Connect Up

Convicted 4 Christ formed a group called Connect Up in partnership with the City of Carlsbad. We brought together about 10 people who had recently been housed, with the understanding that getting somebody into housing is only part of the work.

You guys know us. You know we believe in showing up for people. And handing somebody a set of keys doesn’t mean we’re done showing up.

Think about it. Somebody moves into housing, closes the door, and now what? Who’s checking on them? Who are they eating with? Who do they call when they’re having a hard day?

We wonder why people feel pulled back to the riverbeds, the encampments, and the streets. Well, that’s where their people are. That’s where somebody knows their name. Even with all the difficulties out there, there’s connection. There’s a sense of belonging.

We have to understand the weight of that. We can help somebody get off the streets and still leave them feeling very much alone.

That’s relational poverty. And that’s what we’re working to address through Connect Up.

For the past 20 weeks, we’ve started with a meal, sat down together, and worked on a shared project. After going through a curriculum on public health issues, the group chose to collect discarded bottle caps and turn them into artwork to share with the community.

The idea came from them, and it meant something: they knew what it felt like to be looked at as trash. Now they’re creating treasure—and reminding all of us of the value that was in them all along.

The artwork is almost finished. But you guys, it was never about the bottle caps.

It’s about having somewhere to show up. Having somebody to sit with. Being missed when you’re not there. Having a purpose and knowing you have something to contribute. It’s about relationships that give people a reason to stay connected and keep moving forward.

This was supposed to be a 10-week program. We’re at 20 weeks now. And that’s okay. You can put a timeline on a project, but building trust and belonging takes the time it takes.

So when you look at these pictures, we hope you see more than artwork. We hope you see people coming together, finding purpose, and building community.

Because when it comes to relationships, numbers don’t matter. People do.