Earlier this week, I wrote about my first experience in hospital ministry on the World Race.
Heartbreak was birthed from the devastation I witnessed that night, but I wasn’t going to let it dismantle my hope. If anything, that hospital brought me into deeper dependence on the Father.
Three days after the initial visit, we loaded into cars and made our way back to the same hospital.
The three days between visit one and visit two were so powerful and necessary for preparing my heart. When it came time to go back, I laid it at God’s feet. He gave me confidence in what I was about to do. Even if the people lying in those beds can’t verbally respond to my prayers, the Lord hears them nonetheless.
Our team wrote sweet notes of encouragement for the patients and staff (in Spanish, of course). We figured this would break the language barrier and offer a tangible reminder of God’s love for them.
Overall, we were in a better position to do the Lord’s work that night. I was actually ready this time.
We approached the hospital doors only to learn that another ministry was inside. The hospital is crowded enough with the patients, loved ones and staff, so two church congregations would have been overwhelming.
As we headed back to the cars, I couldn’t help but wonder what the heck God was doing here. I didn’t understand why I walked through that pain only to forfeit using what I learned from it.
It was one of those “Now what?” moments.
Half an hour later, it all made sense.
Our partner church isn’t one to just go home when things don’t go as planned. They are on mission in their community and they know there is need for Jesus everywhere.
Our diverted ministry plans led us to downtown San Salvador. We arrived at a street lined with men, women and children living on the sidewalks.
I saw people who reminded me of myself before Christ. Maybe I wasn’t anywhere near living on the streets, but I was hopeless and ashamed. I didn’t hold my head up high and I feared looking people in the eye more than I would like to admit.
God allowed me to see these people as He sees them – with love and compassion.
It’s so easy to see homeless people and be tempted to fear them. The Lord told me how they are just people who need him as desperately as I do.
I thought about Jesus and how he would never hesitate to hang out with the outcasts of society. What makes us think we’re so different?
We offered coffee and sweet bread paired with our notes of encouragement. These men and women received our gifts well, but I knew the Lord wanted me to do more than simply pass out food.
It can be intimidating to share your faith with someone on the street. It can be more intimidating to do it on a dark street when you don’t speak the language.
I wanted to find someone with whom I could share my story of redemption. I knew it was to be one of the few women I saw earlier on the street, so I backtracked until I found her.
One of our translators accompanied me to approach the woman. My eyes found her sitting on an unfolded cardboard box with her eyes hidden under a black snapback. I kneeled down to see her eye to eye and asked if I could talk to her about Jesus.
“I hope you don’t see me as this perfect person just because I’m here with a church. I know what it’s like to feel hopeless, but I want to tell you how God gave me hope.”
She listened intently as I went through my testimony of addiction and freedom. I could see the small glimmer of hope on her face, and everything made sense.
I wish I could have spent more time with her, but I am satisfied with the time we shared. I thank God that he can take it from here and convict her to find help and receive a new life.
Please join me in praying for His spirit to move on the streets on San Salvador to bring people home.
Nobody says they want to grow up and live on the sidewalk, but I am confident that many of those adults wish they could fulfill the dreams of their five year old selves right now.
This coming Monday, our team will head out to do homeless ministry for the second time. Our host warned us that we would see many more children in the area we will go, so please pray that their hearts would be open and ready to receive the love we want to pour out. Pray that they would receive the love of God.
The race has been quite the journey so far, but I am so glad I have the Lord to walk through it with me.
He is doing amazing things in my heart and showing me how to be BOLD in the process. I can only imagine what the next 10 and a half months have in store.
With love,
McKenzie
