Ever have those moments where you just feel more alive than ever? Like you're right in your element doing what you were created for? That's how I feel when I'm in Canada.
I'm daily surrounded by the beauty of God's creation in magnificent ways. Majestic Mountains. Beautiful calm waters. Gorgeous flowers. Not to mention the incredible diversity of God's children represented by nationalities from around the world.
Yesterday, Sunday, I was so excited to go to church. To meet my new church family for the summer and find ways to plug in. I sat in on their worship practice and they have a great group of talented worship leaders. The music style was contemporary, they did some great harmonies. And within the hour I was asked to help play and sing next Sunday.
I have come to realize recently just how much I have missed leading worship. I think music is in my DNA. I Love to sing and really feel most connected with the Lord in those moments. One of the first people I met was a girl who is from the USA, but recently married a guy from Canada. She was so excited to have another American around for the summer. We really hit it off and ended up making plans for last night.
Last night we went to a little worship service for Young Adults at a local coffee shop called Gallagher's. We were running a little behind and when we parked you could hear the praise and worship music throughout the whole shopping area. What a testimony? It was so nice to be sitting amongst a group of young adults relatively close to my age lol, and worshiping. I knew some of the songs, but some were new...and fantastic. I had the opportunity to meet a few people, and afterwards my new friend took me back to the area where she lives in Port Coquitlam known as (Poco) around here. We went for a good walk around the downtown area.
While walking I saw an older homeless man sitting on a bench across from a Dairy Queen. And I stopped my friend and said.."hold on...going to get dinner for that man." I think she was a little taken back that one minute we're just walking and talking and the next minute we're feeding the homeless...but if you know me, you're not surprised by that. That is truly my heart. And serving the homeless changed my life about 8 years ago.
So...I grabbed some dinner and walked over and introduced myself. The man's name is Dick. Dick was a VERY nice older man. He seemed very intelligent. He had a paper that he had been doing crossword and word puzzles on. It was completely filled up. He was very gracious for the meal and I asked him if he was a Christian. He said that he was and I asked him if there was anything I could be praying about for him. He asked me to pray that his disability paperwork would be straightened out quickly so that he could get off the streets. I asked him if I could pray for him right then and he excitedly said, "oh yes..please." So I did and asked the Lord to protect him and keep him safe and warm and grant favor over getting his paperwork finished. And I'll ask that you say a quick prayer for Dick as well. So often we look at homeless people with judgment and think..."Oh they must be a druggie or an alcoholic. They got themselves into that situation, why should I help them? If I give them money it may just go to their addiction." I want to challenge your thinking. While there are some people on the streets as a result of an addiction, there are also some people on the streets as a result of circumstances that are beyond their control. And injury, a loss of job. Have you ever tried to find a job with no address or contact information? Have you ever been in a position where the only food you got for the day was a result of begging, digging through a garbage can, or praying for the kindness of a stranger? If you have rolled down a window and given some money to the guy under the bridge, did you ask them their name?
It is a huge burden of mine that the homeless people are faceless. Their identity becomes lost in their circumstances. They are no longer seen as Dick, Sue, John, or Carrie. I have learned so much over the years about the people on the streets. Who they are. Where they have come from. And honestly...there are so many of us who could be one paycheck or injury away from that situation.
My new friend and I were talking about helping out a homeless person who was homeless due to circumstance versus a homeless person due to an addiction and my response was..."That's not for me to judge." I have had many a conversation with people who were shooting up heroin as they talked to me in my previous years in Vancouver. I am called to be Christ to others. To serve the "least of these". You never know when the love you show could be a point of hope or change for someone. We are not called to perform the miracle, or choose who is worthy, we are called to be the hands and feet, and a vessell through which HE can work.
I hope to go back and visit Dick and learn his story. Until then.....walk with eyes and a heart wide open.
Love, morgan
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