Jesus People USA

   (picture taken from Issac's blog)

It's officially been three days since I first arrived in Chicago!
Things are going well as I get to know my team, and all the other participants. The most interesting thing about these first few days? Our accomodations.  We're staying on the first floor of a building owned by an intentional-Christian-community called "Jesus People."

The group started in the 70s and now has over 400 members! If you walked into their building, which was once a hotel owned by Al Capone, you would see every age and race. They have seniors, children, families and singles. We're currently on the first floor of the single men's dorm building. Now, you may have in your brain a very clear picture of a bunch of hippies, wearing flower headbands, smoking pot and talking incoherently about Jesus. Well, you'd be wrong. Or, if you pictured a cult-like scenario, where everyone wears black and thinks Jesus is coming back in a space ship, you would also be wrong. Most of the people here are young 20 somethings. Most are covered in tattoos, and all (in some capacity) work in the city at one of JPUSA's business or homless shelters. They're committed Jesus followers, intentional about 
their relationship to one another and to people struggling in Chicago.
Everyday some of them cook, visit with the seniors and do their laundry, work at a homeless shelter, paint houses and put roofs on buildings, etc...

We're sharing our meals with them for this next month, and maybe even working with them at their local business and homeless ministries. I hope you guys will check out their communities link. Also, for those familiar with Cornerstone music festival, Jesus People are the staff every year! So you may have met a Jesus person and not even known it...