Don't understand? Why?

I could say, with school out, folks beginning to take trips, nothing has happened around the center, but life happens and God is busy.

For what ever reason, you folks have chosen to be a part of this community. You have become friends and family to many of the least of them. Life is hard even when you have someone to walk with, but when you are alone, no family, no friends, and trials come your way, you may want to give up.

Don't understand why, you all don't say, that's it, I give up. Those who we are friends with, do not act the way we expect them to act. They will never appreciate all the things you have done for them. A lot of "church" people, would turn away, wash their hands of the disappointments and move on to other more desirable projects, but ya'll have not, why?

Why do you, take time out of your lives to visit the homeless? Why do you go to India and lvoe on children who no one else lvoes? Why do you go to Haiti, to lvoe on the children who have no one else? You have more important things to do, than take a friend to the hospital. Your money could be spent on your family not those who will never be able to return the favor. You open your home up to serve a meal, to take a shower, to lvoe those who no one loves, why?

You take time out of your hectic lives to have Bible study with the men of the community, doesn't make sense! You walk around the neighborhood, talking with those who are sometimes to drunk to understand what you are saying, for what reason?

You share your resources with others so that they may have a new home, find hope in their lives. You quit your jobs, postpone your careers, so the children of the community can experience lvoe and hope, blows my mind.

We have groups of young people, who travel long distances to share their lvoe with our community, to restore our center, to clean and wax floors, to dig ditches, makes no sense at all. Our summers are spent hosting young adults, who for whatever reason, have decided not to earn a living for themselves, but to give away their lvoe to others in our community, can't explain this?

We have musicians, who want to come and share their gifts with our community, and ask nothing in return. We have a place where everybody is welcomed, where no one is judged, a place where folks who have been to the depths of despair, have a place where they can share their hearts in a chapel.

You have your own lives, your own struggles, your own families, but you take time to go shopping so we might hand out groceries, provide a meal, hang clothes, why? You work behind the scenes, so monies continue to come in, the bills are paid, future housing is obtained, and get no recognition at all, don't understand?

On a hot, sultry afternoon, instead of staying at home in the cool, you are outside, weeding, watering and lvoing on the plants and garden, explain it to me? After you work all day you come to the center. Instead of going fishing on Saturdays, you come to center to build a kitchen, creating a place where one day, new hope and dreams will become a reality, unbelievable?

Because of what you all are doing, we got to experience something Thursday afternoon that we have been praying about for many years. As we were preparing to go inside for chapel, I started to look around. I noticed new faces, new families. I started to look around and see families walking down Southern coming to the center. Babies in strollers, children running after each other. I saw husband, wife, maybe their grandchildren walking down 68 street crossing over Southern, coming to chapel. Men walking together across the grass, from 70 street. Wow, how awesome it was to see and think, this is what it is all about.

God is creating a place where the neighborhood is slowing experiencing something they do not have in any other part in their lives. I think we are being shown, our calling is to be a beacon of light to our neighbors. We will become a place where you can learn to read, leave your babies while you go to work, where you will learn to cook, serve tables, provide for your family. In time, our neighbors will know of a place, if all hope is lost, they can come to. If they need prayer, the first place they will think about is the chapel, anytime day or night.

We need to continue our quest for building relationships with our neighbors. It is not about how many of our neighbors come, it is about us knowing each by name. Met Kayla, Thursday in chapel. I do not know Kayla, she lives in our neighborhood. A sweet smile, a young lady who has blessings to offer us.

I am encourage by what I see happening. More importantly, I think God is pleased. He is showing us, this is where we need to be. We are on the right path, just continue our journeys and His Kingdom will grow. Very exciting, can't wait to see what's around the corner.

Prayers for those returning from Haiti today. Prayers for those in the hospitals. Prayers for us all as we learn to live of life, where those who see us, says there is something different about them. Where God gets the glory.  Amen.