These people weren’t different. They were just like everyone else. They were just broken in a more public way.
It was a cold and dark Saturday morning, 5:30 am, December 3, 2011. I sat scared in my car on the parking lot of Watered Gardens Gospel Rescue Mission.
My mom’s church served a monthly breakfast there, and she needed help that morning. People were milling around the grounds, smoking & drinking coffee. I worried that these people who looked, smelled and acted differently would rob or proposition me when I got out of my car. Couldn’t they tell I came here to do a good Christian thing and bless them?! Yes, the enemy was already working on me before I even entered the building.
When breakfast was ready, we prayed & started serving. As the sleepy shelter guests lined up, I confronted my fear, smiled and said, “Good morning!” as I looked into the eyes of every face as I handed each of them their plate. My heart started to swell with every “Thank you,” and I found myself holding back tears. These people weren’t different. They were just like everyone else. They were just broken in a more public way – a way the world finds easy to judge and condemn.
I could barely contain myself, and when breakfast was over, I said a hurried goodbye to my mom as I ran to my car. I then cried all the way home. I had this overwhelming desire to go back and serve there. I’d never felt the Holy Spirit stir so powerfully in my soul; I wanted to share the Good News of Jesus, to share His love and hope!
When I got home, my husband looked at me and asked, “What happened? Why have you been crying?”
I told him I didn’t know what happened to me, but I had to go back to the mission. To serve there. To love people. To share God’s love & hope!
I sat down and immediately penned 10 pages of ideas to raise funds for the mission and to share meaningful opportunities with the Church to get involved at the mission. The options were truly endless!
