Come and Go

Many of the homeless and volunteers come and go for different reasons. It certainly is not natural, by the world’s standards, to attend a weekly ministry with people who are not naturally pleasing to be around; especially with all the other distractions we have in this world. Many volunteers attend out of curiosity, but may not have a real passion to serve the less fortunate. They come a few times and then we don’t see them return. There are others who attend every week without fail. I was talking to one such person last Tuesday night. He told me of the difficulties he had experienced in his life and how he wanted to help others that were experiencing similar difficulties. His form of volunteering was to spend individual time with as many of the homeless as he could. He always waited until the meal was served and then he would sit across from an individual and spend that quality time showing that he cared. He told me that his desire came from heart knowledge not head knowledge. He said he had read a lot of books on counseling but nothing prepared him like the passion he had in his heart for loving and caring for each person. His only problem was that he could not spend as much time as he would like with every single individual. We all have different talents downtown. No one has to tell a volunteer who attends every week what to do. Each of them recognizes how they can best serve and they just do it. It does not matter whether it is getting the food together, making the tea, or preaching the Word. We are all lead by the passion we feel in our hearts.

Many of the homeless don’t show up every week. Some find a better place to receive a free meal or a cooler place to get out of the heat. Last Tuesday night, one group showed up and saw me taking pictures. They wanted their picture taken and requested a few different shots. Usually when I take out my camera, either they will not want their picture taken (for various obvious reasons) or they immediately start posing. I guess we all want to be in the lime light unless we are hiding. However, there are those that come every week. They bring their Bible and focus on Paul’s message and are looking for a Word from the Lord concerning their situation. They enjoy the meal but mostly they are seeking Spiritual food. They are the first to help prevent distractions and the first to help clean up and say “thank you” when they leave. They, also, have an investment in our ministry and feel like they are part of a family that many never had growing up.

So where does that desire come from to perform an unnatural act when there are better things to do according to the world’s standards. I think the answer can be found in the Bible. It is a heart changed by God. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, “know the Lord” because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest’ declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 33:33-34).
~Marc