We went to a street outreach tonight and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I thought we would be going and talking to kids about Jesus and that whole thing.
WRONG. Jesus had something he wanted to talk to me about. Brokenness.
We went out and were talking to kids and I noticed one acting drunk but had no smell of alcohol. I asked one of our ladies that went with us when I saw them holding plastic bags and breathing something in. I asked and was informed that it was a sealant that they huff. I was at a loss. My first impulse was to take the bag and not let them. But I couldn’t. It wouldn’t get me anywhere since I can’t directly communicate and that is never a way to get a positive idea into a young person. So I don’t allow it to affect my relationship with them. I ask their name and give them mine and love them for who they are and not what they are doing. I get to know quite a few and they are eager to meet us too. So the kids do their program filled with dancing and some skits from a team from Korea. As this is going on, a 12 year old named Edwin comes up and is taking my arms and wrapping them around him in front of me. He is dirty and smells, but I don’t even second guess that he is wanting love. I don’t care that my shirt is stained since now when I look at it, I will forever remember him falling asleep as he stood there….in my arms.
Also as we are sitting there, there are a line of kids on the curb and about 7 or 8 standing behind us huffing. They were watching people portray Jesus through skits and huffing. I am thankful that they were there to watch it. I have faith that it planted a seed and now it is our job to help clear the ground to let it grow.
You can actually see the girl in the pink hoodie huffing.
A few of us have now planned on going every night we are here to show them that they aren’t something we go to once a week. That they are people who do matter to us. That we WANT to be there for them in every way we can. We are also going to fast lunch everyday so that that money can go to feeding them when we go. It only cost about $15 to give a nice little snack to 30-40 kids. So that is what we can do. That is what we can do to bring as much Jesus as we can. By simply being there.
On the way home Phil, Juilan and I were all in this place of what to do, what to do, what to do. I mean I have never been in a place like that. Both physically and spiritually. I have never seen that stuff firsthand. I have never been so broken where I don’t know what to do. I was on the verge of tears a few times, but I didn’t know what I was going to cry about. Was it for them? Was it because I was kind of angry that we can’t do more and something more substantial? Like take them all of the streets and love them like they deserve? Was it because I was lost and didn’t know what else to do? I think it was the simple and HARD truth that the only difference to us and them, is where we were born. So I fought them back and concentrated on what was going on. I instead the emptiness feeling to fuel me to let everyone know what has happened. I posted on Facebook about and I am here writing this. My words don’t do them justice, but it is way better than not talking about them.
So when most of you are waking up, we will be out there doing what we can. So please lift us up in prayer. 530 – 9 am central time is when we should be out there.
Isaiah 58:10-12 (ESV)
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
11And the LORD will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to dwell in.
