Who cares? (I need your help)
I just got back from spending the last 2 hours ministering to some of the local homeless of St. Augustine. (Stage set)
Lets cut to the chase...
A moderately-kept middle aged man approached me as I fished out front of the lighthouse. He was hesitant on his ploy but eventually sold me on a handmaid palm rose that his wife had made. It didn't register at first that this man was homeless until after I had geared the conversation in the way of God's providence. After we made each other aware of both of our financial situations we then discussed faith matters. This man (named James), would come to tell me about his wife losing his unborn son recently, which caused him to cry, and after I shared with him an excerpt from "Heaven is For Real" (about miscarried children living in heaven), his eyes lit up and he ran to introduce me to his wife. His wife wobbled out onto the pier only to double over in pain for she was ailing of gallbladder issue. His wife's name was Mary, and both she and James made up your typical homeless couple. But there was something different. There was a level of sheer need. Sheer destitution, and as I willfully put myself on standby (to take Mary to the hospital), these 2 individuals realized that there was something different about me. (Now before I begin to sound boastful... I am a fool, I am selfish, I am bitter, irresponsible and inconsiderate. Lest any pride be found in me, I alone take no credit for ministering to these two individuals.)
I sat down on a splintered picnic table, as the lighthouse belted out hope in the backdrop. We sat together with another couple who apparently had some sort of family or other relational ties. For the period of about an hour, we spoke of many different topics but one main point succeeded them all, the soveirgnty of God. James did a great job at preaching from his seat, nailing home the point that "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" He made this point clear, especially to his two friends who seemed to hold their own reservations toward faith.
James continued to share his struggles (take note to the plurality). Aside from the loss of his baby boy, the loss of his material possessions (another homeless person stole all their belongings), the constant struggle with the police (vagrancy compliances), Jim also shared that he needs surgery on his back, heart, and he has cancer in his throat. All of which has been left untended over the past year and a half.
You see, Jim cannot get the surgeries because of his lack of insurance. He cannot get insurance because he is not working. He cannot get medicaid because he does not have Social Security Income. He cannot get Social Security Income because he does not have an ID. He cannot get an ID because he does not have an Address, and he doesn't not have an address because he is HOMELESS!
I spoke of some options that he may have in attaining an ID, but it seems that this has been a battle both him and Mary have been fighting for some time. They have seen the ins and outs and aren't impressed by the social system here in America thus far, where the needy are neglected and the neglegent are without need.
Either way, we as believers know that it is not America that is going to pull this couple out of the miry clay, it is Almighty God.
The goal here is to call upon the providence of God. The primary needs for these individuals begin with their essentials; Food, water, pillows, blankets, basic toiletries, then finding a way for them to receive proper ID, finding shelter and then receiving medical attention.
As I mentioned previously, James and Mary may have been able to detect a slight difference in the way we interacted. Obviously it is Christ that is in me that creates this contrast. I now ask you all as the body of believers for help. These two individuals are just a SMALL part of a huuuuge need here in the First Coast area. Of course there are homeless shelters, and food pantries, and rehabilitation centers, but that does not substitute a listening ear, or a shoulder to cry on. It is my desire to visit these two often and bring them all they should need. I do not intend to make them a charity case, but friends, just as Christ and his church took me in and called me friend. It is the church who shall pride herself as the bride of Christ and she is a bride not to be missed. She is irresistably beautiful, infulential, loving, and caring with her tender mercies.
I now ask for your assistance. If any of you have any sort of resource that you would be able to donate to this cause, whether they be old clothes, BLANKETS, PILLOWS, tooth brushes, soap, shoes, or INSIGHT, please hold nothing back. Let us start small, but hold nothing back, just as God held back nothing, so that we may represent the church under the true lordship of Christ.
(Insert token verse reference here:)
"‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ " -Matthew 25:35-40
Lets cut to the chase...
A moderately-kept middle aged man approached me as I fished out front of the lighthouse. He was hesitant on his ploy but eventually sold me on a handmaid palm rose that his wife had made. It didn't register at first that this man was homeless until after I had geared the conversation in the way of God's providence. After we made each other aware of both of our financial situations we then discussed faith matters. This man (named James), would come to tell me about his wife losing his unborn son recently, which caused him to cry, and after I shared with him an excerpt from "Heaven is For Real" (about miscarried children living in heaven), his eyes lit up and he ran to introduce me to his wife. His wife wobbled out onto the pier only to double over in pain for she was ailing of gallbladder issue. His wife's name was Mary, and both she and James made up your typical homeless couple. But there was something different. There was a level of sheer need. Sheer destitution, and as I willfully put myself on standby (to take Mary to the hospital), these 2 individuals realized that there was something different about me. (Now before I begin to sound boastful... I am a fool, I am selfish, I am bitter, irresponsible and inconsiderate. Lest any pride be found in me, I alone take no credit for ministering to these two individuals.)
I sat down on a splintered picnic table, as the lighthouse belted out hope in the backdrop. We sat together with another couple who apparently had some sort of family or other relational ties. For the period of about an hour, we spoke of many different topics but one main point succeeded them all, the soveirgnty of God. James did a great job at preaching from his seat, nailing home the point that "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" He made this point clear, especially to his two friends who seemed to hold their own reservations toward faith.
James continued to share his struggles (take note to the plurality). Aside from the loss of his baby boy, the loss of his material possessions (another homeless person stole all their belongings), the constant struggle with the police (vagrancy compliances), Jim also shared that he needs surgery on his back, heart, and he has cancer in his throat. All of which has been left untended over the past year and a half.
You see, Jim cannot get the surgeries because of his lack of insurance. He cannot get insurance because he is not working. He cannot get medicaid because he does not have Social Security Income. He cannot get Social Security Income because he does not have an ID. He cannot get an ID because he does not have an Address, and he doesn't not have an address because he is HOMELESS!
I spoke of some options that he may have in attaining an ID, but it seems that this has been a battle both him and Mary have been fighting for some time. They have seen the ins and outs and aren't impressed by the social system here in America thus far, where the needy are neglected and the neglegent are without need.
Either way, we as believers know that it is not America that is going to pull this couple out of the miry clay, it is Almighty God.
The goal here is to call upon the providence of God. The primary needs for these individuals begin with their essentials; Food, water, pillows, blankets, basic toiletries, then finding a way for them to receive proper ID, finding shelter and then receiving medical attention.
As I mentioned previously, James and Mary may have been able to detect a slight difference in the way we interacted. Obviously it is Christ that is in me that creates this contrast. I now ask you all as the body of believers for help. These two individuals are just a SMALL part of a huuuuge need here in the First Coast area. Of course there are homeless shelters, and food pantries, and rehabilitation centers, but that does not substitute a listening ear, or a shoulder to cry on. It is my desire to visit these two often and bring them all they should need. I do not intend to make them a charity case, but friends, just as Christ and his church took me in and called me friend. It is the church who shall pride herself as the bride of Christ and she is a bride not to be missed. She is irresistably beautiful, infulential, loving, and caring with her tender mercies.
I now ask for your assistance. If any of you have any sort of resource that you would be able to donate to this cause, whether they be old clothes, BLANKETS, PILLOWS, tooth brushes, soap, shoes, or INSIGHT, please hold nothing back. Let us start small, but hold nothing back, just as God held back nothing, so that we may represent the church under the true lordship of Christ.
(Insert token verse reference here:)
"‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ " -Matthew 25:35-40
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