Jordan Leahy
My plans for next year...
The first time I heard of Mission Year was from a friend who did MY Oakland in 03-04. She kept telling me how great of an experience it was for her and strongly encouraged that I do it myself. The more she told me, the more I wanted to be a part of it. After much prayer about direction after college, I felt that God was leading me to MY. I applied, and here I am. I can’t wait for this year to start and look forward to meeting people and share (and receive) God’s love.
About Mission Year
Mission Year is a year long urban ministry program focused on Christian service and discipleship. We take teams of young people, place them in an area of need, and help them to serve people and create community. We are committed to the command of Jesus to “love God and love people,” by placing the needs of our neighbors first and developing committed disciples of Christ with a heart for the poor. Learn more about our first year program…
Jordan Leahy's Blog
Missed Opportunities. / May 7, 03:01 PM
I usually fail to see Jesus until after I’ve spit in his face.
Today a recruiter for the US Army came in to the shelter. I was in the dining hall mopping it up and he happened to walk by going about his business. I heard footsteps behind me and turned around to see him right in front of me. He handed me a recruiting card and told me to give him a call.
Now, to avoid a long drawn out semi-theological discussion, I’m just going to say that there’s no way I’m going to call him (at least not for the reasons that he wants me to). I looked at the card. He turned to walk away. I just said “I’m not going to do that.” He said something that I don’t recall very well, but it was along the lines of “give to someone who might be interested.” For the same reasons that were semi-mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph, I’m not going to redistribute his card. I went to the trash can to throw it away. He was not yet out of sight and said “well, don’t throw it away, give it back. Don’t disrespect me and what I do.”
Then it hit me. I handled the situation totally wrong. I should’ve said “no thanks man, hold onto it” or something like that. Instead I blew him off and disrespected him. I treated him less than how I would want to be treated. His profession doesn’t matter, his humanity does.
Jesus forgive me.
Peace.
Comment [1]
Not Good. / May 1, 10:10 AM
Mayor Daley’s lost his mind.
Last Sunday the Tribune reported that the mayor of Chicago is supporting the plan given by the new police superintendent to equip ALL CHICAGO COPS WITH SEMIAUTOMATIC RIFLES. The only thing about this that can be seen positively is that it’s in a “very preliminary” stage. Here’s the article.
This is a link to the Wikipedia page on the suggested rifles. Picture an officer on patrol in your town luggin’ one of those bad boys. Scary business.
Why this is NOT good:
Back in November I wrote about how Jesus didn’t/doesn’t approve of violence as a legitimate way to sort out issues. Giving cops huge rifles won’t make gangs less violent. It won’t overpower them. It has way more potential (meaning a number greater than zero) to start a sort of arms-race between cops and gangs and I’m sure will be seen as more of a challenge than a threat. Not good.
Around the time of that writing I was reading a book written by a guy who at one point was in the Latin Kings in Chicago. At one point he recalled a time when he and a higher ranking King met up with an officer to buy guns for their gang. The cop. Sold guns. To. The. Gang. I’m certain this still happens, so giving these weapons to officers only ensures a gangs accessibility to them. Not good.
Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (war brings more war, not peace).
Psalm 34:14 – Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it (find positive alternatives to violence).
How this affects me:
There are a lot of cops that come through my neighborhood. The corner near my apartment is a hot spot for drug sales. Because of the demographics of the area, people are skeptical when they see a white kid walking around, assuming that he’s only there to buy drugs and she’s only there to sell herself (and then to maybe buy drugs). Not good.
Because of this skepticism, police have pulled multiple members of my team (including myself) over to “check on them” thinking they’re lost or up to no good. To say I have no interest in interacting with a police officer packing one of these suckers is an understatement to an offensive degree.
I’ve been heckled by gang bangers and police alike. Any of them having these sorts of weapons (well actually, any weapons at all) is again, not good.
I realize that at this point I’ve left out any alternative “solutions” to the issue. I can only think to have a mandatory hug-quota (given AND received) for each day. Maybe we close down weapons plants. But then you lose jobs (but is weapon-making really a legitimate way to receive an income…?).
Any ideas?
I’ve got a starting point.
Jesus Christ, Son of God. Have mercy on me, a sinner.
Peace.
Comment [2]
How Racism Hurts My Bike. / Apr 17, 12:14 PM
Pardon me if this seems too basic, but racism SUCKS.
I hope that’s an obvious thing that does not need much elaboration, but here’s what got me going…
To lay the ground work:
I’m of the belief that racism in the United States (and most likely everywhere else…) is institutionalized. I recently had to write a paper for the Theology of Poverty class on where I saw racism in my neighborhood. Let’s just say that I had a difficult time keeping it short enough for the paper guidelines. I said that racism isn’t something that one really sees as much as it’s something that we experience; whether on the top or bottom, and whether we know it’s happening or not. My thesis or whatever read… “Racism is not really something that affects or influences life on the West Side, it is life, it is just how things work.” I went on to explain several (not all, that’ll be an ongoing/potentially lifelong process) of the areas in which I see racism. Today I found another one…
The streets are in lousy shape. Unless it’s like a really major street, like Madison, you can expect to find plenty of potholes and cracks that certainly have bottom priority of getting fixed as opposed to some North Side neighborhood. I’m thinking the potholes will be there until the neighborhood is completely gentrified, because then they’ll HAVE to fix them (I mean, you can’t have white folks driving/parking on potholes!? Can you…?). It was and is the same way around Temple in North Philly. The neighborhood streets that surround campus are all torn up, but on campus they’re pretty close to flawless. (For the record, I think Temple does a lousy job of advocating for the neighbors that live around them, and actually contributes to the problems, but that’s a whole nother issue.)
I felt this mess in a painfully direct way today. It was the first 70+ degree day in Chicago in 178 days according to the Tribune. This means Jordan rides his bike to work because he couldn’t ride in the snow/ice/mayhem all winter. Unfortunately, not only was it crazy windy out, but the street is just all cracked and split everywhere. Try fighting the wind, drivers that ignore/don’t care about/loathe you, AND potholes that’ll be here longer than me. Let me assure you it was quite the time.
Look. I know that there are potholes everywhere. I know that they’re unpleasant everywhere. But I’m willing to bet a large sum of money that I don’t actually have access to that the affluent potholes get fixed before they do on the West Side because they’re affluent potholes. And that, to say the very least, sucks.
That’s not a real bet by the way… (Because I don’t have money, not because I’m not sure of what I said. Know what I mean?)
Peace.
P.S. The morning after I typed this, an article was printed in the Chicago Tribune about the allotment of $4.5 million to resurface Lake Shore Drive. Not surprisingly, it runs along the Lake (nice areas). The part where they’re concentrating is on the North Side. Noteworthy. Check out the article here .
Comment [2]
Tied in Knots. / Apr 17, 12:11 PM
Lindsey and I had a cool chat the other night about how God fills in the gaps in our lives. We were talking about how we can’t be enough on our own. I think it’s especially hard to work something like this out in the United States where we’re constantly bombarded with billboards, commercials, and all other sorts of advertisements that ultimately only serve to point out that the world won’t value us. (Pardon what may seem to be a generalization. A discussion of this is a different topic and won’t be the focus of this entry.)
Then Lindsey hit the nail on the head. She said “I am everything I’m not because of Him” (Jesus).
Bingo.
I mentioned a lyric in a song that I love that I thought related to our situation… “I’m tied in knots because of what I’m not. I can’t share what I haven’t got.” This lyric always made sense to me because that’s how I usually feel. But. When you factor Jesus into the picture, there’s no reason to be worried about what we can’t be because He’s bigger than that.
Then Lindsey dropped Paul’s name in there… “To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me” (Colossians 1:29). Sounds like being tied in knots, right? Paul was talking about his work in and for the church.
So I guess with a new perspective we can bring it full circle and look at it like being tied in knots for Jesus’ sake. If I’m tied in knots because of what I’m not, and Jesus fills in those gaps, it sounds a lot like Paul and feeling Christ’s love so intensely. It’s a beautiful thing.
The more I learn about Jesus the more I love Him. He is so good.
Peace.
The Pharmacist. / Apr 17, 11:49 AM
When we pursue God above all else he blesses us.
The ways in which he does so are often different than what we consider blessings. But they’re better. The love of God is the best thing anyone can experience. And he shares that with us when we seek him. I think it’s impossible to effectively word what it feels like to experience his love first hand. When you’re feeling it you know that nothing else matters.
The only thing I want in my life is to follow Jesus, experience his love, and share it with others. I probably want to reword that to say share it with others first, as I think that’s one of the best ways (if not the best way) to learn about the love of God.
Last week Rusty and I took our friend/Breakthrough guest Mike to the airport. Mike moved to Alaska.
I’ve been praying that God would show himself to me in clear ways and that I’d be aware of these. He’s answered my prayers. It’s a beautiful thing to see his hand at work. Mike showed me Jesus in how he was real with me. He didn’t hesitate to tell me what he thought about things, whether I wanted to hear it or not. He was a great guy to have around and will be sincerely missed.
Paint it Black has a song called “The Pharmacist” about pointless distractions…
The medicine cabinet’s empty, there’s nothing for my head. Inside I’m made of concrete, my eyelids (freaking) feel like lead. I’m feeling for a pulse, but it’s no use. My head was screwed on tight now it’s coming loose. And I’ve been to the bottom of a bottle or two; that (stuff) just kept me down. I’m sick of shortcuts leave me on the (freaking) ground.
That last line’s the real kicker. Anything that isn’t Jesus will not fill us. I’m tired of wanting things that are outside of God’s plan for my life. They’ll only serve as distractions.
I was reading in Isaiah this past weekend…
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their trength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)
Jesus, keep me from tripping over myself. Please don’t let anything get in the way of me knowing and loving you.
Peace.
