Service Project Number Three

There was much talk over the weekend (actually this whole past week) about homelessness in our area. A bunch of the families on my homeschool loop have even found a temporary home for a couple of ladies and helped them with money, possessions, doctor appointments and jobs etc.

There are hundreds of homeless in our area. And this past weekend it was going to be well below freezing at night. Saturday's paper mentioned how churches up north open up to allow the homeless to stay the night. A light bulb went on in my head. We have a huge church facility that could easily house quite a few homeless for a night or two. Sunday morning I mentioned it to a friend just as a passing thought.

Then, the preacher, during his sermon mentioned how the physical building of a church really belongs to those who are seeking, those who are lost. By the time I got home, I had a whole plan arranged in my head for opening up our church to the homeless. I ran my thoughts and ideas through hubby and a good friend of mine (and her husband who happens to be a deacon.)

By yesterday morning I was making a few preliminary phone calls to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. We have a large facility but a relatively poor church so I knew we would need help with security, food and other resources. By 8:30AM I was ready to call a pastor and give him my proposal.

The pastor I talked with thought I had a good idea and he had even thought of something like it over the weekend. I forwarded him all the info I had gathered and said that we would be available for whatever he needed. He asked if we would be able to sit up at the church last night and I said "sure." Although the kids and I would not be able to stay all night. And then I left the rest in his hands.

We took a few minutes during school to talk about the homeless. And what that exactly means. We discussed, just a little bit, what I was doing and why I felt I needed to do it. We talked about the fact that the homeless are probably just the kind of people that Jesus ministered to. And if we are to grow more like Jesus every day then we should make an effort to minister to them as well.

After I had called the pastor, hubby found an article on the local news website that said a couple of other shelters had been opened the day before and a lot more beds had become available. The front page of the newspaper had a story about homeless shelters opening with the aid of the Red Cross etc. About an hour later I was sent an email by my pastor saying that after speaking with a couple of local aid agencies that it wasn't necessary at the time to open up the church.

I am so relieved the problem had been addressed. And I am thankful that I stepped out in faith. I am thankful for a pastor who was willing to listen. And I am thankful for a church that was willing to step out in faith.

It didn't turn out like I thought it would :) But, it was an important lesson for me to learn to be available to His calling. And, now I know that when the issue comes up again, we as a church body are willing and a little bit more prepared then we were last week . . .