James and Christopher traveled to Detroit last summer with a team from our church. They served as a work & witness team partnering with our friends Shawn and Rochelle Fouts who run Lions Roar Extreme Martial Arts and Mission: Go Detroit. The first night they arrived in Detroit, James called me and told me he was overwhelmed by the holy spirit when he walked in the dojo and I needed to come back with him. So, just a few short weeks after they were back home, plans were put into motion and we found out they would be celebrating their first anniversary in October and that seemed like the perfect time to go!
When we arrived on Friday evening we grabbed some dinner and headed straight to the dojo. James was actually on the mat teaching a seminar within two hours of our plane landing.
On Saturday morning James taught their normal classes and I was blessed to help with a wonderful tutoring ministry they just recently started. They went into their school district and gained permission to offer free tutoring to any kids that need testing or homework help right there in their gym every Saturday morning. The tutoring is led by teachers who volunteer their time. It's amazing!
Saturday afternoon we had a tiny break and that afternoon headed back to the dojo. James taught a self defense seminar and then the kids had a nerf war and everyone there was invited to a hot dog cookout. It was a great but busy day.
I absolutely love seeing my man do his thing!! He is a phenomenal teacher and his love for Jiu Jitsu and Martial arts is something most people could never understand.
Sunday morning we were blessed to attend church with the Fouts' and afterward we went to lunch. Rochelle was so kind to let James pick somewhere to eat that we don't have in Texas so he chose a Middle Eastern restaurant. I'm still not sure what he ordered for us to share but it came out looking like this!!!
After lunch we went to their son Jackson's flag football game. He is the same age as our James Henry and that game was so fun to watch. After Jack's game they drove us around Detroit for a bit and explained to mainly me since James had been before about the history of Detroit. Then we headed along the shoreline to Canada!! The drive was beautiful.
Our first stop in Canada was Starbucks! It sounds crazy but it was the only one we saw the entire time we were in Michigan.
They drove us to a park so we could take some pictures. I guess you could say we saw real Canadian Geese at the park :)
That is downtown Detroit in the background!!! For someone who loves pictures like I do, this spot was perfection!
We had a fabulous Italian dinner in Canada and did some souvenir shopping for the kids. These pictures are the on the bridge crossing back into the USA. We took the tunnel on the way into Canada.
These are all the kids goodies from Canada! (those are syrup bottles)
James said Canada was just like America except our money doesn't work!
When we got back into Detroit we met another couple who have a heart for Martial Arts Ministry in Greektown for dessert.
Our dessert at the Astoria bakery was delicious!!
On Monday mornings Shawn and Rochelle offer a women's bible study & self defense class. They are empowering women with the word of God and a way to physically defend themselves. It is fantastic!!
After that class they took us into downtown to eat at the famous American Coney Island.
We took a ride on the "people mover" which gave us a great tour of downtown Detroit.
Detroit is beautiful!! They have a "real fall" meaning all the trees are different colors and the leaves are falling onto the streets. It looks like a postcard picture! Their buildings have that older beautiful architecture that is nowhere to be found anymore.
Monday afternoon Rochelle and I did some shopping and had some girl time.
Monday evening James helped Shawn teach his normal schedule of classes and I headed back to the house with Rochelle and Jack.
Tuesday was our last day there, on Tuesday mornings they teach martial arts classes to their local homeschool partnership. Seriously, the Fouts' never sleep!
We had lunch at a diner and picked up the kids some Faygo! When in Detroit, it's Faygo!!
This was a picture James needed to have before we left. 8 mile!
That was pretty much our Tuesday and we spent the evening flying back home.
I came home from this trip feeling different than any other trip. James and I had a totally different experience in Detroit than he did this summer. It was just the two of us and we stayed with Shawn and Rochelle in their home. We had alot of time to get to know the people that they are, not the urban missionaries, not the Sensei, the real people. And they are amazing. They work tirelessly for the mission God has sat before them. They are some of the most selfless people I have ever had the privilege of getting to know. I left there humbled, grateful and with a new perspective on my own life and my walk with God. James and I know that foster care and adoption is going to be a large part of the testimony of our lives, it is our mission field but now we feel called to do a little more mission work for his glory. We feel strongly that the feelings and emotions James felt back In July was God calling us to support the Fouts' and their work in Detroit. We are excited to support them in whatever they may need, and visit Detroit several times each year. I really feel like I left a piece of my heart there. We can't wait to get back!
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