Outstanding Partnership in Education - Won Again!

Last year, Mercy Street won Outstanding Partnership in Education for our work with Edison Middle School.  This year, the Lord saw fit, to award us again, but this time, at Carver Elementary.  Please read below the note from Carver... 

October 28, 2011

This award for Outstanding Partnership in Education is being presented to Mercy Street for their continued devotion to serve the students at George Washington Carver Creative Arts Center.  Year after year Mercy Street has proven to be a reliable partner in education and has always been thoughtful and concerned enough to consider the needs of our school as well as our community. Mercy Street continues to provide mentors, volunteers, and incentives to the students at George W. Carver in an effort to promote higher student achievement and better student citizenship. Overall Mercy Street and its mentors encourage students to display excellent behavior in and out of school time. Carver’s staff considers Mercy Street to be a tremendous asset towards the success that our students continue to exemplify each year. Our utmost gratitude goes out to Mercy Street for their outstanding efforts. Mercy Street is most deserving of this award.

Michael A. Hicks,

Community Liaison

Making History

by Garrett Smith

Oscar & Bobo are two from the Westside who have decided to surrender.  Jesus uses the word "repent" which in modern language means to stop and to turn in a new direction.  Or in the words of Christian rapper Flame, to "throw out your white flag." To give up on trying to control life and have things your way and do as you wish.  In other words, to walk away from always caring about yourself and turning towards something bigger than you.  

These boys were in Northern Ireland for 17 days this summer (9 of which I was able to join them) and they came back walking in a different direction.  God used dozens of His Irish followers to powerfully impact them and convict them of their sin, leaving an eternal mark on them.

We had an amazing time on the other side of the world! We sat and watched breathtaking sunsets with Irish cliff's falling off into the ocean on the horizon.  We spent 5 days with the craziest Christian summer camp imagineable.  We wore soccer and rugby jerseys and ate french fries smothered in vinegar.  We laughed and cried and struggled to understand the slang.

But what I want you to hear is how two boys came home changed; two boys who know of no one in their family who has ever submitted their life to Jesus Christ; two boys who have chosen to go against the entire flow of everything they have ever known.  

They have made history.

A type of history that has the potential to impact their family and their neighborhood and beyond for all of eternity.

This trip made history in so many ways.  But, just one more must be mentioned.  In the weeks that have followed Oscar has been a different man.  He has been sharing the gospel with people who come into our home and studying the scriptures with a sense of urgency.  This has drawn the attention of his mother, who Oscar has not been fond of in the past.  He has watched her make poor decisions but not really felt for her tough circumstances.  Well, Oscar started to love her and his mother questioned what had happened in Oscar's life.  She wants what she sees in her son.

Email From a New Mentor

Hi Annie!

I hope you're doing great!  I have been so blessed by mentoring Jiliya.  She is a fantastic little lady!  We've done some really fun things together already - she has come to work with me, she came to a fitting of my wedding dress (got to meet my family and bridesmaids), we've made cupcakes, gone school shopping and much more.  Jiliya has gotten to know my then fiancé, now husband and we are really setting an example for her about a healthy marriage and relationship.  I love that I have had the opportunity to pour in to her and her family.

With love,
Mentor

For As Long As You Need Me

Check out this awesome article!

Graduation Luncheon 2011

         Mentors and Students who attended our Graduation Luncheon May 21^st 2011

Over the past eight years, Mercy Street has grown from a vision to a reality that is just beginning to concretely transform the neighborhood of West Dallas.  We thought you might be interested in our progress!  Mercy Street:

·      Has recruited, trained, and supervised over 550 active mentors from 31 Dallas churches to match with a West Dallas Public School student.

·      Experienced a reversal in the drop-out rate from 70% to less than 30%.  36 of the first 44 who were mentored graduated in the spring of 2011.

·      Built a staff with capabilities of bringing mentors to every West Dallas Public School child, increasing our budget from $250,000 to $1,400,000 and raising it each year.

·      Raised the money and built a $550,000 baseball field with room left to build soccer, football, lacrosse, softball, and t-ball fields.  We are in positive conversation with the Texas Rangers Baseball club to build the balance of the sports complex ($2,500,000)

·      Established a “Pathways Program” to teach children how to fix bicycles, keep our headquarters and ball fields cut and trimmed, plant and grow vegetables—along with the skills of filling out a resume’, interviewing for a job, and working on an hourly basis for an income (or a bicycle),

·      Established very active Bible studies and summer camp for every age group (8-10, 11-14, and 15-18) and including the mothers of our students.

·      Built long term relationships between mentors and students, coaches and students, Mercy Street staff and students including the families of both mentors and students.

·      Our next five years will be better as we see our maturing young people take leadership roles in West Dallas

Camp Memories by Ashleigh Phillips

Ashleigh (2nd from the left on the bottom row) & her cabin!

Love hard.  Those are the only words I heard as I prayed about spending the week at Pine Cove with Mercy Street. It was early Sunday morning and I had decided to go just a few days before.  I had been hoping to hear a little bit more that day.  I'm not sure exactly what.  But two words, Lord?  Love hard.

I drove down with the girls in my cabin: 8th grade girls. I was nervous. See, at that age they are old enough to realize that I am not, and never have been, cool. They probably figured this out about 5 minutes into the drive when I tried to lighten the silence by playing a Toby Mac cd. He was really cool in the 90s. 

It didn't take me long to learn names. Jada with the awesome hair. Shelby with the gentle smile. Daisha with the servant heart. Vivica with that explosive laugh. Brandi with observant eyes. Jaquelyn with the swag. These were my girls. They were beautiful and full of life. They were also slow to get ready in the morning, even slower to actually leave the cabin. They were loud during quiet hour and silent during camp cheers. They did not want to run between activities. And anytime there was a 12 year old boy around they pretended not to know me.  So there we were at Pine Cove, between the pool and the carnival and the horseback riding and the archery and the blobbing and the basketball, I ran and cheered and timed showers and prayed and prayed and prayed. 

These girls were strong. And it catches my heart because life has demanded they be strong. They've built these walls so high it can feel impossible to get through. But if we're shut out, how much more are they trapped within? Love has to be harder than their walls. Harder than my fears and insecurities. Harder than is safe. There is no restraint in this love. No withholding. It's total abandonment to a moment, to a week, to a cabin of 8th grade girls.

Ashleigh and her Pine Cove Counselor

I drove home by myself the last night of the trip. Completely spent, I was facing upcoming travel and work deadlines with nothing left but a really awkward t-shirt tan. And the prayer that I prayed that night was a simple one. God, I said, I'm exhausted.  But then I saw all these stars up in that Texas sky and I thought about how much more lies ahead for us, how we're here for a little while to do this one thing: to be relentless in our love. And then I was glad to be exhausted because earth seems the right place to be tired. Love hard.

Is Mentor Training Really Worth The Time?

Dear Mercy Street Staff -

I wanted to share with you that every time I go to Mentor training I walk away feeling challenged to step up my game.  I feel the flame within my heart renewed and remember how grateful I am to be a part of this ministry. I am encouraged and re-energized! Now mind you, I also end up feeling guilty because I am not doing enough! But I guess it all balances out, right? 

One of the cool things that happened at the training this past Saturday was when one of the other mentors voiced exactly how I was feeling!  I never wanted to share those feelings because I felt guilty and embarrassed.  I realized then that the only way to encourage each other in this mentoring ministry is to be vulnerable and to be honest wtih one another about our struggles.  Mentoring is not easy! Geez even "uncle Bill" often slips! That sure was a relief! 

I am amazed at how God paired me specifically with Gabby.  She is more than my mentee, she is my little sister, she is my spiritual daughter, she is my joy and I love her.  

Thank you!

Kind Regards,
Martha DeLeon

Thank you, Emerging Leaders!

A HUGE thank you, to the Emerging Leaders of the Dallas AIA Association, who help a fundraiser in our honor recently, stay posted to the blog to hear the results.  Read more about the event here!

Southwest Airlines seems to think so...

Giving it up to Southwest Airlines and our buddy, Dan Shallcross, who stopped by with a boat load of school supplies for West Dallas kiddos who return to school on August 24th!  Thank you Jesus, for you are our Great Provider. 

Bikes Galore

From Karen: My boys and I are working on collecting used bikes for your organization.  The two boys are speaking with the principles from their schools to see if they can have a bike drive, so keep your fingers crossed.

Mentoring at Mercy Street : An Adventure with the Holy Spirit

For almost 7 years Bill and I have had the privilege of mentoring a sister and brother through the mentoring ministry of Mercy Street in West Dallas.  As with any relationship that involves a commitment, such as marriage, parenting, joining a church or taking a new job, you never fully know what lies ahead but you do know that this is something God is calling you to do.  That was true for us  as we said "yes" when asked to consider being mentors. Our experience has truly been an adventure as God has taught us that mentoring is His work and that we are wholely dependent on Him and merely part of His plan for redemption in the lives of our mentees.  We have seen these children grow and change before our eyes just as our own children have grown up and left the nest, often in spite of our imperfect parenting or mentoring. 

So why mentor? What difference has it made?   Paul says in II Corinthians 2:6-8 "For God, who said,"Light shall shine out of darkness", is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing."  Mentors are bringers and bearers of this Light which shines in our hearts because we have been called out of the darkness of our sin by His grace. You don't have to have all the answers because Jesus is the answer.

Mercy Street's mandate is "To be used of God to spark Christ-honoring community restoration by engaging in mutually-transforming relationships with the future leaders of West Dallas."  When we became mentors to Mariah and Ivan, I was not aware of this mandate but later heard Trey Hill, Mercy Street's founder and executive director, articulate it at an urban missions conference.  I realized then that being a mentor had transformed me, too.  My prayer life deepened as many times things in my mentee's life were beyond my control and I realized I had no one but the Lord to call upon.  The more I prayed the more I saw God faithfully do things that were "above and beyond all that I could ask or think." 

At Graduation

The first year was challenging as Mariah and Ivan got to know us and we them.  It took time for them to trust that Bill and I were committed to seeing them through the ups and downs in their lives.  Mercy Street provided training for us as mentors and encouraged and guided us but in the end we had take the principals and apply them in unique and special ways.  That first summer Mariah attended camp with Mercy Street. When she got off the bus back in Dallas she was a different girl.  She had committed her life to Christ!  Two years later Ivan also committed his heart to Christ at camp. There have been so many unexpected twists and turns for both of them since then but all under the sovereign control and purposes of God for their lives.  Now 18, Mariah graduated June 1st from a christian boarding school and plans to begin college this Fall.  Ivan at 16 is still in school and wants to live for the Lord.  God continues to write His story in each of our lives, teaching us His ways and molding us into the people He wants us to be.  Mentoring has blessed us in ways we never could have imagined and we are so glad the Lord has knit our families together in His love.

God is writing His story in your life, too, and if you sense Him calling you to mentor I can only say "do it!" It will be an adventure with the Holy Spirit that will change you forever.

$83.20 baby!

Verdict in: "My girls sold the last cup :)  We are sending Mercy Street $83.20. :)"

Fill the Pig

Email just in: "My girls and friends are having a lemonade stand to support Mercy Street. They are trying to fill the pig :)"

Celebrating God's Amazing Work...

Amazing, isn’t it?

We caught a vision that we thought God had planted in us.

By your incredible, faithful support, you joined us in believing that that vision was His.
As the results pour in from every side, we are filled with the joy that comes from walking hand in hand
with our Savior and experiencing Him at every turn.

We want you to know that you are a big part of the journey and that we could not have done it without
you.

Our Mentor Coordinators, Garrett & Mindy Smith spend their time with our 6th to 8th graders. As many
of you know, this is a time in the life of a child when things begin to come unwound.

We’d like you to read what they have to say in a newsletter they published!

Bill Farrell
Mercy Street

Humbly our team at Mercy Street has established programs we believe God has led us to start.   In faith our family has made this place home. And by God's magnificent power a revolution has begun.   In our midst God is moving and working in ways we never thought imaginable.  He is restoring people and places in ways we couldn't have dreamed of.  If you know us we tend to go on and on about God and his modern-day miracles. We both start to increase our volume until we are hollering and moving about like a preacher. Watching God work excites us, it encourages us, it makes us come alive. We cheer and shout and praise much like Mavericks fans have been doing across the city.  We aren't shouting for a 7-foot German who can accurately throw a ball, but for a wonder-working God who shows up in time and space to make his glory known among all nations. In this, our third and last letter in our attempt to zoom-out to a bird's eye view of ministry in West Dallas, we want to share a few of these miracles we are celebrating.

After 8 years Mercy Street has begun to see young leaders rise up out of the landscape.  God has begun to captivate the hearts of young men and women and begun to transform them into a band of revolutionaries.  It is fascinating to watch them choose Christ.  When so much entices towards pleasure, popularity and power they say (in the words of one student), "I want to be a part of the revolution starting at Mercy Street."  These teens are beginning to recognize the enormous influence they have over those younger.  They are becoming active in local politics, community service, and sharing the faith.  We wish you could meet them.  We wish you could hear them share what is on their mind.  We wish you could watch the younger kids mesmerized by them. As leaders come to the forefront, Mercy Street desires to empower and equip them.  There are many ways this happens but a few ways recently that have been truly phenomenal.   This Summer donors have provided plane tickets for 8 leaders to take a 10-day mission trip to Africa and 2 leaders to take a 17-day trip to Northern Ireland.    This Summer 12 students are a part of a paid summer work crew.  Their project is to expand and renovate our local community bike shop.    This Summer 12 student will serve as student leaders at our summer camp for younger students.   This Fall 5 students will attend the renown CCDA Innovate conference in Indianapolis, Indiana We celebrate as we watch God work in the lives of these young men and women.  Would you join us in praying for them.  That they could resist temptations from the lurking evil one, that they could reject mediocrity, that they would have the courage to live life by faith, and that they would forever change our community.

Jesus called his followers "a city on a hill that cannot be hidden."  Meaning, they in many ways embody or put on display the way of God.  His followers put into flesh the invisible God.  It is through them people get a glimpse into his goodness.   We celebrate God making us a city on a hill.   We watch as Mercy Street and its people become a place the neighborhood wants to check out.  Our offices, our homes, our cars are continuously filled with the seeking.  God has chosen us to display his goodness.  It is fascinating!  He has placed in jars of clay a beautiful message.  It is incredible to watch this unfold.  Each day kids show up at the door step intrigued and asking questions.  Mothers turn to us in times of crisis. They come to explore and examine a people who are very different. Our team here could not be more diverse.  In his final words with his men Christ prays, "May they (his followers) be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me."  This is what we see happening.  God is bringing together people who are different through an inseparable bond of love to be a city for all to see. It truly is a miraculous work!

In the early days just after the execution of Jesus his followers faced severe persecution.  As they led their lives in the context of the oppressive Roman world they chose to go against what was normal. They chose to live differently.  They called this THE WAY.  It was a life characterized by surrender to Jesus Christ.  They placed everything on the line.   Their families, their comfort, their money, their health, their time, their careers.   They began to find their greatest joys, their deepest comfort, their unshakeable significance in Christ. In America we can often think that flavor of Christianity is obsolete.  It passed away long ago.   But, we at Mercy Street celebrate the way we see God moving people back towards a wild, risky, unrelenting faith.   We see this in both our mentors & staff as well as with our students.  God is asking people to give up control on their lives and "in all ways lean on his understanding."  This is a remarkable change.  It has meant businessmen showing up at our door with big checks, students stepping between fighters, girls breaking up with their lusting boyfriends, and families selling their luxurious safe homes to move into West Dallas.  Other people have begun mentoring the neighbors kids as well or traded in 401k's and other perks for the cloth, or doubled their generosity in a recession, or given keys to their car to an urban missionary.   We celebrate God moving people toward a radical,uncomfortable kinda faith.  Where everything is on the table.  All resources are seen as gifts to be used for a kingdom.   Watching as God stirs hearts in this way has us celebrating!

July 8th Email Snipit From A Partner Church

I asked for an increase in our direct financial support of Mercy Street and that was approved.  We love the ministry that is happening through Mercy Street and love that you allow us to be part of it.  I think I have told you often that of all the EF things we do, it is one of the most catalytic things we do.