George worked for Chucky Cheese as a mechanic in one of their stores in Texas. When offered a position in Oceanside, he packed up his wife and five boys and moved west. Only to get here and find the job had been filled. The promise broken. Doing anything he could to provide for his family, he finally had to become part of the Interfaith system, where they would provide food and a place to sleep for those in situations like George. And that is where I met his family.
The church we were attending was part of the Interfaith program, which on a rotating basis would house and feed people. And when we met George and Carol, and their five boys, God had a plan. The Interfaith program, although Christian, dealt with unsaved people, some pretty destitute-showing love. And as I found out later, not all churches felt the same way about the homeless. Rather than actually deal with the downtrodden one-on-one, they would just send a check, which the church I attended felt. There, we've done our part, and didn't even get our hands dirty. When they told us "you may be the only ones here with a heart for the homeless," my heart broke. One family in congregation of 800? Where was their compassion? Where was Jesus in their lives? But God....
There are many things you can do to minister, the most important is obedience to God, who really knows the need. Taking us on a journey we had never been on before, we let the boys and their mom, Carol, stay at our house during the day. Try walking 8-10 hours a day in summer heat with five kids. How neat to just sit and rest, as the kids played in the yard. Theresa took the kids with her on field trips, and brought them to where she taught preschool. We let George have one of our cars, and now he could get out and around and seek work, which he did. One special night, we even baby sat the boys, sending them out on a date for dinner-on us. So many little things, that get overlooked, but are precious.
George got work, and was able to get into low income housing. The little possessions he had, were being stored at an aunt's house, rather reluctantly. This prophetess, self proclaimed, wanted the stuff out of her garage, her luxury car was parked in the driveway. It had been stored longer than George had said-a prophetess, why didn't she see that coming? So borrowing Milton's truck, George and I moved him one night. The two youngest were with him, and while we were moving stuff, they played in the tub. I will never forget George looking up at me, and saying "isn't that a beautiful sound?" The sound he referred to was the boys playing, laughing, splashing, and having fun-at home, their home.
While I was busy at work, Theresa put out signs at her preschool with their needs, furniture, bedding, food, etc. And the parents responded overwhelmingly. I approached our pastor, who kicked in $200 for food, and Theresa tells of the joy of Carol buying things for her family. Where do you start when you have nothing, and need everything? And they were both amazed at how God multiplied!
I don't know where this family is today, but I would like think they are doing well, the kids now into their late 20's, and George working and coming home each night to Carol. Only God knows...
I would like to leave you with this. We are part of a Christian family, with unlimited resources from our heavenly Father, but just need the chance to use them. This is just one event, and not about us, but about being obedient to His call. All glory pointing to God. Coming home one afternoon, I noticed the kids playing with some of Christopher's favorite toys-the ones only he and not anyone else played with. When I asked him about it, he explained how he heard them talking how they had no Christmas, and so he allowed each kid to take one of his toys, even the ones which were his favorites. When I shared this with the head of Interfaith, he was so thankful to hear about it. He had to evict a troublesome family from housing, and it broke his heart. He doubted if he was doing God's calling. But Christopher's story encouraged him to carry on. Only God...
Just two families. One black and broke, with five kids, the other white and blessed with two sons. Both realizing that our true blessings come from God-where no color, social level, or financial barriers exist. Where love covered a multitude of sins, and our family found that the true blessings come in giving, and not receiving.
Don't step over the Lazarus God lays in front of you today. Never doubt what God can do, or underestimate the blessings you are missing by saying no to Him. Jesus said "whoever does these things to the least of them, is doing them to me." Five faces of Jesus, I was able to see, more clearly. Only God...
love with compassion,
Mike
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