Real Danger

In San Diego we saw some seriously crazy stuff. Things that were gross. Things that were wild. Things that were scary. And even things that were dangerous.

Gross: Our group was mostly women, and so while we were on the streets we had many homeless guys try to flirt with them. Most of it was done in a respectful, and almost comical way. But on a few occasions remarks were made to our gals which were simply crude. There isn’t really anything like a drunk, homeless guy who is missing a few teeth trying to flirt with a high school girl from the suburbs.

Wild: The church where we stayed was in the city, but it was also right by the airport. We must have been directly under the path for incoming flights because all day, and all night, planes would fly right over our spot. See picture and video below:

Scary: We also saw many people who were addicted to drugs and alcohol. It was a sad thing to observe. And while most of the drunks we encountered were pleasant enough, one belligerent drunk in particular was very angry. At what? We have no idea, because he was literally incoherent. But the event culminated with him getting up, stumbling around, cussing us out, throwing the water we just gave to him at us, and looking like he might throw a punch. Yikes!

Dangerous: And of course there was some danger in what we did, as there always is. The other male leader from our group arrived by a low flying plane the night we arrived. His flight got in around 11pm and his cab pulled up to the church at about 11:45pm. There were homeless people camped all around the building, and the cab driver turned to my friend and said, “Are you serious? You want me to drop you off right here?” Implying that certainly my friend had more sense than that. “This is the place,” he replied. And so the driver wasted no time throwing my friend’s bag on the curb and peeling out away from that place.

So, you can see, it was a crazy trip. No doubt about it. But as I reflect from the comfort of my couch, I ask myself, was the real danger in us going, or would it have been more dangerous for us not to have gone?

Matthew 25:41-46 ~ “Then he will say to those on his left, ’Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

August 2, 2010 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: bible, church, mission, photos, video | 2 Comments »