Summer 2013 just after I had returned home from a two week mission trip to Malawi, our youth ministry was headed to sunny California for a church camp. From the moment I hopped on the bus I desperately wished I had stayed home or even better wished I was in a village with my friends singing in Chichewa “ascenda” over and over. I felt that this summer camp experience was a selfish trip to focus on ourselves verse focus on God.
During the camp we had beach days, where our church packed as many students as they could into vans and headed to Huntington beach. After spending two weeks with humble widows and abundant of jumping children it made camp impossible to enjoy. Everyone went on as if there weren’t starving people in the world or that the most important thing was that they got the number of that cute guy/girl from the other church! It was incredibly frustrating and I couldn’t help but be spiteful to my fellow youth group. I did have my close friends there with me and some who had been to Malawi previous years which was a great outlet to share my frustrations because they understood.
Anyways we arrive at the beach and were allowed to swim, lay out, buy lunch and go shopping. My few friends and I bought some tacos and enjoyed our lunch on the beach. Then two of my friends wanted to walk down the pier and with my lack of interest in the other groups splashing in the water I joined them. I remember being quiet and enjoying the simplicity of just being there. As we walked onto the pier we passed a few homeless or underprivileged people with cardboard signs “need money”, “out of luck”,“God bless you” and “hungry, anything helps”. When I saw this my heart sunk as we continued to walk down the pier. Before we walked too far I asked my friends if we could go buy lunch for one of the men sitting on pier. We know what’s right but sometimes continue to walk because we don’t want to get involved or even think the common thought “oh someone else will help them”. I remember thinking, “we are on a church event we are here to grow in Christ and to love people, we have to do something”! I thought about all the other students who had passed this man on the pier and passed an opportunity God had presented them. God opens up opportunities in the oddest ways but we have to be open to them and open to being uncomfortable for God.
We approached the man and asked him if we could take him to lunch, then all four of us headed to the Subway across the street. My friends and I had already had lunch but I got in line and ordered too. The man’s name was Isaac, Isaac ordered a 6 inch sub sandwich, I noticed it was the cheapest one on the menu which broke my heart. I ordered a footlong of the exact sandwich and chips. Im not going to lie it was very uncomfortable and conversation was awkward, it’s like anytime you meet someone new. We all sat at a table together and just hung out. In my heart I wanted to share the gospel some way but in our conversation it just never came up. Isaac shared with us his story and how he had come out to California and had been living on the streets for 6 months without work. He hadn’t finished high school and didn’t have contact with his family.
The conversation continued and I still had the footlong and chips. Then I remembered I had a verse, Philippians 4:6-8, in my backpack I excused myself to go get water but what I was really doing was putting the piece of paper with the verse in the bag with the sandwich and chips. As I came back it was time to say goodbye to our friend Isaac, then I gave him the bag with the footlong and chips. I felt God had given me the opportunity to share the gospel through that small piece of paper. Isaac was extremely thankful, he repeatedly said thank you and then we said our goodbyes and that we would never forget him.
My two friends and I headed back to the beach kinda saying stuff like “that was so cool” and “wow”. We were amazed by what God had done. Before we crossed the street I looked down to see a shirt tag, size small. I just new that God was telling us it’s all about the small things .
It is about the small things and that whole week at camp I was angry, upset and spiteful towards everyone there. I had focused all my energy on being upset with the world instead of recognizing that God works through us everywhere not just overseas but in each day where ever we are! I look back at this story and if I would have stayed home instead of going to camp I would never of met Isaac, I wouldn’t be able to share that God moment with my two friends and I wouldn’t be sharing this blog.
I haven’t shared this story much but it’s been two years and I constantly think about this and how God used us three teenagers to bring glory to his kingdom! I don’t know and may never know if Isaac even read my small piece of paper but I do know that he is a child of God and God takes care of his children. This story impacts my life every day and as I get ready to leave for the race (22 days!!) I constantly pray for all the future ‘Isaacs’ God puts in front of me. I hope that we as disciples of Christ are open to uncomfortable opportunities and know that God puts opportunities in all the small things.
Here’s the pier and my joyful self summer of 2013! haha:)
