Mission trip to Dallas, TX, US Urban, October 8, 2010 to October 10, 2010

Ministry Description:
Culture and/or State Information
The Dallas/Fort Worth Metropolitan region is the third fastest growing metropolitan area in the United States. Buried deep within the heart of the Bible Belt, Dallas is a key financial and industrial hub of the South. It has been called a melting pot of cultures, but in reality Dallas is a divided city - by politics, by class, and by race. Any visitor to downtown Dallas is struck by the disparities in development between the northern and southern halves of the Central Business District. Many of the alarming number of homeless found predominantly in the southern part of the district, suffer from substance abuse issues, mental illness, or physical disability.

The proximity of the area to the Mexican border, as well as its centralized location in the United States, also makes Dallas an attractive area for Mexican drug trafficking organizations to establish their base of operations. This attraction is further enhanced by its large transportation network and status as a primary banking and financial center in the South. The city�s high level of violent crime, especially utilizing firearms, is likely tied directly to the area drug trafficking activities.

Ministry Description:
You�ll have a chance to build relationships in the Dallas community by partnering with local churches and ministries in the Downtown District. It is vital to reach out to the residents of Dallas who are caught in the hopelessness of their surroundings, and share Christ�s love as you attempt to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Types of ministry you may be involved in include children's ministry in local apartment complexes, sports evangelism, street evangelism, working in a local soup kitchen, home improvement for the low income and elderly, and evening homeless outreach.

Food & Lodging
Meals will be prepared on site. Lodging will be provided at a local downtown ministry. Air mattresses, bedding, and towels are recommended.

Recommended Prayer
- Pray that God would stir the hearts of the residents of Dallas to take action against injustice in their community.
- Pray that God will provide the helpless in the Dallas community with a sense of hope, despite their circumstances or the poverty that surrounds them.
- Pray that God will open up opportunities to share his truth with the lost in Dallas, as well as soften their hearts so that his word is well received.

Dallas, TX, US Urban Mission Trip