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Part four of five parts; click here to read part three.

58. Gerald and Gwen Austin, Good Neighbors
"Since 1964," says Pastor Gerald Austin, "over 105 different agencies have formed to address the problems of poor in this country. But after 30 years, the problems have not gotten better, but worse."

He, along with his wife of 20 years, Gwen, in 1986 started the Center for Urban Missions, a nonprofit corporation "founded on the hope of bringing the power of God" to inner-city Birmingham, Alabama. Seven years ago, the Austins began the New City Church, a nondenominational, multi-racial, and inner-city congregation that meets in the building that houses the administrative offices of the center. Through the church and the center (with the help of employees and volunteers), Gerald and Gwen are targeting, and reaching, Metropolitan Gardens (MG), Birmingham's largest housing project (with more than 3,000 residents), which also happens to be in the poorest zip code in the nation. "We want to demonstrate that by the power of God, families can be restored, get off welfare, that communities can learn to work together, and that the church can be a part of the solution for the inner city."

Kenny, an MG resident, used to deal drugs and live with his girlfriend, Angie (and their four children), on welfare. Through the ministry of the New City Church, both Kenny and Angie accepted Christ. Today, he works as a bench technician with RAMP (Reaching and Motivating People), a job-creation and -training program cosponsored by the center and Royal Cup Coffee, a Birmingham corporation. Kenny was recently promoted to shop foreman. Kenny and Angie were married at the New City Church—the first couple in both families to be married. With the help of the center, Kenny and Angie will soon be moving out of public housing and into their own home.

"The participation of a diverse pool of volunteers is vital," says Austin. "It gives individuals an opportunity— whether they are white American, African American, Asian, or Hispanic —to see the person they are helping not as a problem to be solved but as a neighbor to be helped."

MG resident Ora could not read or write. A volunteer taught her to read, and soon she and her sons became actively involved at the church. Ora soon began to participate at her sons' school and eventually was asked to become president of the PTA. Ora took employment at the center, and the family moved out of public housing. Her oldest son recently completed two years of college, got married, and went to work for the RAMP program.

"When we started in that community," the Austins recall, "there were knifings and shootings almost every other week. We have reduced the crime rate some 42 percent in this one community."

59. Jeff Johnson, "Everyman" Hero
In Jeff Johnson's church office is a small, grainy photo taken at the California Great America amusement park. Riding in front of a plunging roller coaster is a teenager with both hands thrust high in the air; behind him is another teenager, his eyes clenched shut in terror. In the rear sits Jeff Johnson, checking his watch. The picture is captioned, "Portrait of a Burned-Out Youth Worker."

The photo was a gag, though Johnson admits, "That's how I feel about those rides." But he is not a burned-out youth worker, neither is he bored by the prospect of more trips to Great America, white-water rafting, Manteca Waterslides, Crushers (minor league) baseball, Jars of Clay concerts, the Eel River, or the beach. For that matter, he's not bored with the trips to Mexico to build houses for the poor, to convalescent homes to visit and sing, or to freeway overpasses for graffiti abatement.

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November 17 1997, Vol. 41, No. 13