My heart is heavy
Ok I posted a scrapbook page about this subject a couple of years ago. But something I saw a few weeks ago has me broken-hearted.
As stated in my profile my husband and I pastor a small “missions” church in Oakland. We’ve struggled for years in this area but really feel that this is where God wants us to be. Willy and I have always had a burden for the city of Oakland. I grew up there and my husband has spent many years there also.
We are comfortable where most people are not, we talk to people who most would ignore or look down opon.
We’ve really been seeking the Lords’ direction for our ministry as it seems we have been huge failures in this work. I know we haven’t failed, because we keep at it and have not given up.
Willy has an amazing Vision for our church, he as a tremendous heart for the people, all people. We have been trying to get our food ministry off of the ground for quite sometime now. We’ve put bags of groceries together, we’ve made lunches, we were even getting weekly emergency phone calls from people who needed food.
But it’s hard to feed people when you don’t have money. Our church is supported by only two families and it’s just not possible to feed people with no money and we refuse to feed people a bunch of junk like dented cans of lima beans.
All of that aside, the thing that has me broken hearted happened a few weeks ago, during one of our lunch giveaways. We have service in a “Storefront” church, like so many churches in Oakland. After our short prayer service our family went out in front of the church, set up a table, got some fliers together and began to set up our bags of lunches on the table. The boys went off to pass out the fliers and encourage people to come get a lunch.
Well, we had a lot of the street people come up and talk to us, mainly to my husband. Lots of people recognized him and asked him where he had been and said they missed him out there. See, Willy was going out once a week with staple-type food and everyone was getting to know him. Well, this woman, who was definitely loaded came up, got her bag, talked to my husband for a while and said she was going to come back with some friends who might need lunch too.
In the meantime, the church next door was letting out. This woman walked by and a couple of the “elders” of the church pretty much made a barricade so she could not pass. They actually put their arms out and were pushing her out of the way, making her walk in the other direction. They didn’t want her there; they didn’t want her near their people, or their church. The sad thing is my kids stood there watching.
My kids watched as this woman who truly needs help, not just with food but to get her LIFE together, get pushed around by a bunch of church people. People who a few minutes ago were praising the Lord, getting happy and hearing the Word.
My boys were astonished, not that this woman stunk, not that she was loaded and talking crazy, not that her hair was matted down because she hadn’t washed it in probably weeks, not that she was dirty and probably had no home. They were astonished at the actions of these CHRISTIANS.
But what do we do? The storefront we are in is not our building and the people who let us hold services there don’t want people we don’t know in the building. The church next door doesn’t want the riffraff around. Christians we know don’t want to come to our church because of the “location” and the lack of “glamour” in the church.
Someone from the church next door came up to my husband while we were giving out the lunches and made a comment “Oh you’re doing what our church is doing! Except our church gives out lunches to our congregation after service”
What’s happened to the Shepherd’s of the church looking for the lost sheep? What happened to leaving the 99 to bring in the 1? Would Jesus be accepting a lunch from the church after service or would He be the one out there talking to the drug addicted mom offering to feed her?
I know most people don’t see what Willy and I see, but I know my kids see it now. I can understand not wanting these people in front of your business, your shopping mall, eating establishments and your home. But if they can’t be around your church where can they go?
As stated in my profile my husband and I pastor a small “missions” church in Oakland. We’ve struggled for years in this area but really feel that this is where God wants us to be. Willy and I have always had a burden for the city of Oakland. I grew up there and my husband has spent many years there also.
We are comfortable where most people are not, we talk to people who most would ignore or look down opon.
We’ve really been seeking the Lords’ direction for our ministry as it seems we have been huge failures in this work. I know we haven’t failed, because we keep at it and have not given up.
Willy has an amazing Vision for our church, he as a tremendous heart for the people, all people. We have been trying to get our food ministry off of the ground for quite sometime now. We’ve put bags of groceries together, we’ve made lunches, we were even getting weekly emergency phone calls from people who needed food.
But it’s hard to feed people when you don’t have money. Our church is supported by only two families and it’s just not possible to feed people with no money and we refuse to feed people a bunch of junk like dented cans of lima beans.
All of that aside, the thing that has me broken hearted happened a few weeks ago, during one of our lunch giveaways. We have service in a “Storefront” church, like so many churches in Oakland. After our short prayer service our family went out in front of the church, set up a table, got some fliers together and began to set up our bags of lunches on the table. The boys went off to pass out the fliers and encourage people to come get a lunch.
Well, we had a lot of the street people come up and talk to us, mainly to my husband. Lots of people recognized him and asked him where he had been and said they missed him out there. See, Willy was going out once a week with staple-type food and everyone was getting to know him. Well, this woman, who was definitely loaded came up, got her bag, talked to my husband for a while and said she was going to come back with some friends who might need lunch too.
In the meantime, the church next door was letting out. This woman walked by and a couple of the “elders” of the church pretty much made a barricade so she could not pass. They actually put their arms out and were pushing her out of the way, making her walk in the other direction. They didn’t want her there; they didn’t want her near their people, or their church. The sad thing is my kids stood there watching.
My kids watched as this woman who truly needs help, not just with food but to get her LIFE together, get pushed around by a bunch of church people. People who a few minutes ago were praising the Lord, getting happy and hearing the Word.
My boys were astonished, not that this woman stunk, not that she was loaded and talking crazy, not that her hair was matted down because she hadn’t washed it in probably weeks, not that she was dirty and probably had no home. They were astonished at the actions of these CHRISTIANS.
But what do we do? The storefront we are in is not our building and the people who let us hold services there don’t want people we don’t know in the building. The church next door doesn’t want the riffraff around. Christians we know don’t want to come to our church because of the “location” and the lack of “glamour” in the church.
Someone from the church next door came up to my husband while we were giving out the lunches and made a comment “Oh you’re doing what our church is doing! Except our church gives out lunches to our congregation after service”
What’s happened to the Shepherd’s of the church looking for the lost sheep? What happened to leaving the 99 to bring in the 1? Would Jesus be accepting a lunch from the church after service or would He be the one out there talking to the drug addicted mom offering to feed her?
I know most people don’t see what Willy and I see, but I know my kids see it now. I can understand not wanting these people in front of your business, your shopping mall, eating establishments and your home. But if they can’t be around your church where can they go?
posted by Rebecca at 11:06 PM
4 Comments:
I'm at a loss for words. It really makes you wonder what their intent on calling themselves Christians really is. Do they not realize, that they may look Christian like in how they portray themselves with their public face, but that God knows their heart? It is wonderful that you, Willy and the boys make a difference in this area. Maybe you are not only there to serve those who really need the help, but also to show this other church the real meaning of Christian behavior and making a difference in your community. Like I said in my blog about you, you are one of the most amazing and inspiring women I know. The faith, love and care you give those around you and your community are a blessing.
What a moving post. I wish you could print this off and send it to the church next door to yours. Maybe they'd see that everyone deserves a friendly arm around their shoulder to guide them.
Rebecca, I am humbled by your post. Those at the church next to you should be ashamed (sp?)
Wow! Reading this really brought home the scripture that says at judgement He will say to some-go away from me, I never knew you. While to others such as you and your husband - Welcome to my kingdom, my good and faithful servant. May God bless you in your ministry. Marilyn (NubianPea)
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