We take off for Philly from Delaware! World Race America is a pilot program so we’re trying to pave the way. Last year they had a group go and that was the first group. We traveled every 7-10 days. I felt as I was still getting used to what World Race America is and how it’s operated. I didn’t go to training camp, me and Lauren joined in March. The World Race America launched in January. We rolled up to Philly, we’re told it’s a place full of drug addiction, crime and homelessness. The Rock Ministry! It’s a boxing gym and church. It’s today one of my favorite places in the World. We got in late and we get met by Craig, a pastor at the Rock. He gives us the details about Rock Ministries. It’s a branch of Calvary Chapel, that started in California. There is also a big one in Philadelphia. The Rock was started by Buddy Osborn, he is the senior pastor. He’s is from Kensington, and was one of the best boxer in Philadelphia and was part of the US national team. After his boxing career ended in his twenties he was an enforcer for the roofing business. He was facing a life sentence in prison after charges against him when he was a kid. He ended up getting out of the charges and knew he had to turn his ways. He got saved and gave his life to Christ after a friend witnessed to him! God uses him to bring purpose, new life, and hope in Kensington. The first day we got there Matt, one of the people who connected us to Rock, had a baby the first day we got there! He was suppose to be the one showing us around. The first day of ministry the streets were very eye opening. If your on the streets of Kensington your either and addict, a dealer, or a Christian. You walk out the door and smell homelessness and the streets flooded with needles. People hunched over on Heroin and everyone with on thing on their mind.. “Where is my next high.” Prostitution, dealers yelling, no sense of this slowing down. A sense of peace came over me at the place. We got to see the depth of brokenness in America that most don’t get a chance to see. I learned a lot about addiction this past year. One thing being that the opposite of addiction is connection. People are missing connection with God, people, purpose, and a sense of being alive. That night of ministry I was with my good friend Alex and he ran me over to this corner where a man had just been stabbed and was bleeding out. It’s a very eye opening place and makes scriptures come alive! This place was dead and people were openly sinning. Nothing was hidden and I thought, this place is full of sin and this place just isn’t hiding it.
Ephesians 2: 1
“who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
I felt compassion and love for people in this place. I was once dead, lost, blind, hopeless, and seeking my own glory which lead my to being empty. God came and gave me purpose and life to seek his glory. I am deeply moved for those who are looking for hope. You could see the light and life that The Rock is in Kensington. The next day we hear about Corona Virus and how it’s starting to get serious. We laughed at it at first and the next day World Race pulled 540 overseas missionaries off the field. We looked at each other not knowing if we were going to be sent home or not. We did a bible study that night and we all got around and prayed.
Romans 8 38-39
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God put this in my Heart and it is what I held on to. We found we couldn’t go to our next place and places shut down. We were at the boxing gym for about two months. The ministry shut down bible studies, boxing training, and we were brought to rest. We did bible studies with Craig in the morning, did clean up in parks, unloaded food trucks, took out garbage, and worked on their missionary houses doing repairs. Craig is a gifted in bible teaching and seeing the depths of the Word gave me a deep hunger and thirst to know more. I got to have a gym right where I lived and Craig taught me ju jitzu and Gator, a wise man who was a missionary at the Rock taught me boxing. We got to hangout with missionaries, guys staying at the Rock, and get to be part of this church. Did things as group and cooked as a group. We all were getting to know each other and we’re all growing in personal ways into him. Struggles, hardship, growing, and learning! I loved being at the Rock, even though it wasn’t part of the plan, I love being part of the Rock family. I learned a lot at the Rock and will always take with me what I learned. The Rock will always be home for me.
We got prayed off by the men of the Rock.
The Race continues and we’re off the the next location. Duncannon, PA!
Jacob
