Hi friends!

Last night Ryan had the pleasure of attending a community Bible study in an area he and Bryan have been visiting regularly as a result of their census research. The Bible study took place in a housing project that is home to a large Cambodian and African American population. In the past month, they have sensed God's hand leading them to help support His work in this neighborhood and have received great favor as leaders in the community have welcomed their participation at meetings and their weekly prayer walking times. Last night Ryan was able to go and participate in a very encouraging scene--a small group of people being led by a godly and humble couple who have grown up in that community. They are certainly people of peace, eager for some support and encouragement, having been faithful to pray for and teach their tough neighborhood for years and years. As Ryan recounted the times of singing songs no one knew, the friendly banter between the couple, and stories he was told about amazing God-things that have happened in this economically depressed area, I was encouraged and reminded that you just never know what is happening in a community until you take the time to be there, observe, and listen. The group there had gathered not only to look at the Word. Some were there to practice reading. Perhaps some were there out of boredom. Some were there for a reminder of Truth in the middle of their week.

It is a tough area by appearances. When Ryan showed up and approached someone to verify where the Bible study met, another neighbor yelled across the street to the man, reminding him of their business relationship (if Ryan was buying drugs, the man he approached should send him to the other guy). Ryan and Bryan are conspicuous and often presumed to be police or wanting drugs. Not because the police are often there and we doubt many people drive into the project for drugs but they're white and those seem like the most likely options, however unlikely they are. On his way home, Ryan was aggressively approached at a train station by a gang member who clearly was under psychological and spiritual bondage. No harm was done and Ryan was in constant prayer for the man. He denied his invitation to get off the train with him as Ryan wanted to remove the man from causing more of a scene on the train.  We prayed for his freedom from the suffering he was obviously experiencing; small shards of truth and coherency came out during his long, almost constant stream of language--it sounded like there was a man in there who knew John 3:16. These are the encounters you don't plan on and you must pray up in preparation for. Being present in this new community is a reminder to us how little we know, how good the Good News is, and how we are truly dependent on God's Spirit for guidance. As much as possible we hope to join what God is doing through existing community leaders, not start or manufacture things out of our own background and assumptions. As I get to know this couple and Bryan and Ryan continue to spend time in the projects, please pray for us! We see huge potential for a church plant or two! Cambodians have shared that the closest Cambodian church is in Long Beach. But we must be patient and discerning. We are not the automatic leaders because we went to private Christian universities or are missionaries by trade. We are students of the cultures and dynamics at work; we have much to learn from the steadfast faith of those who have grown up in this community. We are helpers, and if God permits, disciplers.

Again, we continue to need your prayers for wisdom, safety, and boldness. Thank you for your financial support which makes our work here possible. We are humbled.

Thanks for your prayers, family!

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of taking a whirlwind trip to Portland and Ashland, OR to visit family. Asher seemed to enjoy his first air travel and it was good to reconnect with with many of our family members. The Pacific Northwest is so beautiful. It was good to return to LA still, as we truly feel that this is home now. Since our return, we have had a lot on our plates. The first week and a half or so we both struggled with some discouragement, and just plain weariness. This is where your prayers come in and when we are reminded of the importance of being over doing! When we encounter times of uncertainty or just plain disappointment, in our work and ourselves, the spiritual foundation we stand upon is put to the test and the support of the Church keeps us upright. Thanks for praying and being our comrades in this journey!

This past week the Lord has provided some neat things to encourage us. Different conversations with people, renewed energy, and a restful Sabbath on Sunday have all helped us to feel a little more "normal". :) One man in our church shared during our prayer time that he has been so surprised by the love and support he's received from our group. He shared that as he deals with the loss of a close family member, he has found that people cared about him more than he knew. The church described in Acts 2 must have shared these same sentiments and sweet moments like these remind us how valuable the community is to our faith development and preparation for the King! Praise God with us for the continued camaraderie in our house church; God is using His people to demonstrate His love and provision.

March 10th I'm hosting a ladies brunch to get to know some ladies in the community who are not yet comfortable visiting church but have shared their contact info and even met with me before. Our church women are helping, coming, and hopefully bringing a friend. I'm looking forward to spending more quality time with some of my neighbors. Would you pray that God would lead women to come who need friends and, more importantly, need Him? We will be starting around 11am.

At the ripe old age of 3 months, Asher is a happy young man, giggling frequently, withstanding all of our antics... which reminds us that we need a new family picture! We have a couple needs for such a picture, including an updated prayer card. If any of you are a professional photographer in the LA area and would like to participate in our ministry through the sharing of that gift, e-mail me or message me on facebook. We would love to work with you and could share your work/contact with others. :)

Thanks again for your support and prayers. We are so thankful for our lives here and the changes we are witnessing in this vibrant city.

Love,

Danielle

We hope your Christmas has been a special time of remembering Christ's humble arrival and the difference He has made in our lives! We have been blessed by the company of friends over the Christmas season and will pick up Ryan's parents from the airport today. Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks. Remember you can access our monthly prayer letter and online giving at www.worldimpactla.org/Cummings. Praise God with us for new monthly donors! This month we are $125/month closer to our goal!!