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| Syd & Maria |
Last Christmas, we sat as a church planting team in our pastor-to-be’s living room. He (Pat Dirkse) and his wife (Julie) were preparing to move into the property they had purchased in Compton. Once they were settled, we would begin meeting as a church at their new house. Our hearts were full as we anticipated the adventure ahead. I remember we prayed specifically, “Lord, prepare US for all the people You have waiting on Peck Street. We know You have gone before us and placed people there who want to know You -- help us become ready to love them the way You would have us to!”
Before long we had made the transition and were meeting regularly on Peck Street. It quickly became obvious that one of the people God had for us to meet was Maria. Maria was a sweet and bubbly 11-year-old girl (Sydney’s age!) who lived right next door to the Dirkse’s. As she became a regular at City Church, everyone grew to love her. She and Sydney became fast friends as they found they had so much in common -- they both loved to read, loved music, and loved playing soccer. Throughout these months Maria showed an obviously tender heart and spirit toward God. I felt very strongly that God wanted me to take the initiative to sit down with her and go through the Gospel, making sure she fully understood how to have a relationship with Him.
Ironically, the only complication came from the fact that Maria has such great parents! They didn’t really know us, and were (understandably) not yet comfortable with her being at our house. I asked our other church members to pray God would create an opportunity to share with her, and we watched for that door to open up.
By the end of the summer, Maria had joined a Compton United soccer team with Sydney, and Syd would often stop by her house after church. Her parents allowed Maria to attend VBS with Sydney and Zach back at Emmanuel. On that Tuesday of VBS, I felt God’s Spirit prompting me that this should be the day, so I began to pray and asked others to join me. Maria then asked if she could stay at our house for the afternoon and her parents gave their permission. As soon as we got home, I sat down with Maria and explained to her God’s plan for her to have a relationship with Him. I closed with the invitation I had been trained years ago to offer to children, “If you decide this is something you would like to do, you can do it on your own, or ask Sydney or anyone from church to pray with you.” She said she was very grateful for the information and would think about it. Just minutes after we finished my phone rang -- Maria’s family had a sudden change of plans for the day and needed to pick her up right away. As she ran down the driveway to meet her parents, I marveled at God’s perfect, perfect timing.
As the weeks flew by, God opened the doors for Maria and Sydney to attend a new charter school together. We were so excited to have both girls in a great school, and for the opportunity to share carpool with her family. Maria became a regular at our house and Sydney at hers. Our family and church continued to pray for Maria.
Then one Wednesday, Syd tumbled into the car after school and said excitably, “Mom -- this is the day! I asked Maria if she had thought more about asking Jesus into her life, and she said she was waiting to do it with us! She wants to pray with us today at our house!” And sure enough, she did -- as soon as we got settled at the house, Sydney, Maria, and I gathered around our kitchen table. Maria to explained the Gospel back to us, showing that she understood what she was doing, and we prayed together for Christ to forgive her sins and enter her life. It was one of those beautiful moments when we had the privilege to reach out and touch eternity. It was also beautiful to hear her testify to all of City Church the next week, “I just want to celebrate that this week I have become a Christian!” Please join us in praising God for Maria's new life and praying that she will continue to grow as His child.
FAMILY NEEDS
As we close the door on 2010 and look to 2011, we are aware of the ongoing needs of our family. We have a very pressing need to do some serious work on our house. Our house was built in 1945.
An older house presents a lot of challenges with upkeep and repairs – the last time we were able to take on any major projects within our house was 2004. The wear and tear alone since then has really accumulated – paint is old and worn. Rotted wood needs to be replaced. We have windows that need repaired. We have ongoing pest control issues, a leaky roof problem, and some mold in the walls that we are very concerned about. On the positive side, we would build an overhang in our back yard so we can use it for church and outreach gatherings. We estimate we will need at least $9500 to complete these projects.
We know many of you give an end of year donation and would ask that you prayerfully consider helping us with this need! The best way is to respond to this need is to send an extra gift into our CCC account. We have enclosed an extra envelope to expedite this process.
Thanks so much for considering these special needs and for all the continued financial support you send throughout the year. Thanks even more for the prayers that sustain us and protect us and continue to move God to work in our lives and ministry. And thanks to all those of you who have already sent in an extra gift without even knowing our needs! Sometimes the needs that we face and see all around us seem overwhelming until we look back and become overwhelmed at all the needs God has amazingly met for us over the last 15 years! Wow! He is the only One worth following and worthy of all our trust!
May 2011 be a year when we all see the face and hand of Jesus and draw closer to Him! May you shine for Jesus in your little corner of the world. May our family be a light here in Compton and may our city become a light to the WORLD!!!
By Mike Herman, President/Founder of 
As I watched our Compton kids grow up playing soccer, I saw incredible talent but nowhere for that talent to be used to help the player build his or her future. I then began to understand the inequity of the system, how these talented soccer players where essentially held out of the opportunities that the US Soccer system offered (i.e. the big tournaments, college recruiting, national & international travel, Olympic Development Program for youth, etc.)
Our family spent every weekend last fall with the team, driving all over to games and tournaments and cheering them on. By the time the season ended, the boys had won every game but one and taken the league title. The 
It’s true – they are the youth of Compton. Many from outside our community would look at their baggy clothes, brown skin, and tattoos, and make assumptions that they are hard-hearted, uncaring, dangerous, menacing kids. Those assumptions would be wrong. They are not gang-bangers or drug dealers; they are not the nameless faces of thieves or murderers. They are Frank and Juan and Jose and Luis. Yes many of them have drunk their share of alcohol and smoked some weed along the way, as many teenagers in the suburbs have. Yes, they use language that I often wish they wouldn’t and most don’t understand the reality of their purpose and place in life.