Opening....

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7 NIV

Doors and eyes are opening here at DOOR Hollywood. Here are windows into the blogs of Curtis and Alex. Click on the text to read the full blog!

"Miranda, a little girl that attends our after-school program told me the first day she met me that I talk like a farmer (ha). As I tried not to laugh too much I said, “most people where I am from talk like this.” She said, “girls talk like that too?” Laughing I said, “no but pretty similar.” We now have an agreement that she can call me farmer john as long as the other kids don’t call me that too. Today one of the kids told me I sound like a cowboy, which I liked a little better...." - From Curtis' blog about beginning work at Door Of Hope.

"Although it has an important biological function, fear can sometimes be a bad thing. In the Bible, God is frequently telling folks to relax and "be not afraid." Fear can make us act violently and hatefully. Fear is probably the number one reason why most of us don't really pay too much attention when Jesus tells us to "love our enemies." Fear is why a lot of kids join gangs. Fear is why we build walls between us and them, and also why we steer clear of certain "wrong" sides of town.

The reason I would refer to South Central as the "wrong" side of town for guys like me and Curtis has a little to do with race and a lot to do with money and power. I've said it before (almost exactly a year ago, as a matter of fact) and I'll say it again: if you don't have money or power, you have very little reason to be afraid in the inner city. Not coincidentally, that's what this year of dwelling in the inner city is about. Freeing ourselves from enslavement to worldly money and power. Coming face to face with people that are different than us and that sometimes scare us....." -From Alex's blog about an experience after a USC football game (shown above.)

Blessings and peace to you all!

Matthew