Doing good... one dog at a time.

There are some incredible things happening in the city of Compton!  One of those things is called the Compton Initiative.  This organization gathers thousands of volunteers four times a year from all over Southern California.  These volunteers come into the city and from the city to paint houses, schools, and churches as well as pull weeds, paint fences, and a myriad of other dirty duties.

One week ago we had the privilege to partner with this organization as they painted the house directly next to our apartment complex.  It was so much fun!  This family was overjoyed with the work being done, and we had so much fun watching our own apartment neighbors come outside with big smiles about the transformation they witnessed.  One little boy even came to our screen door later that day... "Chris?"  "Yes?"  "When are you gonna do that stuff again?"  "What stuff?"  "Like painting the house, my mom wants to know."  "Why, does she want to come?"  "No, she wants me to go and paint next time."  "Oh OK!"  Doing good is contagious and people want to join!


Let me share one of my favorite highlights of the day.  One of our neighbors next door is a guy named Chamaco.  Now Chamaco is a huge 110 pound St. Bernard.  We know Chamaco well because his bark resounds through our bedroom window regularly.  But we love Chamaco, he is nothing but a big guy with a sweet heart.  One way that my husband and a few of his friends decided they wanted to do good was to give Chamaco a bath.  This truly is a good work, as Chamaco is huge and very difficult to get clean.  So the guys asked the owner before walking Chamaco around the block to our friend's house, where there is ample room to wash this beast. Here are some images that captured the moment...

 This is Chamaco in his usual state, with his little friend...

How many guys does it take to wash Chamaco?

Three apparently, and one for emotional support :)

Also, these last pictures are from my friend Tonya who has another amazing blog to check out,  Other Side of Compton.

This is an awesome way for anyone to get involved with transforming the city of Compton. You can come alone, with your family, with your friends, or with your church or organization. If you are interested in volunteering for the next clean-up day, it is coming July 30th and you can sign up here.  Let us know if you can make it!