Just to clarify "Sweet As" means "Really Sweet". There were 10 of us...all the students, Dale and Daniel. We left on Sunday afternoon to drive up to Christchurch where some lovely friends took us in. And so began Ministry Week. Here's a quick overview first, then I'll share some of what we saw and heard and felt while we went through these things. There were tons of laughs and heaps of 60 cent ice cream cones from McDonalds, but these were the memories that were and are powerfully pulling on my heart.
Day 1 - Monday: Homeless shelter, Unitarian Universalist/Quaker
Day 2 - Tuesday: 0800HUNGRY
Day 3 - Wednesday: Voice of the Martyrs, Mormons, East Side 49ers
Day 4 - Thursday: Bahai, Buddhist Thai Temple
Day 5 - Friday: 0800HUNGRY
I met a homeless man who has lost everything and everyone he's ever known. He was adopted as a young child, but now had no contact with his adoptive family. He searched and found his birth mom, but no longer has contact with her. He lived for 5 years with an older woman, but she recently had a stroke and her son came and kicked this man out of the house and forced him to break contact with the woman...he does not know if she is dead or alive anymore. And all his documents were locked in the garage, but the son of the woman disposed of them, so he has none of the documents he used to. Pray for Mark.
I met children who at 10 years old are stoned more often than not. They live rough lives and have very few positive influences in their lives. I hung out with some who left half way through to smoke because they knew they weren't allowed to get high where we were. I met a little girl who has a job at age 11 because she needs money to ride the bus each day. I met kids who relaxed and laughed as we sang and danced and played with them. Pray for the hurting children, it doesn't matter where you go in the world...they are there.
I met people who don't have a clue how lost they are. People who could look me in the face and tell me they don't believe in satan. People who think that everyone will go to heaven and they just want world peace, harmony, and unity. We went to talk with people from 4 different religions and they all basically said they want world peace and everyone can get to God. It's sad to belong to a faith that doesn't push so hard for world peace, because yes, that would be nice, but we are in a battle! This is a war and satan is powerful. We cannot just sit in false peace, we have to fight for what we believe. One of them said believe whatever you want and you'll be fine. One said Buddha and Jesus and Mohammed are all the same person. One said that if they work hard enough they will get to heaven. One said be careful what you think about, because that is what you will become in your next life. Pray for Peter, Tui, Howard, Grant, Jenny, Sud Chai, and the others we talked to who think they will be in Heaven someday, but deny Jesus. They need Him to save them still!
I met a man who told me that he was so thankful for the food we were dropping off for his daughter. She was at work for the 2nd time in 2 weeks, because that's all her job required and she had no money to buy food. He told me joyfully that his stove was finally working again now...since the earthquake 2 years ago. He told me how they survived 11 months without a working toilet in their house while sharing the home with 2 other families whose houses were in worse condition. He thanked me again and again. I wish I could have done so much more. Pray for him and his family, and the many others who still live with holes in their roofs, cracks in their walls, appliances that don't work, destroyed belongings, all because of the earthquake 2 years ago.
I met a woman who as I handed her the box of food from 0800HUNGRY her eyes lit up and she said "oh! Vegetables!" and my heart broke that what I had given her was the veggies the store could no longer sell...pray for those like her who cannot buy their own food.
I met people who work 70 hour weeks to feed the people in the two stories above because they feel that's what God had called them to. It's not for pay either...they live simply by donations. I met a man who gave up his career to work with those stoned and high children mentioned above...not because he thought it would be fun (he didn't like the idea at all) but because God called him to that ministry. I met people who do the office work and sign thank you notes, so that illegal believers all around the world and those imprisoned and beaten can be remembered, prayed for, and supported. And I spent the week surrounded by 9 others who used every moment as best as they could to share God's love - by debating with those who are confused, hugging the hurt children, packing food and diapers and dog food to be delivered, praying continuously, listening to the stories, playing basketball with strangers, signed hundreds of letters, decorated boxes, shared their stories, and serving well. I was so honored to be a part of the Capernwray Team this Ministry Week. Your prayers will keep these ministries going. Thanks for being a part of our team!
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