NEWSLETTER April-May 2014
in this issue: Greetings From Sarasota. . . . . . . 5 Pick A Pocket + MOTA. . . . . . . 3
Project update: The Pillalu House. . . . . . . 2 Wildnis. . . . . . . 7 Solomon. . . . . . . 8 Bloom Addis. . . . . . . 10
On the Cover: Photos by Ulrich Mannchen Editorials: Josh Davison & Ashley Davis Design: Ashley Davis
the pillalu house a new partnership with an old friend Pick A Pocket is excited to announce a new partnership! Starting this year, our ministry will be actively engaged in supporting The Pillalu (or “Lion Cub”) House in Vijayawada, India. We’ve had the privilege to witness this house effectively minister to the physical and spiritual needs of Indian society’s most disadvantaged children for nearly three years. After travelling to visit the project last fall, we are convinced that this is the natural next step in our long-standing friendship. Pillalu is a compassionate response to the needs of children denied the stability of a home by the abject poverty or death of their parents. As participants in the program, the children are fed, discipled, provided for, and given a chance to receive an education. During this process, we hope that they can also remain integrated within their community and one day be a light to those around them. What is especially encouraging about this project is that it was founded completely by locals, for locals. It was established as a completely local initiative, and it is thriving! We hope that we can be a bridge not for simple monetary assistance, but for partnership and service. At the heart of The Pillalu House, there is a man named Raj Kumar. Raj has been a friend and inspiration to Pick A Pocket since he graduated from a YWAM Herrnhut DTS in the summer of 2010. Immediately, he put his faith into action serving the community where he was raised, and this home is the result. We have complete faith in the vision of Raj and in God’s provision for the project. We’re geared up for all the excitement and challenges this partnership will bring and we can’t wait to see where it takes us. page : 2
page : 1
-Peoplenot poverty growing the movement This past fall, Pick a Pocket had the opportunity to be more involved with the Marriage of the Arts DTS that YWAM Herrnhut runs. We had several of our Pocketeers teaching in the different art tracks, discipling students, and even leading outreaches. With such a heavy Pick a Pocket influence, it was only natural that our passion for justice, art and missions would seep in to the school. What we didn’t expect, however, was that our movement of People Not Poverty, would become central to the DNA of the school. Early on we introduced the idea to the students of using their art to bring change, to fight injustices like extreme poverty, by identifying and edifying the individuals they encounter rather than the circumstances those people are in. We saw this begin to really take shape in the school when we challenged the students to create art for the pop up gallery at the OBJECT conference (mentioned in the last update) and our hopes were that the movement would grow and really take root as the students went on outreach. And let me tell you, our hopes turned into the wildest of realities.
As the students came back from some of the poorest nations on earth, they brought with them hearts heavy laden with the people that impacted their lives. We heard stories of how art opened doors for communication where previously they were shut tight in the bush villages of Burkina Faso, or restored beauty and worth to those from which it had been stolen in countries all across east Asia. But what is more, is that we saw students connect with the heart of the movement of People Not Poverty and become ingrained in the way they walked out their service to the people they encountered. Our hearts were stirred as we were inundated with the stories and artwork that changed nations and as purveyors of this movement, we had to respond. For the summer months, our art gallery inside of Wildnis cafe will be transformed by art from this time. Entitled ‘Reaktion’, this exhibition will consist of artwork created in response to the artists interactions with the people they encountered. Be it orphans from the streets of Liberia, fashion forward university students from the streets of Chiang Mai or the red light district workers and patrons of Vietnam and Cambodia… this work is powerful and carries the full weight of who we are as a ministry. We are so humbled by the work God has given us to do, the heart he has given us to do it with and the incredible artwork we get to help foster as a result. We invite you all to come.
Pocketeers Ashley Davis & Keila Olmo on outreach in Burkina Faso
Pocketeer Theresa Francona on outreach in East Asia
page : 3
page : 4
t i n e gs e r G from Sarasota an update from florida Over the last year, as YWAM Herrnhut has gotten its footing in Florida, the wheels for what Pick A Pocket could look like in the United States have definitely been turning. Since moving to Florida , we have been able to make connections and build up our networks- within the church community and the arts community. Luckily for us, Sarasota is an arts community through and through. From the city dubbed arts districts to a plethora of galleries, coffee shops and theaters and even Ringling University of the Arts, Sarasota offers a wide variety of opportunity. While there are many opportunities for the arts, because they are so engrained in the cites DNA, getting a foot in the door to be recognized is quite tricky. A formidable challenge, but not one that is impossible, of that I am confident. With Florida also being a huge transient state, and Sarasota having a large international draw- Pick A Pocket’s international and global view can offer people something different than what exists there at the moment. Hence, we have hope.
page : 5
Liz & Uli Mannchen in Sarasota with fellow Pocketeers and Sarasota satellite leaders Josh, Ruth & little Valor Elke
Sarasota poses itself as a place where the arts can not only survive but also thrive. The community is receptive and values the artswhich gives a pretty consistent platform for us to reach people from. The difference of using arts in missions here as opposed to europe, is the local audience and the consistent flow of people from all over because of its location and “tourist attractions.” Sarasota also has a variety of age groups- which opens up opportunities, I think, of branching out into different spheres of the arts realms. Now, if we are able to bring a standard of excellence, the PAP flare, and the truth in the artsI think it would catch like wildfire- through the young, the old, the churched, the unchurched, the tourists, and the residents. So much opportunity to just get the art out on a platform that would be easily seen. Dreams for Pick A Pocket in Florida consist of, but are certainly not limited to: A Wildnis cafe, Gallery ( which we’ve already been given some leads to as far as spaces!!), Hub offices for touring/ ambassador program, community studio space, etc etc.....the ideas are still growing.... As a Marriage of the Arts DTS- the arts where definitely a focus of the school. As a representative of Pick A Pocket I used testimonies of the ministry as much as possible to inspire students to use their art to affect/effect the community around them. Some students definitely took hold of that and made friends in the homeless community and created artwork for them or inspired by them. Others were just page : 6
more intentional about doing art outside of the classroom- Sarasota just invested in a number of pianos that they put around the city- we had a lot of piano players in our Music track and they made good use of that free practice space! We were privileged to have Liz and Uli speak in the school for a week which brought even more attention to Pick A Pocket which got students asking even more questions and thinking more pointedly into getting involved with the ministry. We have currently completed the lecture phase of our DTS and are headed out to put the arts into action across the globe as we speak. Outreach locations are Africa ( North Africa and Ethiopia), Greece, and Asia. In this last season, we saw incredible support from the Pocketeers with people just simply coming to visit. This was a HUGE help- not only practically for the school, but also for moralewhether people were in Pick A Pocket or not, it provided everyone with a taste of what Pick A Pocket could look like in the US. However lovely it was to have visitors, our biggest need right now is people who are wanting to commit to the Florida location long-term. We need people who see the endless possibilities Sarasota offers and desire to work toward those becoming a reality. It is not for the faint of heart- I will say that... but it is an incredible adventure. In the coming season, we will be making plans and moving towards establishing ourselves long term as a YWAM Herrnhut satellite - which means we will hopefully start the process of bringing ministries over in the near future. This season will require a lot of discernment, vision, and dedication. Please be covering is in these things with as much prayer as you can muster and for open doors to the arts community too! As an aside, we’ve slowly been able to make some connections with Ringling University but not many of influence yet. We have great connections in the community through various churches and ministries...so the doors are there, we just need them to show themselves! Right now, Pick A Pocket in Florida is a completely blank slate but we are excited and eager to see what God does with it!
wildnis: cafÉ connections project support outreach to india In February, our café managers Chris and Jenny Brooks travelled to India to visit a good friend of Pick A Pocket who heads up a long-term project there that Wildnis supports. *Unfortunately, because of the sensitive nature of her project, we aren’t able to recognize her for her selfless efforts over the past nine years. But we can share some impressions from the trip, and describe why her work is deserving of your pocket change. India can be an overwhelming place. Its city streets are densely populated and vastly disparate. To the unfamiliar, it can seem spiritually and culturally saturated, an unnavigable sea of colours and foreign constructs. Development and desperation clash, all wrenched into a complex caste system. In the slums of India, there are places that the country’s newfound wealth has not trickled down to yet, where children sleep under their mother’s beds in brothels. It was into this world where Chris and Jenny stepped last January on a mission to provide support and encouragement, and experience firsthand the hardships of running a project with those trapped in prostitution. page : 7
Many local Christians won’t or can’t even enter this environment, as being associated with it does irreparable damage to a reputation. Trust is built slowly here, and genuine relationships with the outside world are discouraged by a tangle of social barriers and organized crime. For many trapped here, the alternative to raising a family in this place is a starving family. Even when another possibility for income and rehabilitation is offered, it takes a patient, concerted effort to pry a life from this hold, and a person of faith and perseverance to build something lasting here. We salute the individuals following quietly in the footsteps of Mother Theresa, serving India’s most disadvantaged and disregarded. Although this dear friend of ours finds it extremely difficult to raise support due to the nature of her ministry and is often unsupported by those around her, it is our hope as Pick A Pocket that we can find a way to offer her continual monetary support via Wildnis and to spur her on spiritually through outreach visits and encouraging others to lift her up in prayer!
solomon the original pocketeer
Our longterm Pocketeer, Melody, with Solomon in his home.
page : 8
If you’ve been following Pick A Pocket for
a while, you might be familiar with this face. Maybe you saw it on a poster, and were struck by the fierce kindness in the deep-set eyes, or the quiet intelligence of a humble demeanour. You may have seen this smile in a picture, and inadvertently smiled back. This is our good friend Solomon. When we met him, he was homeless in Addis Ababa, nursing a debilitating war injury that left him crippled, unable to work. One wouldn’t expect such deep smile lines around his eyes knowing his story, or the way they’re set alight when he laughs. For a while, he barely had enough money to afford the scrap of tin he slept under. When we visited him in his modest, one-room house on our recent trip, he pulled out a photo album from under his mattress and flipped through it, asking in his broken English about each of the people who’ve visited him by name. Together, we reminisced about how we all had changed – who’d grown up, who was married, who had kids now. It was a good time. But it was also a sad one; as we had all changed, so had Solomon. His already thin frame was thinner. He was shakier on his feet, and his eyes were tired sometimes. As we made our way up the street from his house to share lunch, he walked slowly, leaning on the arms we offered. His demeanour was as positive as ever, but also weary. We ate enjira together and laughed. At the end of our two weeks it was hard to say goodbye.
page : 9
Solomon was the original pocket we picked to fill. In the years since, we’ve done our best to insure that our friend always has a house, food, and someone to care for him. As a team, many of us give what we can to support him, and we were sad to get the news that his health had taken a turn for the worse in the last year. Solomon lives with HIV, and he’s struggling to fight tuberculosis, a fight which has been complicated by the current lack of public access to TB medication in Ethiopia. Now, his only option will be to get medication at a more expensive private clinic. Solomon also badly needs to have metal removed from his hip and knee before the rainy season starts. These pieces are leftovers from a recent surgery to repair broken bones. Despite this, Solomon continues to remain “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” In the next few months, Solomon will be able to receive his surgery (thanks to an incredible donation) but is still in need of 150 euro each month for proper nourishment as he recovers, the caretaker that looks after him and to secure his rental of the humble place he calls home. A small sum of money goes a long way in Ethiopia. Our 5 person team was able to pay for two months of his rent by giving around 10 euro each. If you would like to get involved with supporting Solomon and be a part of his story please contact us for more information: pickapocketprojects@gmail.com
bloom addis growing with the seasons Bloom Addis is a vision to coax something new and fragile out of hard soil, caring for it until it blossoms. In 2009, Pick A Pocket began working with a group of young girls in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, providing them with a good education, tutoring and mentorship, and helping to meet the basic needs of their families. We`ve worked alongside them through the struggles of adolescence, and cheered as they overcame stereotypes. Five years later, they’re no longer girls – they’re beautiful young women, looking to step out into the world. This is a crucial time in their lives. Whether they have finished school or not, many are under page : 10
tremendous pressure to find work and support their families. Some, lured by the promise of fast money, have even taken dangerous jobs outside the country as domestic servants. We realized last year that our project would need to adapt to a new set of needs in order to remain effective, and after much prayer and planning, we`re excited to introduce our new initiative: Bloom Addis. Within two years, we hope to create a simple, beautiful, and economical guesthouse in Addis Ababa. It will have space for up to a dozen guests, a well-equipped kitchen, comfortable common spaces, and offer visitors an authentic view of Addis Ababa. Most importantly, Bloom will be an opportunity for the young women of the Koshe project to gain vital work experience, earn a steady income, and be inspired. Looking to the future, we also foresee many more opportunities for Bloom to be a positive presence in the city. We aim to complete this financially selfsustainable project in two years, accomplished over a few phases. Phase one, focusing on producing fund-raising media and laying groundwork, is almost complete. We`re excited to deliver more information next month! If you would like to care for bloom financially or in prayer, or simply watch as it grows, head to pickapocket.net and stay posted.
on tour with
international art festival June 10-14, many of our Pocketeers will be heading down to the beautiful Czech city, Cheb, for a week-long international arts festival. We will be working alongside YWAM Cheb, flooding the streets of this awesome city with our art and music. Visit the web site here and Czech it out!!
This August, some of our Pocketeers will be hitting the road and heading on a 3.5 week faith trip around Eastern Europe. We will be playing concerts and debuting our new mobile gallery in cities across Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Greece,Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria and back to Germany. You can find more information about the tour here
Get involved! Pick A Pocket has been and will be on the road A LOT. We have been doing so much outreach, informing people, serving people and getting them involved with our movement, that we have depleted our stock of just about everything. It’s a fantastic problem to have, but we need your help to see this work continue. In total we are in need of about € 1,500 to see this summer be fully ready to reach the nations, but here is a breakdown of the parts to the whole: - POCKET PROJECTOR: Our media team has been hard at work producing lots of digital media to help engage young and old with the purpose and movement of Pick A Pocket. This small projector would be a fantastic way for us to display not only our digital media but also to provide an outlet for our performance based artists (musicians, dancers, spoken word etc) to have a presence when they are physically unable to attend events. € 200 would help us greatly!
€0
- Printed Materials: We`ve a small budget for this, but in light of what we hope to print for the summer festival season it won`t go far enough. We want to be able to print creative, quality material! This could be done for € 1000. - ART PRINTS: All of us are living off of the generous support of friends, family, churches and the occasional miracle. As artists, we aim to take care of our own printing and displaying costs but occasionally we have seen artists unable to partake in an event or exhibition with their art because the finances just aren’t there. We`ve realised that having a small pool of funds to aid in this will allow us to lend a hand to the people we believe in and get their art into peoples hands and hearts. We see 300 euros making a big difference here this summer! As a ministry, we want to invite you to be a part of what we`re doing this summer. Even five euros could finance a print that facilitates a vital encounter with Jesus. Partner with us and join the movement!
€ 1,500
*all donation information can be found on the following page
contact www.pickapocket.net info@pickapocket.net pickapocket pickapocket wearepickapocket pickapocketnews
donations Mailing Address (EU): JMEM Herrnhut Untere Dorfstr. 56 02747 Herrnhut Germany Tel.: 035873-36166 Bank Transfer (EU): Iban: DE82 855901004507180600 Swift: GENODEF1NGS Bank: Volksbank Loebau/Zittau, Loebauer Strasse, 02747 Herrnhut, Germany Bank Ident Code: 855 901 00 Account: 450 718 0600 Mailing Address (US): YWAM P.O. Box 3000 Garden Valley, TX 75771-3000