Getting Off The Streets
One of the greatest things that happened to me on the streets was meeting this one guy named Phil (again, changed the name just in case). I met him the very first night we were there and then I saw him twice more. We talked each time I saw him, and each time we talked he told me more and more of his story.
Phil hasn’t always been on the streets. He was a construction worker. He had sustainable income and a home. But due to a set of circumstances he lost his job and eventually lost his house. He found himself on the streets, and in that environment he was also introduced to a way to deal with the anxiety of that life. Meth.
His habit continued until he had sold or pawned all of his tools to have money for his addiction, and with that addiction came the addiction to sex and pornography. In the depth of the pit of his fall he realized he needed to make a change. When I met him he told me he had been clean for 5 months. He had been getting some daily labor jobs, and with that money he wanted to start buying back his tools in order to get a sustainable construction job again.
What I learned from Phil was how hard it can be to get off the streets. Sure, he has made some mistakes and is paying the consequences for his errors. But, since he is homeless, the long crawl off the streets is arduous at best. He has to wait in line for food. He has to wait in line for work. He has to either beg, pay for, or take sink showers (and if he doesn’t look presentable he won’t get work). He must have his cell phone on, charged, and payed for at all times to be available for contact from potential employers (he gives blood to make enough money to keep his cell phone on). All the money he earns goes towards buying tools, but because he is homeless he has to pay for a storage spot to keep his belongings. And after all this it doesn’t leave too much time to send out resumes or go to interviews.
Phil truly wants to get off the streets, but the journey is long and difficult. I had a chance to pray for Phil. And I really think that, if he can stay clean, he will eventually get off the streets. But before I had this experience I think I had the attitude that if they really wanted to, homeless people could get off the streets. And I learned from Phil that the process is much harder that I originally thought.
Amazing Teenagers
On the trip to San Diego I saw many things I hadn’t seen before in my life. I saw a pimp walk his homeless prostitute around the streets. I saw a drunk man on the streets get up to throw the water at me, which I had just given him. I saw business men give me scathing looks as I sat down with the homeless.
But one thing I saw that blew me away was how the teenage girls we took on this trip reacted and ministered. I think we were all a bit uneasy as we started the week off together. None of us had really tried to build relationships with those on the streets, but that was the task set before us.
By the end of day 2 I saw our high school girls, introverts at that, going up to homeless people on the streets, handing them a water bottle, sitting down with them on the ground, introducing themselves, shaking hands, talking, sharing the gospel, and even leading them in prayer.
AND THEY DID ALL THIS WITHOUT US PRODDING THEM ON. THEY JUST DID IT!
I am amazed by this. If our suburban, introverted, high school girls can bust out of their comfort zones couldn’t anyone?
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ’Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.‘ ~ Matthew 25:37-40
Maryse Update – Test Results
Well everyone, we received the test results this afternoon. Thank you Kaiser for a quick turnaround.
Maryse’s CT Scan was clear!
Thank you all so much for the outpouring of prayers and support. It feels like we live in a small town where we know everyone and everyone knows us. But our town consists of blogs, Facebook, text messages, emails, and phone calls. We are truly blessed by our community!
From here we’ll go back to our doctor to see what’s next. Yes, our minds are at rest about Maryse’s brain, but we still don’t know what’s ailing her. We’d ask that you continue to pray for a few things:
- That Maryse would feel better day-to-day and be able to preform her duties as a teacher.
- That our doctor would have wisdom in giving us other options for why she is not feeling well.
- That we would continue to grow in our marriage and that our lives would be a testimony of God’s love.
Thanks again, and if we can return the prayers to you all please do not hesitate to ask!
Prayers for Maryse
On Monday, March 15th at 7am (MST) Maryse will have a CT scan of her head/brain.
Please pray for:
- Wisdom & discernment for the doctors
- Peace & joy for Maryse
- Healing from whatever it is that is ailing her
- That God would be glorified in whatever is found
Thank you so much for your prayers.
Feel free to leave any comments or prayers for Maryse below.
Community
I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced a strong sense of community, but recently I have, and I’d like to share my experience with you.
At my church we have home groups which serve as a place for individuals to go deeper into relationship with others, learn and grow with each other, and know and pray for one another. My wife, Maryse, and I joined a home group a little over 1 year ago. Over months of spending time together, these people have become our friends, our accountability, and really, they have become our church.
Maryse has been struggling with some chronic health issues since we started in this home group. They have walked with us, given us suggestions, and prayed for us. But something happened last night at home group which I’m pretty sure I haven’t experienced before.
At our home group meeting, when hearing Maryse’s newest situation (a CT scan of her brain on Monday), we layed hands on her to pray for her. In that moment I felt as if this community that we are a part of weren’t simply going through the motions. They weren’t doing what ‘good Christians’ should do. There weren’t any false pretenses or agendas. As each person prayed I sensed that these friends were truly burdened for us. That they wanted, as if they were the ones suffering, for relief to come. I sensed an earnest and compelling ‘cry out’ to God for his mercy, hope, joy, and peace.
In that moment Galatians 6:2 came to mind: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
If carrying burdens is a way to fulfill Christ’s law, then last night it was fulfilled in our home group.
Have you ever experienced community like this before? Tell us about it…
Hard stuff…
There seem to be a ton of really cruddy things going on in the lives of people around me and in my own life as well.
In the midst of suffering, I want to ask a question to all of us:
When cruddy things are going on in your life, what do you pray for?
Relief?
Strength?
Wisdom?
Do you pray at all?
When have you felt your prayers answered?
