“We don’t need you.”
What if you heard those words come from someone you were supposed to be serving and working with on a mission trip? That’s what we got when we arrived here at Love Story for our final month on the World Race. We also got a chocolate bar, a welcome packet and a little paper with our name and a Bible verse on each of our pillows. Confused? Love Story is all about building relationships and being a church community. They wanted to reassure us that they have functioned without us for 7 plus years and they will be able to do so when we leave. They told us that they didn’t need us to come; they wanted us.
To quote my talented teammate Malia’s storybook that she wrote, “Sometimes you may not be wanted, but you may be needed. Sometimes you may not be needed, but you may be wanted. And sometimes you may not be wanted or needed, but you are called.”
The people of Love Story value intentionality, vulnerability, and being the church. They love serving their city of Port Elizabeth and pouring into their community, and they also love pouring into World Race teams.
The reason we didn’t take offense to the above statement is because we were relieved; we were happy. We want all the places we partner with to be sustainable. The heart behind Adventures in Missions is to partner World Racers with sustainable ministries, churches and organizations already bringing the Gospel message to their communities. We’re not meant to come in, be their savior and then leave. We’re meant to partner with the work that God is already doing in a place.
That brings us back to Love Story: Love Story had very small beginnings with a couple of men in love with Jesus and determined to be His hands and feet to the ignored and dirty of their city: the homeless. They bought a couple sandwiches and handed them out to a couple men living on the streets. Because of their obedience, this movement grew. And soon enough, they had to register as an official organization with full-time staff and volunteers. However, the founder’s aim is to stay invisible. He doesn’t want the attention or the glory. “Don’t compliment me. Join me!” This guy’s heart is the same as Jesus’. Jesus doesn’t want your fandom, he wants you to follow Him.
This month we worked alongside all the staff at Love Story. We chopped vegetables with Vellie, the cook, for the evening hot meal for the homeless that they serve every week night on the steps behind the city hall. We handed out the hot meals with Luke and Stevie to approximately 75 homeless people at “City Feed.” We also got to talk to and pray for them.
We delivered sandwiches to school children and hot meals to creches (nurseries/preschools) and other ministries in the townships on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth with Willie. Townships are the slums of a city.
We helped set up, run, and break down for Love Story’s monthly Valley Market that brings in most of the money that Love Story needs to continue operating.
Some of us even got to go on the local Christian radio station “Kingfisher” to talk about our World Race experience, our time at Love Story and how locals can get involved in Love Story and give back to their community during the holiday season.
One day, we visited a government run hospital with Sarah and Jo (for people who don’t have health insurance) and blessed new mothers in the maternity ward by handing out care packages.
We briefly visited and helped out at a “baby haven” called Zanethemba which provides temporary safe care for abused, abandoned, and neglected children from newborn to about 3 years old. Its kind of like in the States where children have to be removed from their home and go to emergency, short term foster care. But in South Africa, instead of going to foster care like in the States, they go to these baby homes (or children’s homes for older kids) with a court order. Everyone’s hope (the social worker and the ones that run the baby home) is that the babies/toddlers will be able to return to their family or be adopted. I’m happy to report that the one we got to go to was very clean, homey, well-kept, full of love, and operated according to a predictable schedule. In just the 3 weeks we were there, two of the kids were taken home by their adoptive parents!
This month was an amazing last month on the World Race being shown by the Love Story staff what it practically looks like to live in community and be the light in the darkness by practically being the hands and feet of Jesus; something we’ve been doing in eleven different countries this year. Now I’m going home changed with a wider perspective on the world, on God, the capital C church, and myself.
My team on the last day of ministry on the Race! (Nov 10) From L-R: Sylvia, Malia, Leah, Maggie, me, and Emily. We painted 21 coffee tables and about 10 big tables like this one!
But I have one thing to say to my supporters: I didn’t save the world this year. I didn’t even “save” one person. I didn’t lead anyone to accept Christ as their Savior. I didn’t do anything special except be obedient to God and radical for the gospel. I did simple things. I loved. Instead of just staying inside the four walls of my church and complimenting those people that actually go out into the world to be Jesus’ hands and feet, I joined them. And I’ll continue joining them when I return home to the United States.
