Keeping up with the ministry of Lee & Dana Trotter in the Prescott neighborhood in urban Kansas City, Kansas.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Never know what to expect in our neighborhood.  We passed out flyers in hopes that kids would show up for our kids Christmas Party.  The Westside Family Church Youth Group put the program together and set everything up.  We ended up with over 40 kids from the neighborhood show up!  Great fun and  time sharing the Christmas story!

Here are some pictures  -> Prescott Christmas Party

Thursday, December 6, 2012

December Newsletter

Here is our latest newsletter.  
A lot of cool things happening in my neighborhood.

Trotter's December Newsletter

Check out La Paz House  -> La Paz House

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Welcome "LA PAZ HOUSE"

I decided on a name for the after-school ministry center. "La Paz House" is what we are calling it.  We decided on a spanglish name.  It means "Peace House".  I plan to work a lot of promotion and teaching around God's peace.

I started a facebook page and blog specifically for La Paz House.  Perhaps someday we will have our own website.  Here's the logo and a link to the facebook page.



Friday, November 30, 2012

Work Days!

2 things...

I am having work days on Dec 1st & Dec 8th from 10:00 - 1:00 

to work on the after-school center. This week we are painting the hang-out room as well as continuing to de-junk and clean.  We'd love to have you join us.


Help me pick a name for the center

Here are some ideas we are kicking around:

-Center de Paz
-Prescott Neighborhood Center
-Prescott Family Center
-Prescott Youth Center
-Youth Center de Paz
-Dream Central  
-Dream House 
-Casa de Dreams  
-Prescott Hangout
-Casa de Prescott

Like or no?  Any other ideas?


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Busy Day

Yesterday was a busy day.....

Started with a meeting with Ben Alexander, Josh Hoffman and our city commissioner, Brian McKiernan.  We discussed what we can do to provide better trails and spaces for kids to ride bikes in KCK.  Next Mark volunteered to paint the ceilings in the After School building. 


 Then off to the northland to pick up some donated bicycles.

  Just started my to do list and had to switch to work on Jesse's truck.  After that we had our Thanksgiving Dinner for youth.  We were blown away when over 50 showed up!  We had a great time and there was plenty of food and we met a lot more neighborhood youth!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

We presented the plan for the after-school center at our neighborhood church yesterday. Everyone was excited and willing to get behind the project and ministry!  They see it as a huge need and opportunity to love our neighbors. 

 I would love to have you be involved in this project anyway you can. Here is a link to the overall plan. Please look it over. Dana and I are excited about this opportunity to serve and minister to our community! 

Prescott After-School Center Plan 


Monday, November 5, 2012

Here is our November Newsletter!  Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!


Monday, October 29, 2012

Three Meetings this week.

1) Tues Morning - I've started a monthly meeting of folks who are involved in urban ministry in our area.  I am excited about how we can help each other reach our communities.

2) Thurs Afternoon - Meeting with a youth leader and some teens about doing a service project in a couple of weeks.

3) Thurs Eve - Meeting with a committee to transform the church education wing into an after-school ministry center.  I am directing this and am excited about building a place for youth in our neighborhood.

Cool things are happening here in Prescott!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Busy weekend for us here.  Today, I start with working on cars.  It takes a lot to keep this fleet running.  Then this afternoon we are off to Liberty for our grandson Jadon's second birthday party.  Two years already!  Tomorrow we are volunteering at the racetrack to raise money for Grandview Park Church.

Monday evening Dana and I are meeting with the church leaders to present my plan to turn part of the church into an after school center for kids and families.  I'm pretty excited about this.  We hope to develop many activities from bike repair and tutoring to Bible Clubs for kids.  More later on this.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Happy Columbus Day!

Here is this month's Newsletter;



Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Off to CCDA!

We leave for Minneapolis for the CCDA Convention tomorrow.  We hope to get re-energized to reach our community at CCDA (Christian Community Development Association).

Here is a quote from John Perkins, CCDA's founder, that has been rattling around in my brain,

"We in CCDA think of ourselves as bringing back some of the signs of the authentic church which when worked out in healing, transformative action in the community lead to social change and, when unpacked and reflected upon in relationship, become powerful evangelistic fuel for personal salvation and spiritual transformation."

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Bike shop vision

Here is a great piece on a successful bike shop in South Atlanta.  It is my vision to get to the point where I have a sustainable bike shop similar to this.  It just takes investors and time.


Friday, September 14, 2012

First Second Sundays Youth Worship

The first Second Sundays youth worship service went well.  I was hoping for a bigger crowd, but it's a start.  
Suit Relay


Lizzie had some kids join the rhythm section

Sharing the Word

Monday, September 3, 2012

The Economy of Free Bicycles


This is a rather long post, but I’d love to hear your input…

Everyone deserves a bicycle.  Bicycles were a big part of my memories growing up.  Riding with my family, my brother, and friends comprised much of my “good times”.  I try to pass that opportunity on to the youth in my neighborhood.  Many cannot afford a bike, so I have given them one.  I have given many to adults who need them to get to work or just get around because they don’t have a car and the buses around here are a joke.  I have had many bikes donated over the past year and a half.  I have even got quite a few new bikes donated.

Sounds all good, right?  Living here in the same community as these bike recipients, I see the rest of the story.  Often, many of us will give bikes or other things away to poor people and leave it at that, not knowing what happens after we get over the satisfaction of giving and they get over the joy of receiving. 

The challenge is it is harder to get youth to take care of their bikes, when they get them for free.  I have countless kids coming back with their bikes because they have skidded out their tires, rode them on flat tires and ruined the rim, left them in the rain so that parts are rusted and not working, or pushed them down a hill or anything else that a kid could dream of to tear up a bike.  I realize they are kids, but I still try to teach them to take care of their bikes.  I wonder if they had bought the bike or worked on it or for it, they might take better care of it.

I’ve had many other issues come up that require a more complex response.  It is way too easy to create an atmosphere of entitlement.  I have a number of kids who are always bugging me for a new bike because they don’t like the one they have or they want something better.  “What happened to your old bike?” I ask.  “Oh, it’s no good anymore.” Or  “I don’t like it anymore.” Or “Nice bike. Can I have it?”

Other issues are bike theft is big around here.  I have added to the problem by putting more than 100 decent bikes into our community and thieves and scrappers have figured this out.  One homeless friend has had 4 bikes that I have set him up with stolen.

Other issues are parents selling the kids bikes to get money, leaving the kids to beg me for another bike.  I’ve even had people show up at my door from other area of Kansas City asking for free bikes. 

I have looked at other models of successful bike programs and studied how they deal with all this.  Many have set up shops full of volunteers teaching kids to work on bikes so they can earn points toward bikes or parts.  Until I have those kind of resources, I have decided to tear down all of the bikes and parts bikes I have left and concentrate on repair and training kids to repair their own bikes.  I am setting up a repair shop at the church and a set time on Saturday mornings.

I love helping kids with their bikes.  I get plenty of time to talk about life, school, and God with them, but want to have a more lasting effect on my community.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Second Sundays kick-off next week!


I am getting the first Second Sundays youth worship planned.  It should be a great program.  My prayer now is that youth show up.  There is not a real good way to promote things in our neighborhood.  We are passing out fliers this next week on Tuesday evening if anyone is available to help.

Monday, August 6, 2012

August Newsletter

Dear friends,

After fighting with the internet all day, I was finally able to get this out a borrowed signal.  That you for all of your love and support.

Lee & Dana


Here is our newsletter: Trotter's August Newsletter

also, here is the flyer for Second Sundays worship: Second Sundays

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Roots

Over the past several weeks, our Youthworks teams have been able to help out a dear lady named Ethel.  Ethel lives in an historic home just north of here.  She is proud of the fact that Alex Haley collected a lot of info for his book "Roots" from his aunt who once owned the house.

Ethel was exited to see her house scraped, primered and repainted.  Her yard was cleaned up and a whole lot of misc. chores done.  I had a team from Desperation Church down this past Sunday to help with some more technical work.  We fixed a rotten column on her sagging front porch, replaced some brick on her front steps, and installed a washer and dryer.  Ethel purchased the washer and dryer 2 years ago, but had been washing her clothes in the bathtub.  It was a joyous time when we washed and dried a comforter to test it out yesterday.  She said now she has a nice clean comforter, but probably won't have to use it anytime soon.

Sunday, as we were leaving, I asked Ethel to pray for us.  She beamed as she prayed for us, having something of value to give us back.

It was awesome to be able to encourage Ethel in Christ over these past weeks.

OK, who's next?

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Stepped on a nail.

Stepping on a nail is something I do quite often.  I suppose I could wear shoes when I work.  Some people never learn.  The reason there are nails in my yard is we are getting our house re-roofed.  The guys doing it keep having to do more work, which equates to more money.  There were 6 layers of shingles on this house.  Since the house is 87 years old and had 6 layers, they never took any of the old layers off.  The decking is the original 2 x 8's which are still good.

The guy I hired to do it is a dad of a couple of kids from the church here who have also been a part of my soccer programs.  Juan's wife recently left and became pregnant with another man.  Not cool.  Juan is having to get a lawyer to get custody of his boys, Juan Phillipé and Angel.

Juan is doing a great job on my roof.  He is not a licensed roofer or insured.  That makes it harder to find work.  Pray for Juan and spread the word if you know anyone who has to pay cash for a roof and wants to pay about half of most estimates.  Pray that he is successful in getting custody of the boys.

Thanks.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Second Sundays.

Second Sunday Youth Worship starts Sept. 9th. in KCK. at 5:00pm.  We will have worship every month on the second Sunday.  We are putting together a youth planning and worship teams. If you are or have youth who are interested in being involved, let me know. Spread the word.


Monday, July 9, 2012

Here is a link to this month's newsletter.  We are thankful for our support team.



Thanks, Cornerstone.

Every year a group of our family and friends would look forward to our summer vacation, a pilgrimage to the Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois.  This was the last year of the festival that began in 1984.  Dana and I had planned to attend the first, but cancelled the trip after deciding to move to Kansas City and join the Kansas City Youth For Christ staff.  Working camps and mission trips every summer kept us from attending, but we were able to make 7 out of the last 10 festivals.
Had to change this flat with an adjustable wrench.

There are many Christian music festival every year, but none like Cornerstone.  Many seem to be centered around music and culture, which is fine, but Cornerstone is centered around something deeper.  It had become a place of blessed community, embracing a common theme of following God through a unique and subversive lifestyle.

It was at a Cornerstone seminar that Dana and I met Dr. John Perkins, the founder of CCDA.  In talking with John after the seminar, I told John that his testimony compelled me to sell my house in the suburbs and move into the city.  He said, "Well then, you need to sell your house."  That is where it started for us.

Cornerstone will be missed.  I am skeptical that we will ever find any festival or gathering that will have the same sense of community and spirit, that subverts the superficiality and hype that has so permeated so much of popular Christian culture.

We are thankful for all of the great memories, moments, challenges, and friendships that God has blessed us with through the Cornerstone fest.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Bike story.

It seems like a lot of my encounters have something to do with bicycles.  The kids can tear up a bike almost quicker than I can fix them and somehow they assume they come with a lifetime 100,000 mile warranty.

Anyway, the other night after dinner with the Youthworks teens and leading the youth worship service, I headed home to relax.  I was met by Dean saying, "I was looking for you."  Dean is a neighbor who is an ex- gang banger who has a bullet lodged in his spine.  He is trying to rehab his body by riding his bike and helping people while he gets better.  He is hoping to get into an I-T training school.  Dean had another man with who Dean wanted to see if I had a bike to give him.  This other man was jumped and beat up last week and his back pack was stolen with his medicine in it.  Dean has been helping him try to get his medicine replaced and try to get some disability assistance.  A friend of mine, Brent had just given me a bike that was in decent shape.  We put air in the tires and after chatting about God for a half hour or so, they were on their way.

It seems that the opportunity to help people always comes at times when you least expect it and often at an inconvenient time.  I am glad to be in a position to help.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

June Newsletter hits the press.

Here is our June Newsletter.  God is working in Prescott! We appreciate you all!  

Also here is a link to a new page I put together to spread the word about our home repair program  

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

We had an awesome bike repair clinic.  I had been working for weeks getting bicycles donated and repaired.  I'm guessing we either repaired, traded, or gave away 40 bicycles to kids in the neighborhood.  All in about 2 1/2 hours.  Some of them got their first bike ever.  It was a joy to see their excitement.  It was a joy to talk with them and their parents.

Thanks to to all of the folks from Desperation Church who helped.  It was great to see so many people diving in and helping.

It was a perfect day for a bike wash!

click for pics -> Pictures From the Day!

Now I have a room full of broken bikes to go through and get to other kids.  I am considering starting a bike repair class this summer.

Monday, May 21, 2012

What's up this week.


You guessed it.  Another busy week getting ready for this coming weekend.  
Saturday, there is an art club event.  
Sunday is worship in the park at 11:00 and then the bike repair event at 2:00.



If you are available to help on Sunday, let me know.  We need:

1. Bike repair - If you can repair anything from fixing a flat to adjusting seats, bring your tools!
2. Greeters - Help determine bike needs and talk with residents
3. Bike Wash organizer - Organize kids to hold a free bike wash and lemonade stand


-> I will be working on bikes all week, but have set aside Thursday from 5:00 on to get everything finished up.  If you can help, come on down!

-Also, join us for a church worship service in Prescott Park from 11:00 - 1:00.  


Friday, May 18, 2012

Anniversary Weekend

We are celebrating anniversaries at Trotter estates this weekend.  Josiah and Kaiti celebrate their 4th year and Josh and Stephanie celebrate their 5th.  It is a privilege to watch your kids grow up.  It's a joy to watch them work through all of the challenges of marriage and life together.


May God bless your marriages and continue to provide for you and challenge you to love each other more, love God and others more.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Jesse turns 18...

So.  My youngest child turns 18 today and it really doesn't make me feel old.  It makes me thankful for the 5 children that we have been blessed with.  My love for them continues to increase.

Anyway, Jesse turns 18 today.  He also is graduating from high school.  Couldn't be prouder.  It is such a cool thing when your kids go from under your wings to walking beside you,
 following God the best they can.

Jesse hopes to pursue a degree in physics this next year.  Awesome.  Physics is the the study of matter and motion.  Basically a study of all God has made and put into motion.  Pretty cool.

Congrats, Jesse.  Pursue God and chase your dreams with all your passion!

I got your back!

Love, 
Dad


Monday, May 7, 2012

Here is the flyer for our next Bicycle repair event.  
If you are available to help, let me know.  We need:

1. Bike repair - If you can repair anything from fixing a flat to adjusting seats, bring your tools!
2. Greeters - Help determine bike needs and talk with residents
3. Bike Wash organizer - Organize kids to hold a free bike wash and lemonade stand

-I could also use help repairing some donated bikes anytime before the event.
-Also, we are doing a church worship service in Prescott Park from 11:00 - 1:00.  
We would love to have you join us!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Caesar


American labor organizer and activist Cesar Chavez said, 
“When we are really honest with ourselves, we must admit that our lives are all that really belong to us. So it is how we use our lives that determines what kind of men we are. It is my deepest belief that only by giving our lives do we find life. I am convinced that the truest act of courage, the strongest act of manliness is to sacrifice ourselves for others in totally nonviolent struggle for justice. To be a man is to suffer for others. God help us to be men!”

Monday, April 30, 2012

Average Day

This past month I have tried to back off of a lot of my ministry efforts to focus on getting my house painted.  This has been major crisis #2 of 3.   The ladder falling on the truck and the tree falling don't count.  I'll blog about crisis #3 in a few days.  Just an average day.  It has been a very tiring, lonely, and draining month for me.

The other day I met John.  John is a young man in 6th grade whose family moved into to our neighborhood recently.  They moved into Scott and Luke's community house after having no where to turn for housing.  Scott and Luke have a unique ministry providing housing for homeless families with children.  Anyway, Scott had an old bicycle that he gave to John.  It needed air in the tires.  He came by to get some air last Sunday and saw my back yard.  My back yard looks like a bicycle salvage yard which looks like a beautiful playground to a 12 year old boy.  "Can I get a better bike?"  I get asked that a lot.  Bigger and better is always a goal of any teenage boy.  I told John to come back the next day after 4:00.  "Can I bring my brother, he needs a bike."  I sent John home and planned to stop painting early and pick out a few bikes for them for our 4:00 meeting.  

No big deal.  Just an average day.  I help at least one person a day fix their bike.  I keep a bike pump on my front porch.  

So Monday comes and about 12:30, four boys come up to the house.  "Can we get our bikes now?"  I thought you were supposed to be in school?" "We missed the bus and didn't go."  I got down from my ladder, knowing full well that my afternoon was gone, not to mention a break for lunch.  

We picked out a few bikes to work on.  "I want this one."  "Can I get this one for my brother?"  "Hey Lee, my sister needs a bike."  "Do you have any more Mongooses?"  "Hey Lee."  Hey Lee"

I wondered how many brothers, sisters, and cousins were going to show up.  The answer was 8.  We worked on bikes until the school bus came by.  Then 4 or 5 more kids showed up who saw us working.  Also a man walking by brought his bike and one that belonged to a homeless guy that needed work.

We worked until about 6:30.  I missed soccer that evening and spent 2-3 hours each of the next few days working on their bikes. 

I suppose it was a much needed interruption.  Just an average day.

Friday, April 6, 2012

This song has been on my mind and heart this morning.  Have a Good Friday! 


Every Time It Rains
Resurrection Band - Rainbow's End © 1979


I been alone
Out on my own
Exchanging truth for a lie
Pleasure for pride
Hell on my side
Say what you please
This brought me to my knees

Jesus, You cried for me when I could weep no more
You died for me when I was dead in sin
You felt for me when I was numb within
You searched for me and brought me home again

Why do You love me, when I treat You so wrong?
I give you heartache an' You give me a song
I give You silence, cold and empty stares, but still I know You care
Wherever I run, You're there



Thursday, April 5, 2012

April Newsletter

It's been a busy but awesome month here in KCK.  Here is our monthly newsletter.  Have a blessed Easter.  






Saturday, March 24, 2012

Pictures from last week.

Here are some pictures that Matt put up on FaceBook.  Even though it rained, they put a new roof on a garage and painted the multi-purpose room at the church.  We will finish painting Ricardo and Geli's house tomorrow. 


Pictures From Speedway mission trip!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Rain can't stop this!

Last week, the weather was perfect for the group from Westside Family Church.  This week, not so much.  It just keeps raining, but it hasn't stopped the students from Westside Speedway!  They have got a lot done on getting Ted's roof repaired and are painting the basement of the church.  Looks like they will get wet again today.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Spring Break

I know Spring Break is here by the frequency of kids at my house.  I have worked on a number of bikes to keep them all rolling and ready for this week.

  I am really excited for today.  Our first spring break mission trip group arrives this evening.  There will be about 40 youth this week and then another 30 next week converging on our neighborhood.  They come from Westside Family Church.  They will be doing a number of work projects and evening activities here in my neighborhood.


We will be painting a house for a family on 14th Street.  They will be helping a disabled man get his yard cleaned and his garage repaired from some storm damage.  They will be cleaning some mud off of sidewalks that get travelled quite regularly.  They will also be helping me get my house ready to paint.  Funny thing;  I was planning on painting my house later this summer, but the city says I have to have it done by May.  Maybe I should have working on my own house and not everybody else's.  Oh well,  I am just rearranging things a little and we will get it painted sooner.

We have an activity planned every evening to engage the community and the families we help.  We hope to challenge the youth to a deeper service for Jesus.

This is going to be a busy week of ministry.  Please pray for us.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

March Newsletter

Here is our March Newsletter. 
 Thanks to all who pray for us and support our ministry.


Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

P=mv

I have always loved physics.  It just makes sense.  I don't know if it is because my fascination with things that have wheels or my love for the order in this world.  Maybe it is because I enjoy the television show, "The Big Bang Theory".

Anyway,  I was thinking of this simple formula; Momentum = Mass x Velocity (P=mv).  An object gains more momentum when either it's mass or velocity increases.

I was thinking about how I'm trying to this whole ministry started.  At first there was no mass (presence in the community, trust of the residents) and no velocity (programs and relationships).  Now that both of those are increasing, we are starting to see things off and rolling, we are seeing some momentum.

My next challenge will be applying the law of Conservation of Linear Momentum.


Make sense?

Wednesday, February 8, 2012


Here is our February Newsletter!  We appreciate all you do for us!


Trotter's February Newsletter

Monday, January 23, 2012

New Ministry Announcement for Youth Groups!

Our ministry here in urban Kansas City, Kansas is offering a unique opportunity for you to get involved in urban missions. We are hosting ministry weekends for your youth, college, or adult church groups to engage in urban ministry! 

Please review this flyer and contact Lee Trotter here or at leeinkck@gmail.com to ask questions or schedule a weekend for your group.



Thursday, January 19, 2012

Prescott Demographic Data

Here is some data on our neighborhood:

A few statistics are:

-65% are Hispanic.
-34% are under 18 years old.
-43% had household incomes less than $25,000
-51% rent their homes.
-33% of rentals are considered cost burdened (rent is more than 30% of income)


Community Profile

Rental Housing Report

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Here is our January Newsletter.  Thanks for your support for our ministry!


Wednesday, January 11, 2012

New Bike Club Class starts Feb 1st.

We are starting a new FreeWheels class right in the middle of KCK!  FreeWheels for Kids gives youth 12 and up the chance to earn their own bike, learn repair skills and learn leadership skills through community service.  For a little more info, check out http://freewheelsforkids.blogspot.com/.
The class starts February 1st at Grandview Presbyterian Church, 1613 Wilson Boulevard.  Please give the attached information to any and all families you think might be interested in this opportunity for kids 12 and up!  Forms should be filled out and returned to me or dropped off at the church no later than January 25th. Thank you!
Class will be from 3:00 - 5:30
Here are the 2 forms each student will need:

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Often we travel to Florida to visit my family at Christmas.  This year we stayed here to celebrate at home with our kids.  We took the first week in January to visit my folks in Florida without the pace of Christmas.  We had a really nice visit with them.  It would be great to visit them more often, but that is prohibitive.  Anyway,  just wanted to say how blessed I am.
Found this picture of my Dad from 1968.

Be the Change.