The first place we came to was a small house with two families of 4 living together. Beside the house was a trailer that was in the construction "process." I say "process" because work had been stalled for a couple years. To get to this house we had to walk through a mine field of horse manure where it was impossible to not step in something. This is where I put on my greatest poker face. I acted like it didn't bother me, all the while in my mind thinking of how disgusting it was, and I was going to drag this stuff back through my house when I got home. As much as I tried to get rid of that thought, it was the only thing I could think of. It was the best poker face ever.
As we went into the trailer to see what work needed to be done, the pastor spoke to this guy telling him how great of a vision I had to reach Chilton (this was all in Spanish as the owner of the house didn't speak English). With every compliment I felt smaller and smaller. Yet I held the best poker face ever.
The thing that broke my heart the most though was the look the guy made when we told the guy that we wanted to help him finish his house. It needed no translation. It said, "I have heard that one before and mainly from you Christians."
On the way back to my house, the pastor said that this, "Little Mexico" formed because these people feel like no one cares about them so they withdrew from everyone and never venture on the other side of town. My heart broke for these people. My heart broke for the people of my church. My heart broke for Christians all over the United States who seem to have cast the poor off as unreachable and not worthy. Then my God broke my heart and I thought of how I was no different. On the outside I had the best poker face ever, on the inside though I just wanted to go home. May the Holy Spirit transform my heart to love like Jesus.
My prayer is that we become the church that makes people feel valuable again, that hugs the homeless, feeds the hungry, and share the love of Jesus by DOING what Jesus did. The last thing the pastor said to me last night, is what I leave you with: "People know all the stories about Jesus, they need to start seeing Christians helping them if something is ever going to happen with them spiritually."
i'm glad you got to meet the pastor and see what Jesus sees. Isaiah 58 is a scary text, and so is Jesus' discussion of sheep and goats. i'm so glad you get to care about things Jesus cares about. get involved my friend.
ReplyDeleteaustin