Even Gangstas Have Hearts

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" - Isaiah 58. 

After a few days in Atlanta, doors began to open and we found ourselves standing in the middle of the ghetto.  

The area is called Vine City and it is straight up scary. The streets are covered with black men and women staring down every car that passes by. Their faces are so hard.  No smiles. No laughing. No crying. No emotion.  They just stand there, lifeless.  To the physical eye, their faces scream that they are not scared of anything.  To the spiritual eye, their faces scream that they are scared of everything. They are scared of both life and death and understand the fragility of their time on this earth.  They stand there looking as if nothing and nobody has the power to crack through their tough layers.  So many people are fooled by their looks but we know that Jesus Christ has that kind of power. A lot of them hang out around this pole that we call, "The Pole of Death." It is a telephone pole that has like 6 or 8 stuffed animals nailed to it.  A lot of the animals are decapitated and some have ropes around their necks. Back in the day the gang members would just throw some shoes over the telephone lines to mark their territory.  Now we see that they are into murdering stuffed animals instead. There is a darkness and a heaviness about this area that immediately broke our hearts. We realized really fast that our praying and fasting was done in vain if we did not hold strong to what Isaiah said.  If we fast with the intention of simply avoiding food, we have it all wrong.  Fasting is twofold.  We fast A) to hear from God and B) with the intentions of putting action to His visions.  

So...there we were. 2 white girls driving around the worst ghetto in Atlanta in a creepy white van.  Naturally, we parked and got out. People were literally stopping in the middle of the street to stare at us.  They were so confused as to why we were there and why we were not scared of dying.  A few guys warned us saying things like, "The people here are not right." All we could say in response was, "We know, that is why we are here." One guy named Dred stopped and stuttered for a while to get his question out, "Who are y'all?" We told him that we were there in the name of Jesus.  He pounded his heart and said, "Ya'll really mean it. Ya'll really mean it." We are two talentless, random, white girls who showed up on a door step with little to say and limited plans on what to do and God began moving.  

We spent the week mimicking the Dream Center's idea of "Adopt a block." We went door to door asking whoever opened up if they needed any food, cleaning supplies, household items, etc. One by one they told us what they were in need of.  We wrote down all that they mentioned and then asked if we could pray for them.  We prayed for Anthony's car to start.  We prayed that Crystal would be able to take care of her grandchild.  We prayed that Marvin would find some of his stuff that was stolen.  We prayed life over Paulette, Keith, Flava, Michael, Geraldine, Mel.  We prayed comfort over James and Cheryl who recently lost their dad and brother and whose mom has cancer. God continues to remind us that it has nothing to do with us or what we have to offer but with a willing heart, his glory will fall. Each time we entered the neighborhood, we had to fight through the fear of the possibilities. As we did, the Lord showed up and we walked away rejoicing in his power to move beyond any social, cultural, or 

stereotypical barriers.

At the end of the week, it was time to shop. We went to the store and bought groceries and supplies for nine homes. Everyone who requested groceries received ground beef and hamburger helper, spaghetti and sauce, rice and beans, oatmeal, bread and toilet paper. Those who also needed cleaning supplies got bleach, laundry and dish detergent,  pine-sol, and sponges. The bill came to $130 and it provided four meals for eight families as well as cleaning supplies for five. With a small amount of effort and and a small amount of funds, the Lord can do great things.  It really does not take much. We want to be able to make a deep impact on a few rather than just scratch the surface of many...so we are going to invest in these 11 or 12 houses. 

When we delivered the goods we were greeted in all kinds of ways. Some were surprised that we actually came back and many were rejoicing in the Lord. Anthony told of how his car started as soon as we left and that his sister was reunited with her son that she had given up for adoption...He gave all the glory to God. Paulette could barely get a word out because she was overwhelmed with praise over what the Lord has done. After praying over her earlier in the week, she received a phone call that her son had gotten out of jail. She clapped her hands, raised her arms, and jumped for joy repeating "the Lord works in mysterious ways!" She smothered us with hugs and smiles and we celebrated God's power together. Marvin greeted us with the genuine joy to just be able to share his heart with us, "his sisters in Christ." He shared with us about who he is in Christ. He said that people have always called him things like, "Captain Ugly" or "Mr. Burnt up." He said that to the world he may be poor, ugly, and weak, but he is complete in Christ. Even those passing by were drawn to the Spirit that was falling on that place. People were calling us the "Girls that came to help people." They were coming to us with prayer requests because they believed that for some reason, our God was answering. We promised our return as we parted ways and once again, marveled at the work of God.

Isaiah goes on to say....

"Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.'"

In our weakness...He is strong. (Savannah, GA)

Sometimes it seems that God will show just enough of his character to bow us down before Him...and the more He reveals to us, the more we realize how much more there is to learn. We came on this journey expecting to blow into towns and flip it upside down with whatever words that the Lord would give us to say. Instead, we are finding ourselves sitting back, learning, and soaking in the grandness of God while automatically/consequently falling down more and more at the foot of the cross. 

We met a girl named Jill the other day.  She reminded us that when God says His “strength is made perfect” in our weakness, that He means it.  She said it is a dependent relationship between strength and weakness. God needs us to understand our smallness in order to make Himself big through us.  If we think we know it all already or if we think we are strong enough to win every battle already...God has no room to work.  He wants to blow up the United States with His name...but in order for us to be used in this battle, we need to duck and let him fight over us/for us.  God tells us to “Be still, and I will fight for you.” He tells Martha that “only one thing is necessary,” to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to what He wants from us.  If we continually fight to do big things, just for the sake of saying “Big things happened in Savannah,” nothing eternal will grow. It is only God who makes big things happen, not us....because when we become strong in ourselves and in our own plans, God becomes weak in us. 

So...with that being said...we are learning an armpit load about what God is doing in Savannah, GA. There is a church named Savannah Christian with a guy named Paul on staff. Paul in kinda in charge of the local missions.  We talked with him for awhile about our heart and desire for the city and he sent us to some precious Hispanic pastors named Israel and Jose.  They are both leading up a ministry with the illegal immigrants in Savannah.  Paul told us that a lot people disagree with the ministry.  There are people who think that we need to stop taking care of the illegals, and send them back to where they came from.  Then Paul continued, “It is world wide missions right here in our front yard. They are going to be here no matter what. We might as well show them the love of Christ while we can.” (We put quotations around that like it was  verbatim but it may be a word or two off). If a man finds the Lord while here in the States, he will take his new life back to his country and share it with his people....thats global missions. 

When we pulled up to the small church, we saw about 20 guys playing soccer or sitting under a little canopy thingy.  We tried to talk to a couple of them and learned pretty quick that they do no speak much english. Israel told us that the foreigners use to wait outside of an old gas station for day jobs. They would drink all day, fight, and steal.  Then when somebody would pull up for a couple workers they would all pounce on the vehicle like animals trying to get in for some work.  The cops kicked them out of that area and this church took them in on their property.  At first Israel said it was a mess.  He said that the guys were just as chaotic on the church property as they were outside of that gas station.  Through the Lord’s provision, Israel and Jose fought hard to being order to the craziness. They now have a system for the men. They arrive early in the morning, sign up, and when the employers drive in Israel, assigns the workers according to skills and hours. The church provides muffins and coffee for breakfast and serves them lunch 6 days a week. The Lord has produced fruit in this ministry over the course of a year. By his Spirit, God has made soft the hearts of hard men and put in them an appreciation for those who are serving him faithfully. They now help with work around the church, clean up after meals, and many attend services on the weekends. Some have come to know Jesus as their savior and others are beginning to ask questions. The Holy Spirit no doubt has his hand in the ministry.

We are spending our days cooking lunch for the workers. We’re working along side of Pastor Jose and are learning a great deal about mexican cooking. We share meals and play soccer with the men but we struggle to communicate with them. We are praying that they can see the light that lives in us even though we cannot verbally share it with them.  We have found ourselves in a position that forces our reliance upon God. We are uncomfortable and awkward but confident in God's ability all at the same time. When it  comes to speaking spanish, we are weak...but when it comes to breaking barriers, God is strong.  We are dependent on Him.  So, we dare you to join us in prayer :) 

On the Road Again

Hello all!! Do forgive us for the lack of posts during the holidays. We made an unexpected trip back to Texas because Jenna's grandmother, Memaw, had heart surgery. After carotid artery surgery, quadruple bypass, and a valve replacement, the Lord has brought her through successfully. She is has recovered without complication and will be adding many more years to her 80 years of life.

We are now in Savannah, Georgia. We do not have any contacts here, but we are faithfully praying while we await God's vision for us in Savannah. Keep praying. We love you :)

Miami - Church on the Door Step

God has done it again....divine appointment.  We visited a church called Central Bible Sunday night where we were told that we needed to meet a man named Jeff Jennings.   The church was filled with people who approached us with such loving and welcoming spirits.  We left the building that night knowing that we wanted to go back as soon as the doors were opened again because of the abundant life that flooded the place.  

That Wednesday night we went to Starbucks to write up our previous blog post and a friendly smile opened the door for us.  He sat near us.  We blogged and creeped on him at the same time.  There was something Jesus-y about him. He was preparing a sermon for his youth students and after seeing our bibles, he sparked conversation.  Our creepy analysis was right. After finding out he was the man we were planning to meet (Jeff), we shared the story of Jesus calling us out and our mission to spread the Good News. Later that evening, Jeff took us out to eat sushi with his students and then handed us the keys to his office....pretty big step considering it was only our 5th hour of friendship. It has been another beautiful display of the body moving in stride with one another as God leads without hesitation.  Jeff and his wife have an incredible love for God and it is evident in their deep and fervent love for people.  They seek people out, find their needs, and meet them as quickly as they can. When their brothers or sisters are in need, they open both their hearts and their possessions. They love beyond word and talk, they love in deed. They demonstrate what Jesus meant when He said that true love is laying down our lives for the sake of our friends. (1 John 3:16-18).        

We met another family who was staying at the church the same night that we were.  We learned that we had a lot in common with them....both from Texas, living out of our vehicles, and answering the call God has placed on our lives. For the sake of privacy, we will call them the Gogetters. The Gogetters have an 18 year old in college and 2 kids that they homeschool...a  15 year old an a 10 year old. God has called the them to open a Dream Center in Miami (If you don’t know much or anything about Dream Center, check it www.miamidreamcenter.org). Their mission, “Find a need and fill it. Find a hurt and heal it” is exactly what the Gogetters have set out to do. After God confirmed Miami was the place they were suppose to be, they packed up, headed to Florida, and have been living by faith ever since. They are currently waiting on the doors to open for a facility for their ministry. They are funded but refuse to use their money on housing because it leaves so little for ministry. In order to continue their outreach, they have been living in their two vehicles for several months. 

They prayer walk the city throughout the week stirring up God’s Spirit for the present and the future. They bag up and disperse donated food throughout some of the struggling areas in Miami. On Saturdays, they do adopt-a-block. They walk door to door asking each family if they have any needs (food, clothing, prayer etc...). If the family allows, the Gogetters pray for the families right there.  When people ask, “Where is the dream center located?” The Gogetters respond, “Right here on your door step.”  The area, Liberty City, is a place that most people do not even consider stepping foot in. It is filled with drugs and violence.  Consequently, so many people, including members of the church, avoid even driving through the area. But not the Gogetters.  They walk straight into the chaos and knock on the doors.  Despite the struggle of not being “fully operational” due to not having a building, the Gogetters don’t compromise their duty as Christians.  It is a true example of being a church who literally and physically meets people where they are at.  Sometimes, the church is called to step outside of our expensive walls and go into the streets where people have needs that only God can meet.  Sometimes, we need to be like the Gogetters and bring the church to the world instead of telling the world to come to church. 

We went out on Friday night to South Beach to try to do some evangelizing (fancy Christian word for telling people about Jesus).  When we arrived we circled up and prayed.  We realized during the prayer that within our circle stood some Assembly of God, some Nondenominational, a Messianic Jew, and a couple of Baptist girls.  It was beautiful.  Though we differ in some details, one truth is the same..that is, Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 

Then it began. Walking up the party roads of South Beach.  Doing the most uncomfortable thing for us...passing out tracks.  It is so hard for us sometimes to understand the effectiveness of trying to explain the entire gospel by passing out index sized cards that ask, “Are you going to Heaven or Hell?”  We sat back and watched as Andreas (no idea how to spell his name) went at it.  He was passing out tracks left and right.  He says he is like a fisherman surrounded by so many potential catches.  Eventually, we decided to try it out....why not? So we split up.  We are more relational so we did not talk to 34987098 people like some did. Instead, we just spent a lot of time with a few. (We believe that God has gifted us all different...to be able to reach out to different types of people). Stacie got paired with a guy that we called Big Daddy (because that is what his sweater said). 

They prayed over a homeless lady as she was sleeping and then moved onto a few girls who were hanging out down the road a little.  They were all sipping a little but not quite drunk.  Big Daddy basically jumped right into things, asking them if they were saved. Which was so outside of what we are use to.  Eventually the conversation was just between Stacie and 4 of the girls. (Side note-they were not drunk and fully attentive).  After explaining to them who Jesus is and what salvation looks like (through the words of the holy spirit), two of the girls accepted Jesus as their Savior!!!  We believe these were authentic salvations.  We made sure that they knew what they were getting themselves into and explained to them what new life in Jesus looks like.  Afterwards, we walked some more and hung out with some coast guards.  Who told us about their salvation experiences back in Texas (at Sky Ranch).  They were no longer living the lifestyle that Christ wanted.  So we told them to be like the prodigal son, and go home...where mercy and grace await them.  They knew what they needed to do.        

The Lord has reminded us over and over again that He has his people everywhere.  Devoted Christ followers who are willing to go to the ends of the earth.  True Christians who nail their flesh to the cross daily for His name’s sake. People who love without expectation of anything in return.  Their love is uncontrollable because it is the overflow of Christ in them.  The God inside the Gogetters, Big Daddy, Andreas, Jeff, Angie, and the God inside of Central Bible Church is flooding into every crevice of Miami.  They are individually and corporately shouting through their God-given love that this Jesus thing is true.   

Ps. This is our dream van...

Florida- Confusion to Contentment.

We want yall to stay updated through the good times and the hard...Though we would love to post a story of victory and success...these last couple of weeks have definitely been on the harder side. Arriving in Florida has seemed to bring with it one shut door after another...

We have planned on buying a national park pass since we left Texas. It would be 80 dollars to stay at any national park for a year and through it we could take showers and cook food on our grill.  When we arrived in Naples, we found out that the only camping grounds for the everglades were located in homestead (though the entire tip of florida is practically the everglades).  So, we picked up and moved to Homestead.  When we arrived in Homestead, we tried to buy the national park pass only to learn that the pass only covers the entrance fee, not the 16 dollar a night camping fee.  Since the park nearest to Homestead did not have showers, we could not afford it.  So we continued to sleep in our van, waiting for the Lord to guide us.

We enjoyed a turkey dinner at Denny's and Jenna's mom so beautifully bought us a night's stay in a hotel for Thanksgiving night after 4 days of not showering. It was very much needed and so beautiful of her.  The next morning we woke up to learn Memaw, Jenna's grandmother, had been in turmoil over us through the night. She woke up in the early hours of the morning and was reminded of Luke 10...when your peace does not rest but returns to you, move on from that place.

That afternoon during our Jesus time we stumbled upon Proverbs 15:22. It says "Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed." Proverbs 3:21-23 says "My son, do not lose sight of these-keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.  Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble." Throughout our lives the Lord uses people to tell us which way He desires us to walk. Scripture reveals over and over people who either followed the advise of the wise (in the Lord) or disobeyed it. Those who disobeyed it failed in their plans, just as the proverb says. The mixture of Memaw's advise, our lack of peace, and the discernment that the Lord has given us we knew it was time to move forward.

Next stop...Miami, Florida. We spent our first day in the city fasting, praying, and seeking God's guidance. Again, we were a bit overwhelmed with the lack of "success" until Monday night the Lord reminded us that He is the calm in the chaos and the peace in the storm. We began to take our eyes off of our circumstances and set our minds on whatever is true, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).  Through the fruitful seasons and through the harsh seasons, we are called to "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice..." (Philippians 4:4). We have experienced God move in diverse and great ways since we have began this journey. Now, we are at a place where He is telling us to "Be still, and know that I am God.." Psalm 46:10.

Easier said than done. We are both do-ers, on the go, hands to the plow kind of people with such an urgency to spread the love of Christ. We took that mentality and made ourselves miserable. We walked the streets, drove around, and stretched ourselves to frustration. On top of the spiritual confusion, we were physically exhausted due to continuous sweating and lack of showering. Out of desperation to be clean, we washed our hair in the McDonald's sink (the handicap stalls have their own sink and mirrors). For more efficiency, we took our van to the self service car wash and killed two birds with one stone. Cleaning the van wasn't one of them. We washed our bodies as well as the clothes we were wearing...nothing like a high pressure shower :)

After a week of filthiness and aggravation, we were reminded of the words of Paul, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for i have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:11-13.

Love Love.

As our time in Mobile came to an end, the Lord continued to do his work. In just a few weeks, all of these homeless friends became more dear to us than we ever expected.  Paul wrote to the Thessalonians,  "Being affectionately desirous of you, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of Christ  but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us." That is so true of how we felt everyday that we walked into Bienville square.

Our friends Pat and Dean are dating officially. A sweet lady that we met through Habitat, Milly Sue, gave us a 4 tickets to the Christmas Spectacular that was being held at Dauphin Way Baptist. Naturally, we had to take Pat and Dean on their first date. We took them out to Wendy's and then afterwards went to the show. It was incredible. Filled with Christmas music....and Pat loves music.  They held hands and smiled the entire time.  The women usually do not get to stay out after 3 or 4 pm because the shelters require them to be in early so Dean was having the night of her life.  

Pat's sister passed away two weeks ago and the memorial was on Saturday, the day after his date.  So we brought him to his brother's house to spend the night and await the memorial.  We hung out with his brother and sister in law for awhile sipping sweet tea and laughing at how alike Pat and Daniel (his brother) acted.  They welcomed us into their home and by the end of the night they called us family. They even called us after the memorial to let us know how it went and keep us updated on prayer requests. 

The next day we went to the park and saw our friend JP.  As soon as we saw him, he leaned over and whispered into our ears, "Hey, I got saved last night." All that we could think and say was basically, "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YES!!!!!!!!!!" He told us that he had been going to the service that one of the shelters held every week.  He said that he had been wanting to go forward to accept Jesus but he just couldn't do it....for some reason this particular night, he had to stand up.  He said he was the only one to stand up and get saved.  We cannot even begin to express to you how genuine it was.  The Lord was shining through his eyeballs and he was excited to learn more about our God through scripture and prayer and hanging out with fellow believers.  

At one point, our friend Trinity walked up cussing up a storm and cursing God.  JP leaned over and responded with "Our God is not like that actually.  God is who He says he is and does the things that He says that He will do." After Trinity left, he looked at us and said that something felt different inside of him while Trinity was talking.  He said before he wouldn't have cared but that for some reason today something compelled him to speak truth. The Holy Spirit has made JP a new creation..."They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them." (Romans 2:14-15). It's beauty in its finest form :) 

We spent the entire weekend just hanging out in the square with all of our friends. Praying for them and listening to them.  They are full of broken stories and in need of lots of prayer.  That Sunday we brought Pat and Dean and our friend Amber to church with us.  Afterwards, the church had a big thanksgiving lunch and bouncy toys....which was fun. 

Saying goodbye was almost as hard as leaving home. In just one week of getting to know our friends, we formed a mutual love for one another.  Nancy wept as she thanked us for coming at just the right time. Paulie told us, with tears rolling down his cheeks, how much he appreciated the love we spread throughout the park..."I watched people smile every time you guys came into the park that I hadn't seen smile in weeks." Robby insisted on us staying in touch through email and letters. Patrick could not say enough about how timely God had sent us into his life after his sister died and how much he loved us for showing such love to him and his friends. With tears in his eyes, he called us family and meant it with everything inside him. We know and reassured them that it is Christ's love, not our own, that shines through us. We all cried as we gave our final hugs and went our separate ways.

After that hard goodbye, we spent our last night with our Reality Church family. They treated us to a delicious meal, we sat around a campfire sharing life stories, and ended the night dancing in fountains. Just as we fell in love with our friends from downtown, we fell deeply in love with the people of this church. Again, we cannot say enough about how much this church has loved us and taught us. They have truly put hands and feet to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for theses brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God...Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth." (3 John 1:5-8) We walked in their church as strangers and they took us in like family. They poured into us, met our needs, and sent us on our way with such encouragement. They are our fellow workers for the truth. (So if any of you RMCers are reading this you best text us, call us, stalk us, and NEVER lose touch!)

P.S. World...we are no longer headed to Naples, Florida. We are headed to Homestead, Florida. We also added pics to our last post. That is all for now.

A Look into the Woods.

Its been a crazy few days.  For sure, some of the craziest so far.

Saturday morning we served with Habitat for Humanity.  The head guys aloud us to give a short devotional before breaking out the hammers and nails.  We shared with them the story of Mary and Martha, reminding them of the necessity to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his stories. We helped deck a roof and installed a couple windows....no big deal. 

The rest of our time in Mobile has been spent downtown in Bienville square.  We have met, hung out with, and fallen in love with so many homeless people.  Every afternoon we pull up in our creepy van and hang out with the same crowd that sits there everyday.  One man, Anthony, put it perfectly...he said that he sits out there "waiting for life to happen." We come everyday, bringing life in Jesus Christ.  They know us as the Christians. Some of them think we are crazy, but the rest of them know they can talk to us when they need to be prayed for/with. 

Once again the Lord is revealing to us the variety of stories and consequential hurts in the world.  We met a guy named Patrick.  Patrick has showed us the ropes to living on the streets. Basically....there are 2 types of people living in the streets, according to Pat.  There are the guys who live in the streets because they want to...because its easier than working...and because they don't have to answer to anybody.  Pat calls them "The Element" because they live in a world surrounded with drugs and alcohol. Then there are the ones who are out on the streets unwillingly.  Circumstances literally left them stranded with no other place to go.  Pat is there unwillingly.  He broke his foot three separate times leaving him unable to work (we've seen it its true). Robby is a fellow southeast Texan who is out on the streets for the first time in his life after getting laid off. Nancy is trying to get away from an alcoholic husband.  Dean left her husband and kids after years of being mistreated and overlooked.  Charles is out on the streets after walking in on his 7 year old wife cheating on him.  Robby said "We are good people, we just aint got no place to stay." It is so true.  

We have watched over and over as these guys looked after each other like a family.  They trust each other with everything.  If one of our friends needed to use the bathroom, another one was quick to look after his belongings for him.  Patrick gave his last few dollars to help a woman get a bus ticket.  He offered up his tent for Robby to sleep in.  A man, Marvin, was beat up a robbed.  Patrick took care of him for some time.  A man and woman walked by in need of a bus ticket and Patrick whipped out his and handed it over.  We had mentioned one day that we like Cashews, the next day, Patrick and his girlfriend, Dean, had gotten us some Cashews.  He insists upon buying us groceries when his foodstamps come in the mail.  It is beyond humbling to watch as this man gives what little bit he has for the betterment of others.

    

Patrick took us out to Tent-City one afternoon where he lives.  It is just outside of downtown (about 2 miles), off of a country road, in the woods. There are a few Tent-Cities located throughout the woods.  Some are full of the Element and some seek to lead quiet lives, like Pat.  When we walked in our hearts dropped.  It was exactly what is pictured when we think of third world countries. Trash covered the ground in piles throughout the trees. The smell was beyond words.  We were standing in a landfill.  Deeper into the woods is where they slept.  Tents covered the area.  Above the tents hung some tarps that they had tied to trees to control some of the rain.  There was a small community area in the middle of all of the tents.  We climbed into Pat's tent as he showed us the treasures of his life...things that we would throw away in a heart-beat.  The trash, that he held so dear to, covered the bottom of tent, only adding to the smell. Pat's sleeping bag was jammed in next to Robbie's old egg crate. The word sad does not even being to describe the condition of their lives when it is compared to so many of us around America.  We look at other countries and see their poverty stricken lifestyles while these people have been living in the woods of America for years. 

We returned to the square so that Patrick could get a meal from one of the shelters. That is when we met Charles. We've never seen so much fear in a grown man's eyes. He had spent the night before on the streets in a horrible storm and was scared of what the night was going to bring. Charles is new to Mobile and is just trying to make it to Florida where his brother is. Patrick began to tell him the dos and don'ts..where to sleep and where not to sleep. He sat with us and waited for the shelter to start serving. He couldn't focus enough to hold long conversation because the worry consumed his thought. As it got dark the "element" was stirring. We figured it would be better to take them to a calmer meal. We brought them to McDonald's and throughout the conversation we watched as Charles' fear began to fade. 

We drove them back to Tent-City and got out to pray with them. As we did, a man stumbled out of the woods and approached us for a ride. He was clearly apart of the "element." Patrick stepped up in our defense and told him we were not heading his way and we couldn't help him. The man had hate in his eyes as he disappeared into the woods calling out to Patrick, "I'm coming for you in the backpack." We prayed over our friends and Charles' hands trembled. After realizing Patrick was scared to stay in the area, we brought them to a safer place to sleep. 

A policeman told us today that he thinks we are crazy for doing what we are doing.  He said "these people do not want your help." As if to say that they all want to stay where they are at.  After watching Nancy break down in tears, holding the trembling hands of Charles, and talking with Pat, it is impossible for us to believe that they do not want the life that Jesus offers.  There are so many people driving up and down the streets right beside Tent-City oblivious to the need in the woods.  Homeless people crowd the streets in America and people will not even look at them in the eyes.  They are brushed off as people who choose to be in the streets...we are not called to pick and choose who we will help out or who we will share the gospel with.  We are called to help the widows and the homeless...regardless of how they got to the streets and regardless of why they are still on the streets.  

"To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.  I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means, I might save someone. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." 1 Cor. 9:22