April 12, 2013
His name was John.
Today we took a different approach to ministry. A group of us went to one of the parks nearby the church center that we are working with. We brought with us a guitar, cookies, cake, tea and pamphlets to hand out to those passing by. Our goal in ministry this month is to reach out to people in the area who are poor, homeless or addicts. Many people who pass through this park are in that target group. We managed to talk to a few people today in the time we were out, but one man in particular caught my attention. His name was John.
Although it is a little difficult to communicate through a translator, I managed to have a pretty good conversation with John. John did not know any English, but he did know the word “sorry” and for some reason he kept apologizing. He seemed confused as to why we were being so kind to him. You could tell that he accepted every cookie or cup of tea we offered him hesitantly almost as if he felt guilty or unworthy of such gestures. I asked him if he would join us tomorrow evening at the center and he responded by saying he didn’t think we would want him there (even though he had been invited). Through a translator I told him how much his life meant to God and even to me who he had just met. I told him that we would love for him to come tomorrow so we could get to know him better. He said that we had very good lives because we had God and he could see how happy we were. We told him that he could have the same life as us, and began to share with him. Tears began to roll down his cheeks. At first he tried to pull his hood over his eyes to hide the tears. He told me how ashamed he felt to be in our presence under the influence of alcohol. He said that he struggled with an alcohol addiction and he wanted to be released from it. What he did not realize was that the fact he WANTS to be freed from that lifestyle is a HUGE deal, the first step and a BIG step. My friend Austin and I took turns talking to John. When Austin shared with him about what it takes to be in a relationship with Jesus and how much Jesus desires to have a relationship with him, man, I wish you could have been there. I can’t describe what it was like to watch this mans expressions and be able to literally feel the brokenness that he is experiencing. As Austin knelt down holding John’s hands in his, he prayed a prayer for salvation. I sat with my arm around John as he wept.
Later I asked John if he had a home. With an embarrassed shake of the head he responded no. I asked him if he had any more warm clothes and again with an ashamed look he said no. I felt as if the Lord was telling me to assure him that if he came to the church’s center tomorrow that he would have at least a warm pair of gloves.
I made a promise to this man that although I am only here for two more weeks, that whatever I can do to help him in those two weeks I would do because that is what the Lord has called me to do.
As it says in Matthew 25:31-41
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you have me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 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 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.’
When we refuse to help the least of these brothers and sisters, we are refusing to help Jesus.
And so, I will fulfill these duties as the Lord has clearly asked us to do in scripture.
Please pray for John, and for the many like him in this community.
