Owen
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and
you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I
needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in
prison and you came to visit me. “
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry
and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a
stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see
you sick and in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the
least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:35-40
Last Monday on our day off I went into the small town of Kitale, Kenya near
our ministry site to see a movie with four other racers. On that day we met
Owen, and for me this was one of those times where I caught a glimpse of what
it truly looks like to live out feeding and clothing Jesus through the
“least of these.”
When I walk the streets here I see the hardship of people not knowing if
they will have anything to eat, I see the trials people have endured in their
eyes, and I see the brokeness of homes as thousands of street children run
rampant without anyone to care for them. When I pass these children I ask myself who are they? Where did they
come from? Doesn’t anyone care about these children: “the least of
these.”
We met Owen outside of a bank on the side of the street that monday
afternoon. He had a bottle of cement
glue in one hand and he was asked if he would give up his glue for a loaf of
bread. It seemed like he gave up his
bottle with ease; we have no idea when the last time he had eaten anything
was. So this began our day of blessings
with Owen. We found a vendor on the
streetside with boys sweaters and replaced the ripped and worn one he had
on. Next we took him into the grocery
store and one of the girls took him to pick out his bread while I scanned every
isle for a pair of shoes for him. We
decided on blue flip flops. We asked him
if he would like some cookies and a huge grin crossed his face as he looked at
my friend Katie and said, “milk too?” After the grocery store we
decided to take Owen to see Batman at the movies.
During the movie as I sat next to him I ws overwhelmed with emotion and
thoughts. Can you imagine spending every
night on the streets as a young child? Can you imagine “sniffing”
glue every day to erase your pain a worries for a while only to have them
return with the morning? I have no idea what Owen’s story is, but even with the
communication barrier between Kiswahili and English I can’t imagine that he
didn’t feel the father’s love. I know
that it was a divine appointment that we ran into him that day. For that one night he didn’t have to spend
his time on the streets numbing himself. God calls us to love the “least of these,” with an
unconditional love. Sometimes we think
well I don’t know them, where they came from, or why they are in the position
they are in. But God says to treat
others the way you would want to be treated and to love your neighbor as you
love yourself. Sometimes it is hard to
put ourselves in our neighbors shoes but in doing so just like with Owen, we
are doing it for Jesus. Who of the
“least of these” can you have an impact on today?
Hey Everyone I wanted to thank you all for your much needed prayers and
support on this trip! You have all blessed me more than you could possibly
imagine so thank you so much for being a part of this incredible season!
