POST by JED: California Dreamin (Part 5)

Capital on the Edge & Vista folks, just before Leaving San Diego (after having been SPOILT with a beaut Mex. Dinner!)

Pastor Greeyvin, of the Vista Assembly in Southern California (San Diego), was left to manage the bags as our team climbed aboard the seemingly inviting coach. The friendly AMTRAK staff (just beautiful) ordered us to get on the great big people mover, nudging us along gently with the butts of their rifles. We wasted no time and scooted aboard, fearing the lovely lady with the moustache’s reprisal, should we not do exactly as instructed.

We found our seats and snuggled in. It was almost midnight and everyone was pooped. We glanced out of the steam laden windows and made-out Pastor Greeyvin’s tall Costa Rican figure, still retrieving and replacing our baggage like some sturdy, human sized crane.

It wasn’t long before we were chugging away towards the Northern parts of California. Now from our experience, the AMTRAK staff are fastidious about punctuality, yet not so fussy with the customer service aspect of their business. I’m sorry if I’m sounding a tad bitter about this particular organisation, I will only say that they make Greyhound look like the beacon of hospitality, and that’s saying a HEAP! It’s the difference between private enterprise and the public sector I guess (Shoosh to all of you Capitalists, I don’t want to hear another word about it! This issue would NEVER arise in Denmark, so please scoff for five seconds and be done with it!).

We all fell asleep within minutes of leaving Vista. I was lucky enough to find a resting place for my head, between my knees, leaving just enough of a gap between my legs for horrid, rank smells to lurk up from underneath the coach seats, and with the comfort of my legs against my face’s rosey cheeks, almost leaving me with permanently significantly higher and fuller cheeks (the effects hoped for through plastic surgery).

A VERY tall African American man got on the bus and sat next to me. He wore his hood over his head, so that the front of the hood came down to where his nose was. He also wore sunglasses, but it was the middle of the night!? I wanted to ask questions and make conversation, but I could tell through his body language (back towards me) that a 2am conversation simply would not eventuate.

I slept some more and was overjoyed upon our arrival at the AMTRAK train station in wherever it was we were. There was an eerie sort of feeling as we transited from our bus to our 4am train. I think I remember fog, but I do have a fairly active imagination…

We all sat closer together on the train, having learnt from experience that trains and busses fill up and it’s preferential to sit next to a family member, rather than a complete stranger (the travelling gamble!).

Again we fell asleep and awoke just in time for breakfast. Too expensive to buy food on the train, so for this moment in time we just listened to our stomach grumblings and hoped for a buffet meal in Sacramento.

Our transfer to coach was so smooth I don’t even remember it. We arrived in Sacramento, grabbed our bags, and headed for the car park. Thank the good Lord, Jeff Pitnikoff, the Youth Leader at New Life, was waiting with another two fellas, Eddy and Carl.

Now I have to say straight up, that Jeff Pitnikoff is a go-getter, bring ‘em in, get ‘em saved, try anything, type of pastor. He’s a golden bloke, his wife sings like an angel, he has aDORable kids and we just love ‘em to death!

Jeff Pitnikoff, COOLEST youth pastor in the World, totally BLEW us away...

Eddy, on the other hand, was a rather funny chap, who liked to muck about, get into troubled, lead from behind, etc. He has forever left an impression on us - he reminded us of an African American Charlie Chaplin type!

Our Favourite Lad, Eddy, a TRUE CHAMPION for the Cause of Jesus Christ, and Starbucks... ha ha

Carl, an instant Filipino friend (what Filipino do you know who isn’t instantly a friend?), was fairly quiet and good humoured. He ended up touring with us a fair bit in Davis and San Francisco. We know our paths are going to cross a bit again in the future. We learnt through our time with Carl, that he immigrated to America several years ago, loves listening to the voice of God and obeying, has a heart to serve his Church, and currently assists his Mum who is suffering with a battle against cancer.

Carl Impressing both New Lifers and Capital on the Edge people, with a FLIP

We drove to New Life Church and unpacked our belongings. More floor space to sleep on, and plenty of dark corridors for midnight spookiness. A coke machine, a kitchen, no shower, we were at home and in paradise.

Lizzie and the kids werre offered a home with Steve and Pam (New Life Church folks), and snapped up the offer. Controlled house temperatures, a fridge stocked with goodies, scintillating conversations and a shower, a WARM shower (something we’re not completely accustomed to). Could this get any better? (Well yes! They also paid for Lizzie and the girls to have their hair cut – what a treat!)

The second evening (Tuesday) we performed our street theatre production, “Created”, for the church’s youth group and for several blokes who were participating in some kind of live-in program, akin to Teen Challenge. I can categorically say that it was the worst performance of our entire Californian tour. The youth group were a tad stunned by our show and didn’t say booh, nor clap, nothing. On top of that, the boys had too much space and it ate them up! They relaxed and just went through the motions, like they were back in Nicaragua atop the sawdust (one of our practice spaces).

Out of Time and out of Sync, Performing "Created" for New Life

After our dud hour of sharing, we mingled with the youth and adults and through conversation I was shocked by what I learnt. New Life Community Church in Sacramento consists of a bunch of folks who are genuine about welcoming in hurting and broken people (Isn’t that what all Churches need to be about?).

I only chewed the fat with a few of the congregation at this first “meeting”, but from what I could reckon, the people in this Church were previously damaged and on their way DOWN beneath the ground, but now were going somewhere, people on the mend towards wholeness. New Life Community Church, what a tremendous family! They are the example Christ gave to us; loving and nurturing everyone in their path.

Upon leaving New Life Community Church, I was handed the testimony of a youth member, and this is what was written:

So when I was little, I lived in Accokeek, Maryland with my parents. We had a great life then things went downhill from there.

When I was 5 years old, my grandma passed away from lung cancer. My mom would take care of her every day and night. She meant so much to me.

One day my mom got a call at work saying her mom got rushed to the hospital. My mom had got there at 10:40am and my grandma died at 10:30am.

I never got to say goodbye. All I said was "I love you grandma, I’ll see you after school.” Then I cried for a long time…

I was very sad and I think about her every day that she is gone.

About a couple of weeks after she passed my dad left me, my mom and brother. We were left with no plan to go anywhere…

We ended up leaving my house, animals, and important people in my life. We moved to Missouri with my aunt and we were at her house for a few months. Then we were in about three different apartments but my mom started drinking about 5 or 6 years ago and I was scared. She had so much depression all she had was alcohol.

Then about a year ago we were sent to foster care because of my mom’s drinking. It got really bad at some points.

My brother and I were in foster care for about two months. I was miserable. I didn’t want to live anymore. I couldn’t take it anymore. It was horrible. I hated my life sometimes.

Then on the first of June, 2012, my dad came to get me and my brother and we have been here (Sacramento, with dad) since.

I just hope my life gets better. Thanks for listening and reading.

Darling Treasure… (name omitted to protect privacy)

And so we had the complete honour of travelling around town with these precious people, sprinkling a bit of love here and there, on whoever would stop to receive.

Capital on the Edge Walking around, Downtown Sacramento

On one of the days we were with New Life, we were granted the opportunity of hooking up with the San Francisco Dream Center and participated in a prayer walk around the Californian Capital building, which is really beautiful, might I just add – stacks of fruit trees adorn the lawns, and there are pretty little paths winding through the building’s gardens. 

Capital on the Edge in Californian Congress Room 444

Funny to think that for so many years Arnie Schwarzenegger trotted his little bot-bot from one end of the political building to the other, organising his little administration and telling them to get things done or “I’ll be back!”

We prayed in the Assembly, as well as in Committee Room 444. We prayed for the issues facing California, one of which was the topic of “gay marriage.” California has said that gay marriage is a “no-go” and the matter was at the time being pursued in the US Supreme Court. It was really awesome to see our boys praying their hearts out, in a place of such political importance. Can you imagine? These boys, whom nobody even notices in Nicaragua, were praying for America’s political leadership? Top stuff…

Capital on the Edge & New Life Youth Group, outside of the Californian Congress

On that same day we also went and did a bit of flashing at the local mall to advertise New Life’s Youth Extravaganza. We needed something sensational and eye catching, and you know our Elizabeth – if anyone’s got a crazy idea, it’s her…

So off we went to the local mall. Pastor Jeff, New Life Youth Pastor, organised the youth to stand around the perimeter with flyers, whilst Elizabeth got our Nica-boys into position. I monitored the Brien children (Francesca, Lorenzy-Ella, Sezni & Rafael) & security guards.

We turned the music on and the flash-mob began. My hip started bounding just a smidge, however I restrained myself. Within seconds security guards swarmed around us, but didn’t come in for the kill until their head fella arrived. 

Capital on the Edge & New Life's FLASHMOB in the Local Mall (Sacramento)

But it was too late, the boys had completed their BBoy and Tricking routine (breakdancing & gymnastics), and we’d already drawn our crowd and handed out stacks of flyers. It was kind of humourous in a sense, because the security guards didn’t know who to detain as EVERYONE held a flyer in their hands.

At the end of the show I told the boys to scram, which they didn’t really do (some did, some didn’t, I did!). The security guards circulated through the crowd and the youth threw their jackets on the rolling-sound-system and strolled away (their acting skills were SENSATIONAL!!!).

Elizabeth approached the security blokes and asked if we could perform again. They encircled her, like kittens to a bowl of milk. They appeared to be rather stressed out about the whole thing, which just made us chuckle all the more. I think one of them started making references to the Vietnam War, as he was so upset by our illegal activities – it was delicious!

Anyway, we resorted to other tricks like going into shops and chatting with patrons. I was doing just fine until someone wouldn’t take my silly little flyer, some big, butch, tattoo-clad meat-head type. It probably didn’t help that I called out “you’d better watch your car cause I’m going to slash your tyres.” (WWJD) What can I say, the adrenalin was pumping – we did a runner...

If you would like to learn more about who our Nica-Youths are, or to support them, please visit their page, SUPPORT Nica-Talent

To learn more about our street theatre production, "CREATED", please visit our page, NICAVANGELISTS: "CREATED", North American Tour (2013)

If you would like to see a video of some of our Nica-Youths practicing, please CLICK HERE. 

We are not up to budget, and travelling with 14 people is very expensive. We need an investment from Christian people for our next evangelism tour to the Midwest. To support us or make a once off donation, please visit our page, Contemplating SUPPORTING something significant?

To learn more about New Life Community Church, please CLICK HERE