Mike King

Two Time World Series Champion Jeremy Affeldt and His New Book

On Baseball's Opening Day, Youthfront supporter, friend and associate Jeremy Affeldt releases his first book taking readers off the field and into his life story.  The story of Jeremy’s relationship with our President Mike King and his involvement in our ministry, as well as details of his active participation with Youthfront’s Something to Eat ™ initiative are featured prominently in the book.  Expected to make multiple best-seller lists, this book offers a compelling, page-turning story for all readers.  Another fan of Youthfront and five time Major League All Star, Mike Sweeney says, “Jeremy Affeldt may be a two-time World Series champion and one of the greatest left-handed relievers in major league baseball but that is just the tip of the iceberg as to the man that he is.  As you will read in this book, Jeremy Affeldt is not defined by baseball. He is defined and validated as a child and follower of the most high God.”

Affeldt, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, tells of the ups and downs of his life and major league career beginning with his childhood spent in a military family, the impact his parents had on his life, and his tumultuous high school years.  Affeldt admits that he was often an uncaring, self-centered athlete who was difficult for his parents and teachers. So much so, that his dad kicked him out of the home on more than one occasion.   Although he attended a Christian school, Jeremy wasn’t buying any of it until a series of events led him to see his need for Christ.

After being kicked out of games and sitting the bench because of his behaviors and his attitude, one of his coaches gave him books on attitude and anger control as well as scriptures that Jeremy read mainly so he wouldn’t have to watch the games from the stands. As the Bible began to come alive for him, he was also influenced by God’s transforming work in the life of another student who had been Jeremy’s archenemy. That was the beginning of Jeremy’s close walk with Christ.

Jeremy Affeldt tells of his opportunities in baseball, his marriage to his high school sweetheart and, of course, his success including two World Series Championships – after many setbacks and injuries – in the major leagues.

The book includes Jeremy Affedlt’s passion for social justice and his humanitarian endeavors as he continues to use his time and finances to do God’s work throughout the world.   Available now, discover the side of Jeremy that thrives off the field; the side that is passionate about freeing the slave, feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty and seeking justice for the oppressed.

ORDER BOOK

Stirring Imagination

Recently, Youthfront partnered with Generation Alive and Able Works to mobilize 450 high school students in East Palo Alto to package 100,000 meals for our Something to Eat™ initiative. East Palo Alto is divided from Palo Alto by a freeway. Palo Alto is a very wealthy area fueled by the success of the Silicon Valley. Apple, Google and Facebook are some of the corporate success connected to Palo Alto. East Palo Alto lies in stark contrast to Palo Alto. About 65% of the residents of East Palo Alto are Hispanic/Latino, 16% are African-American, and 10% Pacific Islander/Asian. Several years ago, Michelle Pfeiffer starred in the movie Dangerous Minds as a teacher, teaching a classroom of East Palo Alto high school students whose lives were being  destroyed by drugs, gang involvement, illicit sex, crime, etc. For a young person, living in East Palo Alto can still be a dangerous reality. In the few months before our Something to Eat™ event several young people were killed through drug and gang  violence.  The names Something to Eat™ and Something to Drink™ come from Matthew 25 when Jesus led us to imagine that when someone is hungry or thirsty and we give them food or water it is the same as giving food and drink to Jesus.

More than 450 young people from this under-resourced community moved outside of the dominating and destructive script many of them feel trapped in and instead worked to raise money to provide food for those around the world who are suffering from starvation. Most of these  young people have grown up with a script that imprisons them into thinking that they are stuck forever in a story that centers around poverty,  drugs, gangs, crime and violence. I wish you could have been an eyewitness to what happened in this Something to EatTM event. We worked hard all day and yet, these teenagers didn’t even want to take a break. We stopped for short five minute breaks throughout the event to talk and  reflect on why we were doing what we were doing – information about the world hunger crises, about the importance of taking care of each other along with inspirational thoughts. We had local artists perform Street Poetry that was uplifting and spiritually rich. It was amazing to see what was unfolding.

The East Palo Alto Police Captain spent the day with us. He was so enthused that he was on the phone talking to the news media reminding them that they were all at the recent murder scene involving young people and they needed to come and see the good things young people were doing.  I got into a conversation with the Police Captain, an East Palo Alto School Board member and a former mayor of the city. We talked about how important it was to provide the opportunity for these young people to participate in an alternative script to the broken scripts that they had grown up with and ensnared by. We agreed that these young peoples’ imaginations were being unleashed and this has the potential to alter their life scripts forever. It was also cool to learn that the Police Captain grew up in Kansas City and had served our country for many  years as a presidential appointed U.S. Marshall

Albert Einstein declared, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge  defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.” I believe Youthfront’s mission to bring youth into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ happens because we embrace the most powerful script of all – the Gospel.  The Gospel unveils a story that unleashes the imagination of those who have ears to hear. The Gospel story has the power to render other scripts impotent. Think of Jesus’ own  disciples. They fled in fear when he was arrested. They witnessed his crucifixion. They were hiding in a state of dreadful trepidation. And when a few of Jesus’ followers, mostly women, went to his tomb the Gospel story breaks forth with the declaration “He is not here, he has risen!” Still the disciples hid in disarray and confusion.  Although a few were convinced that Jesus Christ was resurrected, some, Thomas for instance still didn’t have the imagination to believe that the Gospel proclamation that Jesus was risen could be true. And then he saw Jesus. Thomas declared, “My  Lord and my God!”  I believe the Christian story properly told stirs the imagination of the listener. 

A Pilgrimage of Hope to Haiti

A Pilgrimage to Haiti by Moree Scofield

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness… Broad, wholesome, charitable views of people and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.  – Mark Twain

A pilgrimage is a sacred journey of deliberate travel; as a quest, or for a purpose. Experience will tell you that they are life-changing; one rarely returns the same. It is with this in mind, that Youthfront extends an invitation to all who are seeking broad, wholesome, charitable views that expand our imagination of God’s work to join us on pilgrimage to Haiti this July.

This pilgrimage will guide us away from our homes and our expectations.  As we spend a few days traveling together, we will connect and engage with locals of Haiti and we will learn from them.  Our time will be devoted to the present – to those we meet, to that which we see, to God.

We will see fruits of labor and sacrifice as we visit people who have been touched by Youthfront’s Something to Eat™ and Something to Drink™ initiatives.  We will visit communities who have received meals packaged by youth right here in KC and we will visit new wells that have been tapped bringing forth water and life.  Our fellowship with Haitian Christians and orphans, albeit momentary, will somehow leave its imprint on us forever.  Our times of solitude with God in this land may give us peace, yet perhaps it might disturb us.  Nevertheless, on our return home, we will be different.  We will discover that we have a pilgrims tale to tell not for novelty, but to be transformed into passionate advocates for God’s action for the poor and vulnerable both here and abroad.

Some things you should know…

This is not a mission trip.  This trip is open to participants 16 years and older, adults and parents are welcome.  Youth 14-15 may participate, however they must have a parent or legal guardian accompany them on the trip.

Estimated Trip Cost: $1,900/person (includes airfare, lodging and meals)  An additional $50-$100 is suggested for snacks and meals as we travel to and from Haiti.

All trip participants must be registered and submit the initial deposit by April 15, 2013.  Please note *late registrations may require more fees as flight pricing may increase closer to the departure date.  To register and submit your initial deposit go here.

This trip is open to 15 travelers so please contact us before April 1st to share your interest and register.  All trip participants must have a current passport.

If you are interested in joining Youthfront in July on pilgrimage to Haiti please contact Morée Scofield, the director of Something to Drink™ at mscofield@youthfront.com

Peasant's Day Feast on President's Day

                              

On Presidents’ Day, February 18th, as our country remembers the privileged and the powerful, we gather together to honor the peasants and the poor like we did three years ago. Join us for the Peasants’ Day Feast to package thousands of meals that will be shipped to countries experiencing urgent food crises. Together, in fits of passionate action filling bags to boxes, boxes to pallets, and pallets to shipping containers with humble, life-giving feasts, we awaken an imagination of another world, another kingdom, another King. Groups, youthworkers, families, individuals; all are invited to give food and clean water to the poor and powerless. Join us for our Peasants’ Day Feast. Sign up now. Download posters and flyers for this event here. Click these links to learn about Youthfront's Something to Eat™ and Something to Drink™

Excellent TED talk on Why the Right and Left Can't Get Along and How we Might Move Toward Cooperation and Civility

Peasant's Day Feast

On Presidents’ Day, Feb. 18, we’re going to be doing a push to have the biggest packing event in Youthfront’s auditorium since the earthquake in Haiti three years ago.  We’re calling it Peasants’ Day Feast.  As our country remembers the privileged and the powerful, we honor the peasants and the poor.  As much of the American church begins its Lenten fast, we chose a different kind of fasting--an Isaiah 58 kind of fast where we loosen the chains of injustice and share our food with the hungry.  

We’re also developing a way for churches to take a Something to Eat assembly line home with them so that their churches and youth groups can practice this “Lenten fast” by packaging meals onsite all the way through Easter.  We’ll also be developing a series of prayers and reflections for each week of Lent that focus on Christ, our spiritual hunger, and the physical hunger experienced by so many worldwide.

Join us on Presidents’ Day, February 18 where hundreds from around the KC metro area will descend upon Youthfront’s auditorium to pack thousands of meals that will be shipped to countries experiencing urgent food crises.  Together, in fits of passionate action filling bags to boxes, boxes to pallets, and pallets to shipping containers with humble, life-giving feasts, we awaken an imagination of another world, another kingdom, another King.  Join us for our Peasants’ Day Feast.

For more information check out the website.

Stop Short Term Mission Trips for Youth Groups?

I remember taking my first short term mission trip with students nearly thirty years ago before they were a fixed annual project for most church youth groups.  I have many fond memories from leading several dozen of these "short term mission trips."  However, over the last seven or eight years I have engaged with many youth workers in a dialogue about the theological warrant for this concept. 

Christianity Today recently featured three views on this issue.  Brian Howell, believes that we should cease expensive "travel-intensive projects."  He states there are good reasons for Christians to travel but "projects" is not one of them.  I believe we should shift to an emphasis on missional activity in our local contexts.  The concept of pilgrimage also needs to be reconsidered as a valid faith-immersion formational activity in our churches and youth groups.

Here are a few thoughts from Brian M. Howell who is associate professor of anthropology at Wheaton College and author of Short-Term Mission: An Ethnography of Christian Travel Narrative and Experience (IVP Academic, forthcoming).

"Churches should not abandon travel, but we should abandon most travel-intensive 'projects.'

It is good for American Christians to visit Christians in other places to witness what God is doing around the world. It is good for American Christians to visit missionaries, learning firsthand about their work and how to pray for them. The opportunity to learn from all our brothers and sisters living and working around the world is a gift many of us have received due to our relative wealth, access to technology, and leisure time. We should accept this blessing gratefully.

When it comes to projects, however, the good we do is often outweighed by the warped impressions left on both sides. For example, sending high-school students to do construction in front of poor, underemployed adults furthers the humiliation of the poor as they see wealthy North Americans casually doing jobs they would happily accept, while it reinforces the views of many American Christians that poor people cannot help themselves.

Our projects further promote views of poor people as lacking personal agency, as short-term mission teams often spend most of their time interacting with children conducting Vacation Bible School or teaching games. Teams often leave with the impression that the whole country is childlike, vulnerable, and in need of our care. When short-termers do interact with adults, it is often in unequal relationships—cooks, drivers, and other employees of the American missionaries—where true fellowship is difficult. Those ministries run by nationals who host short-term teams frequently adapt their ministry to meet the needs of visiting foreigners first and local residents second. These hosts are reluctant to ask too much of powerful guests or to confront their visitors' views and risk losing material benefits.

Unequal social relationships and a skewed view of poor communities can affect service in the United States too. However, there is a reason why many churches have little problem getting 25 youths to sign up for a project in South Africa, while the trip to a nearby urban community goes unfilled. The dynamics of international travel make it easier to imagine that we in the West have no responsibility for the problems "over there" beyond our occasional charity. We can feel good about our service without being confronted by our responsibility for the injustices we witness. In nearby urban centers, or a local apartment complex, we are more likely to be confronted with the reality that our lives are bound up with theirs, and we cannot so easily turn away from what is going on in front of us when it gets difficult or inconvenient.

We should not abandon international travel, nor should we be less generous with our resources. But if we would spend less time building walls, painting houses, or digging ditches, we could spend our time learning how the problems there are part of the problems here. These trips should serve to teach us how we are bound up together, in our economics, in our politics, and, most importantly, in Christ."

The article continues with views from David Livermore and Robert Priest.  READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.

REBBL

REBBL is a tea company started with a vision to end slavery in the Peruvian Amazon.  This initiative is an idea that was concieved of by my good friend and collaborator in Gospeling, Jeremy Affeldt and my friend David Batstone, President of Not for Sale.  Check out this video.

275,000 Meals Headed to the Horn of Africa

Last week we loaded a full shipping container of food (approximately 275,000 meals) into a truck to begin the journey to Kenya.  The food will be delivered to those who are tragically affected by the famine and civil wars that are happening in the Horn of Africa.  The meals were made possible through Youthfront's Something to Eat initiative in partnership with Jeremy Affeldt's Generation Alive (Spokane, WA) and Future Profits (Palo Alto, CA).  The article below was written by Youthfront staff member Austin Averill who directs our Something to Eat initiative.

 

On a bitter cold winter morning, I was more excited to wake up at four and head to work than I have ever been in my life. On this particular morning, I left the harsh Midwest weather behind with my co-workers Ray Zuercher and Mike King, President of Youthfront, to meet up with San Francisco Giants pitcher Jeremy Affeldt, Founder of Generation Alive, in Palo Alto, California. Why, might you ask, would a logistics guru, president of a non-profit organization, recent college graduate, and professional baseball player meet in “The Golden State?” I can think of no better reason than to facilitate a Something to Eat packaging event.

The next day, approximately 300 students flooded through the doors of Sequoia High School’s gymna- sium to package as many Something to Eat meals as possible. “Packing a meal” means measuring rice, soy protein, dried vegetables and a nutrient dense vitamin powder, pouring it all into a bag, and sealing it up. These meals then get packed into a box, which get stacked onto a pallet, which gets basically shrink- wrapped, then is shipped away to feed malnourished orphans. The meals from this particular event went to Kenya, though Youthfront sends meals to various places domestically and abroad.

However, orphans aren’t the only ones who get fed as the result of a Something to Eat event. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the spiritual formation aspect of meal packaging is just as important as the orphans we feed.

The youth who give up a Saturday in order to provide starving people with something to eat do so because they are hungry for justice. They recognize that something is wrong in the world and long to be a part of a solution. Something to Eat provides them with the opportunity to connect others’ physical hunger with their own spiritual hunger, with the hunger for justice and righteousness and the hunger to make the world more complete and more whole, more like the way that God intended.

The kids at Sequoia High were given “something to eat” in a different way every 30 minutes, at which point we paused the packaging for a moment of silence, as well as a short lesson about social justice, world hunger, and how we can have an effect on bringing redemption to this world.

In response to the Horn of Africa’s war and drought-induced famine, the students of Sequoia High raised several thousand dollars which allowed them to package nearly 130,000 meals to send another shipment to the needy.

These students by no means know wealth – and many of them are all too familiar with just the opposite of it. Yet they recognized that there are others in the world who are not only hungry, but who have it even worse than they do. This is what motivated those some might call “the least of these” to dedicate themselves to making the world a better place for someone else. They spread the word about the event, raised money for the raw materials that go into making a meal, and spent an entire Saturday wearing hair nets and packaging meals. THAT is why we do what we do at Youthfront – not for justice alone, but to see young people changed, liberated, transformed for the Kingdom of God.

Something to Eat, Another Container of Food Heading to the Orphanages in Haiti

Another container of food (approximately 275,000 nutritional meals) left the Youthfront parking lot yesterday headed for orphanages in Haiti.  The orphanages are run by Global Orphan Project, our partner in this initiative.  The meals are a mixture of rice, soy, carrots, celery, onions, and vitamins.  The meals are packaged by young people through Youthfront's ministry initiative Something to Eat™.  A big thanks to Generation Alive and Jeremy and Larisa Affeldt for partnering with us on this project.  Pray that the food makes it safely the last 30 miles from the dock in Haiti to the orphanages distribution center.  We paid over $10,000 to have the best shipper walk this shipment through to the distribution center.

This is a picture of some of our Youthfront Staff who helped load the truck with the Something to Eat™ food. 

Also, I spent time on the phone yesterday scheming with Jeremy Affeldt about Youthfront and Generation Alive working together on Something to Eat™ and producing another container of food.  We are planning a packing event in San Francisco and Kansas City.  We want to send the food to help alleviate the extreme starvation tragedy occurring right now in Central Africa.  We'd love for you to help us get it done.