The compassion story

So, when last I typed I was telling of my weekend. My weekend actually started on Wednesday night. We had a meeting at church to prepare for our three day mission trip at my church. Wednesday night's service was one of worship and mostly prayer for what God wanted to do in and through us over the next few days.

It's been quite a long time since I've prayed like that. It's been a long time since I've felt God stirring in my heart - trying desperately to say something to me.

He did.

A revelation occurred to me. I love organized missions. I love overseas mission trips. I love planning with other people to go and tell about Jesus' love - I get all excited. I love expecting God to do something, because we are asking and we are waiting for Him to move. And it has been my experience that when we are expecting Him to move, He allows us to see when He does.

The difference between a mission trip for me and my everyday life is that when I approach a mission trip - I prepare my heart through prayer and the Word. I also expect God to move. I do neither of these things on a daily basis anymore.

It had been so long since I'd dealt with God on day to day terms that I had forgotten what that looks like, what it feels like. I claim that my interaction with people through my profession is a ministry - and I believe that it is - but I have for so long been doing so on my own strength. I have no expectation of God doing anything, so I am unaware when He actually does.

Wednesday night as we prayed, my heart was softened. I felt more of that same compassion that I felt for the people with so many dogs.....(see previous post) I felt like God was imparting to me a bit of His heart. What a privilege.

Matt commented on how much He felt like the Spirit of God was there and working among us that night. I understood what he meant.

Our mission was simple. We were to spend the next 3 days doing renovations on a home owned by an older couple in our area. The husband, Wes, was very handy and had started a lot of projects on the house. They never got finished, however, because last July he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. They operated, but his health has been declining. The wife, Shirley, had let the chores of the house go undone as she cared for Wes. We came together as a team to bless them by doing the things that Wes wanted done. My church is full of carpenters and those skilled in home repair - they look for opportunities to use their skills to help others. This time I got to play along.

We arrived Thursday morning after meeting at the church as a team to spend time with God alone and to then come together to pray. We arrived at the work scene and quickly divided to do our jobs. I was a power-washer. I power washed all the decks and 2 sides of the house. For seven hours I power washed. :) It was great - like cleaning with power tools. At 10am or so, Shirley left the house to go a doctor's appointment of her own. She had not left Wes's side for weeks. Wes passed away shortly after she left. We stopped working. We got together and prayed. We then got back to work. We all felt so strongly that our presence there at this specific time was nothing short of Divine planning.

Shirley returned home and suddenly our work seemed so trivial. We had planned for months to do this work, but now it seemed almost wrong to do. Shirley asked that we continue. So we did. We got a lot done and I only pray that as we were there over the next few days our presence was a comfort to this family. I hope that as Shirley goes out and looks at her new yard and deck and water garden that Wes wanted her to have that the beauty and newness will comfort her.

We finished at the work site everyday around 3:30 and we then would go to the YMCA to take much needed showers. We would then go back to the church and eat supper then head to the local park. We had two teams at the park: a Kids Kamp (think VBS) for kids in the park and an evangelism team who went out to share the love of Christ with people hanging out in the park. The first night, Matt and I were in the Kids Kamp as 'parents' - our job was to talk with parents who had brought their kids to us and to act a literal parents to the young ones running around to ensure that all were safe and having a good time. It was a fun night and we had the kids from our church and several 'newbies.'

We went back to the church, shared our experiences, and then went to bed. I was in a room with about 10 teenage girls - but I slept great. :)

We were encouraged to know that God was indeed moving and working among us as we 'debriefed' that night. Two of our teenage kids went out to talk to some other teenagers in the park's skateboard area. The skaters asked our two where they went to high school. As Rachel said that she went to Grace Christian School, one of the skaters said "Man, I wish I could be a Christian!" Excuse me?!? That's not a normal response, folks. Our two shared the Gospel with this young man and he is indeed now a Christian believer. Woo Hoo!

Friday morning started at 6:30am to ensure that all of us got to spend time with God alone, then eat, then pray as a group. At the house was more work, more power washing for me and then lots of painting. Matt and I were to be evangelists that night at the park and we were paired up with different folks. I don't think I can explain ALL that happened but here's the breakdown:

Matt and Chris went and talked to some kids at the skate park. One, Danny, talked with Matt intently about some life issues. He was interested in talking about what being a believer is like, what it means. He had just come back from a Young Life camp and was encouraged by Matt.

Sara, Page, and myself appeared later at the skate park. We spoke with several kids: Josh, Kaitlin, and Jenny. A little into our conversation, Danny appeared. Danny then proclaimed to his friends that he was a Christian, how he became so, and began sharing the benefits of being a believer (righteousness, forgiveness, etc.) He spoke boldly and with confidence. Kaitlin was distant at first, but softened as we spoke with her. Josh was eager to listen and share his opinions. Josh and Kaitlin both spoke of how they have been treated by 'the church' - commenting that their opinions were not valued and that people were 'stuck up.' We listened with compassion - and they said that we could come back and talk with them about spiritual things anytime.

So cool!

Side story: I recently read a book called 'Blue Like Jazz' - and it has so made me reconsider how the church operates. It has made me think about how Jesus did things, how He loved people. And how the modern day church doesn't do a very good job with this. Things the author said kept coming to mind as I talked with these kids.

At debriefing that night we were so excited to hear each other's stories. We had no idea Matt had spoken with Danny - and Matt was thrilled to hear that the same guy he had spoken to who was unsure of his belief was now - 15 minutes later - sharing his faith boldly! THEN - we find out that Thursday night the teenage girls had all gotten together and prayed specifically for Kaitlin - for they know her because she used to attend the church when she was small but has since rejected the church. They had prayed that someone would be able to talk to her. It was quite amazing. I was convicted though about how much I talked, and how little I listened.

Saturday we were up early again - we spent time in the Word, ate, prayed, then went out to finish the work project - and it was just so great. We then spent the rest of the day in the park - and had a cook out. I was asked by two of our girls if I would go with them to the skate park to look for Kaitlin. We made our way over there, but she wasn't around. We decided to just hang out and talk with the kids and invite them to our cookout. They said they would come. ALL of them. Then Kaitlin arrived. And she also came to our cookout. Incredible. She does NOT like the church - and not only did she come to our 'church cookout' she brought friends. She then left, and came back with more!

Now, you need to understand that these kids fit the typical skater crowd. They are all dressed in black, have tattoos, long hair, piercings, speak in rough language, etc. Not the 'type' that would come to a church cookout, let alone feel comfortable doing so. But as we listened to them - heard their stories, their pain, their trials - they began to trust us. We behaved as if we liked them - as if we actually cared about them. And it was through HIS heart that we actually did! So they in turn came to eat with us. And we were able to care about them some more.

It was quite a sight seeing these 15 or so skater kids descend on our church picnic, but everyone welcomed them. We had some good, no great, conversations. And you know what? Some of them showed up at church the next day. :) And they heard how much God loves them and they heard how much trial and suffering He endured just so they could know Him and experience His love and forgiveness. They heard that He loves them just as they are - no exceptions.

It was one of the more unique mission trips I've taken. Though I didn't leave the country, I did leave my culture. My safe, normal, 'people like me' culture. And as usual, God did something in my heart.

I only pray that every day can be seen as a mission day to me. That I would prepare and expect. That I would be able to love people like Jesus did - especially those that are cast out and looked down upon by 'normal' society.

It's how He did it. And that's good enough for me.

Compassion is the key. Listening helps, too. :)