Endings...or a New Season?

Our Last Full Sunday
I have no idea where to even begin today. It was a day I wasn’t really sure would ever come. Especially not this soon. If 3 years is soon, then this was just short of that. And what an incredible run it’s been. Nearly 3 years of meals, socks, boots, shoes, clothing, you name it, we took it down. Some of the requests we’ve had over that time were pretty comical. I guess you have to ask. But the bottom line is, God supplied every single thing we needed to keep going. Every single thing. And more importantly, he supplied his undeniable and unbelievable Love. If I can speak for my family, and I usually do, we have been so incredibly blessed to have had this opportunity. It is my prayer that if we accomplished nothing else, I pray that our friends saw the hands and feet of our Savior on that corner each week. His Skin. That through us, they were able to witness what it looks like to serve an Awesome God. Because as much as they thought we were serving them? They were mostly wrong. We were absolutely serving an Indescribable God and they were just the blessed and fortunate ones on the receiving end. Stay with me this week. Got lots to mention…
　
Tireless Efforts of Those Who Helped
This is where I thank all of those that have been so incredibly faithful to His mission on that corner. Those who spent countless hours preparing meals. Standing in the ridiculous, frozen, downtown wind tunnel all those winter days, serving the most awesome soup in Omaha. But is wasn’t just soup. It was a chance for anyone who wanted to help in any way to come and do just that. There were no real rules. Just make sure that if you are cooking, that it would be something that you would prepare for the best of your friends. Because it needed to be fit for a king. For THE King. And we had so many people step up to the plate in so many ways. I’d love to be able to mention each and every one of them by name, but there is just no way I could pull that off. God sent too many to mention. He’s good like that. It’s His world and He’s pretty darn good at running it. So to all of those who contributed in any way, shape or form? Our hat is off to you. So many people wanted to look to Robin and I as the reason this thing worked as well as it did. But obviously it worked as well as it did because of the tireless efforts of each and every person who spent so many Sundays serving a great God in so many amazing ways. We simply say thank you.
　
Wade’s Family
Almost exactly one year ago, we lost a very good friend entirely too early. Senseless is the first word that usually comes to mind when I think of Wade’s death. No answers. None. And we’ll have to wait until that final day to know the answers to these kinds of questions. That much I know. But I’m a guy who wants answers. Now. Ain’t happening. So today, a few very special people once again drove several hours to honor one of their own. From Kansas. From outstate Nebraska. From Kansas City, Missouri. To honor a fellow that left us too soon. Again, this is a deal that I’ve written about so many times. Google "Wade Sechtem" and several of the first entries you come across are related to our downtown activities and his way too early departure. So when a couple of his family members found out that this was going to be our last full Sunday on that corner, they decided to join us. I’m so thankful. Because we are forever connected now. When we first started this thing, I’d always ask my self the question. Where are the families? These guys must have families. Where are they? I’ve met one family and God has done amazing things with this situation. And usually? The families are at their loving wits end. I’d guess in so many cases, they’d do absolutely anything in their power to change these situations. But a guy has to want to change. If he doesn’t and the substance abuse, alcohol or whatever wins out, then the families are usually left holding the proverbial bag. You can only do so much. But if the situation turns for the worse, as this one did, then maybe we can’t change the situation, but we can certainly use it for good. And let me tell you, this family has done just that. Huge Christmas bags jammed with gifts for our friends. Easter bags. Donations of all types. Amazing stuff. And last week I got an email from Kansas City. Seems a young lady there who also happens to be an attorney and has wanted to "create a homeless shelter since I was 12", has now been instrumental in helping the homeless in a tangible way that blew my mind. I have to quote her here and I hope its ok. From ‘A’ – "Bottom line is that I wanted you to know how your ministry allowed God to speak to my heart so that I could help others. Because of the example you have set, hundreds of homeless people in KC have received legal and housing assistance." I am overwhelmed with emotion each time I read that email. Absolutely overwhelmed. Hundreds of people in Kansas City? Are you kidding me? Because God blessed us with a pot of soup and about 10 or 15 homeless guys on a street corner in downtown Omaha on a typical November day in 2006? Seriously? Overwhelmed...
　
Keith’s Words of Wisdom
Robin was talking to one of our friends today, and he said something that definitely warrants mentioning. Because it speaks to the relationships that have been developed. At least I hope it does. Several of the guys that we first met on that corner told us a long time ago that we’d get overrun on that corner. We told them we didn’t think so, because we had help from a pretty high source. They’d just have to hang with us and they’d see. After the past few weeks, they might have had a point. At least somewhat. Because honestly, we have felt a little overrun the past few months or so. Just so many people and so many needs, it has been hard to keep up. But no matter how much controlled chaos we’ve seen, not matter how much the numbers have increased over the past few months, we are reminded just why God sent us in the first place. One fellow reminded us of that today. Said that when we first came down, he thought we were just do-gooders. And then after a while, he thought maybe we were just good people. And now? He thinks we are good friends. His words. Again, overwhelming.
　
Bill’s Tears
And I have to share this. A fellow made a promise to Robin and I last week. He promised Robin he wouldn’t share the news that today would be our last Sunday. And he promised me that he’d show up today. Sober. Well, he was 2 for 3 in the promise department. He did keep his word to Robin. Didn’t tell even his closest buddy. Although he did tease him with the fact that he had a secret. And the promises he made to me? Well, he did show up today. So by process of elimination, you know which promise he didn’t keep. And that’s ok. I’m just glad he showed up. And he was extremely emotional. With our first embrace, the tears were flowing. It was tough. I tried to convince him that we’d still be around, but he is convinced that he’s leaving town. I absolutely love this guy. Deep, heartfelt love. You just can’t put that into words and do it justice. But he knows it and I know that it’s reciprocated. No doubt. With every hug he got from my beautiful little Erin, the tears flowed. With every hug and handshake we shared, and there were many, the tears flowed. I’ll never forget the hurt in his eyes as we said our final goodbyes today. Never. My heart aches for him because I worry that I may never hear from him again. He has my number and our address memorized. So I pray that I’ll hear from him. At least a call to tell me he’s ok. I love my man Bill.
　
Fried Chicken and Running out of Plates and Everything Else
This morning when we were getting everything ready to go, we had a couple of last minute things to pick up from WalMart. So I made the trek with a shopping list from my boss. :) Needed a couple of extra boxes of forks. A few other minor things. And plates for a few hundred. Oh, and 500 pieces of fried chicken. I heard "plates for 300". She said 3 packages of plates. Well, me in all my wisdom, and just as I’d pointed out to her last week, I felt the need to tell her that we’ve never used more than 300 plates on a Sunday. So I came back with 300 plates. Guess what we ran out of first today? Yep. Plates. And we even had about 25 take home cartons that people were cutting in half to make last longer. And we ran out of those too. And then it was fried chicken on napkins while Mike and I made a quick trek to a food mart for more plates. We absolutely ran out of everything today. That has never happened before. I mean everyone got something to eat, but man was that crowd huge today. I have to say it here. Robin was right and I was so wrong! :)
　
Dad’s Clothing and The Office…Revisited
A couple of final things here. I could go on and on of course, but I’ll try to finish up here with these final thoughts. I mentioned a few weeks ago that my sister had sent a couple of boxes of my Dad’s clothing up with her sons, who were here visiting for a few days. Well, yesterday as I was doing my clothing sorting for what was probably the final time, I finally was able to put my Dad’s stuff in the clothing bins. Just seems appropriate in some strange way to know that on our last Sunday, my Dad made one final contribution. He’d made a few contributions along the way, but this was different. This was his stuff. He died in May of 2008, and here we were finally getting around to donating his stuff. Funny, that.
　
And finally, one of the last things I did today was visit The Office. That place in the middle of the park where we met our friends that very first Sunday. That place where our friends used to do some of their "work". It’s nothing more than a 20 by 20 square foot area with waist high concrete walls. Used to have benches where all sorts of shenanigans took place. It’s mostly quiet these days, but several of the guys were there, so Bill and I walked over and hung out for a few minutes, one last time. Even happened to get a call from another fellow we met on that corner that very first Sunday, as we were sitting on the wall in The Office. Coincidence? I tend to think not. I don’t believe much in coincidences. Which is why I’m so convinced that God wanted us there in that park for almost 3 years. That He definitely had a plan. I pray that we are doing the right thing here. That He has something on deck for us. That whatever is next will be as thrilling, exciting, and as honoring and glorifying to Him as I pray that this was. I pray that we followed His direction as best we could and that the work we did on that corner was indeed pleasing to Him. I pray that in the end, He will indeed say…" 'Well done, good and faithful servant!"
　
What an amazing opportunity this has been to serve alongside my beautiful wife and those 3 kids God has so undeservedly entrusted to me. What an amazing ministry. What an amazing God we serve!
　
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ~ Matthew 11:28
　
Peace, have a great and blessed week and whatever you do, make a difference.
　
…it matters to that one… :)