Today began as a semi-normal day (at least for this week). We awoke, and over breakfast read the third chapter of our book. This latest chapter outlined a bit of the background of the author and it reminded me in some ways of donald miller. Not quite the same level of wandering storyteller but a bit of a similar academic history.
After Breakfast we once again headed over to crossroads and continued our project of organizing, labeling, and reshelving their childrens library. We did make fairly good progress on this task but for whatever reason (fatigue, soreness, sickness, or wednesday) many of us became frustrated by the work and while we still did it we were unable to be joyful or even happy for a time. (I was told that my grumpy face came out...) In hindsight I'm a bit embarrassed that I got as grumpy as I did but... it happened.
We worked through lunch (we were fasting that meal anyway) and with just a few minutes to spare before the kids arrived (they live at crossroads so the arrival is swift) we piled the books in such a way that we'll be able to finish the job tomorrow morning. We're at the point where if we left things as they are now it'll be worse than when we started, but a few more hours and we'll be in much better shape overall.
Afternoon rolled around and we once again set up the marketplace. I don't think I've explained what that is so I'll do that now. The marketplace is a vbs program that sets up a set of stations that mimic activities that could have been around in biblical times. For instance we've got a scribe/artist (they can draw or write with little feather quills) a potter/sculpter (clay is fun stuff) a musician (kids love to hit drums) a storyteller (stories!)
and a food stall (awesome every day except when you're fasting). The composition of activities has changed day to day (we made little sandals the first day, but that's been scrapped) and I'm sure there are some I forgot but the general gist is that the kids earn some money during group time for memorizing a verse and whatnot. They also can go to a few money earning stations in the market itself (we had a soldier who was testing new recruits and would hand out money to types that could do push ups and jumping jacks and stuff, and a rich man who gave out money to people who would participate in the least busy activity, or they could recite the verse in lieu of paying 'cash').
At some point in the day Jesus (a role played by adam) would enter the market and make a big scene recreating a biblical story. (zacceus, the woman at the well, or the healing of a blind man) usually right before this the market would begin to close and right after the kids would go discuss what they saw and learned during the afternoon. After this time they'd get free time until 4:30 and we'd move on to our next stop.
Today that stop was a place called Davids tent which is the homeless ministry of Church in the City - Beth Abraham. It is a ministry of Jews for Jesus and was somewhat interesting of a night to be there since we were not the only missions group there. We were joined by a huge contingent of YWAM types who were there to observe? perhaps? I say this because the only ones that were involved in serving were the YWAM leaders. We hopped in and because they were short on servers (or at least appeared to be) we ended up helping distribute the meal. It became quickly apparent that most of the YWAM kids (I say most because there were about 150 of them there and only about 20 were helping serve) were more interested in trying to convert the homeless however possible than they were in feeding the physical bodies of people who were there because they were hungry and needed a meal. We saw several different expressions of this but the most notable were that they tried to convert a professing catholic (a chronic homeless man, but still) with the promise that faith in christ would make his life easier (he told them that he did believe in Jesus but didn't believe that would make his life easier) and that they said they would pray over another man who'd had a stroke 'until he was healed', we left before they did but they were throwing the name of Jesus around like He's some sort of magical talisman and it didn't appear to have any effect, also I found it a bit frustrating that in their large clump of wailing people the fringes would take breaks to film the whole process with their cell phones. I had to remind myself on the way out the door that I do like YWAM and that they are just kids for the most part... but this was not their strongest showing overall, and it was egged on by their leadership. In all fairness the rest of their leadership was serving right alongside us and there were several of their kids who were talking and approaching people to learn their stories and encourage them instead of looking down on people. I do realize that I'm probably being unfair and don't know what their debrief looked like... but I was a bit dissatisfied with what I saw.
After that we headed 'home' and most folks went on to the gym. I did not this go around as I instead elected to go to bed early... so early in fact that I'm writing this the next morning. (with krispy kreme in hand)
-Nick
p.s. lots of our staff are sick so please keep praying that we have the energy and health to finish strong.
p.p.s. krispy kremes are delicious.
2 comments:
You must have ran into the Circuit Riders crowd - they're in the middle of their 2-week outreach to the Denver area. Try not to be so quick to jump all over them (and remember that you were tired and grumpy and likely a bit quicker to jump to judgements whilst in said mood) - yeah, it sounds like they could have been more respectful/tactful in their approach to street evangelism (I promise you I know better than most the shortcomings of YWAM) but on the flip side, they're willing to step out on a limb and be bold with sharing about Jesus. They may have been a bit misguided, yes, but the testimonies (of both salvations and super-natural healings) that have come out of Circuit Rider outreaches around the country (and London) this summer have been absolutely incredible. And I suspect that most of the staff helping you guys out were doing so specifically so the students COULD focus on the conversations and eliminate the temptation to hide behind the serving. There has to always be a balance of feeding the physical bodies (let's be honest, sometimes this is way easier) and addressing the "spiritual" needs of a relationship with God (as much as possible with our human mistakes and general desperation for the grace & leading of the Holy Spirit to "effectively" share the gospel at all - in any way).
They need some guidance and discipleship in the process yes, but it's not all bad. I'm thankful that there's not only a group of your guys with ACK willing to serve and work and share of Jesus' love, but also this group of YWAM "kids" who are learning and growing in what it means to be bold and obedient when it comes to sharing the gospel. The whole process - from fasting to serving to grumpiness to making mistakes to not stepping up to serve is lined in an ocean of grace - and it's not up to us to necessarily get it all right all the time (which is good, cause we never would).
Hope you are able to get some well-earned sleep. Sounds like the whole team is getting tired, possibly both physically, and emotionally...and possibly spiritually? An attack from satan? don't discount that possibility. Cast it all at jesus feet. He has called you to this ministry this summer, and He will equip you with what you need. Maybe tomorrow when you wake up you may have to say what I sometimes have to say "Lord, I just don't have the energy, nor the love that I need to face whatever is queued up for today - so you are on. Please help me to be available if you want to use me, and then give me the strength, in whatever sphere it is needed, to fulfill what you will ask me to do. Help me to just be faithful TODAY."
And then some motherly advice: Wash your hands frequently, get some sleep, drink lots of water, and pray, pray, pray.
LOVE YOU.
Mom
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