Moving to Inner City Santa Ana.......

Yes, you DID read that correctly! This is a vision God has for my VERY near future. It began November 2011 when i graduated from my Lives Worth Saving Gang Intervention Academy and began doing 4hr street outreaches on Saturday evenings 6pm-10pm.When i was walking through these  neighborhoods (mostly hispanic), God clearly spoke to me "Michelle, YOU are going to move here in the future." I kind of laughed at it and ignored it, for a bit. When God speaks and is calling you, He sometimes starts with a whisper but gets louder if we ignore Him/don't take Him seriously.He also told me "you need to learn how to speak/understand Spanish fluently." I ignored that also. Six months later, on Sat 5/19/12, He shouts at me "Michelle!!!! You NEED to learn Spanish! AND, you WILL be moving to these neighborhoods soon!"

I  have been teaching Bible studies and ministering to Juvenile Hall teenagers since 2004, and it was not until i began the Lives Worth Saving ministry that my eyes were REALLY opened to what type of environments these teens grew up in.I am beginning to understand more. The LORD has been breaking my heart for the troubled teens and their families/communities more and more everyday, to the point where i now feel the URGENCY and DESPERATE NEED for me to be their neighbor, part of their community-and not just a visitor who comes and does an outreach once or twice a month. I want to disciple/mentor/pour into the lives of the young girls wandering the streets who are prostituting, ditching school, addicted to drugs, victims of different abuses,getting pregnant at 12, 13, 14 yrs old.. etc.And be available to reach out to gang members on a daily basis. A friend graciously offered to buy me the Rosetta Stone Spanish learning Cd set (which i will be getting in a week or so) so i can efficiently learn it. ( i have a little background in it from taking 3yrs in highschool, so that will help)

I do realize that i will be one of the few *or only* white person living in some of those areas! But that is not new to me, at all. I spent most of the months on my World Race trip being one of the only white people in a different culture,different country, different language etc. It was great preparation for what is to come, in many ways!! Is it safe there? Not always. BUT, God's calling me there, so He will be my provider and protector. There is a lot of beauty there too, in these communities. I look forward to absorbing/learning from their culture and i know THEY will also bless ME in countless ways!!

"The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"  Psalm 118:6
"I will say of the LORD.' He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom i trust." Psalm 91:2

Do we really BELIEVE that? Or is it just a lovely sounding verse that we like to frame on our wall or quote for our status on Facebook. Yes, being wise is important, and Pastor Kevin (who leads the Lives Worth Saving ministry and is a former cop and swat member and BOLD man of God) has taught me a lot of street smarts and has helped our team members build trust and respect with many of the members in the communities there. These hispanic families are SO precious to me, and even more precious to God. In Santa Ana alone, there are about 90 hispanic gangs = 5-6,000 gang members.In the 4 years Pastor Kevin has been leading LWS, the crime rate/gang and drug activities have dramatically DECREASED! Because of our presence in the community and God's power to transform lives, most of all. 

Do you know what  #1 spot for gangs to initiate new members is??? School bus stops. Yep. They jump members in as young as 8yrs old. Many of these youth grow up in abusive homes/broken families/no responsible guardians and do not have stability and a good education. Many also do not know the LORD.

THIS IS WHY I MUST GO! I run into teens who i have ministered to at Juvenile Hall, Youth Guidance Center, Joplin and YLA out on the streets in Santa Ana. I have met their families, held their babies while they were incarcerated, etc.

I get so PUMPED  and EXCITED when i think about the endless possibilities of ministry and how many countless lives i will be able to reach out to and bring God's love, truth, compassion and hope to when i learn Spanish and move there!!!!!! The excitement overwhelms me.

The sooner i raise the money for RENT, the sooner i can move there! I am looking for 1 bedroom apartments/studios right now. I need your help!!! I am praying for more monthly supporters who are willing to commit to helping with my bills/rent/groceries/medical insurance, etc.I am walking by faith, not by sight. He will provide!Never been so sure of anything in my life :)

If YOU would like to play a part in investing  in Eternal treasures and the lives of these precious teens and their families and their salvations/relationships with Jesus, PLEASE consider partnering up with me financially or prayer wise/or both!!!!

This last picture is where a young teen was murdered. Gang related. 1 of 3 homicides that happened in the last few weeks :(  2 of those  were teens. They NEED His Light shining in this dark place.......this is all they know of life.....God wants me to show them He has SOO much more planned for them, if they only knew...

Jeremiah 29:11 "For i know the plans i have for you', declares the LORD;' plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future and a hope."

       NO  JESUS=NO HOPE   <3

Update About what God's been doing with Troubled Youth!

Hello Friends of Troubled Youth!

This is my 1st blog!April 27th this blogsite was created so I can keep everyone updated on the life changing details of what God is doing: daily,weekly,monthly & annually in the lives of hundreds of teenage boys and girls in Orange County, California through Pacific Youth Correctional Ministries! Not only are we making an Eternal impact on the incarcerated teenagers who we disciple, teach Bible study/church services and mentor/counsel throughout the week, but we also have the opportunity to interact daily and share God's love and truth with the Probation staff in the facilities and on some occassions-the family members of the youth!

I am grateful to have people who pray for me daily and weekly and financially support me! I want to make sure you are filled in on how YOU and your support is making a difference in these precious teens' lives.

At the end of March we had an Easter event at Youth Guidance Center (YGC=drug treatment center in Santa Ana) where we were able to share the REAL Gospel Easter story to seventy minors and several staff members!! ( For many of these minors, even though they grew up in Orange County,it was the FIRST time they EVER heard the Gospel Easter story from the Bible!They were shocked that Easter wasn't all about a bunny and chocolate candy!) A few minors were selected to act it out on stage and they did a great job.We had  worship music and a very talented painter/artist John Garcia. In the past John used his artist talent illegally on public property aka building/houses with spray paint cans... as his canvas.....but God changed his life and now he reaches out to troubled/incarcerated teens and uses his skills to glorify our Father!! (in a legal way haha)!We did an Easter event at Joplin Center also, where we ministered to fifty-five minors! Here are 2 pics from Easter:

Serving these minors is what gets me up everyday and puts a smile and skip in my step! Visiting these young men and women in their greatest time of need is MY PASSION AND CALLING!!!! They are at such a crucial time in their lives where many have hit rock bottom, feeling unloved and hopeless, and are discovering WHO they are and WHICH path to take. Many times the paths they choose are: gangs, prostitution, drugs, violence, crime,prison and a fast/young death.OUR role is to be JESUS to them and love them unconditionally-sharing His truth!

I am in need of financial support, so if you feel called or know an individual/church bpdy/business who would be interested in investing in Orange County community and these teens/families, please contact me!God is so faithful to provide our needs! I trust He will. Thanks for reading!

Stay tunned for another blog coming soon and make sure to add your email (on the left side of the blog page) if you want to receive my updates!!

His Servant,
Para-Chaplain Michelle Smith     Luke 1:37 "For nothing is impossible with God!"