pray for IFM as it continues to wade through some significant financial challenges and as God leads, directs and provides for the organisation.
We would also ask you to continue praying for our friends and IFM board members , whose son is continually being impacted by severely intense pain. This is a high level of physical pain that, as we mentioned before, has been with him for several years.

We ask you to continue praying for the folks in Ciudad Juarez and Mexico; also Mumbai and India. We were relieved to know that the various friends of ours in the city of Mumbai are OK but very sad to see the carnage that ensued. Like all of these horrific incidents there is a huge need for ongoing prayer as the ripples from this violence can have many consequences, long after it has fallen from the news headlines. So please pray for the Oasis India team (http://www.oasisindia.org/) and for the churches in the city, especially the gateway network of churches (http://www.gminet.org/) who have churches right across Mumbai and in amongst the area of the terrorist attack. Pray that God would put a hedge around and extinguish any further violent sectarianism that would look to raise its head, and that God would give the government, national leaders and security forces wisdom, discernment and favour.

We are very aware of the violent groups as they try to intimidate and rip apart a city; Ciudad Juarez at times seems like it is about to implode as the local and national Mexico authorities look to meet the huge violent challenges before them.

Joshua and Charys were recently at the House of Cornelius, the IFM base on the border, and in Juarez with Misiones Familiars de Mexico. Josh worked with a short term team and Charys spent some time with her friends whilst on a thanksgiving break from school. In the areas of the city IFM was working there was no violence throughout the whole week they were there. However, during that week in other areas of the city 50+ people were murdered and 28 were killed in one attack on the Friday night.

This is an extremely sad situation and we would also ask you to please pray for a decrease and curtailment of the violence. Extortions are on the rise and it has been reported that school teachers and church leaders are the latest group of the city that are being harassed for protection money.

Pray for the IFM folks on the border and in Juarez. During the week Joshua and Charys were there the IFM team fed and helped over 1200 people through its ongoing Juarez network. The team on the border have just completed an intense season and need to recharge for the coming year. Please pray for strength and provision as the Americans and Mexicans link together to help the poor along the border.

Also please remember all those various communities who are involved with the poor - the educators and church leaders, the city and national authorities, and the security services of both Mexico and the USA as they seek to stem the tide of violence. There is an old African proverb that I like and have probably stated before but it says; “that when the elephants fight it’s the grass that gets trampled”. Today it’s the children, the ordinary people of this wonderful country of Mexico that are being trampled and hit hard.

The Bible puts it another way “A man shall eat well by the fruit of [his] mouth, But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.” Elsewhere it says “Evil people are restless unless they're making trouble; they can't get a good night's sleep unless they've made life miserable for somebody. Perversity is their food and drink, violence their drug of choice.” Please join us and pray against this evil.

A very good in-depth report on the current situation in Mexico can be seen at http://projects.latimes.com/mexico-drug-war/#/its-a-war

As a family we are praying through the next phase of our journey and looking to God to counsel us as we look to the future. We are currently in some discussions with CGi (our sending organisation), and with Oasis USA to ascertain how best we can further develop the kingdom of God amongst the hurting, poor and marginalized communities that we are or have been connected with. We appreciate your prayers.

God bless you & loads of love.
Kevin, Linsey, Ben, Josh & Charys

2008-12-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

November Herald

Kevin, Linsey, Ben, Josh & Charys Potter. Fall/Winter 2008

Thank you; Thank you; Thank you......

To say that the last four months since our previous newsletter has been eventful is a bit of an understatement. During this time period:-
· The director of IFM has been diagnosed with bile duct cancer and has been in and out of hospital on numerous occasions.
· The declining economic scenario has significantly affected us and the business of IFM/Grace which is currently going through some very serious cash flow problems.
· The problems in Juarez have intensified with some horrendous murders and kidnappings. Currently the murder rate in the city for this year has topped the 1200 mark.

We would ask you to pray for each of these scenarios. Joe Hart, the director, and his wife are in the process of deciding what their next step is to be, whether they will undertake the whipple operation or embark on an alternative course of therapy. Joe has already had two bouts of septicemia which the doctors caught in time and he slowly gaining strength They would appreciate your prayers.

Grace Coach Lines, which helps to raise funds to offset the costs of IFM’s outreach teams has had a good business year, with business at both the Democratic and Republican Conventions. However, as the economic downturn has hit the country, linked with other factors that are specific to Grace, a significant cash flow problem has arisen which puts Grace Coach Lines in financial difficulty. Please pray for all involved in trying to rectify this state of affairs, especially the board of IFM as they grapple with the current situation and seek to develop a pathway through the turbulent economic crisis.

In Ciudad Juarez we have seen a continuation of the violence that has been impacting the city. The various gangs are still warring against each other, more people have been killed and the ordinary populous are being impacted by these crimes and the rise of petty crimes within the city. Please pray for the people of Juarez and those folks working within the city trying to combat the people of violence.

In this scenario the IFM team on the border is deepening its relationships with various organizations in the city and looking at additional networking and/or partnering opportunities. The team runs a weekly dispensa that gives food parcels to over 100 families. As well as the food it offers much more in the way of personal and family relational support and care. Please pray for this venture as the large freezer that is an intricate part of the dispensa has recently broken down.
The team is also a resource centre for the various practical needs of the border community, and meets many needs. A simple example is getting doors and wood paneling for people’s homes. Please pray that opportunities would open up for the team to obtain more food and additional practical resources so that they can continue to share with the people of the border. The US Department of Agriculture estimates that 96 billion pounds of food is thrown away in the US and in the UK, The Guardian newspaper, reported that approximately 1/3 of all the food is thrown away. Pray that large superstores and other smaller retailers would be willing to donate their excess products to the team as this would have a huge impact on the frail, poor and hard pressed families on the border.
In Juarez the team, and the folks who work with them, are seeing a desperate need amongst the people of the city and many folks are committing their lives to God and asking Jesus to be their champion in these uncertain times. Prayer is a key characteristic in the city and the people that Misiones Familiars de Mexico is currently working with.

A few of the organisations we network and/or partner with are shown below. Please pray for them as they are integrally involved with meeting the physical and spiritual needs of the poor in the city: They and others are heavily involved with those at risk.

Vino, Trigo & Aciete ( Wine, Wheat & Oil): This organization runs teen rehab centres, orphanages, churches, vocational training programs, etc..

Father Zuniga & Margali: Father Zuniga is an Anglican vicar who (with his wife) has developed 12 churches that are heavily involved in their local communities. These centers have a focus on education and meeting the practical resources of their communities.

Brother Rays Feeding Center: Jenny Tapia and her team run a holistic church center that cares for the whole person and is a important support for the people.

Agua Viva: Agua viva helps men overcome their addictions. They also run children’s homes in and around Juarez.

The Family

We want to thank you all for your prayers over these last several months.
For a period of time the prayer emails flew out very frequently and it was heartening to receive the encouragements that came through.

As you can gather from the emails life has been eventful. Linsey was working very closely with Kathy Hart and the two of them were doing jobs that really required at least 3 if not 4 people. With Kathy now looking after Joe, Linsey has taken the full load of their responsibilities and for the last several months has been quite pressured. Fortunately, Ronda, a very gifted person, has recently come on board and will help her part-time. This will be a Godsend although IFM will still need to employ several other people in the early part of next year so as to enable a good transition. Linsey will be stepping out of her responsibilities in April 09 as we look towards our move in the summer of 2009. Please pray for Linsey as she carries the weight of this load and supports folks around her.
Ben is steaming through his final year of high school and is currently heavily involved in various music events. He drums for an assortment of youth groups, a school jazz band and is involved with friends in a rock band. This year is a heavy one for him with all the work and study that he needs to put in but he feels it’s better than the pressure of last year.

Joshua is progressing well and is very focused on his studies. Recently we went to an awards ceremony celebrating those students with high academic achievement; and as very aware parents, we did not even know he had attained this grade until the invitation came. Josh loves sport, is conscientious regarding his weight training and has an eye for the girls, which is where his parents do step in. He and Charys will shortly be going down to Juarez, Mexico to work with a short term team down there. Charys will mainly spend her time with friends on the IFM base on the border. Joshua will be part of a junior staff training program that IFM runs for teenagers 14 and above. Please pray for their time on the border and that it will be safe, enriching and full of fun for them and others.

Charys for the most part has had a good transition into her new schools Some difficult situations did arise but she handled them in a very mature and grown up way. The kids are great and keep us on our toes definitely for Linsey as Charys is growing fast and Linsey will soon be the shortest in the family.

In this unusual period Kevin has spent more time looking after the kids and we think they may be getting sick of having meatballs for dinner on so many occasion. However, Kevin has developed various ingenious recipes but they do seem to have meatballs as their core base ingredient.
He would appreciate your prayers for the USA board, during this time of uncertainty, and for the development of the work in Mexico. The folks in Mexico desperately need to cement in place processes that would enable them to develop and raise funds in their country. Please pray for Mark Pryor and Jose Luis and their families as these guys work together mentoring and helping implement the Mexican initiatives.
We realize that there are many needs around the globe and sometimes North America can be overlooked as it is seen as a wealthy place. I would highlight that Mexico and the countries below the US, which are also part of North America, are not as wealthy as the US. The violence and turmoil that is hitting Mexico at the moment is extreme. Mexico has the dubious reputation of currently having more kidnappings than anywhere else on the globe and that includes Iraq. Individuals are being trafficked across the border and in many cases used as transport to carry drugs into the US. The Mexican/US border is a key place for human trafficking routes and a place of trafficking exploitation. The following link is a short video that the Salvation Army put out in 2007 to highlight the issues and they have not improved during 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmb9iUvFa-o .com/watch?v=Vmb9iUvFa-o Add to this the intense violence that is going on, the 1200 murders committed in Juarez in 11 months, more than Mexico City which has 10 times the population, and significantly more than any of the major cities in the US or the UK. That is a city that is in need of prayer and

Prayer update

2008-10-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

Since the last update life for the Hart family over these last few weeks has been quite a roller coaster and we would ask you to continue praying for them.

After the last update various anomolies and difficulties arose and Joe has been in and out of hospital. He had further tests and a fourth ERCP and the doctors now believe, within 95% certainty, that there is cancer present, that it is malignant and it may be in a very early stage (they can't be sure, it just looks like it). The Harts are in discussions with the doctors and surgeons regarding the next stage.

In the process of these tests Joe has also developed pancreatitis and is very weak. He is currently in hospital so please pray for healing, strength and Gods peace for him, Kathy and the family.
During this journey they met with a young ER doctor whose husband also has cancer and the Harts would ask you to pray for them as well. The doctor’s name is Rusty Zosen.

Thanks also for your prayers for Micah Slade as he battles with his intense physical pain. Micah is four weeks through an eight week process that is looking to give some relief to the pain. There have been some positives in this process that have aided him but please pray for a full release from the pain and peace and strength as he travels the remaining four weeks.

October prayer update

2008-10-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

Hi again.
Well God certainly keeps us on our toes and supporting each other and by the way God is good, God is very good.

Joe and Kathy have recently received the results of the biopsy and they are negative. PRAISE GOD.
If you recall Joe initially had various tests which concerned the doctors and indicated that he had cancer or a tumor and they were looking at pancreatic cancer. CT scans further showed a tumor in this region. He had been severely jaundiced for several weeks, had lost weight and was getting weaker. The doctors have been equally amazed that no tumor was found during the recent investigation and that the biopsies taken of the area have proved negative.
God is awesome, as they say here, and we would ask you to continue to pray for complete restoration and healing. Pray that he can sleep through the night, starts to eat and gains his strength. The stents that were put in are slowly relieving the jaundice and improvement will gather pace over the next two to three weeks.
Just before Joe and Kathy had the results come through, Joe had a dream that God was holding him in His hands and then releasing him to go and get well. When he woke up the biopsy results were given to him. This is the short version - we will get Joe to write it up and circulate the details soon. This intervention is a huge answer to prayer and last night in a small prayer gathering specifically for Joe and Micah we were able to praise God and intercede for further healing.

Please carry on praying for Micah, Kathy and Walt Slade , especially seeing Gods intervention that has taken place for Joe Hart. Last night Micah had an allergic reaction to his medication and had to be rushed to ER. Please pray that God would restore health to Micah, relieve the pain and propel him into quality and pain free teenage years. In our prayer gathering last night we were again challenged about the physical and spiritual battle that we are in. Thank you for all the encouragement and words of insight, I will pass them on.

Linsey & I have also been encouraged by friends and colleagues to share with you some specific detail of our current situation.We were a little unsure whether to, although, recently we were challenged by 2 Corinthians 4:2 which talks about setting forth things as they are. Our situation is that our financial support from the UK has been diminished due to the low rate of exchange and our support in the US has also diminished. There may be many reasons for this and we are praying to find God’s wisdom and find out what troughs we need to dig to be ready for the Fathers provision. It has , however, resulted in a shortfall and we are trusting God and also looking at ways we can help offset it. One problem is that due to our visa status we are restricted and can not get part time jobs as that would be against the law.
As friends and colleagues have reminded us, folks would like to know the specific details for prayer and action and so we lay it before you. We gratefully appreciate your prayers and also understand that today many others are being challenged by the financial situation around us.
If you would like to support us through this time you can either contact Christian Growth International in the UK at info@christiangrowthinternational.org or International family Missions in the US at outreach@ifmus.org or if you prefer you can email directly to us at kevin@potterabout.com.

We appreciate your support and prayers. God is very good.
God bless you.
Kevin & Linsey

Prayer update 28th September

2008-09-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

In our last email we asked folks to pray regarding Joe and Kathy Hart. Initially it was thought that Joe may have had pancreatic cancer but after additional tests he has been diagnosed with a tumour. Below is a comment from Kathy Hart regarding the next phase of the journey. Please pray.

Hi everyone. We have our appointment now for Joe's endoscopic ultrasound. It's Monday and we'll arrive at 2:30 and we'll go home by 6:00 Lord willing.

They will be able to tell us a great deal at the end of that time - without having to wait days for reports, etc. Of course they'll biopsy whatever is there (unless the Lord has swooshed it out with His Living Water by then...) and that will take some time to know probably.

Our specific prayer requests are:
The Lord will clear his bile duct with His Living Water
Joe would be sustained daily until the Lord heals him or he gets a stent. He is feeling worse every day as his system gets more and more poisoned with the bilirubin. He also still can't sleep more than a few hours at a time at most and that's really getting to him.
God will provide for our needs in whatever creative way He chooses. Our bills are mounting and they told us to bring in a $2000 deposit when we come on Monday. They told us that we can make financial arrangements AFTER the deposit is made.
We will have God's wisdom and direction each step of the way - and that He will sovereignly carry us the direction He chooses for us.
We will honor God with our lives and mouths.

Another area were we asked for your prayers was in relation to the folks living in Ciudad Juarez amongst the violence. (The city has just crossed the infamous barrier of having 1000 people killed there since Jan 1 of this year).
Below is part of an email from Sara Piaz the director of Vino, Trigo y Aceite (Wine, Wheat & Oil), a ministry working with the poor in Juarez. Please pray for them.

Thanks for keeping in touch. I'm born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and US naturalized, as you may remember. I love both countries. I'm living with the every-day issues here in Juarez, Mexico. It's hard. However, I see hope. I must see hope. Although crime has grown lots, we see churches growing as well; I see people getting killed, but I see more people looking for God in the mist of their pain; I see poverty and unemployment raising in our city, and I see more people crying to renew their relationship with God, looking for refuge in His sweet hands... My eyes see pain, suffering, poverty, un-justice, but my heart knows that God is watching over us, providing love, justice, peace and renewing His covenant of love with us. I realize that the work we do is difficult and maybe dangerous, but I know with certainty that God said we should do it, so I will need to trust in Him all of my fears. Of course I'm extremely careful in regards to places, people, times, etc., but: how can we go back? How can we stop helping? How can we say, did we make a mistake on doing what we do..? No! I just went to a pastoral meeting in a convention center in Juarez where 100 plus pastors and city leaders met, looking for a solution for this problem. I'm very happy to inform you that the Christian community is praying, fasting, and looking for God's answers in enemy land. We got to recover what belongs to God; we can not give up! We’ll not give up! I see hope! I see more people coming to the feet of our Lord than people turning their backs on Him. Keep us in your prayers! In love and hope,Sara :)

If you would like to get in contact with Kathy, Joe or Sara to encourage and support them or to become part of their network, please email me at the above address and I can direct the information on.

As you all well know there are many needs and opportunities surrounding us all and the Potters would ask for your prayers so that we may a) overcome this current economic meltdown that is occurring and effecting us all and b) continue to be resourcing channels to the hurting, poor and marginalised communities and individuals that God puts us in contact with.

God bless you, we appreciate your practical and prayer support.
Kevin, Linsey, Ben, Josh & Charys

September prayer requests

2008-09-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends

Linsey and I want to thank you for your prayers. There seems to be so much to pray about and lay before God for his supernatural intervention.

We understand that so many of you have various contacts and networks that you are linked in prayer with so we really do appreciate your time.

Situated here on the North American continent there are a huge spectrum of issues that we are linked with and that lay before us. Mexico is still in the war with the drug cartels and it’s impacting some of the work that is being undertaken by Christians. The murders are still going on and sadly another cartel has joined in the violence trying to gain control of Ciudad Juarez. August was one of the deadliest months in the city. Recently in a Christian drug rehab project gunmen burst into the facility and sprayed the room with bullets killing several people. The pastor was amongst the dead as were a number of guys who had been trying to go through the program. This is one incident amongst many. Please pray for the church community in Ciudad Juarez, the leaders, youth and families as they seek to live out the ministering life of Christ. Please continue to pray for the Torres family who lead IFM's sister organisation, Misiones Familiars’ de Mexico, and that God would raise up peacemakers in the city.

Thank you for your prayers with regards to Hurricane Ike. It smashed through the Caribbean and rolled into Texas. Many people along its path were killed and others are now trying to pull their lives back together. Many lived hand to mouth before the hurricane hit and that includes some of those in Texas as well. Some also live by weekly pay checks and now they also have nothing left; the link http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/09/15/vo.gilchrist.cnn?iref=videosearch
will show an aspect of the obliteration that occurred when the hurricane hit Texas. After living in Asia, Europe and now North America I am challenged that all the poor on all these continents get smashed by these devastating disasters and God's heart goes out to all of them unconditionally because He desires a personal rather than a statistical relationship and has a heart for all. Jer 22:16 says 'He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord.' Please pray for those affected by the disasters as each needs the holistic touch of Christ in their lives and we all need to know God more.

Some folks have also expressed their concern regarding the ongoing events in India and the following link http://www.persecution.in/, forwarded by a good friend in India, gives an Indian organisation's insight into the violence and persecution that is occurring. I have friends and old colleagues living in many places in India including Orissa. Pray for them and please use caution while viewing the video as some of the images are quite graphic.

I get some of my global current events from the BBC web and radio services and it looks like Europe is being hit hard by the weather and the current economic mess. North America is also being bashed by what looks like poor and often greedy decisions taken by major financial institutions trying to amass their personal or corporate wealth. God has some strong words to say about greed and the injustice given to the poor if I recall and this mess is hugely affecting millions of poor here. A single mom who cannot access health care or obtain resources to assist her in getting a job. Families that cannot obtain healthcare due to spiraling costs, people who have to shop around to try and get cheap medical care exactly at the moment when they need immediate help. There are elderly people who have worked all thier lives and seen their pension just disappear. People have committed suicide as their homes have been forclosed. We have also been hit by the significant drop in the exchange rate and with less support generated here but we can truly say God is our provider. However, as an advocate in North America I would ask for your prayers for the poor of this continent, for them it’s the other end of the spectrum from the glitzy media presentations that are seen on the TV or in the movies. Pray specifically for those we are linked with in our small local ‘refuge’ community http://www.therefugeonline.org/ many just trying to survive each day.

I would ask you to pray for some other very close friends who live in Colorado and are supporting and caring for their son who is undertaking a specialized treatment to try and relieve extreme levels of high intensity pain that have been affecting him for the last several years.
Please pray that God would bring relief and restoration to him and peace to the family and that they would be surrounded by the protection of the kingdom of God.
Also would you pray for the directors of IFM, Joe and Kathy Hart. Joe is currently undergoing tests and investigations regarding some serious anomalies with his liver. He has been significantly juandiced for several weeks. Health care in America is expensive and Joe and Kathy do not have any resources to meet these needs, please pray.

For ourselves, Josh just turned 16 and Charys is enjoying her new school. Please pray for Ben as he and we navigate the last year of his high school. Not knowing the system can be overwhelming. Sometimes the future at this age can look frightening and overpowering. Please pray that God would provide the resources he and we need and the wisdom to pick which colleges are the right ones to apply to bearing in mind our visas expire next year and we will be relocating. At the moment Ben is thinking of taking a GAP year before he looks to continue studying percussion in some form or another. We appreciate your prayers.

God bless you and loads of love.
Kevin, Linsey, Ben, Josh & Charys.

THE HERALD Aug 08 ---- Kevin, Linsey, Ben, Josh & Charys Potter.

2008-08-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

Pray 4 the children.
This little girl is being lovingly cared for in an orphanage in Juarez.
Pray for the all children of Juarez that they would know peace and that God would bless their future and they would experience His love.

IFM

2008-08-19T15:29:00.001-07:00

IFM has recently been privileged to have a new family (the Pryors) relocate on the US/Mexican border and into the IFM campus at ‘The House of Cornelius’. Mark & Candi have become directors of IFM South and are encompassing all that it entails to fulfill this role. Please pray for them and their children (they have 8 from 7 – 24!) as they become part of that border community and grow into the responsibilities of the role. Would you also pray for wisdom and provision as they develop the vision of IFM and the vision that God has put on their hearts. Pray also for Jose Luis and Cristina Torres as they lead Misiones Familiares de Mexico, the IFM sister organization in Mexico. Pray for both families, for their protection and that they would be filled with strength and joy.

Juarez Prayer

2008-08-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

Please pray for Ciudad Juarez. In the Bible Prov 11:11 says that ‘through the blessings of the upright a city is exalted’. This city and the people in it need help. They need people to be advocates for them and to cry to God that God would bless them. This year in the city alone over 700 people have been murdered through drug gang violence. As reported by the El Paso Times “this surpasses the total number of homicides in Mexico City and that of most major United States cities last year”. In Mexico alone over the last several years over 4500 people have been killed through this violence.
Pray for the churches and ministries in Ciudad Juarez who are working with the children and families of the city. Pray for the governments of both Ciudad Juarez and El Paso. Pray for the police and border guards of both nations as they battle the evil and anarchy that is trying to infect the whole region. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7562537.stm and www.elpasotimes.com/juarez for more details.

Trailer Park Prayer

2008-08-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

Please pray for Ardent Faith Ministries, http://www.ardentfaith.org/, (Kevin is a member of the board) as it develops in Huntersville NC, outworking a ministry of reconciliation in the city and reaching out holistically into a local trailer park in the town. North Carolina is a wonderfully green and fertile southern state with a charged yet majestic history. Kevin was recently there spending time with the folks at Ardent faith brainstorming on some strategic thought processes. The trailer park thrust that is being worked out has some similar flavors of the work that was undertaken by The Mustard Tree foundation in Reading, England. Jeff and Julie, the leaders of Ardent faith have a wonderful vision and heart for community transformation in the area. Please pray for them.

Uganda Prayer

2008-08-19T15:26:00.002-07:00

Uganda:
Please pray for The children and team in Uganda. Recently there has been signs of witchcraft activity focused against the children and the team. Pray that everyone who lives on, works or is connected with Cherish Uganda and the Akaloosa village would be covered by the power and presence of God. That they would be empowered to face and overcome this resistance and that more freedom and healing would come to the village.

Check out the updated Cherish web site www.cherishuganda.org which gives the story of Akaloosa, a children’s village on the shores of Lake Victoria serving children who are impacted and infected with HIV. An updated newsletter has been recently posted and illustrates how God’s grace and love just keeps being poured out. If you visit YouTube and search for ‘Cherish a Life’ or follow the link http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8pOV8ieRQic you will see a great DVD showing the grace of God in the children’s lives.

Please pray for the children, staff and families involved. The village needs people, churches, families, trusts and businesses to walk with them in prayer and with finance, especially during these early years as they develop towards self-sustainability. The children need people who will be advocates for their future as well as folks who will simply share their stories with others over the simplicity of a meal table or a coffee cup. To get involved or to find out more contact the folks at Cherish or the Potters at the address shown on the end of this newsletter.

CGi Resources helping to build globally

2008-08-19T15:26:00.001-07:00

http://www.christiangrowthinternational.org/

Check out the new CGi web site. It has lots of resources for and tools for community and personal development.
The excellent materials can be simply downloaded and if you buy anything through the store a percentage of the costs help CGi resource the local church and Cherish Uganda, which is one of its significant ministries.

Community

2008-08-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

Our local church community, The Refuge, is journeying on and in October will be helping facilitate a gathering in Denver with folks from ‘Off the Map’,
see http://www.therefugeonline.org/. Please pray for the community of people linked or connected with The Refuge as we develop a different style and paradigm of church, and one powered by the simple love and grace of Jesus. We would also ask for your prayer as we (Kevin & Linsey) have been invited to share our insights with several Christian communities and would like to hone up & develop these thoughts further.

Family Prayers

2008-08-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

Ben, Josh & Charys are getting ready for the new school term. Charys moves into a new school, Josh carries on doing IB in high school and Ben looks to complete his IB senior year before graduating next summer.
Please pray for them as they get back into the school routine and especially for Chary & Ben.
Charys is starting at middle school so will be developing new friends and also has to become one of the young ones again in a new school. Ben is in the process of deciding what he wants to do next year so we all need wisdom about college applications and he needs quite a bit of entrepreneurial skill in developing an individual drum program that will be helpful for his musical development. Josh as always is full of life and ideas, he has been very diligent with his fitness training and there is not an ounce of fat on him. Pray that he would have fun this year at school and grow in his creativity and joy.

Linsey is currently having some significant neck and shoulder pain although God has wonderfully provided a friend who gives massage treatment and a local chiropractor who is helping correct various anomalies in her neck – both of these people charge nothing. Over this next year she & IFM will be looking to develop a team of people who will fill her pivotal organizational role and be able to partner with Kathy Hart in coordinating the teams in Mexico. Pray for Kevin as amongst his various commitments, he is looking to further develop his extremely small Spanish language skills. Wherever we move on to next, the Spanish language will be useful as it is a global language and it needs to be honed in all of us. The children are learning it at school, so Linsey and Kevin need help in catching up. This next year is going to be critical for all of us so please pray that we will finish well over these next 12 months with IFM and as we move on from family, friends and our community in Colorado.
We have recently had some interesting insights shared with us, by a non US based friend, that need to be meshed into our gleaning process. Pray for wisdom and freedom that during this final year in Colorado we would have favor as we explore the future possibilities. Plus that we would obtain the myriad of resources that we need to move into the next phase of our family’s journey!

Family Holidays

2008-08-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of you who supported and prayed for our family holiday. We had a superb time. We were able to get away and just totally relax. Even sleeping five to a room was fun as we spent most of the days on the beach.
Travelling to the west coast was fantastic but hot. There were awesome canyons in Utah and we hit Las Vegas, at about 8.00pm where the temperatures were still above 100C. Las Vegas was a city of lights and glitz but not a lot of substance. The razzmatazz was constant; the lights and activity relentless. But through it all there was a sense of deep sadness about the city. Charys, who is very sensitive, was very glad to get out of it and travel onto LA and the beach.

Whilst in LA we met up with folks from Oasis USA who are based in Pasadena and especially Jerry Johnson and his team who were wonderful. They put us up for a few days before we got to the coast and their hospitality was lavish.
Ben & Josh enjoyed the LA beaches but their highlight was the fact that later in our stay a group of 9 girls from Bristol, UK visited Oasis and on our last day at the beach both boys were surrounded by attractive 15 year olds who liked their accents. As you can guess it was quite hard to peel them away. As this was the only time we could go God was very good to us. We were told that this time of year is usually the ‘down time!’ on the west coast and folks had warned us about the cold and grey weather we could expect, known as June gloom. While we were there the temperatures were unusually high which gave us virtually constant sunshine and quite deserted beaches (apart from the last Saturday where the whole of California came to our beach to escape the heat!)
Eventually we moved on to the more cultured tourism of the Grand Canyon and then up through Mesa Verde, ancient cliff dwellings of the Anasazi people, and back home. We were very stressed before we went and could not remember the last proper family holiday we had been able to undertake. But this couple of weeks of family time was really superb and recharged all our batteries.

Loma Blanca; Abel & Erica

2008-08-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

Loma Blanca, which means white wall, is a dry, dusty colonia (slum neighborhood) on the outskirts of Ciudad Juarez. It is a place that is full of fear. Earlier in the summer three headless bodies were found nearby with messages pinned on them warning other drug gangs to stay clear of the city.

Abel and Erica are the leaders of a small church that meets in this colonia and we partnered with them in reaching out to the folks in and around the area. The couple had come to this colonia sensing the leading of God and leaving a green fertile part of Mexico to care for the needs of people in this part of the city.

Their church is very small and it was wonderful to see, during our time with them, over 300 people coming and linking together. Abel was constantly moving through the throng of people, very encouraged and taking pictures with his camera phone. At one point a family who had recently moved to the area expressed that they had been waiting fifteen years to hear the message of Jesus.

There were groups of women and men praying for each other and we were able to share meals together running out of food just as we finished. Young gang members who were initially reluctant to get involved looked in and ended up playing and relating to kids of their own age but from totally different cultures. It was very encouraging for the church. Since then the remnants of a hurricane has hit them and dumped inches of rain and virtually flooded them out. However, our son Josh was on a team with other families from IFM USA in partnership with Misiones Familiares de Mexico, (IFM Mexico) who linked again with Abel and Erica. Josh said they had a great time and we know that the little community is going strong and impacting its neighborhood in an increasing manner.
We would ask you to pray for Abel, Erica & family as Abel was recently in hospital with diabetes and has to go in again for checks on a tumor that has been discovered in his stomach. We have prayed for healing and would ask you to join with us. Medical care is expensive in Mexico especially for a family working with the poor and marginalized in the colonies of Juarez.

The Ragamuffin Church in Swansea, Wales.

2007-06-20T05:52:00.000-07:00

Zack's, is a place where people, who live outside the box and outside of what some call normal life, can find Jesus.

We travelled east to Swansea to see Sean and Jayne Stillman, friends from way back in the past. Sean leads the God squad in the UK and develops relationships with the extreme biker communities who live on the edge and form their own independent societies.

His wife Jayne is a gifted thespian who works through the medium of Drama and also helps people and organisations develop their specific creative gifts and talents.

Swansea is a lovely sea port that has a wide bay and is also the beginning of some very beautiful Welsh countryside called the mumbles. Zack's place resides up a small lane with a crumbling church situated directly opposite and that is planned to become the local mosque.

I would encourage you to check out http://www.exousia.demon.co.uk/content/zacs.htm and http://www.zacsplace/blog and pray for them.

2007-02-22T11:06:00.000-08:00

IT was for Freedom

When I think of freedom loads of images and thoughts come into my mind. Some good some not so good, especially when thinking about things I thought were freeing but actually brought guilt and condemnation.

It seems to me that there is great freedom shown by the shepherd I read about in the book written many centuries ago by Doctor Luke. This shepherd gives his sheep real freedom; he really loves and cares for his sheep. As I wonder why, the bigger picture shows me that he hungers for his sheep. An ancient letter written to the small church in Rome tells me that he wants them to have a freedom, free from any guilt or condemnation. I get the picture that the shepherd’s desire is for his sheep to grow and develop in their individual gifts, skills and attributes. Not in comparison to others but as individual loved beings. He even gives the sheep freedom to get lost, if they want to, knowing that he will intentionally and continually hunt for them.

In another ancient letter written to a small church in Ephesus I am reminded that this is because his desire is for the sheep to journey and grow into the fullness of being like Jesus Christ. That just blows me away, that the shepherd wants us to become like Jesus. Just LIKE JESUS, and to do it he will give the sheep the tools they need by giving the gift of his wisdom and spirit for counsel.

All of it just because God’s people can then help, assist, love and tell others who are hurting and weighted down by the guilt and condemnation of false freedom.

In the stories the shepherd is God and the sheep are a representation of us human beings and when I link it to this ancient festival of Christmas it kind of reinforces the whole point. That Jesus came naked and weak into our history. That He then traveled part of this planet illustrating that with the nurturing boundaries of God in our lives and as a part of the gracious, loving, guilt free Kingdom community we can journey into expanding personal freedom.

The funny part is that this freedom can sometimes be the hardest thing for me to take hold of because it’s given with no strings attached and is unconditional. I often think I’ve got to do something for it. That’s why what it says in the ancient mystical letter written by John - someone who walked alongside Jesus - that when ‘Jesus sets us free we are truly free’ and can with growing confidence walk the uncertain adventure of life.

Immediate March prayers

2007-01-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks
We hope you are all well.
We are a bit battered at the moment. At various stages in life, as you all know, we have those times in life when everything seems to come at once and thats why we appreciate your prayers.

Its tax time here and the tax code is very convoluted and...., well to cut a long story short we have been told by a tax consultant here in California that the advice we received in Colorado from various sources, and what we had been going on for the last several years, was wrong and we have been filling out the wrong forms with the wrong information!!!! This brings in complications that we do not want to contemplate and we would appreciate your prayers for wisdom in sorting this out and finding out what is the correct procedure.
Ben is having a good time and is coming to the end of his period with Oasis and only has about nine days to go before he leaves India. However, having budgeted well these last six months he is also coming to the end of his funds, mainly due to the ever fluctuating pound and he would appreciate your prayers for provision, peace and strength. Especially as he says goodbye to the children and friends in Chennai. He will be in the UK on the 15th and would appreciate any offers of odd jobs.
Charys has her 13th birthday tomorrow and is very excited, please pray for protection and enjoyment for her. We do seem to be in a bit of a storm at the moment and would really like her to have a good day.
Linsey is finding the last section of this quarter very pressured and mentally and emotionally tiring, please pray for physical strength and wisdom.
There are a couple of folks in our wider family who are battling some very serious health issues at the moment and we would appreciate your prayers for peace, health and restoration.
Oasis USA has some great opportunities before it at the moment to impact local communities in fighting traffiking. However, it is also being seriously challenged with regard's to its current financial viability and all the folks at Oasis USA would appreciate your prayers for clarity and financial strength.
Josh is ploughing on although heavily weighed down with the school work load.
I ( Kevin ) as you might guess I am feeling quite heavy at the moment, although not having any hair means I cannot lose any more as we travel through this phase of our journey. However, I would ask that you pray for us to find the joy and peace in this time.
Your prayers are appreciated as it is not against flesh and blood that we struggle and battle but against the various powers and principalities that would seek to bring deceit, deception and destruction into our lives.

God bless you
Kevin

......................................................................................

Winter Prayers

We would appreciate your input and prayers for:

The people of Haiti. Linsey has a close friend from Fuller who has family on the island. There are many, many Haitians in the US and close links entwine the two nations.

Protection and peace for Ben as he moves through the final phase of his time in India and as he looks to plan his further education.

Strength and enjoyment for Josh and Charys as they plough through their studies and further develop their social network of friends so CA has a flavor of home for them.

Wisdom and strength for Linsey as she continues her studies.

Josh as he contemplates and explores his future options.

Kevin’s family in Wales as they care for his mum.

OasisUSA to strengthen in an integrated fashion and have kingdom impact in:

Meeting the needs within the city of LA and other cities in the states.
The development of Traffic Free Communities
Raising the relevant finances to meet the current needs.

Kevin to have peace, strength and wisdom as he juggles the responsibilities of work & home.

........................................................................................................................................

Dec 09

HI folks

It’s been a while since we have shared some of our journey with you.

The last couple of months for us have been a process of settling into that elusive general day to day routine of life. As you would all know moving always involves loss and hitting up against some sort of government and corporate administration, so much red tape, bureaucracy and materialism. The good part is that it helps us form personal relationships with people. It has taken several months to sort out our banking issues here in California, but this has enabled us to form relationships with the lady who is vice president for the Bank in this area. Pray that other outstanding issues, phone lines, transfer of stored belongings, normal life issues etc... would get sorted as they can be subtle distractions that take up time trying to unravel.

This initial semester has been a very intense time for Linsey as she has pushed through with her studies and worked hard on the various papers that have to be submitted on a regular basis. To give you some idea she has to read a min of 4500 words for her classes and then usually has to submit assessments of each of the books. This does not even include the final assignments that are required at the end of each class. At times this has been extremely stressful, as she has not done any studies for several years!!!!! ( I am not allowed to say how long) but it has also been very rewarding for her and is enabling her to wrestle with issues that will be important as we look to the future. She has recently been hit with a fever and cold symptoms and we would appreciate prayer for her health as she needs to complete her papers by next week.

Ben is enjoying India. He was ill for a while but has bounced back and upon reading his latest blog is being heavily impacted by the poverty all around him. Please pray for Ben as he moves through this adventure, that God will mold him and develop him for the future and also give him the wisdom and peace that he needs. This future includes his hopes of going to college in the autumn of 2010 and we are all looking for God to develop the resources needed for this phase of his life.

Josh is settling into life here and has developed many friends and a good youth group. His IB education is very intense as there is a lot more work involved here than in Colorado. This does not give him much time to himself although he does enjoy grabbing an hour here or there to do some climbing at a local club.

Charys is doing well at school and has become part of a good network. She volunteers every now and then at the admin center of her youth group, however, she is caught between the tension of being here and the sadness of not being with friends and family in the UK. Please pray that she would know the comfort of God’s love and the peace of His heart.

I have recently received my employment permit which allows for greater scope in my work with Oasis. I would ask for prayer as I juggle the roles that I have; within the work of Oasis, caring for the kids and supporting Linsey as she studies. It's interesting to theorize and then put into practice the reality of supporting & helping people as they develop and grow in their potential, yet also keeping the balance of your own personal development and growth.

We would appreciate your prayers for the work of Oasis. I am working with the team to assist folks in our local community in combating traffiking and slavery and we are developing practical tools that would assist people in the community to link together and care for and meet the needs of people being exploited. We are also developing resources that looks to help the global work of Oasis.

A couple of local and global initiatives that you might find interesting relate to having a christmas party giving hope, see www.oasisglobal.org/storiesofhope/index.htm ; and in undertaking christmas carols with a difference, see www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/caroling.html . The Christmas party involves gathering a few friends, having fun and linking together to give people hope. Oasis will give you all the resources you need - just sign up at the above web link. The carols help get folks involved in fair trade issues.

We have recently gone through the thanksgiving season and enjoyed celebrating it with Linsey’s parents, sister and niece who came to visit. We realize that we have a lot to be thankful for. It was a very good time, but now it’s back trying to find the routine of life. Please pray for Linsey's family spread around the world and for mine as they wonderfully care for my mother who has Alzheimer's. I am so awed by my Dad and my sisters, pray for them as it's a hard road for them to travel.

We continually thank you for all your prayers, love and concern. It's wonderfully appreciated and very encouraging for us know that there is this global community linked together.

God bless you.

Kevin, Linsey, Ben, Josh & Charys

Dec 09

Thank you for your prayers over these last four months, It has been a hectic summer.

As we roll into the Fall/Autumn we appreciate your prayers for the folks in Mexico. The violence still carries on with drug rehab centres being attacked and many people being killed. Currently the death toll in Ciudad Juarez is above 1400 and that is only over these last 9 months.

Please also pray for IFM we have left the organisation and moved to Pasadena and they are facing significant challenges due to the economic climate as well as Joe's health. Seek wisdom for the board, healing for Joe Hart and provision and safety for IFM teams as well as finance.

As a family we walk into this next period with hope. Linsey has started her studies at Fuller, Josh and Charys are a month into school and Ben is getting ready to travel to Chennai with Oasis.

Please pray that Linsey would enjoy this time of study, she has been working for the last 20+ years in mission and this is an excellent opportunity for her. Pray that the resources needed would be provided, whether that's physical or financial.

Charys and Josh are well. Josh has loads of work on his plate and needs wisdom to balance study but also have fun, he has become involved with good youth group. Charys was literally given a friend at the school. The day we registered, which was later than everyone else, another girl registered at the same time who was the same age and is in the same classes as Charys. This is a key blessing for her in settling into school. Our hope is that in this city of dreams her dreams would be sifted by God and the reality would be enriching and fun for her.

Pray for Ben, he will be in India from the 3rd Oct till early April as part of a team of three and will be working with children in the city slums. May this time be enriching for him and help him grow in all the facets of being a young man. Through it all may Jesus and the Kingdom of God be a practical reality for him and the children he's with.

Kevin is awaiting his employment permit to come through from the government but in the meantime is networking with Oasis USA and learning the ropes of how the organization functions. Oasis are part of the LA trafficking task force and the trafficking team in LA have built very good links and are developing the concept of 'traffiked free communities'. Pray for favor and grace as this venture is piloted and rolled out through the city of Pasadena. May God give insights that would enable Oasis to meet the needs of those in slavery and bondage in the LA metro area.

Support

2007-01-09T16:43:00.000-08:00

We would invite you to consider becoming involved with us on this next part of our journey.

You can join in with the prayer needs that are mentioned on the prayer page, you could be an advocate for the needs of those caught in traffiking. see the resources available at http://www.oasisglobal.org/; http://oasisusa.org/ and http://www.stopthetraffik.org/ and you could join into of our financial support network.

In the early summer we were looking to gather 50 people, churches or organisations who would join us in this venture, if we were to adequately to meet the needs that were being laid before us.
We are currently getting close to reaching this target and are now looking at raising 10 people/churches/groups that would be willing to join us in this venture and commit to taking one or more units of $30/£20 per month each.

In taking up a support unit you will be directly impacting the issues of trafficking and slavery, helping the church, government and local communities be catalysts of change and link into partnering with the Potters as we outwork the dynamics of the kingdom of God.

One definition of ‘Trafficking’ is when people are taken against their will, bought, sold and transported into slavery for sexual exploitation, sweat shops, child brides, sacrificial worship, forced begging, sale of human organs, farm labor and domestic servitude. 80% of all victims are women and girls, 50% are children.

In the past followers of Jesus were intricately involved in getting legal slavery abolished. However, it is now a significant global underground criminal activity and a concerted effort is once again needed to care for the people who are the victims and to advocate and work for its eradication. Jesus says “that the truth will set people free”. Help us bring that truth into the trafficking and slavery scenario in partnership with Oasis USA and CGi.

To join our support team email us at: info@potterabout.com or link to us through the contacts page.

Sept 09

Ventures - Where we have been.

2007-01-08T16:50:00.010-08:00

We began in construction and nursing and have since travelled and lived on 3 different continents, our family has grown with the addition of three wonderful children and a wealth of experience. In that time we have met numerous quality people, experienced some amazing miracles and situations and morphed through several roles.

The organizations and communities that we, as a family, have been personally and actively involved with are listed below. We have walked with these friends either in incarnational living or through a relationship of sharing each others wisdom.

Our friends have influence and impact; plus opportunities for long or short term involvement. They each contain a mine of expertise and wisdom that is extremely useful when journeying with the marginalized and when looking to be involved in developing the kingdom of God. If your heart is for action, advocacy or prayer then these friends can help you get involved.

Check them out and get connected.

The Refuge, USA – A faith community journeying in a different way and expressing God's kingdom through relationship and vulnerability.
http://www.therefugeonline.org/

Ardent Ministries, USA – An expression of the love of Christ building community and outworking the life of Christ amongst a trailer park in North Carolina, USA. Ardent Faith is part of the CGi network.
http://www.ardentfaith.org/

Cherish Uganda, Uganda – Akaloosa, a HIV child care village in Uganda, Africa, impacting the local community with education, care and spiritual counsel. Cherish is part of the CGI network.
http://www.cherishuganda.org/

International Family Missions/Misiones Familiares de Mexico, USA/Mexico – Assists the American and Mexican church through cross-cultural taining, short & long term mission activity and primarily working alongside the poor in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
http://www.ifmus.org/

The Mustard Tree foundation, UK – A UK based Community development organization assisting the church, charities and local government organizations in Reading, England meet the holistic needs of the margenalized.
http://www.themustardtree.org/

Purnata Bhavan; Oasis India, India – A HIV care community for women & children and a project of Oasis India. Oasis India meets the needs of the Indian urban church with community development opportunities that focus on the integrated needs of the poor. Oasis India works in Mumbai, Bangalore & Chennai and is part of Oasis Global.
http://www.oasisindia.org/

CMS India, India – A child development ministry running orphanages, training centers and employment opportunities for destitute children and young adults.
http://www.cmsi.org.in/

Interserve, UK/India- Christian development NGO & fellowship meeting the spiritual and practical needs of various global communities through practical and incarnational involvement.
http://www.interserve.org/

Sept 09

Ventures - Where we are going

2007-01-08T09:07:00.013-08:00

John Wimber said:

Faith is spelled R. I. S. K.

A venture can be defined as an undertaking of uncertain outcome and with an element of risk. In our society risk can be scary and is seen as a thing to avoid at all costs. However, we are also given the example that when people become comfortable they can forget God and forget the needs of the poor, broken and marginalized. Risk and the discomfort that it brings can take you to places where you realize the reality of the world that you live in. When we undertake a venture with God it can be scary and risky yet God as a loving Father knows the end from the beginning and desires to help his children. Therefore, we move forward in hope and faith knowing that God, the maker of all things has a heart for the poor and will guide and lead us. The pathway may be unknown, but guided by the Holy Spirit the venture becomes an adventure and the risky place becomes an avenue that leads to holistic personal development and a Godly influence that impacts people and society.

Our current venture is with both:-

Oasis USA –
This is a Christian urban community development organization that is partnering with NGOs, local church, government and various local and international community organizations. Its focus is to meet the integrated needs of the poor within the LA metro area. this includes but is not limited to children at risk, people caught in slavery and trafficking. A major current focus is on the campaign for stopping human slavery and trafficking. This is being undertaken in conjunction with churches, local community groups, through international networks and in partnership with UN.GIFT program; the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking. (see Stop the Traffik).

Kevin will assist Oasis in instigating community development initiatives and working with the Oasis USA team as it develops trafficked free communities. Linsey will be undertaking a course of study at the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller theological Seminary to further develop and hone up our focus. Ben will undertake a GAP year with a chunk being spent in Chennai, India; Josh & Charys will continue at school.
See http://www.oasisusa.org/; http://www.oasisglobal.org/; www.fuller.edu/

Christian Growth international –
CGi is our supporting UK community and both Linsey and I are pastors within the CGi community. CGi is focused on resourcing people, communicating kingdom culture and church planting through a global relational network of church communities. They looks to empower and encourage individuals to develop their full potential, as well as help in community transformation. CGi has many facets and opportunities across its diverse network that benefits holistic growth . see http://ww.christiangrowthinternational.org/

Sept 09

Contact Us

2007-01-06T22:02:00.001-08:00

Email our family - kevin@potterabout.com

If you are in the US:

Contact us at kevin@oasisusa.org
or through Paul Hong-Lang at
Oasis US
P.O. Box 2583
Pasadena, CA 91102-2583

web: www.oasisusa.org
Tel: 626.447. 0400 .

If you are in the UK:

Contact us at the above email address or through Richard Fox at Christian Growth International

4 Hanbury Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 3AE

Web: http://www.christiangrowthinternational.org/
Telephone: 01245 255775

Who are we?

2007-01-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

We are a family of five, with an international flavor. This comes from the children and parents being born in various paces of the globe - Wales, Iran, England & India and having lived on the three different continents of Europe, Asia and North America.

We have been immersed amongst the various peoples in these areas and have enjoyed the schooling, wildlife, work, people and culture of each of them. Each has had its challenges and encouragements that have brought richness to our family.

Our journey now takes us to the city of Los Angeles, CA in the U.S.