Leu, Kathy #20256

I live in the inner city of St. Paul, MN amongst mostly impoverished, unchurched and a vast variety of cultures. Along with a team of adults and young adults, we mentor children and youth from neighborhood families on a weekly basis in a structured church setting. In the summers, we hold outreaches in the neighborhood parks where we get to know new people and are able to share the gospel with them in a variety of ways. Beyond these structured events, I am involved in my neighbors’ lives in many ways. I network with other believers in the neighborhood and we invite the oppressed and needy into our lives for a break from their stresses of poverty, family dysfunctions and traumas (such as violence, imprisonment, etc.), trusting that the light of Christ shows through us as we encourage them to depend on Jesus and turn to Him for help as we also must do. In addition, we purpose to empower them to be overcomers in their circumstances. Above all, we purpose to love them and to be like Jesus to them even in our imperfect ways. I am richly blessed by the Lord for the opportunity to serve Him in this way. I am always learning, growing and humbled by the people I meet in this ministry by those to whom we reach out and with whom I minister. A verse the Lord has given is: Matthew 25:40 “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”