Divine Outreach Appointments

Sometimes we get caught up inadvertently judging those who come to us for help. We create a box we believe people should fit in before we can reach out to them. This often requires a lot of assumptions on our part. Doing this can add stress to our outreach experience and put undue pressure on ourselves to “mentally qualify” recipients. This assumed responsibility is a load none of us should carry. That’s not to say ministries shouldn’t have guidelines and boundaries. But I personally believe there’s an ultimate God-reason why people come to our outreach and their appointment is not a mistake or unknown by God. I also believe we should pray and trust God to perform His miracle in people’s lives and go about performing our volunteerism with Christ-like compassion. The bottom line is regardless whether a person comes to us under false pretensions or not; the fact is, they came to us. We now have a God-given opportunity. It’s still a divine-encounter moment and we have a choice. Do we assume things we don’t know or judge based on appearance, the type of car they drive, etc.; or do we love, pray, befriend, and trust God to perform the inward miracle in this person’s life. Maybe what they’re looking for is entirely different than what God ultimately wants to give them. Let’s us be the kind, gentle messenger; His ambassador to announce Good News into their life. Maybe this encounter can turn out to be their miracle, ultimately turning their life around, impacted by a Spirit-filled volunteer. “God use us to impact those who come to us. Help us to share You. May we learn to truly love the person like you would and earnestly pray our new friends will experience the eternal destiny of Heaven.”

Love Knows the Way!

I'm feeling a myriad of emotions from today's outreach. Returning home I'm struck with how difficult life can be! Like the mom who broke into tears when we told her tire needed fixed. She had no money to fix the flat; she's homeless, living in a local shelter. But we got her to a local tire shop and had the tire fixed. She came back to express extreme gratitude!

With 27 vehicles to change, we needed all the help who came. At one point Wayne Yost, (who does a fantastic job leading the guys outside in the oil change area), told me he could use one more person to help. I walked back into the building to look for someone and there was a man we had never met, who just walked into the building. He was holding a copy of the flyer that was sent out last week and said he came to help. Yes! He came to help, yet he himself was homeless, living in his van. Amazing!

There were two more homeless ladies who had windows in their vehicles completely broke out. One had a blanket over the entire back window; the other one had a garbage bag over the window. Neither one had the money to fix their window.

AND YET... from these precious ladies came smiles, laughter, and huge "thank-you" for the oil change and car inspections. Great work everyone! Karla gave out free haircut coupons from a local cosmetology school. She also brought a stack of ladies' magazines from home and the ladies quickly took one to take home. Central Bible College students and Evangel students came and helped with the children inside as well as with the oil team outside. I'm so proud of everyone! Wow, what a day!