Inside the UrbanPromise AfterSchool Program Video

Visit UrbanPromise Honduras's Blog

www.urbanpromisehonduras.wordpress.com

Check out the latest updates, photos, pictures and stories about what is happening with this new organization and the pilot program starting next month.  We wish Matt and Blair all the best.

UrbanTrekker Trip to Washington D.C. 

The cold, relentless wind whipped across the Potomac river, rifling down Pennsylvania Avenue, scattering leaves and papers as it came. It was a late-December Washington afternoon.

Leading a pack of scarf bundled teenagers was our UrbanTrekker director, Jim Cummings—Mr. C. to the kids. Annually Jim loads a group of 18 or so UrbanPromise teens into our bus and heads to the nation’s capital for three days of intensive history and museum visiting.

“We were walking down the ramp towards the Vietnam Memorial,” reported Jim when they returned. “There was an aging vet wearing a thread-bare army coat and a fatigued beret propped up against the wall.”

“‘How’s it going?’ I asked too cheerily.”

“‘Not so good,’ replied the disheveled Vet.”

From that too chipper greeting the conversation evolved and the students became mesmerized. The vet’s name was O’Donnell Parker. He had fought in Vietnam; after his discharge he said that he struggled to assimilate back into civilian life but encountered unusual difficulty getting jobs over the years. “I have been recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, he added plainly.”

“And who are you kids?” called out O’Donnell, as he watched the teens reading the names of those memorialized servicemen and women who had lost their lives on the battle field. As spokesman, Jim identified that they were young people from Camden in New Jersey, and were a part of a ministry called UrbanPromise.

“Do ya think they might want to learn a little about Vietnam?” said O’Donnell with a glint of hope in his eyes.

The intrigued teens formed a circle around the weary veteran. He quickly created a stunning, terrible picture of what it was like to fight in Vietnam, what it was like to have friends die in his arms, what it was like to return home to find that our country had turned against the war. He showed the kids his amputated fingers—lost when machine gun fire ripped across his body. He was honest about his struggles and the mistakes he had made. Then he challenged the kids to use their lives to make a difference.

Tears rolled down the faces of our teens. History had come to life, their history lessons were now personified in an aging veteran.

“Mr. C,” one of the students quietly asked, after O’Donnell had finished his poignant story, “Can we pray for O’Donnell?”

There was really no need to ask the question. Within seconds the students spontaneously circled their new friend, who was crouched by the black marble memorial. They held hands and offered prayers for Donald’s safety and his circumstances.

“Mr. C,” Jose movingly whispered as the final prayer was uttered, “Let’s take an offering.” With that, the UrbanTrekkers, our impressive teenagers, were digging in their pockets pulling out quarters, dimes and a dollar bill. When the money was carefully counted there was $32. That was a spontaneous worship service at the always deeply moving Vietnam Memorial.

Back home when the students were asked about their most meaningful moment on the Trekker Trip to Washington, it was not the Air and Space Museum, nor the Smithsonian--although they were good—they wistfully said that it was when they were at the Vietnam Memorial listening to the real life story told by their veteran friend, Donald.

It’s because of your special gifts that UrbanPromise is able to create these life-defining moments for our young people in our programs.

UrbanPromise Academy "Journeys" Class prepares to travel to Mexico for Monarch Butterfly field research.

“Hey Mr. C., Miss Julie, look I got my passport in the mail yesterday.” Shahad was beaming as he thrust the official document with its golden imprinted seal on the cover towards us. “I can go anywhere in the world now, right?” “Well, almost”, I replied, realizing the significance the small important looking booklet had for him. Shahad and five of his classmates will be traveling to the Mexican State of Michoacán in February, 2009 to do field research as part of their high school curriculum.

Since September Shahad and his classmates have been part of a new and exciting elective course in our small UrbanPromise high school. The year long course, called “Journeys”, meets twice each week for a total of 3 hours. We’ve been studying the Monarch Butterfly and its migration to winter sanctuaries by using various approaches.

• From a historical and geographic approach, the course takes us into a study of both animal and human migration…we’ve explored topics on the “Great Migration” of African Americans relocating from the south to the northern cities of the United States during the first half of the 20th century. We have looked at issues of illegal immigration and the relationship of the United States and its Mexican neighbor. Our exploration of Mexican history has opened the door to studying pre-Columbian native Aztec and Purepecha cultures. We have also been learning about Mexico’s post-Spanish conquest and contemporary history.

• In the sciences, we studied the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly while raising, tagging, collecting data and releasing them. We have explored issues of climate change, habitat loss, deforestation, endangered species through field trips to Cape May and the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Students have read, researched and then debated positions centered on environmental conservation/preservation, environmental injustice and economic development.

• In language and visual arts, the Journeys class is learning to observe not only with the eyes of a scientist but also the creative eyes of an artist. They have taken the time to sit quietly in the garden sketching plants and insects alike. They have created poetic verse, learning to wordsmith the myriad of new words and ideas that are revealed through their studies.

Our upcoming trip to the Transvolcanic Mountains of Michoacán will provide our students the opportunity to do field research on pre-selected subjects and to meet with rural Mexican school students who are also studying the Monarch Butterfly and its migration north. Our travels will take us to Mexico City. We will see the art work of Diego Rivera, often described as the greatest Mexican painter of the 20th century. We will visit the ancient ruins of Tzintzuntzan, center of Purepecha culture; Teotihuacan and the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon including the Tenochtitlan, the ancient Aztec capital city.

In many ways it is the magnificent and miraculous “Danaus Plexippus” (Monarch Butterfly) that is our passport to learning as six young students from UrbanPromise Academy prepare for the journey of a lifetime. This small yet grand, fragile yet incredibly resilient creature has led us to a world beyond our classroom, a world beyond our small urban garden in Camden, New Jersey.

Peace, Like a Garden in Camden

Jim Cummings

UrbanPromise intern creates mural with students



Hope Mead, a 19 year old artist from Freeville, New York, who spent this past school year as a Mission Year intern with Urban Promise graced our campus this summer with a beautiful mosaic tile wall mural.

During her first weekend in Camden last Fall she encountered the work of tile mural artist Isaiah Zagar and fell in love with his work. Tagging along with him for a few days, he put her to work and then commissioned her to “go out and make art in the world!”
Volunteering at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, just down the street from Urban Promise, her first mural took shape with the art students there, a 6 foot by 25 foot depiction of student faces along a hallway. Raising money for all her own supplies, she then was inspired to work with our StreetLeaders this summer to add her colorful designs to the wall along our parking lot.

With help from fellow intern, Krista Reimer and our hardworking StreetLeaders, Hope has made her mark not only in the hearts of her students and coworkers, but in a very concrete way by beautifying our surroundings. Hope is currently a freshman studying art education at Messiah College in Grantham, PA.

Hope, and thank you for sharing your gifts with us!

Harvesting for the Camden City Farmers Market. The carrots looked great and were a big seller, thanks to the UPA biology class who planted them in the garden back in April. The garlic that was also planted by the UPA biology class back in November finally emerged from curing in the shed after being harvested back in June by Nelly and Jorge. A lot of the cherry tomatoes unfortunately had split from being over watered by the rain storms last night. But all in all a good taste of small business management was experienced at the downtown Camden Farmers Market along with learning more about food in the Camden community.

The garden was planted more as an educational garden instead of a production garden, so it will probably be the only time this season UPA students will be showing off their nutritious produce to the Camden community. But hopefully the program will continue and grow...

On Friday, August 15, 2008, Chris Williams from Urban Promise Academy will be testing out his entrepreneurial skills at the Camden Farmers Market located across from the Walter Rand Transportation Center at Mickel & Broadway. This is an extension to an experiential learning program started at UPA this past school year involving garden and food based education centered around the schoolyard vegetable garden next to the Trekker House. Come by between 11am - 2pm to show your support!

UrbanPromise All Camp Day 8/7/08

A Contemporary Saint

Tyrone (camper), David (camper), Mary (UrbanPromise Intern) and Nomaris (camper) enjoy another fun filled day at UrbanPromse's Camp Spirit.

It was testimony time at our weekly worship service with the summer interns. The
impressive and energetic young people, who volunteer to help UrbanPromise, always enjoy the time when they get to share the events of the prior week. There are always lots of laughs and spontaneous shouts of encouragement.

This year was different when Mary struggled to her feet. “The doctor gave me
the bad news eight days before I was supposed to come to Camden.”

Everyone became quiet. Mary is one of our 45 college interns who volunteered this
summer. She is a dean’s list student at Azusa Pacific University in Southern California studying Social Work. She had our attention.

“My doctor told me that my joints were disintegrating rapidly—knees and ankles primarily. My muscular dystrophy would allow me only about 5-hours day on my feet--or less. I would need periods of rest.”

For the past week our staff and children had all watched Mary struggle to walk around the UrbanPromise campus leaning heavily on her cane. But Mary would not be deterred. and she never complained.

“I thought about not coming to Camden,” she continued, “wondering what value I would be to an organization that works with such energetic kids. But I really believed I was supposed to come! So God opened doors and I sensed I had important work to do; besides, my friends, my church, and my family were all very supportive of my making the trip.”

The demands on our summer interns are strenuous. Our young men and women work long hours with energetic kids, walk long city blocks in the hot sun and humidity, and stay up until the wee morning hours planning exciting activities for our kids. Then they bunk in our cramped row homes and apartments (without air conditioning!)--not
the best conditions for someone whose health is in decline.

“I can’t coach basketball. I can’t walk kids home. I can’t lead the charge at the swim trips,” she continued. “But, I’m delighted that the children have begun to ask me questions about my cane and my limp. The conversations we have are amazing—conversations about faith and pain and God, and, often, about courage.”

“I now realize that God is working through what I thought were my weaknesses. Children in Camden relate to my vulnerabilities.”

Certainly, Mary’s testimony about courage and perseverance was a challenge to all of us last Sunday night. She reminded me and the others how God turns our perceived weaknesses into amazing opportunities to move beyond the superficial and connect with young people at a deeper level—a level that can not be reached if there is no trust, no respect, or no ability to identify.

For the last six weeks Mary and her colleagues have been running our day camps, coaching basketball teams, mentoring those who are still shaky in their school work, teaching bible verses, loving and sometimes just listening. Interns like Mary receive no financial compensation; they pay their own travel expenses, and they work long hours in South Jersey’s heat and humidity. I’m sure you’ll agree with me, they are contemporary saints.

Dr. Bruce Main
President, UrbanPromise

Water Day at UrbanPromise Summer Camp

It's amazing how much fun kids can have with a couple of buckets and some water!

UrbanPromise students receive camp scholarships
Donor Profile: Tom & Diane Samuel

Tom Samuel grew fond of the students at The CamdenForward School after attending and representing First Presbyterian Church in Moorestown at several Partner Appreciation Days. Tom and his wife, Diane, decided they wanted to give the kids at school an experience that they would treasure for years to come. The experience was a week at the YMCA Camp Ockanickon in Medford. Not only did Tom and his wife provide two one-week scholarships to our kids, they also shared their idea with their friends, neighbors, and mission committee and was able to pull together additional scholarships.

In total, they were able to offer eight one-week camp scholarships to the kids at the CamdenForward School.

When the kids returned on Friday afternoon, two boys and their Mom’s visited my office. Josh and Chris could hardly contain themselves, bursting with story after story. Their Mom’s just beamed with delight. The boys told me all about sleeping in the cabin, swimming in the lake, catching frogs, archery and rifle shooting with magnets.

The camp experience was a truly remarkable one for some kids from the Camden area – one they are excited to share with others – one they long to go to the next year. I, along with the kids and parents, thank Tom and Diane and the others who gave a gift that will be long remembered.

For more information about becoming a partner contact Joy at jmessner@urbanpromiseusa.org

Interns return to Malawi to begin UrbanPromise 

 Gibozi Mphanzi, Robert Manda, Zamumtima “Za” Chijere, Sullivan Kandulu, Tinashe Saka

Robert, with a solemn look on his handsome face bluntly said, “I just couldn’t do it!”

Robert Manda was attending the African Bible College in Malawi where he lived. He had volunteered, because of his country’s famine, to help distribute food—small bags of grain and rice for desperate, starving families who had been in line for days to receive help.

“In the midst of all the people’s chaos and need I received a call from my supervisor,” Robert explained. “He was in a different region of the country doing other relief work. He instructed me not to give out all the bags of food, because there were transportation problems and there was a good chance the next shipment would not arrive until next week. I just couldn’t do it—what good would the food have done if everyone had died?”

He paused. “I disobeyed the order. But guess what? The food arrived the next day. Yes!”

When it comes to food, the biggest decision many of us have to face is whether or not to eat the last three Oreos in the package.  But experiences like Robert’s, are events that shape faith and define character.

Robert returned to Malawi last week along with Gibozi, Zamumtima (Za), Tinashe, and Sullivan. As they begin three new children and youth ministries, each of them will confront the desperate state of children and their families in Malawi. All three ministries include a feeding program, understanding that eating a balanced meal and having a full stomach are key to a child’s ability to learn, grow, and survive. The next time you are trying to decide how many Oreos to eat, please remember our friends in Malawi and the children they are serving.

For more information on how to support UrbanPromise Malawi please contact: Lindsey Lewis at 856-661-1700 ext. 18 or llewis@urbanpromiseusa.org

UrbanPromise art students meet Faith Ringgold



Wednesday, July 9, was a very special evening at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia as artist Faith Ringgold invited 10 select art students from The Camden Forward School to be her guests at a lecture she was giving in coordination with an exhibit of her work this summer.

This was the culmination of a series of lessons on African American artist taught this past school year by teachers Julie Kring-Schreifels and Trish Maunder in coordination with Faith Ringgold’s Anyone Can Fly Foundation. Each student was presented with an autographed book by Ms. Ringgold.

The students felt honored to have been a part of such a wonderful opportunity to meet this prominent artist and educator whose work is so vital to the history of American contemporary art.

For more information about the art program contact Julie at jkring@urbanpromiseusa.org

Senior Rite of Passage

The trip had been in the planning for over a year; it was the Senior Rite of Passage. We left Camden early in the morning for the seven hour drive to the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The five guys had just finished their final exams that week and would be graduating from the UrbanPromise Academy one week from today. Braheem, Kyrus, Mark, Mike and Terron have been part of the UrbanTrekkers program since they were freshman. During their high school years we have traveled to some incredible places…but this trip was going to be something very special, perhaps the last time we would all travel together.

My friend Dr. Bob Harris was joining us. Bob knew the guys well and had been a big part of planning for the trip. The Adirondacks region is known for its natural lakes and spectacular mountain scenery. Our itinerary would begin with the hike into Marcy Dam to set up a base camp the night before the twelve mile round trip to the summit of New York’s highest peak, Mount Marcy. The climb up Marcy was grueling; it was hot and we were in the height of black fly season. Since the black flies were feasting on any exposed skin we put on head nets for partial relief. Arriving at the summit gave us all a sense of accomplishment. From our panoramic 360 degree view we scanned the vastness of mountains and lakes below. Standing there I was filled with excitement for what we had just done and there was a sense of mystery for what would unfold.

After the first two days the challenging hike of Mount Marcy was behind us and we were ready to reveal the next challenge. Bob, an expert climber, had hired a professional guide to give us a course in rock climbing 101. After hiking an extremely steep route we arrived at the base of the rock wall. The guys were in awe as they stared up at seventy vertical feet of shear rock before them. Again the black flies were having a feeding frenzy on any exposed skin; the head nets and Deet helped but we were still fresh meat. With the proper equipment and the expert guide the guys soon felt confident as they scaled the rock before them. Climbing is physical but probably even more cerebral…we were pushing them and they were amazing!

The twenty-four hour camp solo is what they’d been planning and anxiously waiting for since last fall…the final piece of the passage. Bob had invited an old friend to join us in our camp. Kirby was a seasoned back country camper and I was looking forward to hearing his stories. It was day four. We had rented a small outboard boat to transport each guy to their own small wilderness island in Lower Saranac Lake. The guys were ready…they each had a tent, sleeping bag, camp stove, small bag of food with water, a journal/pen…oh, and a whistle just in case.

In preparing for the Rite of Passage and the Solo our conversations were reaching deep within each of the guys. They all grew up in Camden without fathers or even grandfathers in their lives and we wanted to talk about becoming men, husbands and fathers. We wanted to contrast our culture to our Christian faith and to define how that might look for each of them. They had to write a mission statement, something personal for themselves and also write a letter. The letter would be written by their future fifty year old self and give advice to guide them on their life’s journey.

I knew a rite of passage ceremony would need its own symbolic sacrifice ritual. The night before the solo we asked each one the guys to share with the group something personal they wanted to leave behind as they passed from adolescence to young adult. It was a poignant experience, they shared parts of themselves they usually kept hidden. Fear of failure, blaming self for a parent’s abandonment, an inability to trust anyone, a lack of faith; holding grudges…the guys were brutally honest. The conversation was very personal, the stories compelling. Each one then drew a name of a fellow classmate and was asked to find an object on their island that could represent what their classmate had chose to leave behind and present it to him on our final night after coming off the island.

The Solo began with perfect conditions. It was noon on Tuesday, 85 dry degrees, blue sky with full pillow like cumulus clouds - couldn’t get much nicer. The first three guys loaded their gear onto the boat and Bob brought them out to the islands. I stayed back with the remaining two waiting for the boat to return for the second run. The guys were quiet and apprehensive. They had talked excitedly in the days preceding the solo but now the full impact was upon them. Lower Saranac Lake can be wonderfully serene and natural; protected from land development there are only wilderness camp sites on its many small islands and shore line. The islands are beautiful, rocky outcrops rising quickly from the waterline with pines, cedars, birches and maples. On the water you’ll spot fish jumping while Loons and Mergansers pedal about.

It was still early afternoon by the time we had all the guys placed on their islands. Bob, Kirby and I began to set up our own camp on the distant shore. We were camped a quarter to a half mile from the islands. I’d checked the forecast earlier that morning and knew there was a chance of afternoon thunderstorms. I thought a small passing storm could add to their experience and welcomed the possibility. It was getting late in the afternoon, approaching evening and Kirby was beginning to cook diner for Bob and I over an open fire pit. We all noticed the thunderheads starting to roll in from the west and the sound of distant thunder with the occasional flash of lightning. Witnessing a storm close-up and personal has always given me a rush of excitement; this time was no exception, although I did have the guys on my mind.

Quickly the sky blackened, the wind intensified, the thunder was Earth shaking and the rain became sheets of water washing over us. I moved quickly to secure loose items into my tent when suddenly “Crack” and “Crack” two forty foot pines came crashing down between tents and tarp. The lake took on an eerie presence as the whitecaps disappeared and a giant swell of water seemed to be moving up and down in the lake bed. Oh Baby! I thought this is more storm then I had hoped for. How would my guys be holding up, would they be safe? Would they be frightened? It was getting late and I knew we had to get out on the water. The worst of the storm moved through quickly. The rains continued but without the wind the lake no longer looked angry as before. Bob and I got on our raingear and gathered a supply of essentials for first aid and tent repair. The top of one of the fallen pines had landed in our boat and needed to be moved aside before we could go out. I felt like we were running out of time as we motored across the lake.

Braheem was first; we could see his tent from the shore and it appeared to be intact. I called up to him asking if he was OK. A voice came back from inside the tent all was well, he had weathered the storm. But he said he had heard Mike on the other island blowing his whistle. We were off to check on Mike. Mike heard the motor approach his island and was running frantically along the shore line. We could see from the boat that his tent had partially collapsed. Again, making sure he was physically ok we assessed his situation as one that required duct tape and small branches to shore up the snapped tent pole. We asked Mike to come close to the shore so we could toss him the tape and proceed to check on the other guys. As we pulled away from the rocky coast we heard Mike say, “That’s it - you are leaving me here with duct tape”?

We soon approached the islands with Mark and Kyrus. Mark was in great condition, his island and camp site were well protected from the brunt of the storm. Kyrus had not fared so well. He, like Mike came frantically running towards the shore telling us as his tent had collapsed with the poles snapping in multiple pieces. He was inside the tent when the wind exploded his poles and blew Kyrus and the tent a few feet from where it had been set. Kyrus crawled out and rescued himself and his gear seeking refuge in the outhouse. We made sure he was physically fine and assured him we would be back but had to go and check on Terron who had also been blowing his whistle.

Terron heard us coming as we approached the shore line. The wind blew the rain fly off the tent allowing rain to enter and soak the floor. He too was ready to end his island adventure. “Mr. C I was scared, I’ve been singing camp songs waiting for you guys to come”. Terron is one resilient guy who knows how to survive. Staying on the island wasn’t his first choice but we helped Terron relocate the tent and secure the rain fly. We found his driest clothes and told him to snug up in the sleeping bag and we’d see him in the morning. As we left to get back on the boat Terron told us not to worry about him, he said he would be fine; he had been taking care of himself for a long time.

We got back to Kyrus with duct tape, branches and rope; we resurrected his tent and like Terron wished him a good night and a promise to see him in the morning. That night as Bob and I crossed the lake returning to our camp I felt an overwhelming sense of God’s presence and protection for I knew this night would be long remembered by all of us. It was getting late and darkness was beginning to surround us. A steady rain was falling. I looked at Bob who had one hand on the outboard rudder and water running off his slicker, grinning from ear to ear he said “God how I love this!”

We spent our final night at the Keene Valley Hostel…sharing the letters, mission statements and the symbolic letting go ceremony. The significance of the storm was lost on no one. We got home on Thursday and the guys graduated on Saturday. In the tradition of UrbanPromise Academy each one gave a speech sharing sometimes funny and sometimes serious memories of their last four years. In the fall four of the five will be starting college and one will enter the Marine Corps. As I sat in the sanctuary that day and listened to each of them declare their plans for college and careers I kept thinking of the storm while I scratched away feverously at all my black fly bites...I looked over at my friend Bob thinking “God how I love this!”

Peace, there is joy in the journey!

Jim

Pedal for Promise

Pedal for Promise covered by NBC 10 long time morning anchorman Terry Ruggles. Terry sends off the 139 riders in support of the UrbanPromise - UrbanTrekkers on their 50 mile trek!

UrbanTrekkers 3rd Annual "Pedal for Promise"...139 riders rode fifty miles to help fund the expeditionary learning program at UrbanPromise.

"We can't go on Mr. C..." Richard and Steven were exhausted; they were at mile 42 of the 50-mile Pedal for Promise cycling event. Conditions were tough; there was a good head wind with a bit of a chill. They were on the roughest stretch of road; it had just been scraped for an upcoming resurfacing, leaving it uneven and loose with gravel. It was nearly 2:15 in the afternoon, and the Trekkers had been pedaling since 8 o'clock in the morning.

"Can't we put our bikes on the truck?" They were so close - only about seven miles from the bridge into Ocean City, our final destination. I so wanted them to finish. Most of all, I wanted them to have that feeling of success after a major accomplishment. I told them at this point everyone felt like they did - tired, spent and salivating at the thought of juicy burgers and hot dogs grilling at the landing for them. Couldn't they just hold on? I knew they had already biked much further than they thought they could, yet I knew it would be sweeter if they could endure just a little longer.

I am happy to report that Richard & Steven did in fact persevere! They eventually rode through the finish, completely exhausted. Their faces were covered in sweat and dust; and as they dismounted their bikes, you could tell their legs felt like jello. But nonetheless, this was the moment I was waiting for...to see their faces light up with beaming, radiant smiles and to feel their new-found energy. It was infectious. I know what these victories mean to my Trekkers...it's the reason we ride!

Thanks to all our riders and supporters,

Mr. C

Thank you to those who supported our spring break trips!

As the kids returned from their spring break trips, the stories began. Kids were smiling, and joking, reliving, in detail, each moment of their travels outside of Camden. The other kids were intently listening and laughing at their friend’s exploits. Stories that will be told for years and years, bringing a thirst for exploration to everyone that hears.

I’m amazed at the impact and vision it gives a kid, as they experience a world outside of Camden. There eyes are open to a new way of life. Similar, I guess, to the way my eyes were open when I first came to Camden. I had never experienced such amazing children, living in such a harsh environment. Parks covered with broken beer bottles and drug needles. Streets where sewage leaks out of the gutter after a heavy rain. Houses where roaches infest the walls and some children sleep without beds. The reality of living in poverty can be overwhelming. It is hard to see as a kid loses hope of a brighter future.

That’s why I’m always struck with emotion as I hear kids tell of the tails that happened on their Spring Break Trip. Because even though I know their environment is the same, I know their world has changed.

Thank you to everyone that sponsored our trips, I can’t think of a better investment than the dreams of children.

Joshua Brady
Co-Director of Children’s Ministry

UrbanPromise thanks Suburban Promise!

After 7 years in Urban Ministry, I have seen some amazing success stories but also my share of heartache. I have seen too many kid’s lives gone before it feels like they had a chance to get started. Sometimes what feels the worst is the number of kids you know you could help, if only you had more time and resources? The need for kids to be invested in is so great, especially in Camden where 50% of the population is under 21 years old. The question is, how do we get more people involved?

That question was answered in a dramatic fashion as a few ladies in Haddonfield had watched the 20/20 show and decided they wanted to do something. These enthusiastic ladies decided they were going to call themselves Suburban Promise and connect people and resources to our ministry and it turns out they really meant it.

In the past year, we have had numerous volunteers connected to Suburban Promise come in to help out with everything from the Extreme Homemaker show to tutoring programs for the kids. They have provided hundreds of Christmas presents for kids, hundreds of candy bags for the Harvest Carnival, and food for Thanksgiving Dinners that fed around 3,000 people. They also helped us fundraise for several of our children’s trips as well as having Urban Promise interns over to their houses for a nice meal.

They have done all these things and have never seen the smiles on the kids faces or heard mothers say bless you (in what feels like a thousand times) as you drop off gifts to their houses. They will probably never hear as the kids regularly talk about the fond and vivid memories they have of the trips they’ve been on with UrbanPromise. For these ladies, it has never been about what they see, or experience, it’s been about what the children see and experience. They are promise builders. For the lives they impacted and the encouragement they have been, I am deeply thankful.

Josh Brady
UrbanPromise Children’s Ministry

Anyone Can Fly Foundation

Students in the CamdenForward School art classes have been very busy this year creating art based on the work of two prominent African American visual artists from the time of Harlem Renaissance. These studies and artworks have been made possible by a grant from The Anyone Can Fly Foundation, (www.anyonecanfly.org) started by the contemporary artist, Faith Ringgold whose work can be seen in museums and galleries worldwide.

In October the third through sixth grade classes learned about the collage techniques of Romare Bearden and created collages that depict personal and family rituals, as well as the surrounding buildings on the UrbanPromise campus. Some of the resulting collaborations have been permanently displayed in our new student center in a frieze-like border to resemble a work by Bearden depicting an urban block in Harlem, his home neighborhood.

In March these same classes worked on tempera paintings based on the art of Jacob Lawrence. His street scenes including the figures, colors and patterns found in bustling urban neighborhoods inspired our students to create scenes from their personal worlds, of places where people work hard in a variety of ways to build community.

Trish Maunder, a local art educator from Moorestown who is associated with the Anyone Can Fly Foundation, has been co-teaching these specific lessons and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in relating to our children the amazing gifts these artists have to share.

Look for a special evening in late Spring of 2008 when all these works will be unveiled for viewing. UrbanPromise wishes to thank The Anyone Can Fly Foundation for its investment in these talented students!


Faith Ringgold & Julie Kring-Schreifels, UrbanPromise art director

UPA Art Students attend Camden County Arts 4 Teens Festival

On Wed., March 19, ten students from Urban Promise Academy attended the Camden County sponsored Arts 4 Teens Arts Festival on the Rutgers University Camden campus. Each student was invited to present and display one artwork which they had created in our weekly art classes this year. Artworks were then individually critiqued by festival judges.

The works were exhibited along with art from 12 other area high schools. Judges were extremely complimentary of all the UPA student works, and chose five pieces out of the ten to become a part of the county and state wide traveling exhibits later this year! Congratulations to all our fine art students, Daniela Martinez, Andre White, Carmen Minquela, Samantha Lugardo, Josh Daniels, Richard Gaines, Braheem Williams, Jennifer Rosado, Jessamine Marquez and Ken Rodriquez.

Artworks that were chosen for the County exhibit were done by Josh Daniels and Richard Gaines. Traveling to the state wide exhibit will be artworks by Daniela Martinez, Andre White and Braheem Williams.

An Incredible Journey


In February, UrbanPromise art director, Julie Kring-Schreifels, journeyed with the Monarch Teacher Network to the central highlands of Mexico to experience the completion of the incredible journey of the migratory Monarch butterflies that she and the rest of the CamdenForward School community have been studying.

These photos were taken at the El Rosario Sanctuary just west of Mexico City in the Oyamel Fir forests which provide the temperate climate the Monarchs need from November through March to overwinter before beginning their journey back north. This sanctuary is one of twelve forest locations in the surrounding mountains where millions of Monarchs, virtually all of the ones whose life cycle begins in the United States and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains, will gather for the cold weather months. While on the trip Julie and other teachers from New Jersey visited a small school on a remote island within a lake located near the butterfly sanctuaries to share our their common interests in this miraculous migration of more than 2000 miles. She brought a book to present to the teachers which chronicled in English and Spanish the CamdenForward School students’ study of the life cycle and celebration of the release of the Monarchs that were raised on their way to Mexico last September.

Urban Trekkers director, Jim Cummings, is very interested in continuing this relationship with our friends at Monarch Teacher Network and possibly planning a trip for his high school Urban Trekkers in the future. If you are interested in more details about the trip, Julie has hundreds more photos where these came from! Contact her at jkringschreifels@urbanpromiseusa.org.

UrbanTrekkers traveled to the Florida Everglades during their 2008 Spring Break.

A Double Crested Cormorant surfaced the water right before our eyes and enjoyed a Florida Catfish for it's lunch on the Anhinga Trail.

UrbanTrekkers on their Everglades National Park Eco Tour...It's only after a trip like this, reading student journals, looking at our pictures and videos that I begin to realize how much I've challenged and stretched my students. One week of hiking, swamp walks, canoeing, snorkeling, lectures, early wake-ups and early lights out is an extraordinary adventure...not necessarily a vacation for them or our adult leaders. But I know this...we keep on doing it because something very special is happening. Enjoy our pictures.

Peace for there is joy in the journey,
Mr. C

Sixteen students and five adults trekked to the Everglades national Park for the annual Trekkers Eco Tour. It was my hope to inspire a sense of wonder about the regions natural treasures. By giving my students an up close and tactile experience with this endangered eco-system; so rich in bio-diversity they will hopefully be better able to understand our role as caretakers and what it means Biblically "to have dominion over" all the flora and fauna.

Tag, You're it! For most of us a simple childhood game played in our own backyards as children. The UrbanTrekkers were exuberant as they dashed about the lush subtropical yard/garden at the Florida City Everglades Hostel. With its Gumbo-Limbo trees, palms, and wild orchid plants it looked like a tropical jungle compared to the streets of Camden. They welcomed their free time. Our days were starting early with full schedules of learning and exploration and I had taken them way outside of their comfort zones.

UrbanTrekkers posing under a Strangler Fig during their 2008 Everglades Eco Tour.

Meet our new executive director...



Dear Friend,

I have great news! This past year UrbanPromise has grown exponentially. Media attention has provided opportunities to share our story and success to a broader audience. Involvement of volunteers has increased over ten fold. New programs have been initiated. Amazing…all of it!

This dynamic growth has pushed our existing administrative infra-structure to the limits, challenging me to rethink how to best organize for this next chapter of organizational growth.

After serving as Executive Director for 20 years, the board and I both felt the need for me to relinquish the day-to-day administrative operations to someone more specifically gifted in those areas. As of February 4th, 2008 the board of directors has shifted my role to President of UrbanPromise Ministries.

My time will now be spent providing ministry vision and strategy, speaking publicly, recruiting volunteers, providing staff pastoral care, writing and securing the resources needed to ensure a healthy and prosperous future for our work in Camden. I am excited about being released from some of my management duties and freed to focus on these new areas.

To manage the day-to-day operations I am delighted to welcome Bernetta Millonde. Bernetta comes to UrbanPromise from Farleigh Dickenson University where she has served as Vice President of Enrollment Management. She has also worked in higher education administration at Drexel University and the University of Southern California and has 15 + years of organizational management experience.

One of her former colleagues wrote, “Bernetta is never at a loss to praise her staff for a job well done. She seeks opportunities for staff to learn new skills and encourages all efforts to grow and progress. She is consistent, fair, and even-tempered. Bernetta sees leadership as empowering, not controlling; she gets the job done with grace and humor, and even makes the coffee once in a while!” What a wonderful testimony from a former employee.

Thanks for all your support and encouragement over the years. I can assure you that the addition of Bernetta to our team will only strengthen our outreach to children, teens and families in Camden. I will keep you posted

Blessing,

Bruce Main
President, UrbanPromise Ministries

Mini-Urban Plunge Seminarians Visit Camden
by Russell Carstens

In October, thirty-six Princeton Seminary students from Professor Kenda Dean’s advanced youth ministry course went on a retreat to Camden, New Jersey, with Urban Promise, a non-profit urban ministry group that instills leadership skills in young people. Urban Promise is led by PTS graduate Bruce Main (D.Min. ’03). The students observed Urban Promise “to get a feel for urban ministry,” said Tonya Lawrence, a second year dual-degree student who did her field education in Camden with the group last summer.

Susan Tindall, another student on the retreat, described it as a “mini-urban plunge,” and said it was “applicable to what we’d like to accomplish somewhere in the world.”

According to camconnect.org, Camden has made the list of the most dangerous cities in the United States since 1998, and was ranked as the number one most dangerous city in 2004. As an area that is home to young people who are susceptible to the negative aspects of their surroundings, Camden was an effective place for seminarians to observe urban ministry. Urban Promise began its mission in 1988 to keep Camden youth off the street, and “equip (them) with the skills necessary for academic achievement, life management, spiritual growth, and Christian leadership,” said Main.

Dean explained, “The best learning doesn’t happen in a classroom. The transformative learning theory says that paradigm shifts start with a ‘disorienting dilemma’- something that throws us off our game, pulls us out of our comfort zones, and forces us to scan for new solutions. Many of us experienced our time in Camden as disorienting and powerful. We went there to dismantle ‘white suburban youth group’ assumptions about youth ministry, and to see what meaningful ministry looks like when you are young, urban, and poor.”

The students attended a worship service on Friday evening led by youth groups from several Camden churches and Urban Promise members. It was a unique combination of sermon, worship, and praise, with dance to different forms of music played live that Lawrence described as “quite energetic; they were in their element.”

Tindall added, “It was an incredible worship service and full of life. You could tell that they loved that time of being together.”

Saturday morning, the students spoke with people involved in Camden to gain insight about ministry with people “in a blighted or oppressed situation,” said Lawrence. That afternoon, they spent one-on-one time with Urban Promise teenagers to get their points of view on life in Camden, and their understanding of God. Although they have pride in where they come from, many of these teens grow up feeling stuck because they’re not exposed to the possibilities of life outside their hometown. They spoke passionately about pursuing their college education outside of Camden, then coming back to help fix the brokenness of that community. With little or no opportunity, “they have to somehow find a way both to grow up in their community and to keep themselves away from it,” said Adam Gorman, a first year dual-degree student.

The Seminary class also took part in an Urban Promise alumni/ae discussion panel with people who had grown up in the program, some of whom came back after college to work in Camden. Tindall said the youth spoke openly about how Urban Promise demonstrated grace by helping them with school when they needed it, and not making them leave the group if their grades suffered. The panel pointed out how Camden youth, like all young people, want to be a part of a group, and are easily susceptible to joining a gang. They explained that Urban Promise is a family where they have a lot of fun, and goodness and love holds them together. Many Urban Promise alumni/ae have gone on to work in gratifying jobs that help people, such as in homeless shelters or welfare offices.

The PTS students took a tour of the city that night, which gave them an idea of the changes in Camden, where businesses once thrived but are now gone. Lawrence said she learned that students in the city have high aspirations, but the area schools lack the resources to help them reach their goals. Without a structure of support to help youth succeed, some of the students may drop out, and the positive direction that urban ministry provides is key to keeping them on the right path.

Reflecting on the retreat, Main said, “There is a wonderful Haitian proverb that says, ‘We see from where we stand.’ Spending a weekend in Camden, meeting youth from the city, and listening to other ministry practitioners I hope gave PTS students a unique perspective on ministry in an urban environment. It was dynamic-I sensed a high level of engagement and excitement.”

Although the weekend was short, it was valuable to the students who attended. Gorman said, “Urban Promise is not just a place where kids can be safe and learn about God, but they actually work for God. They build their faith by being the hands and feet of Christ. It’s a place that gives them hope.”

Tindall feels that Urban Promise has “built local leadership through the gospel message, and started a new wave of hope that is so different from anything I’ve seen before.”

Urban Promise helped Lawrence understand that keeping regular contact with those she works with is key to successful urban ministry. “Maybe youth group once a week isn’t enough. I see ministry with teens as being a daily, or frequent interaction,” she said. Overall, she learned that she wants to “help those I work with shape their identity and find their goals and purpose for their future through an effective, goal-oriented education. I know from this weekend that it needs to happen sooner rather than later.”

The UrbanPromise eight grade class decides to send money raised for their class trip to help the people of Malibu Presbyterian Church, instead.


This past October I watched angry and aggressive flames sweep down the Malibu Hills of Southern California and encircle Pepperdine University. The ferocious winds whipped the fire into frenzied, terrifying destruction.

My good friend, Greg Hughes, is the pastor of Malibu Presbyterian Church— located across the street from the Pepperdine campus. His church has been a long time supporter of UrbanPromise Ministries. Greg’s dynamic university outreach program attracts students from Pepperdine and challenges them to serve in the world’s neediest communities. The children of Camden have gotten to know many of the incredible students from Malibu when the California volunteers come to Camden as missionaries and interns.

When the helicopter cameras panned away from the campus to the surrounding areas, I could see thick black smoke billowing from the steeple; flames danced out of shattered windows. The Malibu Presbyterian Church, in moments, was reduced to charred wreckage.

During our chapel service the next week, the news was shared with our young students at the CamdenForward School. Pictures were shown, newspaper clippings were read, and the children were encouraged to pray for their California friends. The children were moved by the fire’s devastation.

Later in the day a student said to Mr. Muzyczek, his teacher, “A few of us were talking. As you know we’ve been selling pretzels to raise money for our class trip. And we decided we want to send our trip money to the church in California to help them rebuild.”

“That’s a great idea, Jose. But we’ll need to get everyone in the class to agree on the idea. We can take a vote. It’s the class’s money, so everyone’ll need to agree to make this gift.”

Mr. Muzyczek gathered the class together. “You are all aware that we have been raising money for our class trip. Everyone has worked hard and I am proud of you. Now, a few of you have suggested that we should send our money to First Presbyterian Church in Malibu to help them rebuild. As you learned in chapel today, their church is gone. If you think it’s a good idea for us to send our trip money to our friends in California, raise your hand.”

Hands began to rise. Then all 17 popped into the air. Unanimous!
Next week I will have the privilege of sending a small, but, oh so generous check of $150 to my friend Greg, from a group of thirteen year olds in Camden. Against the magnitude of the task, our gift will not do much-- a few bricks, a couple of hymnals, a child sized chair.

But how symbolic! It’s a symbol of the kind of young leaders UrbanPromise is nurturing—compassionate, caring, kind and generous.

I hope your heart is encouraged and touched by this story, and that you will continue to invest in the terrific kids who walk through our doors at UrbanPromise each day. Because of your generous help we are building a city of promise...one child at a time.

REFLECTIONS: BY BRUCE MAIN

“Bruce, I think Albert is feeling a little bit down,” said one of our staff members the other afternoon.

The next day when I saw him I asked, “How’s it going, Al? I could see he was not his usual up-beat self.

“Bruce, I’m worried, there’s a new drug operation just outside the church where we have our Club. There were junkies shooting up the other day just where our kids could see what was going down. What do you think we should do?”

Albert is an incredible young man who directs our North Camden After School program. He practically grew up in UrbanPromise as one of our most enthusiastic students—started when he was six year’s old—then attended our summer camps, was employed during his teen years as a great StreetLeader, and then went to Eastern University on a scholarship. After graduation Albert felt compelled to give back to his old neighborhood. “People came from all over the world as Volunteers to help me,” he always likes to share. “I just wanted to give back...kids relate to me and my story. I made it, now they can see how they can make it too.”

As we talked we explored some options of how Albert might approach the drug dealer: calling the police would only bring retribution, doing nothing would be detrimental to our kids. “I’m going to have a talk with that guy who runs that operation,” concluded my young friend.

Later that week Albert burst into my office. “Bruce, Bruce, I talked to the guy who runs the corner,” he began. “I asked him if he could move his operation somewhere else. I told him how I was trying to set an example for the little kids in the community.” Albert paused. “Right away the guy started to yell at his crew to clear the corner. Apologetically he told me that he would have them out of there by two o’clock.”

Albert then looked at me and asked curiously, “Bruce, did we ever have a guy named Jeff work here about--15 years ago?”

I dug back into my memory. “Fifteen years ago...yea, we did have a guy on staff named...Jeff. Yes, I remember he was an intern from Southern California, graduated from USC as I remember. He’d spent a number of years with UrbanPromise before going into teaching. Everybody liked him. Why do you ask?”

“Strange, but that dealer asked me if a guy named Jeff still worked at UrbanPromise. The dealer also told me that he had been part of UrbanPromise when he was in fifth grade and Jeff was his favorite counselor.”

Later, I mused on why our local drug pusher hadn’t turned out like Albert—a college graduate, one who had come back to the city to positively change his community. Instead, this nameless twenty seven year old had slipped through the cracks and ended up a drug dealer—yet a dealer who chose to apologetically shut down his operations so that young kids could safely enter our After School Center.

I don’t yet know that drug dealer’s name. But I will find out. Then, hopefully, and by God’s grace, I will have a chance to bring him up to date on the good things happening in Jeff’s life, and how those things could happen in his. For I believe the end of this sad story, this perplexing, brief encounter, has not yet been fully written. Our God continues to move in mysterious and exciting ways and writes miraculous stories.

Three hours drive down the interstate and UrbanTrekkers were ready to begin their White House tour. The nations capitol is an incredible setting to explore and stimulate a lot of thoughtful conversation in addition to having lots of fun. We visited memorials, The Holocaust Museum, Smithsonian Air & Space, outdoor ice skating rink and a remarkable exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. I think UrbanTrekkers put more miles on their boots touring DC in four days than three days on the Appalachian Trail.

Mr. C is so inspiring in the morning....

Washington DC remains an exciting destination for UrbanTrekkers. With so much to do and see - getting away from our routines while being together over the Christmas holiday is a treat for all of us!

Rousing my UrbanTrekkers from their sleeping bags to see an ocean sunrise from the beach of Assateague Island, MD. was an experience I couldn't let them miss. They sleepily waited but then the cheer went out over the roaring surf...it was morning's first peek!

Assateague Island National Seashore with its vast bio-diversity is one of UrbanTrekkers favorite places to have fun and to learn. Its places like this, without distractions, we hear God's call to us to care for all creation and our roll as Earth's stewards. This barrier island offers a wilderness kayak trail with ample opportunity to get up close to herons, egrets, brown pelicans, horses, deer and a myriad of other wild life on land and in the sea.

The Assateague Island, MD. Eco Tour 2007 provided four of our freshman UrbanTrekkers their first ever camping and kayaking experience & in the most incredible natural environment only a few hours drive from Camden. We were thoughtful to leave no trace behind only our footprints... though soon they would be erased by the wind & sea.

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better".... Albert Einstein

UT

UrbanPromise celebrates '20/20' special

By KRISTY DAVIES
Courier-Post staff

COLLINGSWOOD -- A jawbreaker.

That was the option chosen by Diane Sawyer of ABC's "20/20'' and ''Good Morning America'' during an interview with 7-year-old Karim Council of Camden.

The exclusive interview was shown at UrbanPromise Ministries' annual banquet Thursday night.

''What would you want to be, a flag or a jawbreaker?'' Karim asked Sawyer.

''A jawbreaker,'' said Sawyer, ''because I could be carried around in a pocket and be entertainment for later.''

Curling his face up, Karim said, ''If you're a flag, nobody going to eat you!''

The audience of banquet guests, about 700 people, laughed as they watched.

Karim also asked Sawyer what she thought of UrbanPromise.

The nonprofit organization helped Sawyer find local families to interview for her special ''Waiting on the World to Change,'' a feature on children growing up impoverished. Most of the children she interviewed were from Camden.

''I really liked everybody we met there,'' Sawyer said. ''I love that they have a good time.''

Sawyer turned the tables on Karim as she asked what kind of animal he would want to be.

''A t-rex,'' he answered.

''Isn't that scary?'' asked Sawyer.

''No,'' said Karim.

''Would you be a nice t-rex?'' she asked.

''No,'' said Karim, as the audience laughed.

After the interview finished airing at the banquet, Karim admitted he was a little nervous during his interview with Sawyer.

''She was nervous, too,'' he noted.

Karim also said he considers himself to be lucky to be involved in UrbanPromise and for the opportunities it has given him.

''I've always taught him to remember where he came from,'' said Gabriella Council, 25, Karim's mother. ''We are very grateful and feel this is an honor.''

''I'm proud of him,'' said Council's father, Karim Council. ''He's my best friend, too.''

During the video, UrbanPromise also revealed some behind-the-scenes looks at ''Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' when the TV crew came to Camden and Pennsauken. The popular reality show built a new home for one of the families featured in Sawyer's 20/20 special.

''People need to go outside their comfort box and help others,'' Ed Sanders, an Extreme Makeover carpenter and designer, said on the video.

As part of Thursday's banquet, students, members and staff participated in prepared performances and talked about what a promise means and giving hope to the children and people of Camden.

''I grew up in Camden,'' said Elyse Smith, 19. ''It's my city.''

Smith, who was interviewed as part of the "20/20'' special, received scholarship money that allowed her to begin college this fall at Bloomfield College.

''I'm outside of my environment, but I'm focused on becoming a better leader and my education,'' said Smith.

''UrbanPromise is a very inspired group and inspire other people,'' said Garo Hovnanian, spokesman for J.S. Hovnanian and Sons, the builder of the ''Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' home for the Marrero family. ''They define the word 'hope.' ''

UrbanTrekkers - Outdoor Leadership Training (OLT) on the Appalachian Trail

UrbanTrekkers take on the Appalachian Trail...it was OLT weekend (Outdoor Leadership Training)...we started out with temperatures in the high 80's, a bit on the warm side for October in the Delaware Water Gap. Day 1 had us climbing mostly up along the Kittatinny Range as we began our 3 day expedition.

the trip , a requirement for the spring Senior Rite of Passage to the Adirondacks provided plenty of first time experiences for the students. The New Jersey portion of the AT has some of the more difficult terrain along the 2,150 mile trail...over the 15 miles we hiked Trekkers were given turns to lead the group responding to situations where they faced scenarios of an injured hiker or a lost member of the group.

we had some incredible visitas viewing mountains beyond mountains...hiking with 35 - 40 pounds on our backs, filtering water to drink from the mountain streams. Its been exciting to watch these students grow in experience and confidence as they explore a world beyond the streets of Camden.

Not Just an Outdoor Club...Sure we've hiked snow covered mountains, kayaked among the porpoises off the coast of Maine, and backpacked rugged ridge lines along the Appalachian Trail. But dress us up and we can become "Ushers Extraordiare". UrbanTrekkers assist the Symphony in C with their concert series performed at the Gordon Theater of Rutgers University in Camden. For the second year our students provide a concession service during the intermission and usher service throughout the evening. Besides their good work they get to spend the evening listening to world class performances of Prokofiev and Rachmaninov from the Symphony in C

UrbanPromise Second Annual Monarch Butterfly Release





UrbanTrekkers the expeditionary learning program of UrbanPromise Ministries working with the staff and students of the Camden Forward School celebrated their second annual Monarch Butterfly release. "Gotta Go, Gotta Go to Mexico" the students chanted as they released the Monarchs to begin their miraculous journey south. Students and volunteers at UrbanPromise have created and nurtured a Butterfly habitat that serves as an outside laboratory. Each fall students collect the butterfly eggs from the Milkweed plants and then raise the caterpillars in their classrooms, watching the transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Our garden celebration completes the cycle for this season but we can only long for their return next summer.

Peace, like a garden in Camden.
UT

God Told Me to Come Home
By: Dr. Bruce Main, Executive Director of UrbanPromise

The crème colored couch had been sitting outside the new Student Center for two weeks—a beautiful new structure that houses our youth programs and alternative high school.

Some well intended donor had dropped off the couch after hours one day. But by the second day, the cushions had been taken by kids who wanted to do back flips in the parking lot. By the end of the first week, the Coke and Slurpee stains started to appear like small continents on the smooth cotton surface. Regardless of its appearance, the kids would park their behinds on the dirty couch while waiting for the program to begin. It was an eyesore.

I must admit I was getting a little irritated that nobody on the staff had taken the time to remove it. “How many times will they walk past before they do something?” I thought to myself. I just imagined a donor visiting and seeing this unattended piece of trash. So much for good impressions.

But the couch did not irritate me as much as the missing bus keys at 5am on Friday morning. I had volunteered to pick up 10 kids and their parents and take them to the airport. A camp in Colorado had donated a free week for our kids. SouthWest Airlines donated the tickets. I just had to get them all to the airport by 6:30am.

No bus keys!

Brent, our staff worker, was supposed to leave them in my mail box in the older building—our administrative hub on the other side of campus. But no keys were to be found.

So after rousing Brent’s supervisor from his sleep, I discovered that the only set of keys were on the other side of campus, in the new Student Center. Instead of jumping in the bus and heading off to the airport, I would need to break into the Student Center, disarm the alarm, and find the spare set of keys. I was already late for my pickups. This was only going to add to the morning drama.

I was not amused as I walked across the parking in the pitch dark.

I won’t tell you what I muttered to myself.

And then I saw the big ugly crème couch. It was too dark to see the stains, but seeing that eyesore still resting up against the brand new building irritated me even more.

“I guess I’ll have to move it myself,” I whined under my breath. Doesn’t it say in the Bible somewhere that Moses leaned on his “staff” and died?

Within a foot of the couch I noticed someone sleeping on it. Immediately a head popped up and startled me.

“Who’s that?” I asked, wondering who was more surprised. The person had obviously been sleeping. I, on the other hand, was not expecting to meet anyone at 5am in the parking lot.

I inched a little closer. It was a male wearing beige pants and a white t-shirt.

“Antwan.”

“Antwan, who?” I beckoned.

“Antwan Smith.”

The last time I had heard from Antwan Smith was ten years earlier. He had been locked up for drug dealing charges and I had lost track of him. But I had not forgotten Antwan. How could I? He was one of the boys in my memorable 6th grade class—a class of young boys who oozed with potential. Antwan had won our annual Martin Luther King Speech contest with a stirring rhetorical display. He had sung in our Gospel Choir, raked my leaves for spare change. He was just a good kid.

But then like so many young men in our city something happened. The drugs, the money, the prestige of being on the corner was just too alluring for a young man searching for identity.

Here he was. Pants wet with urine from an early morning discharge, curled up on a cushion-less couch. Homeless. What had his life had become? A 27 year old man without a job, without an education. Drifting.

I reached out my hand for his.

“Good to see you friend,” I chimed with a smile.

“Good to see you too,” he returned.

“Antwan,” I asked, feeling like I was caught in some kind of surreal moment of suspended time. You see, I am usually in bed at 5am. And had the keys been where they were supposed to be, I would have never seen Antwan. But there we were. Both ten years older. No fear between us. The seeds of friendship had been sown years before.

“Why did you come here?” I inquired.

Silence. The city eerily quiet.

“God told me I was supposed to come home.”

That was it. No big theological explanation. Just, “God told me I was supposed to come home.”

“Do you want to ride to airport with me?” I asked.

He nodded. And together we began our journey through the city streets to pick up eagerly waiting kids. As each child got on the bus, bagged packed, eyes wide open with expectation and hope I wondered what Antwan was thinking. Did he remember those days when I used to pick him up for trips to the Shore or the Amusement Park or for church Sunday morning? Was it painful for him to watch young people who still had hope, opportunity and choices?

After dropping the children and parents at the airport, we stopped for breakfast. We chatted for a couple of hours about the past ten years. And then I dropped him at the corner of Federal and Broadway so he could meet his parole officer.

I have not seen Antwan since. All I know is that for a brief moment Antwan came home. And because of an old couch and a set of forgotten keys, I was given the opportunity to welcome him.

Pics from SeaQuest...

UrbanTrekkers, the expeditionary learning program of UrbanPromise Ministries in Camden, New Jersey helped to bring a marine biology based afterschool program into the Camden Forward School for grades 6 - 8. In partnership with the American Littoral Society 14 students were part of a fourteen week program both in and outside the classroom with students building a salt water aquarium, visiting natural habitats of both fresh and salt water marine life. Students were also treated to a wonderful sea food dinner that they took part in preparing as well as the eating. They also learned of the relationship between Camden, the Delaware River, the Atlantic Ocean and themselves.

some pics from Maine..."Hoods to Woods Summit II"

For the second year running UrbanTrekkers and Trekkers from Midcoast Maine, two youth development programs, joined forces at Blueberry Cove Camp in Tenants Harbor, Maine. Twenty five high school students from both groups met to explore the area and learn about each others cultures. The program included kayaking in Port Clyde, swimming in rock quarries, fishing on lobster boats and hiking Monhegan Island. Time spent in camp included evening camp fires where the rural Maine Trekkers engaged our UrbanTrekkers from Camden, New Jersey. Both programs are committed to helping young people reach their full potential by exposing them to a myriad of options for life choices.

Pics from Freshman Orientation...

To start the new school term at the UrbanPromise Academy the class of 2011, eleven students along with the staff spent the day at Mount Misery in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. UrbanTrekkers, the expeditionary learning program of UrbanPromise Ministry hosted the event for the incoming freshman class creating an intense time of trust & teambuilding exercises. As the students went through the drills of a low ropes obstacles and challenge course they found the need to cooperate and listen to each other as they problem solved each challenge they faced Students and teachers come to know each other in a setting outside the classroom and outside their typical roles.

Pics from Sedge...

Each year UrbanTrekkers, the expeditionary learning program of UrbanPromise Ministries takes sophomore students from the UrbanPromise Academy to discover Sedge Island and the bio-diversity of New Jersey's coastal heritage. Sedge Island, part of the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife Department offers an educational outreach program to immerse students over several days and promote a conservation ethic for the New Jersey coastal bay and shore area. Students kayaked, fished, clammed and later prepared meals from the catch. They also did field research on a number of topics, ranging from the Diamond Back Terrapin to the American Oyster Catcher and Blue Fish in order to do oral reports on the final day at the Sedge House.

Bruce Main and UrbanPromise alumni take a break after volunteering on the construction of the home.



A sea of blue shirts fill Federal Street in front of UrbanPromise on Tuesday, July 31, 2007. Over 2,000 volunteers decended on the UrbanPromise campus to help build a home for the family.



Ed, designer from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition takes a break to hang out with the children of UrbanPromise after they help him move in furniture to the UrbanPromise Eastside space which will be shared with Single Fathers of Camden.


UrbanPromise choir performs to the audience gathered to watch the home reveal on Sunday, August 5, 2007.



The Single Fathers of Camden space, donated by UrbanPromise is revealed to Victor and his son's.

Move That Bus: The Marrero Family see their new home for the first time.


UrbanPromise supporters, Steve & Mike (from Texas) and Paul (from Vancouver, Canada) flew in for the week to help in the rehab of UrbanPromise afterschool program.

Madeline and Erin Main

August 2, 2007

It's day four of "Extreme Makeover" and impatience, excitement, and nervousness are around every corner. The project is coming to a close and workers and volunteers are really working hard on this. We are two hours ahead of schedule, but that is no shock because of the numerous builders working their tails off. Crowds are increasing with every passing day. The eagerness of the crowds really shows because they stay out all night. In the heat, people cheer for the occasional camera man, coming to catch a glimpse of the house in progress. In the moonlight, they stand in silence as the bright flood lights drown out the darkness and listen to the symphony of hammering and drilling.

A royal blue building now stands where a grassy lot use to lie. White trimmed windows match the white trimmed door frame with a brick base and the front door faces away from Federal Street. They are making their final touches on the outside of the home and are now focused on the internal structure. The painters are concluding their posts and the floors are beng put in right behind them. As soon as the paint is dry and the floors are in, the plumbers will follow with the porcelain bathroom. It is really a work of God!! We are expecting that this will be a positive week and will have no problems at all.

It's been an exciting week for Urban Promise. The house is almost complete. We have had a wonderful response for volunteers and the contruction has continued day and night. What started out as a phone call, now has become a reality for the Urban Promise family.

With the outside of the house just about complete, the design team will take over on Saturday. With the anticipation of the family coming home on Sunday, workers and volunteers are eagerly awaiting the moment when they get to say, "Bus driver, Move That Bus!"

It took the efforts of everyone involved to complete this house in just 1 week. All the volunteers worked hard as a team. You didn't have to know how to use a hammer to be part of this great accomplishment. Whether you helped prepare meals, hand out water to the construction team, or wiped tables - every volunteer's efforts were appreciated and helped to make this a reality for the community.

This is a wonderful moment for the Marrero family, but Urban Promise also is having some makeovers done as well. The Eastside Building is taking on a new look inside with help from volunteers and the Extreme Makeover Team. Comcast Cable has taken over one of the downstairs rooms which should be completed by Sunday. Campbell Soup has donated a makeover of the kitchen area that will take place in the near future.

The Eastside Building was purchased by Urban Promise a little over 1 year ago. The 2 top rooms in this building are being used by the Single Fathers of Camden Support Group. It is a blessing to have Extreme Makeover, Camcast Cable, Campbell Soup, and all the volunteers opening their hearts to give this building an overdue makeover. Giving new life to this building will help the children of Urban Promise as well as the community.

We hope you can join us on Sunday, August 5th as the family returns for their first glance at their new home. We expect the Marrero family to arrive back from vacation around 10:00. Depending on the timing of the completion of the final details, you can expect the family to arrive in front of the house anywhere from 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Bring your friends and family to experience this blessing that has been brought to the Marrero family and to Urban Promise.

Thank you to everyone that made this possible. View our photos from throughout the week below.

There is an anticipation in the air as the community, workers, and numerous volunteers await the big day - what Extreme Makeover: Home Edition calls the "Braveheart Rally" or the actual start of the building project!

Today people were busy setting up barricades, hauling trash, carry cartons of water, preparing the site, and setting up the communication. Some of our summer camp children will be displaced during the building project - but the UP camp directors, street leaders, and interns made the day a success for the kids. During the week our kids will need to find other activities to do off site - a big undertaking - we've had to rent additional buses, provide other areas for breakfast & lunch, and secure admissions to various recreational sites. But, still you could sense the excitement from the children, staff, volunteers, public officers - police, EMT's, media crew, and the local community residents.

A conversation today from a local police officer stated, "It's not about one community or another - Pennsauken or Camden. It's about two communities coming together to be a part of this project - providing a home for a father and his sons."


"It's just awesome," says Katie, an UrbanPromise College Intern from Atlanta.

One volunteer walked a mile to the site at 7:00am, shirt soaked from the humidity, smile on his face, and jumped right into the work - no job too small!! Thank You!

Victor - Hope you and the guys are enjoying yourselves in Spain!!

EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION AT URBANPROMISE
July 29-August 5, 2007

Day 1:

Shortly after Diane Sawyer’s 20/20 special, Waiting on the World to Change, aired this past January, UrbanPromise was contacted by ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition—the mega hit television show which builds and rehabs homes for families around the United States.

The creators of Extreme Makeover expressed interest in building a home for one of the families featured on 20/20 special—namely Billy Joe, his three brothers, Ethan, Steven, Josh, Jonesu and their father Victor.

The morning of—July 29th, 2007—the Marrero family were notified of their selection. They have been sent on a one week vacation and will return to a new home on August 5th! Their exciting story will be watched by close to a billion people world-wide, this coming November.

One criterion needed to be selected for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is homeownership—the family needs to own their own home or their own piece of land. No land, no chance to be selected.

To overcome this obstacle, UrbanPromise donated a parcel of land adjacent to our campus in East Camden to the Marrero family. The new home will be built on our Campus.

Starting July 29, 2007 over 2000 people will be donating time and services to construct this new home. The Hovnavian family—one of the nations largest home building company—is coordinating the construction and donating their expertise. Production trucks fill our parking lots, caterers are serving hundreds of meals in our sanctuary to hungry volunteers, and California interior designers are building bedroom sets in our student center basement. The UrbanPromise campus is a beehive of energy and creativity.

Besides the building of the new house for Victor and his family, ABC will also renovate a portion of the UrbanPromise Eastside Building to better accommodate our afterschool programs and provide space for Victor’s, Single Fathers of Camden, outreach program to father’s in our community.

Today we started site-seeing; I've never seen things like this. The scenery was just so beautiful that I can't wait to get my pictures developed. I know they're gonna be great. I know this is gonna be a good trip. We saw this beautiful waterfall, and we were all so excited because it was so unexpected we took so many pictures. I just know this trip will get better and better as we go along.
(S.T.)


Today we visited the Makah reservation in northwest Washington state. while there, we hiked out to Cape Flattery, the Western-most part of the lower 48. the view from the cape was beautiful: we saw sea caves formed by the waves pounding the rock. we took a lot of pictures of the view.
On the way back from the reservation, we stoped in Olympia State Park. we were expecting to see hot springs, but instead we found a beautiful waterfall. at the begining of the trail was a rotted tree stump. the hole in the stump was around five feet deep.
(J.S.)


The above was written by two of our Trekkers, Shakira and Jessica. I've also been told to include some other observations from Trekkers Kyrus and Kenny. First, they wanted you to know that one of the reasons why the waterfall was so special was that its visit was so spontaneous. It was particularly heartening for us as leaders to see the open joy that the kids experienced through Nature - both at the waterfall and while looking out at the marvelous views at the Cape. God's presence is very real in these places and we have felt Him in a different way than we usually do in Camden.
The second thing I was instructed to remark on was the friendliness of the people here. While on the reservation, some locals were confused why we had bothered to come all the way from New Jersey just to see them, we have all experienced a warmth and cordiality that is often missing back home. Whether it's at Subway or on the street, strangers have been outgoing and friendly to all of our kids; maybe that's a habit we can take back with us.
On a personal note, I am already seeing all of the kids differently than I usually do at school. I'm really looking forward to a few more days of relaxed fellowship and shared experiences. We'll check back in in a couple days!

With the love of Christ,
-Mr. Eric Neumann

Life at Urban On the final day for the SPRINT (Seattle Pacific Reachout International Team) cross-cultural winter mission trip to Camden, New Jersey, three students, Britta, Jessica and Jon, decided to spend their last day serving with UrbanPromise Ministries traveling the Benjamin Franklin Bridge over the Delaware River to visit historic Philadelphia.

I joined them for lunch at a Philly legend, the Reading Terminal Market on Arch Street. Britta a sophomore from Alexandria, Minnesota and the able group leader, began the scheduled debriefing by asking Jessica and Jon, both from Washington state, to express what they were feeling and thinking about the mission trip as it came to a close. Jessica, also a sophomore with an eye popping, heart thumping, and infectious enthusiasm for life replied, "Ravishing." Wow! I thought, What a robust word for describing how she she felt. Not a word I've heard before to describe our UrbanPromise Ministry. It really fit, especially coming from Jessica.

Jon, a senior English major, spoke of his relational experiences working with the children and staff of the ministry. Jon, who is both wonderfully expressive and intellectually inquistive, is also a fairly competent basketball player, although he would never admit it. He was able to connect competitively and playfully with the kids. Jon told us he sensed he ministered more by what he did with the kids then by anything he said.

As Britta led the group with questions and reflections I couldn't help but think how blessed I was to have shared the journey with all of them these past two weeks. I thought about seeing Britta standing in front of Ms. Ezekial's Second grade class teaching a Bible lesson on her first day at the Camden Forward School. How quickly it became apparent that she was going to have real hands-on ministry experience. Britta was ready for the opportunity nonetheless, and Ms. Ezekiel was ready for some relief from the daily responsibilities of teaching.

A mission trip to UrbanPromise brings you into an ongoing story; you become part of the "Promise." Although most of the time is spent in hand-on ministry we also share some very fruitful and meaningful time together in devotions and discussions. We look at many of the issues facing the city and it's children. What is social justice and environmental injustice, for example, and what responsibility do we have, if any, to the youth and children of Camden. We ask questions about what it means to say, "God gives but doesn't share," or why would Jesus have said that the poor will always be with us, and if the harvest is rich why are the workers so few? We discuss how to discern where it is that God calls you to be, and why it is important to understand and act on that calling.

One week or two weeks at UrbanPromise won't provide all the answers, but we invite you into the dialogue. Come to Camden; come to UrbanPromise, for this we do know - you too can become part of the story, just like our friends from Seattle Pacific University! "The harvest is indeed rich."

Shalom, for there is a joy in the journey...jim

Blessing - Blessing (even better than a Win - Win situation) that's our vision for a successful Workgroup experience at UrbanPromise...Summer Camps reach the halfway mark this weekend and our workgroups have been awesome. The students and leaders from Calvary Korean UMC, New Brunswick, NJ; First Presbyterian, Moorestown, NJ and Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, Geneva,IL helped our vision become reality by their gift of time and resources to the children and youth of Camden. When Caroline and Kolby from Calvary UMC share their experiences working with children from Camp Faith, or Karlye, Alex and Mike from St. Mark's lead us in morning devotion with song and music or First Pres, Moorestown tends to the garden we experience the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Life at Urban

SIMPLE REMINDERS FROM A FIRST GRADER



See the kid above? His name is Christian. He's a 6yr. old first grader...AND he's a songwriter! A six year old songwriter? Really?? The answer is yeah, really!!

One day as the kids stampeded into the afterschool program building, there was an interesting exchange between Christian and another child from the program. Christian came walking in, cap backwards, carrying a little guitar and being followed by this girl also in the first grade. The girl (a groupie in the making) says, "Christian, you sounded soooo good! You should play the guitar again!" Christian, unfortunately denied his fan's request and went on his day: eating snack, finishing his homework, AND THEN taking out this folded piece of paper that he had tucked away in his guitar case. He unfolded the piece of paper and started to write. When he finished, he folded the paper back up and wrote "To You" on it and handed it to me. I said, "Thanks Christian! Can you tell me what it is?" He says, "It's a song I wrote for you. Open it!"
So this is Christian's song:

God is the one for you.
God loves you , but God is not fat and not a punk.
God is the best and the best in you.
God is in you and in your family.


Thank God for moving in the lives of our kids and reminding us of who He is and what He's not!!

I will have to also add that after I read the song, we looked at it together and fixed some spelling mistakes and rewrote it onto a nicer piece of paper. When we were all done, Christian asked, "Do you like it?" And of course I did! So he then says, "Write 'The song is great!' on the paper." I hesitated just for a second and in that second he says, "No, seriously, write it." I was cracking up, on the inside of course! He also told me to add, "It is the best!"

So Christian, your song is GREAT and it is the BEST!!!

Math Dare 2006



Remember "Double Dare"? The messy game show for kids?? Well we have our own "Math" version of the show.
Hence the name Math Dare.

Three teams competed this year. All the teams had grades 1-8 and they were pretty much divided by their area in Camden, so we had:

Northside & Downtown=Green and Red
Eastside & Rosedale=Orange and Blue
Southside & Fellowship House=Yellow and White


Just like Double Dare, we have a round with a few questions...or in our case a few math problems





...and then come the messy PHYSICAL CHALLENGES!!! ...digging into a pie of jello and whip cream, looking for a piece of candy



...catching pies in oversized pants




...getting armored for the next task



...having water balloons popped on your head



...AND THEN...the announcement of VICTORY!!!






...And the coveted Math Dare trophy!!!




CONGRATULATIONS EASTSIDE AND ROSEDALE!!

Life at Urban was lifted up these past few weeks by the college students who gave their spring break to the ministry of UrbanPromise in Camden, New Jersey. Thank you to Alderson-Broaddus, Dordt College, College of William & Mary, Georgetown College, James Madison, Univ. of VA., and VA Tech. What an awesome experience we shared. The children/youth and the staff of UP are richer by their giving. Our time together was truly a blessing - blessing! We pray they will return to us, as workgroups, staff interns or future staff...God Knows! "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few" Matt 9:37
...peace, Jim

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. SPEECH CONTEST 2006



"I have a dream...", the famous words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have inspired and challenged many over the years...including the kids in our afterschool programs and the teens in our streetleader program. Every year, young people from grades 1-12 come together to compete in our annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speech contest. It is always such a joy to hear these speeches and to hear where the kids have personalized the thoughts and ideals of such a great American. Here are a few excerpts from some of our contestants:

"The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” But the authors of those words were hypocritical because they created a nation where people weren’t treated equally. When Martin Luther King, Jr. used these words, his actions showed he really believed it. His life enhanced the meaning of those words to me. It has had an effect on my perspective of life. By him leading as an example, it enabled me to want to look at the world differently. Now I try to treat everyone as equals, regardless of the color of their skin, thier past history, or how they treat others. I still consider that “all men are created equal”. I believe and have faith that the mentality of many will continue to change as time goes on. We play a part in whether or not we want to see all people as equals."--A'kea Brown, 9th grade



"My name is Tita Reyes and I’m 9 years old. I was born in Camden, NJ. I like Mariah Carey, the movie “Mean Girls”, and I like watching “What Not to Wear”. My favorite food is arroz con bichuelas, which means rice with beans.
And I am Puerto Rican.
But sometimes, I feel others see me different than how I see me. Cesar Chavez would know what I’m talking about.
Cesar Chavez was a very special man. His life was very painful and miserable, but he was intelligent enough to become a leader for his people. Even as a young kid, he had to work as a farm worker to help his family out. He worked day and night with no breaks, and only got 30cents a day...When Cesar Chavez realized how badly he was treated, he wanted to fight back. La Causa. His cause was fighting for freedom...My cause is to have you see me for who I really am. You can’t close your eyes and your ears to me nomore.
Yo soy Puertoriquena, and I am proud to be a Puerto Rican."--Tita Reyes, 3th grade



"Imagine if you didn’t own a car and everyday you had to take a bus to work. And each day you would get on the bus, you would have to sit in the very back under a sign that said ‘Blacks Only’. As you walked to the back, all the people would be laughing at you and staring at you. You know that their eyes are saying, “Look at her, I’m so glad I’m not like her”.
This is the experience that Rosa Parks went through every day until December 1, 1955, when she finally had enough.
That day, Rosa refused to move from her seat and paved the path for an America where we are all free...Even though we don’t always act like it, we need to remember that we are all the same in God’s eyes. We are all equal. I thank God for people like Rosa Parks who have shown us the way so that we can be free."--Julissa Lloyd, 4th grade

"I know a lot of people would like to change things that they don’t like. I am one of them. I don’t know if some of you know this but there is a spirit in us, a spirit of selfishness. That spirit needs to be broken. Look at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he was a man who dedicated practically his whole life to not just help blacks but to help the world. You can tell that Dr. King did not have a spirit of selfishness. He died so his children and other children of different races would be able to play together. Not long ago, Corretta Scott King passed away after almost fulfilling her husbands dreams. Can you believe that even after so many people died for all of us to be free, there are black on black crimes? Every time you look at the news someone got shot or stabbed to death. There is still racism going on. I just have one question, “If someone treated you unfairly what would you do?” Like Dr. King said, “Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together.”--Carshuan Davenport, 8th grade



“For Jovan”
I’ll never forget the day that I found out that my best friend Jovan had been shot and killed. I felt the blow like a knockout punch in my stomach. The rest of my day was filled with depression, regret, and anger. How could that have happened? What was a thirteen-year-old kid doing with a gun in the first place? They say it was an accident, but the fact that Jovan’s friend was playing with a gun at all, reflects on our society and how we glamorize violence. Rappers on the radio brag about violence and use it for their image. They use it to make themselves look tough. Kids look up to them and imitate them the same way they imitate the older kinds in the neighborhood. Violence is a trend that must stop! Not only are people getting killed, but also kids like Jovan are dying left and right. Violence is not only an action; it is a mindset. It seems like everyone these days is aggressive and is looking for a fight. It’s like we know no other way and the movies and TV we watch and the music we listen to only puts us in a more violent mood. We need to step up and examine our core values and beliefs. What do we want to get out of life? Should life be about love, or hate? Are we going to be at peace, or act out in violence? Where are the leaders who will pave the way and set us on the right path again? Who will dare to fill the shoes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who never backed down. A man who stood up for what is right. And a man who refused to act out in violence, even when his house was bombed, he was stabbed, his family was in danger, and he was thrown in jail. He said, “Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that,” Martin himself followed the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. It is time for us to do the same. I intend to be the kind of leader who stands up for what is right and takes a stand, not only against violence, but against the weapons and attitudes that contribute to it.
--Richard Gaines, 8th grade

Just a few more pics....Urban Trekkers

A weekend at Mt. Misery, can it get any better then that! Urban Trekkers just returned from their winter retreat. Our theme was Building Trust. The retreat center at Mt. Misery is located in the heart of the New Jersey's Pine Barrens and offers some great facilities for trust building, teamwork and establishing confidence. We participated in a ropes/challenge course set outside near the centers waterfront. The freezing temperatures made our work all the more challenging for our students. Fortunately the rustic lodge with it's bunk rooms, central community room and working fireplace provided a comfortable refuge from the outside elements to do some further trust and confidence building activities and games. It also gave us a chance to continue the planning for our upcoming Mount Washington, NH expedition this Spring (April 17-22). Enjoy the pics!

Jim

Here are some photos of the Urban Trekker DC Expedition to go along w/ our travelogue that follows, below...

We started walking north on Fourteenth Street towards the Mall after three intense hours at the Holocaust Museum. Realizing it was still early in the mental processing of what we experienced, I began asking my Urban Trekkers what their initial impression was of what they had seen. "I hated those Nazis, I wanted to kill them!" one of the freshmen told me. Another girl, a sophomore, said "that's just the way it was Mr. C, there wasn't anything the people could do". My own feelings covered a lot of ground between those two extremes shared by the two students. Most importantly our students were feeling a range of emotions and the history of WWII and the Holocaust had come alive for them.

Nineteen Urban Trekkers visited Washington D.C. during the Christmas break. Fourteen students and five adults drove down from Camden, NJ and stayed four days and three nights at the International Youth Hostel located at Eleventh & K Streets. Being downtown afforded us the opportunity to visit most of our destinations on foot. We sure did some hiking, with so much to see and the excitement of being away from home, the miles didn't seem to be noticed.

Our destinations included many of the memorials; it was pretty cool to stand on the terrace at the Lincoln Memorial, the very spot where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" address. While visiting the wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial I asked the students to locate the name of a soldier I had known from my high school days. In the age of digital photography it wasn't long before two students came running over to me w/ the image of the name "Andrew P. Corbin" displayed in the frame of their digital camera.

Unfortunately we were not able to get passes for a White House tour, though we did take a distant walk around the building and got to see the White House Christmas Tree. My own impressions of the Nation's capitol these days is one of a "bunker state" barricades, dividing walls, Capitol Police standing on the steps of the Capitol with loaded automatic rifles and dark wrap around sunglasses, making them look not human. One of the students recited a quote for me, she said it was from one of the founding fathers, "when you give up freedom for security you gain neither", an issue worth discussion for all of us.

We also visited the House of Representatives in the Capitol Building, Folger Shakespeare Library, Ford's Theater, and the rooming house across the street where Lincoln succumbed to his gunshot wound. After leaving the Capitol we walked down First Street past the Supreme Court building (where we saw our first organized protest - for the pro-life cause) to Union Station. A trip to the National Zoo, in search of the baby panda only revealed it's dad. The National Catherdal was an interesting stop along our trek. Among the over one hundred gargoyles and hundreds of grotesques carved into stone on the outside of the cathedral walls there exists a carving of Darth Vader, who would have known!

There were many other places we had hoped to visit but time ran out ... although I would be amiss if I didn't mention the awesome experience we had by staying at the International Youth Hostel. As I mentioned earlier the downtown location served us well. We were able to walk to many of our locations and the time spent trekking afforded us close-ups of DC's Magnificent statues and architecture. The hostel w/ it's eight and ten bunk rooms and common bathroom facilities provided affordable lodging for our group. We were also able to bring our own food, store it in the refrigerator and prepare our own meals. The large dining area provided a place to start our day with devotion and time to lay out the plans for the day. The large private bunk room gave us a place to gather, mentally unpack our day's activities and relax together during the evening. We divided ourselves into three crews, kitchen, planning and activity, we were an efficient group.

Our DC expedition is now a memory, but a significant milestone in the travelogue of Urban Trekkers. We have a retreat coming up in February and much planning to do for our Mount Washington, New Hampshire Expedition in April.

Urban Trekkers

JUNIOR HIGH ALL NIGHTER!!

What could be more fun than a night, and I do mean a WHOLE night from 7pm to 7am, with a group of about 50 jr. highers?? Well, that's what we did and it was SO much fun!! The night was kicked off by crossing the bridge into Philly and heading to an outdoor ice skating rink. A lot of the kids were excited at first, until they saw the place and the idea hit them that they really didn't know how to ice skate. But they braved the new challenge (and the cold) and were seen whizzing by, holding on to the wall and walking by, and in some cases sliding by as they fell right in front of us!!






After that we headed over for some late night bowling. Some of the kids got really into it, others got bored and found the arcade more entertaining, and many took the opportunity to show off their dance moves as the music played in the background!






By 3am we were back at Urban Promise for some free time and making use of the gym. There were a few basketball games played, of course the card games were brought out, and also some good old fashioned chillin'.





The night ended with a Bus rally around the city of Camden and the surrounding areas. It's basically like a scavenger hunt but in busses. The kids had to get out at their stops and complete different tasks. Many were very tired by the end of that, which was a good thing because then we got to take them home!! It was a great night and we look forward to doing it again next year!!

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING SPREE!!

Every year some generous corporations give about 50 kids from our afterschool programs the chance to go shopping for their families!! The kids are given $13 each at a dollar store and are given a chance to pick out gifts for their family members. 50 kids, one dollar store...sorry to anyone who showed up to shop when we were there!! But the kids had a blast picking out everything from a pair a gloves fod dad to christmas plates and mugs for mom and grandmom.




After the kids shopped, we took them over to Rutgers where we wrapped all the presents and got some snacks, including pizza and soda! The Camden Riversharks mascot also joined us for the party!!



And then of course to wrap up the Christmas festivities, what better way to end it than a visit with santa!!





It was a great time to have the kids focus on someone else and to be able to give to others.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope you visit us again for more updates in the New Year!!

Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord!
Luke 2:11

WHERE ARE THEY NOW??

We'd like to know too!! There have been quite a few people that have come through the doors of Urban Promise. And we'd really like to know what you're up to now. Are you married? Any kids? Still in your hometown or have you moved completely to another part of the world?? Where exactly are you now??

If you could just spare a couple of minutes of your time to update us, we would be very appreciative. You can either respond on the comment section of this blog or Email me!

You could just leave us with your name, address, e-mail, what you're up to, are you married, have kids, ...maybe include your most embarrassing secret (like the fact that you do STILL listen to The New Kids on the Block!)--just kidding!!

Summer Interns 2005


This is a picture of our amazing group of interns from this past summer. Where will they be in a couple of years?? We look forward to finding out!!

TURKEY, TURKEY, TURKEY

Right before everyone took off to be with their loved ones for the Thanksgiving holidays, a few of our afterschool programs shared Thanksgiving meals with the kids and families involved in their programs. It was such a great opportunity to just hang out with the families, catch up with them, and to share a meal together! There's no better way to fellowship than over food!!

First up was the combined North and Downtown afterschool program dinner. Their dinner took place at the North site, which has an amazing cafeteria space for this kind of thing. The dinner was dedicated to Jevon Chestnut, a young person from Philadelphia who attended the Urban Promise summer camps while staying with family in Camden. Sadly, he was killed a few weeks before the dinner. As a way to honor him, there was a tribute given in his memory. Some family members and kids from the program stood up to share writings or poems in honor of Jevon. It was a great way to celebrate Jevon and his life with the kids that knew him.





The South afterschool program dinner was next. There were some technical obstacles with that one, as they could not use the kitchen at the South site! But the staff pulled together well to make the night a great success!




The last dinner for the Thanksgiving holiday was the Eastside afterschool program. Like the other dinners, it was filled with lots of kids, families, and good times!





Three amazing nights of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and all the trimming and the actual Thanksgiving day hadn't even hit yet!!!

DEATH IS NOT EXTINGUISHING THE LIGHT FROM THE CHRISTIAN; IT IS PUTTING OUT THE LAMP BECAUSE THE DAWN HAS COME.
-ANONYMOUS

I received this e-mail from Andy Joshua, our Streetleader director, and thought to post it so that we could get the people of God praying:


One of our Streetleaders, Tyison Sisco, unexpectedly passed away early Sunday morning. He has been in the hospital for about a week and a half with some serious medical problems but was improving and I think everyone expected him to make a full recovery. He was fully conscious in the hospital and had a lot of friends and family visit with him while he was there. Hid doctors are not sure why he died.

Tyison worked as a Streetleader since June of 2003. This school year he was working at the North Camden Afterschool program and during the summer in East at Camp Faith. When he was younger, he had attended the Eastside Afterschool Program. Tyison was just a really nice guy. He made people laugh and got along with everyone. He was an especially close friend to several other StreetLeaders. He did a great job at work and really cared about the kids he worked with and they liked him. He often participated in STOMP and he will really be missed.

His funeral services will be help at Urban Promise on Monday, November 28th. A viewing will be held from 9 to 11 am. The funeral service will then start at 11am. Bruce will be giving the main eulogy.

Not all of you knew Tyison, but I know this news will sadden all of you. I also know you all care about the children, Streetleaders and staff who have worked with him. You know how much of a difference each Streetleader can make in the lives of the kids he invests in and how difficult this will be for them and especially for Tyison's friends here. Wherever you are, please be praying for Tyison and his family. Please pray for the kids, Streetleaders, and staff in these difficult times. And please pray for God's comfort and love to be evident all around.

Finally, please pass this e-mail on to other UP alumni that knew Tyison or that you know will pray for us.

God Bless,
Andy Joshua

PONY RIDES!!



Six very lucky kids from the Downtown Afterschool program were given a chance to visit stables out in Philly!! When they first got there, they walked through the stalls, peering in to catch glimpses of whatever was in there.



They then were led out back where there were two corrals of horses, which was a great opportunity for the kids to get used to being around them. Getting bolder, they would reach into the fences and pet the horses' noses or try to feed them hay--a very cute sight!!



The big excitement of the day was actually being able to ride a couple of the horses!! BUT they had to work for their rides by brushing the horses first. The kids worked hard, using the three different brushes needed to properly brush down a horse. And if they even thought about slacking off on their job (as Richard can attest to), someone was there to remind them that if they're not working, they're not riding either. When the horses were all brushed down, they were led to a corral where the kids took turns riding.




At first the kids started off with someone else leading the horse around the corral, but were then able to move onto leading and directing the horse themselves!!




So if you ever want to know how to guide a horse, just follow the advice of our new experts!
As Jalissa (grade 4) puts it:
"If you want the horse to go left, you pull on the left side. If you want it to go right, you pull on the right side. If you want it to stop, you pull up with both hands. AND if it gets lazy, you give it a good kick!"

HARVEST CARNIVAL!!

Our annual Harvest Carnival took place on Nov. 7, 2005. Once again it was a great success!!
Kids from all 5 of our afterschool programs and from the Fellowship House all piled into the Eastside Gym where they were greeted with lots and lots of game booths!! There was face painting, cupcake decorating, an obstacle course, football and basketball throw, and one of our new booths, the marshmallow shooter!! What exactly is a mashmallow shooter?? It's a bunch of pipes put together to form a "blower". You stick a marshmallow in, aim it at a pyramid of cans, and blow to see if you can make your marshmallow hit the cans!! It may sound a bit weird, but it's fun!! At the end, all the kids came together for a raffle. We had some great prizes this year, including some personal cd players and the grand prize...A BIKE!!!

URBAN PROMISE KIDS INVADE MESSIAH COLLEGE

On Oct. 28th, fifty 3rd-5th graders invaded the campus of Messiah College! This is an annual event for us. The goal of the trip is to not only have a fun a weekend, but also to get the kids started thinking about college and how it can be a reality for the kids.
As always, this was a great trip! The college students at Messiah were great and open with the kids, the kids stayed up WAY past their bedtimes, and many of the kids left saying, "I want to go to Messiah College!". Granted, we might have to tweak that last thought a little bit when they get older because there are lots of colleges out there, but it's great just to have them say that they want to go to college!

Highlights fromt the weekend include:

A scavenger hunt around campus that included a walk across a slightly shaky bridge!!





A talk by three college students who talked about thier college life and answered questions that the kids had for them. One of these students was a phenomenal dancer who taught the kids a couple of dance steps and had them "battle".




A trip to Hershey Park where the kids got to ride roller coasters, drive bumper cars, and just have some good old fashion fun!!



We also got to visit with two alumni who helped us out that weekend, Mary Clemmer (Summer 2005) and Kim Schock (Summer 2004)

Thanks Messiah for letting us invade!!

SILLY POEMS FROM THE MINDS OF 3RD GRADERS

There once was a dog
Who lived in a log
He wanted a treat
So he went to meet
A fish who was cute
And also mute
He had some fish food
But he wasn't in the mood
So he went to meet a dude
The dude wasn't there
So he went to a fair
To eat some pears
And some gummy bears!

written by Ngan Trien, 3rd Grade, Rosedale Afterschool Program


Ngan Trien


There once was a bear
Who lived in somebody's hair
He ate a couple of pears
The pears didn't taste good with the hairs
So he smacked the hair
Without a care
It didn't make sense
And instead he had a fair in the hair.

written by Amanda Rodriguez, Marco Cubero, & Ngan Trien all 3rd Graders from the Rosedale Afterschool Program


Marco Cubero

THE 2005 URBAN PROMISE BANQUET

October 27, 2005-What a night!! It was long and everyone worked very hard, but it was all SOOO worth it! With over 600 guests coming to this event at the Scottish Rite in Collingswood, NJ, there was plenty to do. In the beautiful ballroom alone, 60+ tables needed to be set, dishes needed to be washed and counted, salads needed to be made, and of course cheese for the hors d'ouerves needed to be cut! Thanks to the grace of God, the amazing team He put together here at Urban Promise, and to some special friends (Mark Smith, owner of The Tortilla Press and Michael Georgetti, from Georgetti's Pasta & Sauce Market) who provided the delicious meal, it all got done!
Of course the best part of the night was the actual program. This year we were able to have various young people from Urban Promise share their stories and talents with all our guests!
Highlights from the night include:

*Co-hosts that were not only fun and entertaining, but also young adults who had been involved with Urban Promise for a number of years. Tony Vega spent many years in our afterschool programs, went on to be a street leader, then was in leadership in the street leader program, was an intern this past summer, and is currently attending Eastern College. Jeaneen Jenkins has also spent many years with us in our street leader program, taking over the directing of one of our summer camps, working as our work group coordinator, and being willing to fill in whenever the need arises. She is a graduate from Virginia State University and is currently pursuing a masters degree.


*A group of young people who blessed the guests by showing them how to praise the Lord through the gift of stepping. The Urban Promise Step Team, led by Monique Smalls, is made up of students from the Academy, teens in our street leader program, and college students who grew up in our programs and continue to stay involved.


*A charismatic 6th grader from our North afterschool program who stole the show! Starting off with a shy smile that instantly warmed the crowd, Josh Williams shared an honest and heartfelt glimpse of his life and his experiences with Urban Promise. He was able to interact well with the crowd, using an amazing sense of timing that drew out laughter and applause from his audience.


*Our executive director, Bruce Main, wrapped up this amazing night by thanking all our guests for standing by Urban Promise and the young people in our programs and by sharing inspiring words that encouraged everyone to continue with us and come alongside the next generation of "Dreamers".


"Every great dream begins with a DREAMER. Always remember, you have withing you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."
-Harriet Tubman

OUR '05-'06 URBAN PROMISE INTERNS





Are you wondering who these fine looking people are? Well wonder no more! These six individuals make up our 2005-2006 intern group. They have chosen to give up 9 months of their lives to come and live in the city of Camden, NJ, to live in Christian community with one another, to love the kids of Camden, and to learn from all this city has to teach.

OK, so who are they?




Name: Gray Kawamba (left)
Age: 25
Home: Malawi, Africa
Placement: Rosedale Afterschool Program working with 3rd graders
Gray spent this past summer working in a tennis camp for kids in California.


Name: Phillip Jomba Arunga (right)
Age: 25
Home: Kenya, Africa
Placement: Eastside Afterschool Program working with 5th-8th graders
This is Phillip's second year working with the Eastside Program.




Name: Ruth Hanford
Age: 27
Home: Washington State
Placement: Rosedale Afterschool Program working with 1st & 2nd graders
Ruth spent this past summer on our Camp Peace summer team.





Name: Priscilla Mante
Age: 23
Home: Glasgow, Scotland
Placement: South Afterschool Program working with 7th & 8th graders
Priscilla was born and raised in Scotland but her parents are from Ghana.







Name: Eui Hwang
Age: 25
Home: California
Placement: Downtown Afterschool Program working with 3rd & 4th graders
Eui was also with us back in the summer of 2001.





Name: Sullivan Kandulu
Age: 25
Home: Malawi, Africa
Placement: South Afterschool Program with 5th & 6th graders
Sullivan spent this past summer with us on our Camp Freedom summer team.



We've only been together since mid September, but already we've done some amazing things! Thanks to some very generous people who were willing to share thier place with us, we were able to go on an intern retreat and stay only two blocks from the beach!! It was a great time to get to know each other better and just be able to prepare for all that God had in store for us!



Phillip having some fun in the sun!!


We were also blessed with some great music! We were able to attend two concerts, Da'Truth who played with The Ambassador, and Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin. They were both awesome worship experiences!



Eui, Gray, and Sullivan with Chris Tomlin!!


Please keep these amazing people in your prayers!!