Joe-Lai

My husband worked as a counselor for 2 summers at a church summer camp and since then has always been interested in youth ministry. When we were given the opportunity to work with the teenagers at our church we were excited. But since we are rookies we often struggle to find good ideas for activities the teens will enjoy and things that will also encourage them in their walk with Christ. This year we are trying to think of more ways to serve the people in our community.
So Landry(my husband) recently bought a bike for me off Craigslist. There is a pretty long paved trail right down the street from our apartment that we have ran a few times(well part of it we ran) and I knew it would be perfect for riding my new bike on. One day last week I decided I needed to get out and exercise, but that was not my main reason for riding my bike down the trail this particular day.
I have been reading two books one on serving others and one on making disciples. Also I have recently been studying the book of Revelation, because it is one book of the Bible I don't think I have ever really read or spent much time in study on. So all 3 of these books have been making my mind race. I am using my time serving others? Who should I be serving? How can I be a disciple of Christ yet I never make more disciples? Am I a lukewarm Christian? Revelation 3:15-22 has really been on my heart. "...because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth...For you say I am rich, I have prospered and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, poor, blind and naked....Behold, I stand at the door and knock, If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me....He who has has an ear, let him hear...."
I say all of this to say I have been feeling like I need to quit sitting in church and reading my Bible and getting on "fire" for God and then going out into the world and doing nothing for him. I know these words may sound harsh, but they have been weighing heavy on me lately. Matthew 25:31-40 "...I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.....Truly, I say to you as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." I know I am saved by grace and no matter how much I try I can not earn my way into heaven. But I love my savior and I want to be like him and use my short time on this earth to show his love to those who cross my path. As I read these verses from Matthew I asked myself, who have a fed? who have I welcomed into my home? who I have clothed? who have I visited when they were sick or in prison? Yes there have been times in my life I have done some of those things, but those times often were organized through church and are not how I live my day to day life. Am I searching for ways to serve others or ways to serve myself?
So on this particular day I took a bike ride not only for exercise, but to serve. I remembered one reason I often don't go down the trail is because I am fearful of all the homeless I see on the path or at the park. I often times don't make eye contact as if they are not human beings just like me. But this day I decided I would fix a sandwich or two and bring to someone I saw. As I peddled my bike, my mind raced with reasons I shouldn't help. Maybe they would reject me or think I am weird for offering or maybe it was unsafe for me by myself to talk with them. Anyways I chickened out that day, but I was determined to go back again with my husband.
So last Sunday, as we were trying to come up with a service project to do with our youth group for the next week, I asked my husband if we could go back to that park and talk with some of the homeless. Thankfully I married a man with a very tender heart for helping others and he agreed to give it another shot with me.
When we arrived, the park was buzzing with people of all kinds. A large gathering of Micronesian families were eating while there kids played on the playground. There were several families barbequing and a big birthday party celebration under a tent. On the backside near the water were 2 different groups of homeless people under pavilions. We nervously paced back and forth trying to get up the nerve to go and speak with them. What would we say? Would they be happy we wanted to help or offended that we offered? So we said a prayer together asking God to give us courage and to lead us to the right people needing help. After playing on the playground with some kids for a bit we got the nerve up to go talk to a small group we saw.
We walked up to a lady sitting on a bench out side her "home", made up of tarps. We introduced ourselves and told her we were wanting to help some local people and were wondering what things her and her family were needing. She introduced herself as Lai and her husband as Joe she said you can call us Joe-Lai. She was happy we asked and said she needed laundry detergent, shampoo, blankets and always needed food. We told her we would come back next Sunday with some teenagers and bring some things she needed. Then she started telling us a little of how she got to where she was and mentioned she had not had a hot shower in 6 months. Landry and I both looked at one another and then said you can come take a shower at our apartment. She seemed really happy and quickly grabbed her bag and jumped in our car.
Why does the act of letting a homeless woman take a shower at our apartment feel so radical? Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Matthew 5:42 Give to the one who begs of you and do not refuse to the one who would borrow from you. Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors Him. Mark 12:31 Love your neighbor as yourself. Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.Ok ok ok, the list of scriptures go on and on about helping those in need, but if I know this is what is commanded and what pleases my Father why do I not live it out? I rode in the back seat as we were driving home to let her take a shower and I had a wonderful feeling of joy. I was so thankful that we had a shower and that I have never had to go a day in my life without taking one if I wanted to. So thankful God chose us on this day to bless this lady. That we could give to her what we were given NOT because we deserve it, but we could give because we were freely given!!
This coming up Sunday we are going back to this park to serve with the teenagers from our church. I am looking forward to seeing them feel that same joy we felt that day. I am praying that they find courage through Christ to talk with the people and to step out of their comfort zones. I debated whether or not to share this story on my blog as I don't want to sound as if I am bragging about a kind act we did. But I decided to share, because I stepped out in faith which is something I have rarely done in my life and one main reason is because I have been reading stories of ordinary people following Christ's commandments to serve as he served. I hope this encourages someone to step out, to find some need where you live, something you feel passionate about, some way to show Christ to the world. My prayer today is that I won't stop with this one small act of kindness. Lord, please light a fire in me that will not be blown out so easily by my own fears. I put my trust in you.