Inner City Chicago

Last weekend, I brought two students to inner city Chicago to visit the Lawndale Medical Clinic in west Chicago inner city. What I found was a group of Christians who had transformed the inner city or part of it. There is several blocks on W. Ogden which fly the Lawndale flag. There is a place called Hope House for those Black males who have hit the bottom. We spent some time there just listening to those men speak of their transformation. There is a computer lab, job training and a host of other things. The inner city health clinic was jammed with people who paid on a slidding scale of $15 to $ 40. Most paid $15. Two of the nursing students shadowed nurses and were really impressed. What was cool was that one was not a believer. They both said that they loved the spirit in the clinic. They said that when they usually work with nurses, there are a few who offer free advice: Get out while you can. They said that no one did that. But acted in the opposite.

That evening, we went to the Hip Hop church was uses Hip Hop to contextualize the gospel. Amazing experience. I want Hannah to go back with me just to see it. The topic was abuse and the truth that was told was sobering. They are serious about transformation.

Then we visited Lawndale church on Sunday morning. The non Christian student had mentioned how much he liked the Hip Hop church and said it was really refreshing and not 'suger coated' as much churches are. Lawndale church was great too. What a vision: Buy another building - convert an old theatre. What visit.

I said to the student - well what did you think. Sugar coated. He said - not at all.