Unlikely by Kevin Palau

Author:Kevin Palau
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Howard Books

Ripple Effects

The ripples from Roosevelt High School have gone across the country. Detroit, Michigan, is a perfect example.

Few cities have been hit harder by the economic recession than Detroit. In the past twenty years, the population within the city limits has dropped from 2 million people to 700,000. In some parts of the city, there are blocks of burned-out homes with few residents. The situation is making it incredibly difficult for the city to provide services, including education. Yet the body of Christ is alive and well in the Detroit area, and they are constantly looking for ways to propel the Good News forward, seeking the peace and prosperity of the city.

One of those committed followers of Christ is Bob Shirock. He’s the senior pastor of Oak Pointe Church in the suburb of Novi. When I read about what he was doing to unite churches in Detroit, I reached out to him on Facebook. With no awareness of the ongoing Portland story, Shirock and others had begun doing similar things to unite the churches to love, pray for, serve, and share the Good News in the community.

Hearing the Roosevelt story, as well as the other things we had been learning, threw gas on his fire. Before I knew it, Detroit leaders, including Chris Lambert from a great nonprofit called Life Remodeled, were coordinating a meeting with the superintendent of Detroit schools to ask how the churches could serve. Much as in Portland, one specific, high-needs school was identified: Cody High School. It was the toughest school in urban Detroit. Shirock and Chris Lambert upped the ante.

Lambert said the idea for Life Remodeled began with the popular TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. He was intrigued by the show but also heard many participants wound up losing their homes due to high taxes or ridiculous utility bills. He wanted to find a way to do a similar give-back but include a support system to ensure the changes last. That’s when Lambert and Shirock put their heads together. Shirock had the neighborhood in mind and the volunteer base to move things forward. Lambert had the organization, know-how, and connections. They collaborated with a slew of local organizations, including Detroit Public Schools, the City of Detroit, Governor Rick Snyder, United Way, neighborhood churches, and community groups.

Then, during one week in August 2014, more than 10,000 (that’s not a typo) volunteers converged on that one school and the surrounding neighborhood. They provided a new roof and rebuilt the school’s entryway, science classrooms, and football field. They also remodeled dozens of neighborhood homes and helped demolish dozens more beyond salvaging, helping create a safer neighborhood. It was a $5 million project that included thousands of General Motors and Quicken Loans employees, in addition to the folks from Oak Pointe, Life Remodeled, and several other key suburban churches, along with a dozen neighborhood churches.

As with Roosevelt in Portland, the vision went way beyond the initial makeover. The plan now is for this to become a multiyear

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