beautiful people...

This week has been one of orientation... I'm getting to know Rising Hope - its people, its ministries, its management - and falling in love with it.

As I've helped work with the Food Distribution Ministry (as well as the pick-ups, unloading, sorting), and the Clothing Ministry I've encountered a plethora of people... all kind of in a low spot, in need of a little lift up. They are marginalized... homeless, sick, low income, jobless, immigrants, mentally disabled, addicted... and they have lost dignity; they've been humbled to the point of relying on other people for their basic sustenance...

it's sad, it's heart-wrenching.

but, i have rising hope - because I see a thriving ministry reaching out far beyond the walls of that little church building. Fulfilling Jesus' command to love. Modeling themselves after the church in Acts, where everyone participates, everyone gives, everyone helps, everyone shares...

I feel like I am needed, too. None of the staff members speak Spanish, and maybe one or two of the dozens of volunteers speak Spanish. Yet, many of the people who come for help speak little, or no English. I have worked with the Food and Clothing ministries, talking with the Spanish-speaking folks, who are surprised and very grateful to have someone who understands their words.

I feel like I am wanted, too. The members of the church, and those who attend prayer, or worship, or breakfast, or lunch, want to get to know me, to talk to me, to find out about me... to create a friendship... to share with me their lives... and this is how I encounter Jesus everyday. I see people at their lowest, who have lost so much and suffered so much, and I see them filled with the joy of Jesus, and sharing Him with each other and with me.

Last night I attended Celebrate Recovery - a 12 step program where individuals recovering from a variety of addictions (not just drugs and alcohol) can come and find community, accountability, relief, and grace. It begins with Intercessory Prayer, is followed by worship and a devotion, and ends in small groups (right now just a men's group and a women's group as probably between 15 and 20 people attend).

I've always believed everyone is equal, but when I came to Rising Hope I have thought again and again how happy I was that I "would never be like that" (referring to the people here). Then at Celebrate Recovery something Liz said woke me up: "I always used to say that it would never happen. I was never gonna be homeless. I was never gonna need assistance. I was never gonna..." and I realized, it could happen to even me. I've been talking to these people, and regardless of the family support they may have had, the faith they may have held on to, the college degree they still hold, life threw them a curve ball somewhere along the way... and they're hardly making it now...

so, who am I to judge their current state? who am I to be above it? who am I to dare say "it'll never happen to me!"?

What I do know is this: They are Christ's as much as I.

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27 NLT