Sometimes I sit here and I wonder where to start? So much happens during the course of a Sunday that I sometimes simply find myself wondering where to begin? How about the beginning?
One year ago last Sunday, Robin, Christian, Nick, Erin and I sat at the corner of 15th and Douglas St. That’s right. 15th and Douglas. I pretty much knew that our corner would be 14th and Douglas, but that week we sat in our van one block east of the corner that would become our home for a couple hours every Sunday for the past year. We didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable by sitting in the van and staring. So we went a block east. Robin stressing out. Trying to figure out how we would possibly save all these guys. Nick offering up a baggie of Cheerios to any homeless fellow who might be hungry. Me? No idea what we were getting into. Pretty much how I’ve operated most of my life. Ready. Shoot. Aim. Lets just go do it and then see where the nuts and bolts are when the dust settles. So when we were sitting in the van that Sunday afternoon, I knew the adventure we were heading out on would at least be that…an adventure. I had no idea. My goodness, I had no idea.
Here we are a year later and the names and faces amaze me. People coming each week to help. People coming each week to fellowship. People coming each week to eat! Lots of eating. Lots of getting filled. I really wish at times that we kept track of the number of meals served. The numbers don’t really matter, but it would be interesting to know how many meals one could serve on a street corner in downtown Omaha. Just out of curiosity. But more importantly, I wonder how many people have been touched by the mission that God has birthed on that corner. I was talking to a police officer today. Occasionally, we are blessed with the presence of Omaha’s finest. We’ve never had a problem, so to speak. That in itself is a miracle, considering the people that congregate there weekly. He was asking if we planned on continuing our weekly mission there now that the local shelter was opening a day facility. I explained to him that we would continue, as long as it wasn’t a problem. Frankly, they’ll have to drag us off that corner at this point. He was very gracious and was just wondering if we were going to continue. Well, next week will be one year for us. Sure, we’ll go ahead and stay with it Officer, if ya don’t mind. Now mind you, as I’m talking to him, we have music playing (a little David Crowder, to be exact), a pretty sizable crowd gathered, and we’d just finished praying together on that very corner. The Lord’s Prayer. Talked to a fellow last week that offered a suggestion. Said maybe a lot of the guys on the streets with addictions and other problems maybe didn’t know what the words of that prayer meant. So we talked about it a little today. Then we prayed about it. About 150 of us. Man is that cool. So the officer let us go about our business…God’s business.
Talked to a fellow today. He’s been going with us on Tuesdays to our weekly missional community meeting at The Vine. Used to work at Union Pacific. Has a pension coming next year. But for now? Homeless. His mother died yesterday. He was pretty devastated. She was his support system. His words. I got a plate of food for him and gave him my number. Told him to call anytime. My heart ached for him. Absolutely ached. Pray for Dan. He’ll need it. A little later I talked to another fellow. He and his wife live in a tent by the Missouri River. I have no idea how they will manage this winter. And it’s coming. We had a beautiful fall day today, but it’s coming. Winter is coming. They just got back from Florida. Now, they’ve only been here a few months. I know they told me how they got here, but it’s becoming difficult for me to remember all the hows and whys of people ending up here in Omaha and on that corner. So they just got back from Florida. His mother died last week. I have no idea how they got there and back. Didn’t ask. As he told me about his mom, he cried. Hard. I cannot tell you how much I ached for this guy I barely know. Not only do these folks have to deal with their circumstances, they have to deal with these things also. I learned along time ago that there are no words to make a person feel better in these circumstances. We hugged. Hard. And I told him we’d pray for him. All of us. If you’re reading this, you can pray for Sean also. He’ll need it.
One year ago we headed off on a mission that we believe is of God’s doing. His mission for us. We’ve met some incredible people along the way. It has indeed been a ride to remember. I wish I would have written down every name of every person that has come into contact with us in any way, shape or form. I bet the number of names would be pretty long. Godly long. He has a way of placing people in our paths for a reason. I cannot imagine where we’d be had we not listened to His call to our family to go and do. To serve the people that “live” in the park right across the street from my office. His people. The least of those. And as I type that, I have to ask myself what that means. The least of what? These people are good people. Created in His image. Are we not to take care of our own? I often wonder where Jesus would make an appearance if he were to just happen to make a cameo some day. I obviously don’t know the answer. But I have an idea of the people He might seek out. Wouldn’t be someone like me. Probably those that “live” in the park. Maybe not. Who knows? We are just extremely blessed to be there with our friends each week. So blessed. Great people. Great fellowship. Great times. God times. And I’ll pray that we make it another year. But however long He has us in this role, we’ll be there. We have a system in place now. A support system. God supplies the stuff. We supply the hands and feet. And ears. To those in need. And there are lots in need. And prayers. Lots of prayers.
I’m rambling. It’s how I roll. :) I’m just so thankful that God had us where He has us. I miss my friends and church family in Charlotte. Dearly. But we have friends here that we are getting to know a little better with each passing week. It takes time. That we have. I think. So officer? We appreciate you checking in on us from time to time. Never hurts to have a bit of a presence. But as long as He’s directing this thing, we’re kind of fond of this corner. Been here a year now. Can’t wait to see what’s coming!
James 2:15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Peace and have a great and blessed week.
..."it matters to that one"... :)
One year ago last Sunday, Robin, Christian, Nick, Erin and I sat at the corner of 15th and Douglas St. That’s right. 15th and Douglas. I pretty much knew that our corner would be 14th and Douglas, but that week we sat in our van one block east of the corner that would become our home for a couple hours every Sunday for the past year. We didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable by sitting in the van and staring. So we went a block east. Robin stressing out. Trying to figure out how we would possibly save all these guys. Nick offering up a baggie of Cheerios to any homeless fellow who might be hungry. Me? No idea what we were getting into. Pretty much how I’ve operated most of my life. Ready. Shoot. Aim. Lets just go do it and then see where the nuts and bolts are when the dust settles. So when we were sitting in the van that Sunday afternoon, I knew the adventure we were heading out on would at least be that…an adventure. I had no idea. My goodness, I had no idea.
Here we are a year later and the names and faces amaze me. People coming each week to help. People coming each week to fellowship. People coming each week to eat! Lots of eating. Lots of getting filled. I really wish at times that we kept track of the number of meals served. The numbers don’t really matter, but it would be interesting to know how many meals one could serve on a street corner in downtown Omaha. Just out of curiosity. But more importantly, I wonder how many people have been touched by the mission that God has birthed on that corner. I was talking to a police officer today. Occasionally, we are blessed with the presence of Omaha’s finest. We’ve never had a problem, so to speak. That in itself is a miracle, considering the people that congregate there weekly. He was asking if we planned on continuing our weekly mission there now that the local shelter was opening a day facility. I explained to him that we would continue, as long as it wasn’t a problem. Frankly, they’ll have to drag us off that corner at this point. He was very gracious and was just wondering if we were going to continue. Well, next week will be one year for us. Sure, we’ll go ahead and stay with it Officer, if ya don’t mind. Now mind you, as I’m talking to him, we have music playing (a little David Crowder, to be exact), a pretty sizable crowd gathered, and we’d just finished praying together on that very corner. The Lord’s Prayer. Talked to a fellow last week that offered a suggestion. Said maybe a lot of the guys on the streets with addictions and other problems maybe didn’t know what the words of that prayer meant. So we talked about it a little today. Then we prayed about it. About 150 of us. Man is that cool. So the officer let us go about our business…God’s business.
Talked to a fellow today. He’s been going with us on Tuesdays to our weekly missional community meeting at The Vine. Used to work at Union Pacific. Has a pension coming next year. But for now? Homeless. His mother died yesterday. He was pretty devastated. She was his support system. His words. I got a plate of food for him and gave him my number. Told him to call anytime. My heart ached for him. Absolutely ached. Pray for Dan. He’ll need it. A little later I talked to another fellow. He and his wife live in a tent by the Missouri River. I have no idea how they will manage this winter. And it’s coming. We had a beautiful fall day today, but it’s coming. Winter is coming. They just got back from Florida. Now, they’ve only been here a few months. I know they told me how they got here, but it’s becoming difficult for me to remember all the hows and whys of people ending up here in Omaha and on that corner. So they just got back from Florida. His mother died last week. I have no idea how they got there and back. Didn’t ask. As he told me about his mom, he cried. Hard. I cannot tell you how much I ached for this guy I barely know. Not only do these folks have to deal with their circumstances, they have to deal with these things also. I learned along time ago that there are no words to make a person feel better in these circumstances. We hugged. Hard. And I told him we’d pray for him. All of us. If you’re reading this, you can pray for Sean also. He’ll need it.
One year ago we headed off on a mission that we believe is of God’s doing. His mission for us. We’ve met some incredible people along the way. It has indeed been a ride to remember. I wish I would have written down every name of every person that has come into contact with us in any way, shape or form. I bet the number of names would be pretty long. Godly long. He has a way of placing people in our paths for a reason. I cannot imagine where we’d be had we not listened to His call to our family to go and do. To serve the people that “live” in the park right across the street from my office. His people. The least of those. And as I type that, I have to ask myself what that means. The least of what? These people are good people. Created in His image. Are we not to take care of our own? I often wonder where Jesus would make an appearance if he were to just happen to make a cameo some day. I obviously don’t know the answer. But I have an idea of the people He might seek out. Wouldn’t be someone like me. Probably those that “live” in the park. Maybe not. Who knows? We are just extremely blessed to be there with our friends each week. So blessed. Great people. Great fellowship. Great times. God times. And I’ll pray that we make it another year. But however long He has us in this role, we’ll be there. We have a system in place now. A support system. God supplies the stuff. We supply the hands and feet. And ears. To those in need. And there are lots in need. And prayers. Lots of prayers.
I’m rambling. It’s how I roll. :) I’m just so thankful that God had us where He has us. I miss my friends and church family in Charlotte. Dearly. But we have friends here that we are getting to know a little better with each passing week. It takes time. That we have. I think. So officer? We appreciate you checking in on us from time to time. Never hurts to have a bit of a presence. But as long as He’s directing this thing, we’re kind of fond of this corner. Been here a year now. Can’t wait to see what’s coming!
James 2:15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Peace and have a great and blessed week.
..."it matters to that one"... :)
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