Katelyn, kyra, my dad and I piled into the car to go deliver thanksgiving food drive baskets. I heard the voices of nervousness and excitement being spoken aloud as we pulled out of the school. The address mrs Rowe had been given was wrong. This woman was hidden in the dark, and satan tried his best to make sure that didnt change, but God told me we couldnt give up on finding this woman. My group was saying we should go to our next stop,just leave since we couldnt find it, and my dad started to drive away. I told him to turn around, go back to a house, and I would go ask the people there if this address even existed. It didnt. There was a one letter difference in the address we had and the one we needed. They gave me instructions and I thanked them for their help. We were on the move again. I got more excited as we got closer to the apartment, but had no idea what God was going to do. He never ceases to provide or blow my mind... We arrived at the apartment and gathered the turkey, basket, card, and walked up to the front door. We saw kids bikes leaning against the wall, and the place made my heart cry. I knocked on the door and we waited... I knocked again, this time louder and longer, and we waited. Next, my dad stepped up to knock. As his knuckles beat against the door he shouted out, hello? This is trinity academy with thanksgiving food drive stuff. We waited again and started to walk to the car. As I stepped inside the car I heard katelyn and my dad say, wait! Shes there! I jumped out and ran around and back to her door. Her head was barely peeking outside, but I caught her eyes. She was tired, oh so tired. She was worn and afraid and hungry for more than just food. I gently walked up and told her again who we were. She kindly told me to come in and we walked inside her home. As we walked in the front door, the first thing I noticed was how skinny she was. Her body was the tiniest thing I have ever seen, and I could see the ache in her. I stepped in and almost ran into an air mattress next to the door. We all squeezed just inside her front door so we wouldnt intrude too much. She looked at me and I explained what we were doing. We have been putting together thanksgiving food baskets for the last week, and today is the day we are beginning to deliver them. You were our first stop. I pointed to the basket, and as she looked at it her eyes began to fill with tears. Puzzled, I asked her if she had expected us. She looked up at me with those worn eyes that spoke more than words ever could, and said, no. I had no idea. I have no idea how you guys found me. She began to cry. As I began to break, I asked her if I could hug her. She nodded her head and looked up at me again. As I wrapped my arms around her tiny body, I could have sworn I was about to break her. If I could have held her forever I would have. It was enough blessing to me to just wrap her in my arms so she could feel loved, just hold her close as a friend, just show that someone cares. I had no idea what was next. My dad took the card from me and began to read the verse. As he got near the end his eyes got red and he started to tear up. My dad is not a cryer. He doesnt let people see him get emotional. He held it together and finished the verse. He began to talk about trinity and how we are raised to live for Christ and how we love to help others as we have been blessed. He couldnt stop bragging on trinity and all that we have done through the school. As he ended we asked Angie if she had children since we had seen the bikes. She nodded and said,yes, I have two little boys. She started to tear up again as she said this...Im sorry it took me so long to get to the door... I come from a domestic violence situation and so when I heard the door... The last words barely slipped into the thin air...but I could just find them in the silence...I was just afraid... No one has my address so I didnt know who it was...Im sorry... We told her over and over that it was okay... It was okay... My dad mentioned that we could pray with her before we left. I looked at her eyes where I could see her heart and asked in a soft voice, would it be okay if we prayed with you?. She nodded yes and we pulled her in close to a circle. I held on to her as I thanked God for her family, the food, the opportunity, and asked His blessings on her and her family. We said amen, I caught her eyes, told her I would be praying for her, and we walked out the door. We were all emotional as we got in the car, and I couldnt help but pray for her again in my heart. Why is it that we are so surrounded by hurt and loss and those without, and yet we never do anything about it? We can see it, but we choose not to. We know that if we see it, we will be compelled (and called) to do something about it; And we dont want to do that; its too uncomfortable. Well I have news for you - Christ doesnt call us to be comfortable!!! He calls us to go outside of our comfort zone so that we can provide comfort for others. He calls us to bend low so we can lift them up. He calls us to listen so we can learn how to speak. He calls us to see so that we can see through His eyes. It is a different experience when you carry the basket of food instead of just writing the check. Your heart moves when you walk into the tattered home instead of the warm, private school. Christ breaks you when you see the woman who is worn and tired and hopeless instead of the peer with the happy smile because she has all she needs, she is provided for, she knows she will eat a meal tonight. When THIS WOMAN, reaching for Jesus cloak so that she just. might. BE HEALED is dragging herself down the cobblestone street so that He wont see that it is her...the woman beaten and lost and just plain scared... When THAT WOMAN is crawling to His feet because she has no strength, and we are running to Him with joy, something in your heart breaks. Something inside of you is stirred. You want to cry for and with her. You want to show her that HE DOES CARE FOR THE LEAST OF THESE. He cares FOR YOU. And you beg her to give you a hug just so she can feel loved and you can feel in Christ and Show. Her. Christ. Thats what it is to be uncomfortable. Thats what it is to be in the complete and utter love of Christ. Thats what it is to be His hands, His feet, His heart. This is trinity academy. Not at its finest or highest, but at its lowest; humblest. That is where God wants us. He doesnt call us to rise above others and preach, He calls us to bend low with others and love. I believe trinity does this well; its why I love the school. Its more than a building, its a family united in Christ for His purpose and not our own. If I wanted a good education I could go to independent, but I want that PLUS a life worth living. We are taught by the Words of Christ, poured into and over us. We are prayed for. Walked with. Our faculty are not shepherds over us, but sheep with us. Only when we are sheep can The Lord be our Shepherd. Only then can He Walk among us, but guide us in his ways. This isnt easy, we dont always make it easy, but Christ didnt promise us easy, He promised us provision and love and grace and joy and rest in Him alone. He called us to the hard life so that we lean on Him. So be encouraged by this story. Be encouraged by this testament to His glory and goodness. And go. The family outside of this room is calling, asking, and praying that you will lead us by walking among us. Jill Buettgenbach, the middle part wasnt In there today. any thoughts?
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 02:19:49 +0000
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