Queued up for Boston?

Spring is finally here! I realize it’s May and we’re on the cusp of summer, but here in Nebraska, we take what we get. Today was a Chamber of Commerce day. A little windy, but here on the plains where you can stand on a Coke can and see for miles, there’s not much to stop the wind. But it was a beautiful, sunny day. And our friends in the park were in good spirits once again. There’s just something that happens on that corner on Sundays. I guess you could say it’s the presence of God. And that is definitely what it is. Has to be. When we get there? The lines are already forming. I’m going to go off on a bit of a tangent here, but these poor folks must spend loads of time every day waiting in lines. Especially to eat. I don’t know how to get around it. And we try to serve it up as fast as we absolutely can, but you can only whip up a Sloppy Joe so fast. I feel for them. I’ve been at the Sienna Francis House Shelter when they were lining up to get a bed for the night. I’ve been at the Open Door Mission when they were doing the same. Lines everywhere they turn. I don’t know the answer. I just know they must spend lots of time in “queues”, as our friend Mandy says.

Anyway, when we get to the corner, folks are already taking their respective places in the serving line. And several of our regulars immediately converge on the back of the trailer to help unload. When we leave, it’s as if we were never there. And it becomes a bit
desolate. But for the couple of hours that God lets us inhabit that corner on Sundays, it just becomes alive with activity. God’s activity. I had the pleasure of meeting a couple folks from Papio Creek Church today. They want to partner with us as much as possible as a mission opportunity. I am blown away by this. The simple fact that they want to help on a regular basis. What a deal! God is so unbelievably faithful in this journey. This couple that showed up today were so great. I got an email from the pastor at Papio Creek yesterday telling us how they wanted to help with clothes, food, people and money resources. Are you kidding me? I pray for those things every single day. The cool thing about this, for me anyway, is that we can spend more time focusing on the important stuff. The eternal stuff and not so much about the physical needs. Not that we’ll give those needs any less attention, but God is so faithful in supplying those needs, it’s almost as if He’s saying He’s got us covered. And of course He does. Maybe at this point, He knows we are in for the duration. Maybe He knew it all along. Was He just waiting to see if we’d stick t out? Was He simply testing our resolve? I don’t know, but He is taking us places I’d only dreamed about.

Today, I met a guy named Tony. Tony is on some kind of journey. Now here’s the deal. I meet someone new almost every single week. And see old faces that I maybe haven’t seen in weeks or months. But it seems like I meet someone new every week. Opportunity. So Tony has a very distinct British accent. He’s in Omaha. Needs to get back to Boston. How does that add up? He meets me at the back of the trailer as we are unloading. Asks if I can multi-task as he tells me of his situation. That’s a tough time for me because there are lots of guys around at that point helping unload and stuff, so it’s tough to get into conversation about bus tickets with that many people around. Before you know it, we’ll be travel agents for the homeless! So I tell him to grab a bite, hang around and we’ll chat when the time is better. He agrees. The thing for me is I don’t want to put him off, but there are a few things to take care of and I want to make sure we get things off and running. So a little later, as I’m talking with someone, I sense Tony in my peripheral vision. Hovering. And I have to tell you, I understand. What must that be like? Here’s a guy who doesn’t look like your normal homeless guy. I know how ridiculous that sounds, but he just doesn’t. He has a need. Needs to get back to a place of familiarity. Is he wasting his time here? So again I tell him to give me time to process it all. But mainly, just give the corner time to settle down and maybe thin out a bit. We can talk about it when there aren’t so many people around. He says the following to me…”are you the guy I need to talk to? Or am I wasting your time?” So again, I tell him to hang tight. We aren’t going anywhere and I assume he isn’t either. I never try to minimize our friend’s situations. Just because a guy might be a little down on his luck, homeless, or whatever, his time should be as important as mine. Which is why the whole waiting in line thing bothers me so much. So, I tell him to hang in there with me.

In the meantime, I sense my friend Eric wants to chat. He watched the Chronicles of Narnia last night. Eric is a guy that I’ve mentioned before. He always waits around and chats with me. Always. So today, he had a lot to say. For about 30 minutes, he recited to me every single story in the Narnia series. All of them. From the Magician’s Nephew all the way to the Last Battle. Without taking a breath! He told me more about that series than I could ever have imagined. I’ll never need to read any of the books. Just before he left, I asked him, in his all time estimation, if this was his favorite series ever. He got the biggest grin and answered in the affirmative. It was obvious. And then I had to almost excuse myself to be able to talk to Tony again. And Tony heard the whole conversation also. It was unbelievable. He knew (and told me) every detail of every book. For 30 minutes. I was worn out. Tony couldn’t believe it. Said the guy was a savant. And was amazed at my patience. Hey, it’s the least I can do. All I had to do was listen. Listen. It was that easy. And Eric hangs around every single week just to chat. Today? He let me have it! But it was good.

So I finally got a chance after most every one had left to sit down and chat with Tony. He’s been here for a few years. But I caught the British accent right away. It was pretty evident. He’s been at the Sienna Francis House for 2 weeks. Somebody told him that we might be able to help him get to Boston. Just call us God’s travel agents. So someone else, just today, hands me a donation for $130.00. Guess how much a ticket from Omaha to Boston is? Funny how that works.

I am, on a weekly basis, blown away by the amazing things that happen in this ministry. I’ve never seen anything like it. Never. At least not up close and personal like this. And we get to do it every week. And we get to pray with and serve people that know exactly where we are coming from, why we are there and Who sends us. What an amazing opportunity! What a God we serve! What a chance to show people every single Sunday that God is alive and well and He sends us every week with His provisions. And He’s an amazing Connector. The way He orchestrates this thing blows my mind weekly!

Next week? Starfish Soaps…I promise.

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
Psalm 37:23, NLT

Peace and have a great and blessed week.

…it matters to that one… :)