Missed Opportunities?

So yesterday, coincidentally fresh off a summer family vacation to the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the world's only Corn Palace in Mitchell South Dakota (this was really just a stopover on the way home for lunch...but a palace made of corn? only in this part of the country...), I was feeling a little scattered and feeling as though this might be one of those "go through the motions" kind of days. Man was I ever wrong. As I was loading up for the trip downtown, I realized that even though we hadn’t actually missed a week so to speak, it sure felt like it. Anyway, we loaded up and headed out. As we got to our normal downtown spot, we noticed right off the bat that we had a minor problem. The "No Parking" zone that we usually violated was occupied by two large vans. The Angels on Wheels were here and they had our spots. Now we knew they were coming, just didn't realize that they would be coming in such large vehicles and taking "our” parking spots. They had carnival style popcorn poppers working and they were out in force. Yesterday was something called Step Out Omaha. Apparently a bunch of churches band together once a year and do this type of outreach. Cool for us. Lot's of extra hands to help out in many ways. So after they moved their vans, we commence to doing our thing. I know I mention this often, but I am just amazed by the number of people that are showing up every Sunday. A funny thing happened yesterday. There is a group of guys that almost always show up and help us unload the van. Yesterday, as we pulled up and saw the commotion that was going on around the Angels on Wheels tables, several of the guys made sure to tell us that they were waiting on us. They were not going to the "other" group's table. I have to smile thinking about it. Loyalty is a funny thing. So I see my friend Smiley sitting on a wall, apparently sleeping. I smack him on the shoulder and wake him up and tell him to give me a number. Smiley is my numbers guy. He has some kind of way with numbers. Counting and such. He kind of shrugs off the sleep and says he'll get back to me. The reason I mention this is because I have never in 9 months seen so many people on our corner. Never.

So a missed opportunity...I've mentioned my friend Aaron before. Young fellow from Davenport, Iowa. I didn't see him last week. Said he was starting a new job the previous week and he wasn't there last week. He was back this week. He was on my mind all afternoon. I only saw him briefly on Sunday. I had an extremely brief conversation with him. Asked how work was going. Apparently it's not. As I began to ask what happened, he began to tear up, but he tried not to be too obvious…manly thing I guess? Here he is, very young, probably just over 21, homeless in Omaha, and having obvious problems. Just as our conversation was getting started, someone called me over to the serving area and I told him to stay right there. I'd be right back. When I got back, he was gone...missed opportunity. You see, from my perspective? Too many of them. Not enough of me. Not enough of us. How do we keep from missing opportunities like that? Next time? I continue the conversation. Whatever it was at the serving table, or whatever minor crisis can wait. Or get solved on its own. I know that my sister mentioned he was pretty despondent. By the time I talked to her, I couldn't find Aaron. Just too many people. A missed opportunity.

I did have a couple of other great conversations. A fellow named Pope showed up late. We had no food left. We try to stress to these folks that we are there every Sunday at noon. You show up at noon? I can guarantee you you’ll get something. You show up at 1:30 or 2:00? All bets are off. But anyway, Pope challenged me. Told me that it's time for me to start being more bold with his compadres. I'd guess Pope is in his early 50s? Not too sure, but it's relevant. He told me that a lot of these guys are capable of working and supporting themselves. I agree. But how, in the couple of hours that we spend on that corner, do we help these guys in that regard? Don’t know. I told him one of our goals was to develop the relationships somewhat slowly and then see how we could help. How long do we need to develop the relationships? His question. How long. It's been 9 months since God led us to that corner. How much longer before we go deeper? And how much deeper? How much longer until we help them realize and help ourselves realize it's all about the application! I think the time is at hand. Here’s a verse he shared with me. It's from Luke and it came about as a result of our conversation. Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." In the end? All the stuff is just stuff. But the relationships last. All about the application. And the opportunities.

Also had a fantastic conversation with my friend Harry. Harry is a fascinating individual. A few months ago, he looked down at my sandals and said he wanted a pair of them. I said sure Harry. Little did he know I had an older pair in my closet gathering dust. Just his size. Now, I'd had them for a couple of years. Played with them many Sundays in the band at our church in Charlotte. Walked lots of miles in them. Loved those sandals. Harry needed a pair. I can only imagine the miles he's walked in them since. If those sandals could talk? Harry is a Viet Nam vet. Spent a couple of years there in '66 and '67 I believe. He's had jobs, businesses, family, etc. Now? He lives in the "bush". His term. He's a camper. Told me last week that he was going to go the VA to get treatment for alcoholism. I was so hoping to come back from our vacation and visit him at the VA. You see, I'm an alum. Spent a month there in September of 1990. Changed my life. By the grace of God, I was one of the guys who made it out. And now? I was really hoping, for various reasons, to be able to visit Harry at the VA. Didn't make it. But you know what? He apologized for lying to me. No worries Harry. But I impressed upon him my hopes that he'd make it up there yet. Fascinating individual. I love Harry. And he never fails to tell me of his love for me and us. And what we do. And you know what? It's nice to hear that our friends care and feel as though we are making a difference. Harry again reiterated that lots of people have our backs on Sunday. I always worry about my kids in that environment. He matter of factly told me yesterday that we had nothing to worry about. Now I'm a dad. God has entrusted to me 3 beautiful kids and an even more beautiful wife. I worry. But it's nice to know that even though I have my head on a swivel most of the time we spend on that corner, they’ve got our backs. That is not a missed opportunity. That is simply God letting me know that He also has our backs.

Here's where you can help out if you are so inclined. A chance to seize an opportunity. As our ministry has grown, so have the needs. Currently we are doing this thing out of our van and my car. It is definitely an extremely mobile ministry. But as the growth is coming, so to do the needs come. We obviously don't pass a plate. Frankly? Wouldn't matter. Have to remember our target audience! God always provides everything we need as we need it. Right now? We need a trailer. You see, when God led us to start this thing, one of the goals was to get the Sunday neighborhood grass mowers to go down with us and serve. That hasn't really happened so much yet. It will. But what has happened is this - these folks have kids. Guess who these kids play with? Yep. My kids. Which leads my kids to invite them to come down and "feed the homeless". Because of our limited space, we can usually only take one or maybe two of these kids max. So the solution? A trailer. Then we can take lots of kids. If anyone knows of a trailer just lying around somewhere? We could put it to good use. And also...if you have any extra money just lying around and you haven't quite figured out where you want to spend it? Give me a call. I can help you out. :)

Oh and by the way, Smiley did get back to me. Came over to the van and asked me how my heart was. How my heart was? Strong Smiley. At least I hope it is. Give it to me man. Give me the number. Smiley, like he's keeping me in suspense, smiles and again asks me how my heart is. God? Is that you? Is this a test? :) Nah...the number? 268. That was Smiley's number. All I know is that we went down with 250 plates and didn't bring any home. 268? Who knows? It was a bunch though. That much I know. And a few missed opportunities. But a bunch of great fellowship in God's presence. What a day. What a ministry. What a God we serve!!!

Peace and have a great and blessed week.

..."it matters to that one"... :)