Clay Pots ~ Ending of an Era

When we came home from Papua New Guinea we wondered where God was leading us and how He was going to use us. He clearly directed our family to minister to the Hispanic population through the avenue of a new ministry that we started (Clay Pots) in partnership with our supporting churches. Its purpose was to plant a Hispanic church. The latest census shows that the Hispanic population has grown to over 50 million in the USA, a growth of 26%. An amazing statistic! As Jason built relationships and made connections with a number of Hispanic families, Hispanic pastors, churches, organizations, business owners, etc., it became apparent to him that the majority of Hispanics did not desire to separate, but to integrate into our society. So as we looked at it, Clay Pots ministry, in its original intention of a separate church plant, needed to be re-evaluated.

In the meantime a large church that Jason was ministering with, adopted the vision of integration. That church was looking at hiring a part time Legal Consultant for Immigrants. Jason applied for the job thinking that it could be a good fit, and we just found out this past week that he was chosen to fill the position. We feel so blessed that they chose Jason as this allows him to continue to pursue the relationships which were built and the ministry that was started, just through different means. Jason will be properly trained and accredited and then eventually will have an office downtown Waukesha. Jason will continue to work part time with Kellie's Dad at Ziebarth Masonry & Chimney Service to supplement our income, and Kellie has been asked back to the public school, part-time, to continue helping out as a literacy teacher. We are so thankful to see God's hand ever so gently moving us in this direction. With this new job, though, we will have to leave our Waukesha Bible Church family whom we have been a part of for over 25+ years. Our hearts are heavy, but we know that where God guides, He will provide (on all levels). He has never let us down and we know that he never will.

We have also moved! We have been trying for the past year and a half to build a home, buy a home, and lastly purchase a foreclosed home. For various reasons, they all fell through. We were disappointed, but God has provided a wonderful place to rent where our family can spread out and enjoy a deck. Our new address is 1609 Dover Dr. Waukesha, WI 53186. Our email address continues to be: jason@claypots.org (or) kellie@claypots.org (or) Micah's is soccerstudjr@gmail.com

We do covet your continued prayers and support as we make yet another transition in life. Pray that we can finish this summer out strong with the garden project, transition well, not worry about tomorrow, and look with joy towards the future. For those of you who have faithfully supported us financially through the many years, there are no words to express our gratitude to you. You have touched our own lives and through your gifts, the lives of others in Papua New Guinea and in Waukesha. Thank you so much! July 31stwill be the official ending of Clay Pots ministry.

That said, we will continue to live our lives as God’s vessels of grace and we will continue to allow God to use our frail vessels as he sees fit. So we will continue to post updates on our blog from time to time. But we will no longer be sending out mass emails. So if you want to keep up with our family, just check out our blogspot: www.claypots.org.

His Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah (12), Sophia(10), & Malachi(7) Knapp

Clay Pots ~ Muddy Start

Saturday was a great day! In spite of the rain, there were ten immigrant families who braved the chilly, damp morning to break ground and plant seeds. We started at 11:00 and by 11:30 it had started to rain and things got good and muddy. Everyone's feet were caked in two tons of mud within minutes; but no one left. They all stayed and got soaked while continuing to prepare the ground and planting.

It was great to hear the comments, see the smiles, and watch the interaction. One lady from Burma, and her husband, stayed well into the afternoon... I don't think they left till 4:00, and she kept saying how much she likes to garden and how perfect this was because she had no space for a vegetable garden at home. The Hispanic children that I was working with kept telling me how much they were learning and how much fun this was for them. Their family of 5 are crammed in a small apartment, so they don't get to do this type of stuff. Another friend was happy with the opportunity to get his children together and teach them something useful while getting the headphones out of their ears. On the 7th there will be a group of elderly Hispanics working on a plot together and there is another new family heading out on Friday to start their garden, so it looks like even more people will be spending the summer with all of us.

Thank you to all of you who donated food, time, and tools for the sake of these people. We had volunteers come from all over and we had donations come from as far away as Baraboo! Thank you. You all were a blessing and brought a sense of 'belonging' to those who came. These people are looking for acceptance and community in and among our culture and all of them said how great it was to rub shoulders with all of you.

Thank you
Jason for the rest

10 days and Counting!!

Latest count we have 15 Hispanic families from the community signed up for the community gardens! We wish all of you could be a part of hearing their stories and seeing their excitement. They long for a sense of community and belonging in their newly adopted country. To hear how we are meeting their needs physically is a huge part of that as well. For them to be told it really is all free because a whole lot of people love them is speaking the gospel to them.

Soooo we still need your help:-) As more people from the community sign up we have more needs. We need more volunteers to "host" a family. What this means is that we need people to just be willing to be introduced to a specific family in the community. To be willing to exchange phone numbers. To be willing to help when they call. To be willing to give a ride when needed. To be willing to hang out with them at the gardens and let them practice their English with you every once in awhile. I know how very intimidating it is. But I also know what an incredible blessing it is.

We also still need some tools. Check out the garage sale near you...I have been finding tools at really good prices at garage sales!
Here is a list of what is still needed....
3 wheelbarrows
12 watering cans
4 hoses
6 shovels
6 hoes
6 garden rakes
Tomato cages (these wont be needed immediately)

And lastly, the kickoff is May 21st and it will be an all day event. FOOD will be appreciated. Here is a list of some things we are hoping to have laid out for people to munch on:
Bags of tortilla chips
jars of salsa
Icees (they are long thin popsicles in a plastic wrap, they come in a box or bag and you freeze them)
bottled water
apples
oranges
carrots
pretzels
cookies

Please do come out May 21st. Grab a shovel, help hand out seeds, play on the playground, have some chips, or share a smile and an icee with a new friend:-)

Thank you for being willing to sacrifice to show the love of Christ to those around you, Please do email me if you are planning on donating any of the above items so we dont go out and buy what isn't needed.

Clay Pots ~ cement

From the beginning, we were hoping to harness rain water for use on the community garden. I was thinking of a few rain barrels, but I usually think too small. So anyway, when you put Pete Burrie, Keith Knapp, and Reese Braband in the mix, you got yourself a world-class reservoir coming your way. So last Saturday we dug and assembled some forms for some pads upon which a couple of nice donated pallet racks are going to sit. On Thursday, the cement was donated by Ace in Waukesha and Pete was out there to finish it off. When all is said and done, we may even get the reservoirs for free too... at least we are hoping. We are getting there, and looking forward to being able to enjoy using the rain.

Hopefully see you on May 21st for the kickoff, bring donations of tools and seedlings if you have them.
His Clay Pots,
Jason for the rest

Clay Pots ~ Gettin' Ready

Good news! Spring is finally here and that means that people are outside, parks are filling up, and there is excitement in the air. And, about two weeks ago, Paco and I hosted some informational meetings for those who were interested in having a community garden. We have 8 Hispanic families who are ready to go and just waiting for the ground to be ready, and we are anticipating more families in the next few weeks. It is a blessing to be able to offer this opportunity and we are excited to see what God is going to do through it. One family has a desire to spend time with their children and to teach them some useful skills along with building some new relationships in the community. Another family is living paycheck to paycheck and this is going to be a help for them financially. One single mother works two jobs and is raising two teenagers and this is a good opportunity to spend time together with them, do something fun and healthy, and to build some new relationships in the community. My impression so far is that the 'selling point' has been the opportunity to get to know other people and to rub shoulders with English speakers. The Bible says that "They will know that we are Christians by our love..." My experience has been that through acts of love, people not only hear, but see and feel the gospel of Jesus Christ which causes an openness to accepting and believing it.

Our 'kickoff' date is going to be Saturday, May 21st, 11am at the gardens (see directions below). That is when we will divvy out the plots, prepare the soil for seeds, and plant the seeds, etc. Please feel free to just stop by and check it out! There is a nice playground for the kids and a shelter area as well. Bring a picnic and hang out. We will also orientate the participants to the property and link up families to assist each other throughout the summer.

The Hispanic Health Resource Center's Latino Senior program is going to cultivate their garden out there this summer too. They are anticipating about 15 people to be a part of their program and we are looking forward to serving them in this simple yet meaningful way.

Praises: We have a volunteer to make a sign! There is a group of guys who are going to fabricate a rainwater system next weekend! Free wood chips have been delivered on site for 'cleaner' pathways! Some tools have already been donated!

Pray: That all the rest of the little details will be sorted out in a timely fashion. That a few more families will sign up. That those who are fabricating the rainwater system will have it come together without much difficulty. We are still in need of a couple wheelbarrows, watering cans, tools, and some starter plants (tomatoes, green peppers, & Broccoli) That May 21st will be a beautiful day!

If there is a specific way that you would like to be involved, please call me: (262)501-8487.

By grace,
Jason for the Knapps

Directions: 164 and Glendale Rd.

Clay Pots ~ On Our Doorstep

When I was in Guatemala, I saw various brightly colored clothes. There were many different patterns, but I didn't learn the significance until after I returned home. Centuries ago, when the Europeans came and conquered Guatemala they assigned a different color or pattern to each people group so that they would know from the color or pattern where the other is from. It is important to note that those from Central America are a conquered people; I am from a different background, not one where my ancestors were conquered. Therefore our two cultures view life very differently.

I recently went to a conference called "Missions on your Doorstep" where I met with and heard various personnel from World Relief and other churches who minister cross culturally here in the U.S. It excited my heart to meet others who share the same vision of uniting churches within communities to minister to the masses of immigrants who are flocking to our country... the mission field is right on our doorstep. So with the many people groups represented in the U.S., the question I am pondering lately is, "What is my response as a Christian to be to this situation? And how should understanding some of their cultural background also effect my response?"

Spring is fast approaching (finally!) and we are in full swing making preparations for the garden project taking place this summer. We have been encouraged by the number of interested immigrant families and we will be having an informational meeting for them at the end of this month. Also, there is a list compiled of those who want to participate in a "Home English Club" where Anglo families go into the homes of immigrants and help them practice their English. Kellie and I along with other volunteers have been invited to come into their homes for this purpose. We are excited about this invitation and thanking God for opening up this door!

It has encouraged our hearts to see several churches from Waukesha county come together to support Clay Pots. We are praying that this will continue and that a network of churches can be established so that together we can reach the world on our doorstep. Thank you for supporting us and for living this verse: "He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt."

His Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, & Malachi Knapp

Clay Pots ~ coffee

Some of you might know the amount of work that goes into a simple cup of coffee. Then again, maybe you don't... I didn't. Even after living in Tobo where they grew coffee, 'washed it', dried it, hulled it, and packaged it up (weeks of work), it didn't strike me as that big a deal until I went on a tour of the Azotea Coffee plantation outside of Antigua a few weeks ago. There, on sight, we were able to see the process from start to finish: from planting the seed, transplanting the seedling, harvesting the ripe crop, shelling the two halves, drying the beans, hulling the parchment off, roasting, shipping, grinding, to the finished product: a pleasing, sweet-smelling, delicious cup of black coffee. Seems like a whole lot of work and a whole lot of time for one simple product which we consume every day. On our tour, we were told that 1 coffee plant, which only produces one crop a year, produces only enough coffee for approximately 40 cups! Wow, how many plants worth have I drank this year already?

The preparation process for coffee is intense, requires just the right climate, and entails numerous steps before one can enjoy the final product. This encouraged me with the ministry I find myself in. Just like hurrying up the process or skipping a step in the production of coffee would produce a product not appropriate for consumption. In the same way, I need to be faithful to patiently accomplish the steps necessary to see the appropriate final product of ministry, which is changed lives. This includes learning the language, understanding the culture, compehending the needs, and knowing and loving the people. This all takes time, but it is time well spent when we become "the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing". (2 Cor. 2:15)

Pray for us as we prepare for the gardens this summer. Pray for us as we are being invited into people's homes. Pray that my Spanish will progress and that I will be faithful to practice it and use it. Pray that the aroma of Christ coming from us, like the aroma of coffee, would have an attractional characteristic.

Peace,
Jason

Clay Pots ~ Guatemala part 3

Well, it has been quite a week. Took that hike up the volcano, met that guy at the restaurant, got a list of 200 new verbs that I need to learn, am grasping a few new concepts in Spanish, watched from afar as you all went through a crazy snowstorm, put in over 8 hours a day of studying, took a 32 mile mountain bike ride through the rugged mountain terrain around Antigua, visited the capital city of Guatemala and spent time with Paco's brother, attended a new church plant endeavor out in a pueblo, watched the Packers WIN the Super Bowl, and now I am trying to process it all.

Some things that hit me this past week: As I looked down on a huge city thriving with life from an enormous volcano where it was like I felt the fiery hot breath of God, I was humbled with the thought that we are not quite as significant and important as we think we are. With one breath of his nostrils, God could rend the earth and consume an entire city of millions of people.

As I biked through some of these small towns and saw the poverty and rough existence, the dry barren gardens, the delapitated houses, I was reminded of my time in the tribe in PNG and I realized what an amazing act of love it was for God to come down and be born, live, and die as a human... most of the world does not live with white picket fences, sanitary clean roads, and glimmering grocery stores. God came and lived as a poor man among the poor, he got dirty with those who were dirty, and he bled with those who bleed.

As I walk the streets of Antigua, watch the drunk pee on the wall in front of me, answer "no" for the 30th time to the offer for 'weed', and see men and women chase after anything in this life which can give them a temporary 'fix' for the ache which they feel inside, my flesh initially is repulsed, but my spirit is filled with compassion and a prayer that everyone could find the relationship they crave in Jesus Christ.

And as I witnessed the desire to plant a church in a new pueblo, I was reminded that relationships founded on godly, sacrificial love are what build trust and draw people to Christ. It takes time (maybe years) to spread the kingdom in this way, but we are each called to influence our own little corner of the world and proclaim Jesus to those we meet. And as in any family, growth happens one birth at a time as God gives the miracle of life to what was once dead.

So, although God could have consumed us or could have said, "no, they are rebelious, they rejected me, why should I love them?" and then just left us to rot on this rough planet; instead, he took on flesh. He became poor, dirty, and bleeding, he was filled with compassion and prayed for the hopeless around him, and then he gave of himself in sacrificial godly love in order to innitiate a relationship with us. Now that is a story worth listening to!

See you soon,
Jason

Clay Pots ~ Guatemala part 1

Well, I have been in Guatemala for a full week now... and my, what a full week it has been. My first full day here was filled with attending a fairly wealthy and 'modern' church in Guatemala city, seeing (from a car) the poorest section of Guatemala city, visiting Paco's parents for lunch (pray for Paco's Mom who is very ill), and then driving to a smaller city called Sumpango, where I attended a newly planted church (within the past 5 years) which is in the advanced planning stages of planting another church fairly soon in a neighboring city. I finally arrived at my host family's home in Antigua a bit after 8pm, exhausted and trying to get prepared for classes the next morning.

I have class from 8-4 minus two hours for lunch. My teacher is a very nice guy named Julio who has been teaching Spanish to foreigners for 20 years. We have managed to have some pretty interesting conversations even during this first week as we covered about 18 lessons in 5 days. I say 'interesting conversations' because he is not allowed to speak English (and he really does not know it super well anyway). I think we are one of the more lively pairs (every student is paired up with an individual teacher) as I had him dancing in the hall to a spanish song on you tube called Buenas Dias Senior Sol. We also got pretty animated when I started telling him about Milwaukee in my very broken Spanish, but was able to get across the idea that Harley Davidson and Miller Park are two icons in my home state... the Cerveseros (Brewers) are a pretty popular team. The studies are coming along really well and I am satisfied with the progress we are making.

Thank you to all of you who have been praying and have made this possible for me. Thank you for remembering my wife and children at home too. We talk at least once a day via video chat, so that makes the separation a little easier.

Adios,
Jason
Jason's e-mail address: jason@claypots.org

Clay Pots ~ Immersion School

Thank goodness for Llamas

It is hard to believe that it is halfway through January already. I have had a busy week, but I wanted to catch you up on what is going on so that you can be in prayer. First of all, I am heading out on Saturday for Guatemala for 4 weeks of immersion Spanish study. I will be attending a school during the day and staying with a host family during the evenings. I am hoping that I can accelerate my Spanish study during this month and come back with the ability to carry on simple conversation, talk on the phone, and be able to build on that base during this spring and summer's activities in Waukesha. Be in prayer for Kellie and the kids as they will be home alone for that month; and pray for me, that I will learn quickly and retain it all; and that I will be a blessing to those I come in contact with.
Another thing which you can be praying for is the Common Ground garden project. God has really been at work with this and I am getting pretty excited about how things are starting to come together. As you know, the ground has been turned over, which is a good start, but there is still a long way to go. Some friends of mine have really jumped in and done some amazing work. Through them, a local tree trimming company has graciously donated free wood chips (which I believe will be a big help in cutting down the mud and in retaining moisture) and we have a means of acquiring llama manure as our fertilizer this first year. I don't know much about llamas, but I have read enough to know that they make the best manure for gardens! Also, I have been looking into sources for seeds and have found what I believe to be a very reasonable source. Remember, we want to be able to provide seeds for the participants free of cost. In my ideal world, I would like to purchase these seeds this year, and then harvest our own and save them from year to year afterwards and never really have to pay for seeds again. The total cost for slightly under the amount of seeds we need will be around $450.00, but if I wanted to have excess (which I think would be a good idea), then I am estimating the cost to be $615.00. If you feel that helping us purchase some seed would be a way in which you would like to participate in this project, please contact me through email (because I will be out of country for awhile) or send a check specifying the garden project to:
Clay Pots
S53 WW24079 Glendale Rd.
Waukesha, WI 53189
Keep praying about this up-coming year. I think God has big things in store and look forward to updating you as we find out more. I will try to send out an update or two from down in Guatemala. See you all in a month.
Peace,
Jason for Kellie, Micah, Sophia, and Malachi Knapp

Clay Pots ~ news

The turned over ground

For our Monday night listener's club, Paco and I are attempting to structure some English lessons for beginners that will be productive, challenging, independent of other lessons, practical, entertaining, and interactive so as to open up the doors to a deeper relationship with the ones who we are working with. Not necessarily easy, but this is the niche we find ourselves in. "Why would you come up with your own lessons?", you ask. Well, because our structure on Monday nights is not a classroom setting; instead, it is built around conversation. So we are tailoring the lessons to lend to conversation and interaction. The attendees are loving it. They love to come every week and practice their English and learn more. The members of the basics group enjoy laughing with each other and learning new things each week. The more advanced groups are able to delve into some deeper conversations about life, culture, beliefs, and many other things. This has been a very encouraging time.

Another very exciting development: Pastor Mario Navarro is hosting a one hour a week Spanish radio program starting on December 13th. His program will air from 7:00-8:00 on Monday mornings on AM1460, if you would like to tune in. This will be a great time for the Word of God to go out, in Spanish, to our community. Please pray that many will tune in and that it will be successful in ministering to the spiritual needs of the Latino community. Praise God for Mario's heart and for those who have encouraged him and donated already to make this a possibility. If anyone would feel moved to donate to Mario in order to sustain this ministry long term, please contact me.

The ground for the garden plot was turned over a few weeks ago! Praise God! We are one step closer to seeing this ministry go forward. Paco and I are planning on getting together this next week and designing and printing flyers and promotional materials for the gardens so we are ready come the middle of this winter when we want to get the word out. Be in prayer that this will meet just as many spiritual needs as it does physical needs.

Christmas is right around the corner. We pray that all of us remember the meaning of the incarnation and how we can model God's love to those around us.

Peace,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, and Malachi Knapp

Clay Pots ~ Gardens and Help needed

"You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." (Lev. 19:34) "If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.” (Lev. 23:35). I find this second passage very interesting because even though God is talking about how the Israelites were to treat their own ‘brothers’ (people from their own country); it assumes that the Israelites were supporting and caring for the stranger and sojourner (or immigrant)… and allowing them to live with them. “You shall… as though…” Wow, no segregation here, the Israelites were actually supposed to be hospitable by housing those of other cultures in their own homes, according to God’s design. I know that this does not apply to us across the board, but it is a glimpse into the all inclusive and loving heart of God for all peoples everywhere, and it gives me encouragement to think outside the box in how we as the children of God can care for the immigrant among us.

I told you in my last letter, that I would inform you of ways in which I believe God is directing his servants to trust him, live the gospel, and care for the poor and needy. Here are two ideas which we are in the process of planning and organizing for next year with the Biblical hope (confident expectation) that God will work mightily.

Community Garden Plots: (We gotta come up with a better name than that:)) As humans, we all innately have a desire to create something or tend nature. Next summer we are going to try to use this innate desire by offering free garden plots to low income families in order to meet a physical need and in order to build relationships. The concept is simple: we allow immigrants from low income housing and apartment complexes to plant a garden free of charge on our church(s) property. We provide seed and water and tools, and they commit to tending their own gardens through the summer and then they take home all the produce. I have seen this type of project hosted by a local church in Ohio (the pic of it is above)… they had at least an acre of land divided into 20 or 30 small plots which ministered to the physical needs of those who were displaced or less fortunate. What a blessing we can be by simply using our unused property! As to date we have approx 40 interested families!

English Classes: As a follow up to this, Paco and I are in the process of planning a way to spring-board off this project with winter English Classes. We would like to offer these free classes to anyone from any country (Latino or otherwise) who would need/desire it. The course would run through the winter and be followed by another summer of gardening if the idea catches on.
Of course, both of these projects require many of God’s servants to labor together for the sake of the gospel. I am praying that God will provide immensely in this way. Pray that God would open the necessary doors and that he would make this project successful. Pray for the planning. Pray for community desire. Pray for open hearts to the gospel. Pray for laborers.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?: Do you have garden tools that you would be willing to donate? Would you be willing to donate/plant seeds and/or donate seedlings? Could you give a financial gift to help pay for rain barrels, sheds, tools, seeds, hoses, etc? (see below on how to do that) Some of the people are going to need transportation..have any ideas? Would you be willing to help prepare the ground? Volunteer to help with English classes? Donate $ for materials needed for those English classes? MOVERS. There is a volunteer call list of people through James Place willing to help immigrants and low income residents move from one apartment building to another or one house to another. There were 37 families that needed help moving this past year; 11 of those had to be turned down due to the lack of volunteers. Would you be wiling to add your name to the list? E-mail us. Call us. We can't wait to hear from you!

Thank you for your prayers. His Clay Pots, Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, and Malachi Knapp
FINANCIAL DONATIONS:
Send a check to:
Clay Pots,
S53 W24079 Glendale Rd.
Waukesha, WI 53189
(if you are specifically wanting to donate to the Garden Plots, attach a note specifying Community Gardens)

Clay Pots ~ Noah

Jason and Jeronimo trying to figure out English

As I have been reading through Genesis in my quiet time, I have been impressed with the fact that life is a messy vapor which is rarely characterized by white picket fences, booming economies, and harmonious relationships. The story of Noah, for instance… we often look at that story as a cool children’s tale, full of animals, a solid family, and primitive yet amazing boat architecture. But we fail to remember that God was grieved with the fact that he even created mankind because they had become so evil in their murderous actions. And we fail to remember that the point of the story is that God massacred hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of these people in one gigantic cataclysmic flood which covered the whole earth. Only Noah and his family survived by the grace of God. But…
Would you have wanted to be the only one left on the face of the planet? Talk about Post Traumatic Stress… the nightmares of screaming people, waters engulfing everything you see, death and carnage everywhere, and then the suffocating misery of waiting in an enclosed boat for almost a year. I bet there were some pretty miserable days filled with depression and little to smile about. How about loosing your home and everything you once knew and loved, being displaced, and starting over from scratch? Oh, and wait, there is no one there to help you or council you… only your wife and children (who are looking to YOU for strength and to answer their questions), because everyone else was obliterated.
How could anyone go on after that? That doesn’t sound like fun to me. Noah’s life was not one of comfort, but one of sheer survival… God purposed that Noah’s life would serve one purpose… to preserve the human race. And because Noah believed God’s promises, God rescued the human race through Noah (or as we say in Tobo: ‘on the road of Noah’)
All I am saying is that life is not always cut and dried, and even when God is blessing us or fulfilling his promises to us, it can seem as if he is really torturing us. You would think that he would work in a predictable way that would require the least amount of suffering and pain, but that is not His way. Think of Noah and Jesus and Joseph and Paul, etc. As his word says, it is through the pain and suffering that we truly find and experience Jesus who is our comfort, grace, and salvation.
I believe that he is at work here in Waukesha ‘blessing’ the church and carrying it on to maturity even though it could seem at times that there are more negatives than positives. But God can use the economy, the housing struggles, loss of jobs, poverty, injustice, illegal actions, and imperfect relationships to bring about his ultimate goal… which is to save as many people as will believe from every ethnic group, cultural background, and native language from every nation under heaven.
Sometimes I feel like I am Noah, sitting on that boat waiting… waiting for something which God could miraculously do, but chooses not to. Building relationships within a community takes time, and establishing trust within a community who normally would not trust you is even more time consuming. But God continues to open doors and we continue to see his leading and provision as we seek to reach the Latino community here in Waukesha. In my next entry, I am excited to inform you of ways in which I believe God is directing his servants to trust him, live the gospel, and watch Him as he rescues many.
His Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, & Malachi Knapp

Clay Pots ~ Support needed

"That All May Hear and Believe!" We consider this to be our assignment no matter what zip code God assigns us to. At this time, we have no doubt that God has assigned to us Waukesha to minister in one of the fastest growing Hispanic areas in the nation. Since Jason was in high school he knew that God had called him to make disciples of those who are less fortunate and we knew as a couple that we would follow that calling until He called us home. This is Jason's heart beat and we are honored and humbled that God has chosen to use us.

Our ministry, under the name Clay Pots, involves networking and bringing people and churches together that are wanting to reach the Hispanic community with Christ and to help guide in cross cultural relationship building and discipleship making. It involves bringing Hispanic pastors and individuals together in the unity of the Spirit to work together to see this goal accomplished. It involves being in a constant mode of building relationships with the unbelieving Hispanic population and learning and understanding them more. In the fall or early winter, we are hoping to start some small group Bible studies with unbelievers! I, personally, am always amazed at how quickly Jason can build and establish trust a relationship. In addition, this ministry involves bringing an awareness to the community around us resulting in compassion for the sojourner and stranger in our land. The Hispanic population is exploding here and Jason desires to bring people, churches, and communities together to recognize and meet that need.

Since we have come back to live stateside, our funding has steadily decreased. In American standards we are living at poverty level. However, we know that our income is considered rich in many other lands and even here among many of those who we seek to minister to! That said, we are seeking God for continued monthly donations to Clay Pots. In Luke it says that "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few". Because of the donations we receive, Jason is able to devote himself to what God has called Him to do and work amongst the "harvest fields" of unbelievers, strangers, and sojourners. God has told us to go and trust that He will provide our needs according to his bounty through his people. I love how God established long ago that he would provide for his servants and build his kingdom in this way. God knew that as He asks you to give, His church continues to be built among all nations. Thank you for trusting God that your donations are being invested in something eternal.

If you would like to support this ministry and God is laying it on your heart to do so, then you are an answer to a specific prayer! We need you! God planned for us to need you.

You can send checks to "Clay Pots"
S53 W24079 Glendale Rd.
Waukesha, WI 53189. (You will receive a tax-deductible receipt.)

His Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, and Malachi Knapp

Clay Pots ~ Successful weekend

(I thought I took pictures, but the card was not in the camera)

God is amazing! I had very little faith and very little hope that this past weekend was going to be of any significance. On Monday we actually had very little stuff for a garage sale, and we switched the location from church to our home. But through the course of the week, our driveway was a revolving door, and our garage started to pack out. By Wednesday it was so packed that we had to put things into our living room. Then our living room was so full of boxes that we had to put stuff in the kitchen. So Thursday morning it took us almost 2 hours to put everything out on the front lawn and in the driveway.

What we didn't expect was that God was going to bless us and also a whole lot of other people as well. We priced everything to go: 50 cents here and a buck there... $10 here and $20 there. From 8:00 on Thursday morning till 6:00 on Saturday evening, there was a steady stream of people that stopped on our busy road. I saw up to 30 people at a time rummaging through the items. We estimate that probably 75% of the customers were Hispanic or African American. I think that English was spoken maybe 50% of the time... some knew only enough English to give us the money and leave. And people just kept on coming... many from the Hispanic community living in the apartments not far from our house.

On Friday, two of my Hispanic pastor friends came by and gathered some things for their families, we told them to take it for free, but they wanted to get rid of me and send me out of country to learn Spanish, so they put in some money too:-). One of them was able to invite some people to his church and he helped me by translating for a lady and we were able to help find her exactly what she was looking for. By Saturday afternoon, we had pulled in over $1000 and so at 4:00 we put up a "Free" sign on the road. One man stopped by on his motorcycle and was falling all over himself in gratitude as he took some in-line skates and other things for his children for Christmas. Another person was gathering things up in a box and said, "No one has ever given me anything for free before. This is amazing!" Another man from Mexico and his family stopped by from Milwaukee and he took two boxes of clothes which he said he was going to take to his needy family next month in Mexico. Soon everything was almost gone. So we boxed up about 12 boxes of clothes and took those off to Hope Center in Waukesha where they hand out clothes to needy people for free. The rest of the items (a few cups and knickknacks, material and odds and ends) we put in boxes on the curb and we have had a number of cars stop by and dig through it. One man's junk is another man's treasure! I heard them going through the stuff at 10:30 last night and 6:00 in the morning.

We are grateful to all of you who donated. It was a blessing to not only make enough money to pay the room and board for learning Spanish, but we also helped a number of needy people and were able to donate the left overs for those who will need those clothes come winter. Thank you, you are a blessing!

By Grace,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, and Malachi Knapp

Clay Pots ~ Garage sale and Uno

Clay Pots, as a ministry, is going to be hosting a garage sale to be located in the Waukesha Bible Church parking lot. The times are going to be from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Thursday August 19th, Friday August 20th, and Saturday August 21st. We are raising money for a couple things. We would like to send Jason to a Spanish immersion school in Central America this winter. We and the Hispanics we work with, feel like this will be the very best thing to give Jason the needed concentration and time to go from conversational Spanish to complete fluency so he can begin teaching small group Bible studies, etc. And we would like to use the $ raised by the garage sale to purchase some curriculum to be used in small group Bible studies. If you have anything you would like to donate or get rid of, you can give us a call at 262-501-8487 (Jason) or 262-501-8206 (Kellie), and we will arrange the details with you. Or feel free to just drop things off by the barn in the church parking lot. Thanks to all of you who have already been donating items, it is greatly appreciated.

It has been a privilege to be able to be used by God in the lives of people around us. We were able to donate some items to help a needy church with their garage sale and are looking at ways to help them with a homeless shelter, Jason has been invited over to a man's house in order to help him practice his English, and the lines of communication with another couple have opened up and trust is being built. It is great to be meeting new people and hearing their stories and hearing what it is like for them, and some of the difficulties they face in the U.S. We can empathize with them as to what it is like to live in a foreign culture and feel it an honor as they start to trust us and ask us to be a part of their lives and families. Our children have been a big part of this as well as we were invited over to a birthday party for a 6 year old Mexican boy that Malachi has befriended. The two boys play "UNO" together with his mom to help them learn English. When I told Malachi to be sure not to be bossy during the game, he replied, "dont worry mom, I cant tell them what to do, I cant speak their language:-)"

Pray that we can continue to demonstrate Christ's love in tangible ways.

His Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah (11), Sophia (9), and Malachi (6) Knapp

Clay Pots ~ Good Picnic

Last Sunday was a great day. We were really busy that day and came home exhausted, but we were praising God because it really was a lot of fun serving alongside Christians from all over the city, meeting new people, building on new relationships, and investing more time in solid relationships. I was particularly encouraged that two Hispanic families in particular whom we have been working to build a relationship with showed up, ate, and spent some time mingling with people there. It was hot, but it was perfect weather for a picnic and we are thanking God for the great weather that he gave all of us.

We were all encouraged with the diverse crowd that came... there were hundreds of people there from all walks of life... there were churches and aid organizations, rich and poor, homeless and congressmen, Hispanics, white Caucasians, and African Americans. It was encouraging to see all the people mingling and talking, laughing, and sharing the love of Christ. 'Feed My Sheep' did a great job in providing and cooking the food. The water and lemonade were flowing, the watermelons were sliced and diced and devoured, and the barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs were a real treat to all those who came. Local bakeries and businesses and people donated tons of deserts and cookies, which was also a huge hit. I don't think anyone went away hungry. Overall, the picnic was a great success in that Christians from all over the city came together to manifest the love of Christ to those who were there... with no strings attached.

Be praying for those relationships that were established or built upon during that time... that God would use them to draw people unto himself.

Thank you for your prayers and for all of you who came down to help out.
His Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, and Malachi Knapp

Volunteers Needed

James Place, Elmbrook, New Beginnings, Hope Center, La Vina del Senor, and other churches and agencies are hosting a huge community picnic for the downtown Waukesha/Hispanic community in order to display the love of Christ; and we as Clay Pots are helping as well! We need volunteers! So would you be willing to volunteer? Bring food? Or just come, mingle, and smile?

Details:
When: Sunday July 18th 12:30-4pm (Come any time!)

Where: Frame Park in Waukesha.

Food: Bring cookies, bars, or watermelon to share. Bring your own chairs & blankets.

What: There will be Children's activities, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, playground, music & more!

How: Volunteers are needed to help with activities, set up, tear down, and Spanish speakers.

If you would like to volunteer to help, you can sign up at www.elmbrook.org/events/concerts.asp. Look for the Community Picnic and click the 'Volunteer' tab. You will see a list of who is needed yet.

See you there!
Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, & Malachi Knapp

Clay Pots ~ Three + One

Have you ever moved to a new city or state? Wow, what a transition time. You feel alone, out of sorts, a bit lost, you don't know where everything is or where the good stores and the good deals are. You feel that you waste time and money, and sometimes you sit and wonder if you will ever fit in in this new place. And yet you speak the language and know the culture for the most part. What if you had to move to another country where you knew very little of the language and had few or no friends there to greet you?

I have had the privilege to begin building relationships with three Hispanic ministers here in Waukesha. Each of them arrived from their home countries to the Waukesha area in the past 3 years and each are here to minister to the Hispanic community. As a foursome, we have been meeting together once a week for prayer and fellowship. God has knit our hearts together in a wonderful way through prayer. We pray for our families, for our community, for the gospel to go forth, for area churches, and for the growth of the Hispanic church here in Waukesha. Without fail, every time we get done, these men thank each other for coming and say to one another how much of an encouragement this is to them. They have testified to the fact that they felt alone in this town, but how this meeting has encouraged them greatly to continue on because others are here for the same purpose.

I, personally, do not think that it is coincidence that three men from three different countries arrived in the last three years to head up a Hispanic ministry for three different churches in the city of Waukesha. God is doing something here and we are praying that he uses us to encourage and empower these men to see his kingdom expand. Thank you for making this possible for us.

Pray:
That God would bind our hearts together in love and unity to serve his purposes.
That God would continue to open doors to new relationships with unbelievers.
That God would stir the hearts of the unsaved community with a desire to hear His word.
That I would continue to learn Spanish quickly.

His Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, and Malachi Knapp

Clay Pots ~ Sojourner

Malachi's first fish. "I will make you fishers of men."

When Jason came to me about making Clay Pots into a ministry to reach the sojourner and 'stranger' in the United States I actually had hoped that something would change his mind. I was pretty sure we had put in our time as church planters and we were entitled to a normal and average life. As far as I was concerned it was time to "play it safe". Little did I know that God was about to change my mind!

Unless you haven't gone to a store, restaurant, or outside your own back yard in a while, it is pretty hard to ignore the fact that you don't just hear "English" being spoken everywhere you go. In fact, there are many places I go to that I feel that I am the outsider. It got me thinking. Both our ancestors came from Germany and Ireland. At one time, Jason's ancestors spoke only German and they came to the States for a better life for their family. As I thought about this, I couldn't help but sympathize with them and what they went through as they moved and adjusted to a strange and unknown land which was so unlike their own. I know what it's like, I've done it myself.

I wonder who the people were that reached out to them? Who surrounded them with acceptance, love, and help? I assume that there were people who did. I know that as their descendant I am considered an "all American" but they were not and they went through much heartache and struggle in leaving their country and being strangers and sojourners in a foreign land so I, their descendant, could have all of this. I do know there were German/English speaking churches for them to attend where they could feel safe and grow in their faith. This is a key element since Jason's heritage contains Christians as far back as he can figure; they handed it down to their children praying that their children would do the same. So, I think we know what we are meant to do with our freedom as Christians and as Americans: we are to be the ones reaching out and sharing the gospel to immigrants, strangers, and foreigners because someone did it for our families first.

If you are questioning whether to support the Clay Pots ministry I would encourage you to seek out your past, your history, and your heritage. Ask yourself who reached out to your family when they came to this country? Was there a church that spoke their language so that they could attend and feel safe and loved as strangers in a foreign land? This is the job of the church and our cities need that again. They need churches speaking their heart language and Christians reaching out and helping them settle. I ask that you support Clay Pots so that we can encourage and empower churches to reach out to Hispanics in our own town... and then, and because our God is a very big God, we wont stop there but keep on going to more nationalities. Send people to our webpage. Pray for us. Reach out to your cities.

"You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt." Exodus 23:9

His Clay Pots,
Kellie for Jason, Micah, Sophia, & Malachi Knapp

www.claypots.org


You can send checks to:
Clay Pots
S53 W24079 Glendale Rd.
Waukesha, WI. 53189
(You will be sent a tax deductible receipt)