During our September 2015 trip to Detroit, we were able to join the community in multiple events. The first event was a community outreach day on Saturday. The teams from Orlando, Sarasota and Missouri were able to come together with families from Michigan and members of The Hope. This day was such a success to us because of the sheer amount of ways we offered to love on the neighbors surrounding The K-Love Hope Center. We’d like you, for a moment, to imagine you are that neighbor, as we walk you through what you may have experienced that day.
As you approach The K-Love Hope Center, you are immediately greeted with lively music, the smells of food cooking on huge grills, and the sounds of people having fun. You immediately wonder if this is a Saturday community day or if you’ve stumbled upon a family reunion, a coming together of so many people who love each other and are prepared to love on you. You are greeted by a family, including their four-month-old baby who welcome you, asked to sign in to receive updates on more events and are given a raffle ticket to win groceries your family so desperately could use. You enter the property, and there is a large area of toys for your kids to play with and a line of carnival style games for them to try. From ring the pin, bean bag toss, water relays, and more, there is something for everyone. Your kids play and win prizes while you move on to an area to get a meal. You are greeted by warm people who offer you hot dogs, chips, snacks and drinks for you and your brood. However, just beyond that is a large bounce house, and your kids cannot be dissuaded. So as they play a while, you visit the area where there are tables and racks overflowing with clothes for your kids to return to school – warm jackets, barely used boots, and other things they will need so badly in just a few short weeks. You are helped by members of The Hope to fill as many bags as you need. There are chairs around for you to just hang out, to enjoy the time, to make new friends. Finally, there are so many more back-to-school services to help your student. You see free haircuts by professional barbers and stylists, and just as you were wondering how you were going to manage purchasing the long list of items on your child’s school supply list by next Tuesday, you see free backpacks brimming with all of those supplies and more. As if this day wasn’t enough or the clothes, shoes, toys and books you and your kids went home with weren’t enough, you were prayed for and invited to church the next day. When you return the next day to church at The Hope, you are greeted by the same people you hung out with yesterday, and you realize these are the pastors of this unique and inviting church family. You hear a message from the pastor, are welcomed to share in amazing worship, and following church, listen as raffles tickets are called. Not only did you have a chance to win one of three gift cards for groceries, but your kids were also in the drawing for one of ten gift cards to Foot Locker for new shoes.
Through this outreach and church service, we were able to get information from 107 families on Saturday. Sixteen of those families, many with multiple children, joined us at church the next day. 11 people accepted Christ, and 20 gift cards were given away from $25 to $50 for new school shoes and from $50 to $100 for groceries and household supplies. It was a tremendous two days.