If you’re connected in some way to the greater PSU family and if you want to do something meaningful to help in the healing and restoration process that would reflect our collective heart, we invite you to gather with us to mourn and to pray for all who have been hurt in connection with the recent incidents. We are also meeting to offer encouragement from God’s word, to worship, and to gain a clearer sense of how we should respond to these events as Christians or people of good will.

The prayer service will be held tonight, Friday, November 18 at Ascension Lutheran Church 8225 Peebles Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237-5713 (412) 364-4463 ‎ (North Hills) from 7pm to 8:15pm with a discussion time to follow in the Fellowship Hall. A facilitator will lead this time.  Refreshments will be provided.

PSU Lettermen: Leo Wisniewski (’82), Brennan Gaertner (’86), Jeff Hartings (’94)

For more information email Leo Wisniewski at leo@whitefieldsfoundation.org 

Join us at Executive Cigars (630 Suismon Street, Pittsburgh North Side 15212)

Bring an extra one or two if possible, to trade with the boys.  There will a maximum of 50 spots available for this event, so please RSVP as soon as possible to rachel@whitefieldsfoundation.org, or to Leo Wisniewski at 412-445-8842.

Total cost of the trip is $1,100 per person, which includes airfare, transportation in the Dominican, food and lodging at the MGM compound in Hato Mayor.  We will need your down payment of $500 by November 1st.  Make checks payable to Meeting God in Missions, with White Fields week noted in the memo section.  Please mail to: White Fields Foundation, 8225 Peebles Road, Pittsburgh, PA  15237.  Print off a trip application form from the MGM website to mail along with your deposit check.  If you do not have a current US passport, you need to start the application process immediately to ensure it’s timely completion.  Vaccinations are not necessary for entering the country, but we recommend having Hepatitis B and a Tetanus booster (within the past 5 years).

If you have any questions regarding the trip, please write to rachel@whitefieldsfoundation.org.

If you can make the church service all are welcome but be sure to join us at 12pm. Please bring a dish if you are able. There will be many Dominican mission trip alums (Men, Women & Young People) to share their experience and answer questions by first-timers. This opportunity will deepen your faith and awaken an appreciation and compassion in you through God’s mighty work and the Haitian children we serve. This meeting is a first step to obeying the Spirit’s leading in missions. Please R.S.V.P. to Rachel: Rachel@whitefieldsfoundation.org

We will meet at Bistro Soul located at 417 E. Ohio St., PGH, 15212. The cost for the hot breakfast buffet is $15. Doors open at 6:30am. Please R.S.V.P. to Rachel Jorgensen, rachel@whitefieldsfoundation.org . For questions call Leo Wisniewski (412) 445-8842.

“Before I left for the trip I prayed that the Lord would break the hearts of my children, but what really happened was the freedom that I truly experienced by experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  The Lord worked deeply in my HEART and the HEART of my family.  I am a changed follower of Christ, understanding that I am free through the adoption I have in Jesus Christ and realizing the freedom I have through the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Lord used every aspect of this trip to minister to my heart and now I know that true surrender can only come when we are set free to experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  We are changed people (my family and I) totally surrendering to his will and not our own.  As it states in Philippians 1:6, “Be confident in this, that he who has begun a good work in you will carry it out unto completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  I would encourage all believers to join MGM on a short-term mission trip – it changed my life and I know it will change your life too!” –Jeff DeSantes

“I went down with my 15 year old son very open-minded. While there, through Kim and Leo’s teaching, I learned there are 3 kinds of people: Non-Believers; Believers; & Disciples. I realized that I am just a babe disciple & want to grow to be a mature disciple. An immediate action step I took was volunteering to lead a small group of high school boys beginning in September at North Way Christian Community in Wexford. Praise God!” -Jay Simon

“This was my third trip to the Dominican Republic with Meeting God in Missions.  Each trip has been unique but the consistent thread has been the movement of the Holy Spirit in the group corporately and in my heart personally.  In retrospect the trip creates a beautiful environment for the Holy Spirit to work. You leave the world almost completely behind and are united in purpose with other brothers and sisters in Christ.  You share wonderful Bible teaching and worship and live “together and have everything in common” while you serve the poor.  I have found this environment creates fertile soil that the Holy Spirit can till.  This last trip not only impacted me powerfully, it also had a major impact on my wife and 13 year old son who went as well.  In Christ we are his sons and daughters, whom he loves and he is well pleased in us.”  –John Cullen

“This was my second trip to the DR and I had my grandson accompany me. When we returned, he wrote on his facebook page that the trip changed his life! I would certainly echo that thought for myself as well and would encourage anyone to consider making this trip a priority for future travels.”  -Colvin McCrady

The next White Fields Mission Trip is scheduled for January 21-28.  Stay tuned for more details.

Basketball

White Fields launched a weekly basketball program in partnership with the Homewood-Brushton YMCA on November 9^th, 2010 that ran through March 1^st 2011. The goal was to utilize basketball as a fun outlet and a relationship-building tool to earn trust with young men in the Homewood community. As we have learned this trust leads to great opportunities to share Christ and disciple men.  Every Tuesday evening WF staff and a team of 3-6 volunteers played hoops and built relationships with 40-50 young men ages 10-17. The young people were divided into 2 groups based upon age and skill level with weekly volunteers remaining constant for continuity reasons. After an opening shoot around time for 15 minutes we would open with prayer, then break down into our groups for a 20 minute drill work time working on basketball skills and team-building. Following this period we would coach and officiate 2 short-court games with the young men. At times volunteers would play to demonstrate how to “lead” as an unselfish player. Emphasizing the often ignored aspects of basketball in the hood, we stressed playing team defense, rebounding, passing and other aspects of a team first approach. After an initial period of resistance it was received well. Many life-skills like reliability, persistence, sportsmanship, and unselfishness were stressed in our basketball times together.

After our basketball time we shared pizza and a message with the boys each week. Leo and Brennan along with some of the volunteers took 15 to 20 minutes each week through personal testimony and the Word of God bringing a message. Sharing the gospel in a context that the guys could relate to was the goal of this time. The calling of the gospel to be a whole-hearted follower of Christ was stressed through some powerful messages from some of our volunteers who grew up in Homewood and overcame great adversity in their journey to walk with Christ. Messages on sexual purity, taming the power of the tongue, serving others were presented as well. At Christmas time we were able to have a special celebration and give Dick’s Sporting Goods gift cards to all of our participants. We also participated with another Homewood ministry, House of Manna, in coaching 2 teams in an 8-week YMCA travel league that ran from February 12 to April 2^nd. This was an opportunity to go deeper with 16 young men in 6^th through 8^th grade.

The outcome of our 14 weeks together was a much greater depth cultivated in relationships with the young men, the YMCA staff, our volunteers, and our LAMP partner Bryan McCabe. The YMCA and Bryan continue to be very important to our work in Homewood as they are trusted gatekeepers in the community. Seeing young people come to Christ and our men follow up in formal mentoring relationships through LAMP or informally through their own intentionality we celebrate the Spirit’s work in our midst!

Two of the boys involved with basketball, Keyshawn and Joe, with whom Leo has a good relationship, were also on the YMCA travel team.  They are both seventh grade boys who are strongly drawn towards men who can support them in a relational capacity.  Leo continues to meet with them on a weekly basis to provide mentoring during the baseball season.

Baseball

In April of 2011 White Fields kicked off its 2^nd year of partnering with Homewood Community Sports for Little League Baseball. We continue to be in a “servants role” with respect to the league providing uniforms, equipment, and volunteers to the (2) T-ball, (3) little league, and (1) Pony teams. We are building good relationships with the Homewood coaches (there are 10 coaches involved at this point, most of whom are not believers), assisting them and working with them to provide special days for the boys that include: a fishing trip, Pirates game, “Heritage Day farm experience”, baseball clinic with ex-Pirates, and a camp day. We have often coordinated with volunteers special cookouts at Stargell Field providing hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and drinks to players and family members. We view our presence with baseball to be a “salt and light” kind of presence as we are limited not having a real leadership role. Matthew 5:16 states “Let your light shine before men so that they might see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” By serving, cooking, preparing fields, meeting practical needs for the league, praying with our teams, sharing devotional messages, and encouraging sportsmanship over an unhealthy competitive attitude we believe that we are being salt and light. A full report will be provided after the season concludes in July. We are very grateful for the support of Concordia Lutheran Ministries that allows us to administer these programs in the Homewood community. Your support allows us to have an ongoing ministry presence in the community, providing important outlets for young people to stay involved in recreational sports and get connected in life-giving relationships centered in Christ and the gospel.

Testimonies from volunteers in the baseball ministry:

“I feel so blessed that Concordia Lutheran Ministries is supporting baseball in Homewood.  As one of the assistant coaches on the Tee-ball team and a part of the White Fields Foundation, I see all the kids dressed in nice Mariners uniforms for each game provided by Concordia.  Several of the children do not have baseball gloves, and having the resources to supply gloves, bats and other equipment is so helpful.  Our cook outs that have been funded by Concordia have also blessed the kids.  To have time to eat a hamburger and hotdog and connect with the kids has been great.  I have had a chance to talk with the kids about the love of Christ regularly through this outreach and pray with the children at the games.  Without the generous financial support from Concordia and the commitment of volunteers from White Fields Foundation, the baseball program in Homewood would not be anywhere near what is today.” –John Cullen

“We at White Fields are blessed to have the opportunity to enjoy fellowship with the fun people of the Homewood community.  We held our first “Community Cookout” on May 27th in the parking lot of the Homewood-Brushton YMCA and served 180 hot dogs, chips and drinks!  None of it went to waste as we shared a beautiful evening with some pretty hungry folks that ranged in age from newborn to elderly.  We were so blessed to share the gifts of our Lord with them through our “service with a smile” and the generosity of the Concordia.  The fine people of Homewood are a blessing to us all as their gracious attitudes and welcoming actions do not go unnoticed.  We gave thanks to those that were not able to join us but made the evening possible.  Leo, Wayne, Jerry, Bryan, and other’s had a great time and look forward to sharing our Lord with all who join us at coming events.  Thanks to all and God Bless.” –Joe Goldcamp

2011 has also brought significant growth to the women’s ministry under Dawn Gaertner’s leadership.

“It was incredible to walk into a room full of women I had never met before and instantly feel welcomed and loved- there was no judgment- only love, respect and sympathy.  It was such a comfort to be able to be open and not be afraid of how they would think of you, because at some point in their lives, someone in that room had gone through exactly what you were struggling with.

The study itself was on listening for God’s voice in your life.  It amazed me, once I fully opened my heart to hearing Him, how clear He was with His direction. If there is another study offered it is something I will definitely participate in again.”  -Megan

If you want to read more click the desired area for a deeper look.

The results of Dr. Horton’s study on short-term missions positive affect on college-age students affirms our experience with student trips but also significant impact upon men from White Fields and family members of all ages. We have heard great feedback from Father-Son trips, Father-daughter, family trips, you name it! Three of the most observable results identified by those interviewed were a greater appreciation of other cultures, a personal recognition that materialism and greed must be changed in them, a greater thankfulness for what they have in family relationships and lifestyle, and for some a recognition that missions can be local not just global. It is in this last area that we have witnessed many of our men take on a regular involvement working with young men in the inner-city of Pittsburgh. In the Homewood community our men are actively building relationships through sports programs (baseball & basketball) and mentoring young men.

See Dr. Horton’s whole article on Short-Term Mission Trips by clicking here.