WoW

So far this week has been pretty cool. I have to tell you about this thing at the San Fran Food Bank that happened yesterday, but first: the back story... My first time at the Food Bank, my group and I were in the break room taking well a break, and we saw some guys eating cupcakes, so we asked them who's birthday it was. They told us it was Andy's birthday (our project coordinator). So when he came back into the room to check on us we asked him and wished him a happy birthday. His face turned really red and he looked at us and said, "it's not my birthday" and left the room. But the guys in the break room told us that he's just shy and that it really was his birthday, and that we should sing to him when he came back into the room to get us. So as soon as he came in we started singing to him and once again, his face turned really red, and the guys who gave us this information were dying laughing. Before he took us back into the project room I asked the guys what was so funny and it turns out it really wasn't his birthday, but all the guys in the warehouse have this ongoing joke where they try to embarrass each other by telling groups of volunteers it's different guy's birthday. So, now every time I go there with a group I ask the guys who's birthday it is.


Flash forward to Monday: I asked the guys who's birthday it was today, and they told me it was Joel's birthday at that it would be great if we could get the whole room to sing to him. There were probably about 30 or so volunteers in all, so I snuck to each table and told them that we were going to sing happy birthday to Joel. So we turned off the background music, and all started busting into happy birthday. His face turned so red and you could tell he was extremely embarrassed by the whole thing. One of the guys even took video of the whole ordeal on his phone. It was so much fun, and in a way I enjoy being a part of this silly little community of the people who work at the food bank- even if it is to give each other a hard time.


But isn't that in some ways what community is all about? Romans 12:15-16 says:


"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."


I've really come to live this verse out over the past few weeks. I've shed some tears over the death of grandparents. I've laughed with a group of guys who mess with each other at the food bank. I've shared meals with homeless, some of which didn't even share a common language with me. So why am I here? I've had to ask myself that a few times over the past few weeks. What good am I doing? There are over five to ten thousand homeless sleeping on the street every night- I can't house them. I can't feed them. I have nothing to offer them. And yet, I do. The stereotype of homeless is dirty, disgusting, ungrateful, grumpy, beggars. Maybe you agree or don't. But I'll be the first to admit that those are some of the things I thought about the homeless. Then I see a woman holding a sign that says "Anything you can do to help. Even a big smile." So I smile at her, and she smiles back. She didn't bang on the window, she didn't hold out her hand, she just smiled back. It felt genuine. Then there's the guy I encountered Sunday night during our little incident during the prayer tour. He admittedly told me that he was crazy, dropped a few expletives, and broke through the threshold of personal space by getting extremely close to me. But he warned me about all the people who were supposedly helping us with the information about the hit and run driver. He warned us to get out of this neighborhood, because the only reason those people were helping us was because they thought we'd give them money or in some way help to support their habit. And in some ways he was right. A woman no more than gave us information then held out her hand and asked for money for beer. Now I have to give her credit that she was honest- and I do understand that she has needs too. I won't touch the subject regarding her request because I just won't, but needless to say, it bummed one of my group members out because he thought the people who were surrounding the car with information genuinely saw him in need and wanted to help him, but instead they hoped to gain something from it. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to judge their hearts, or make it sound like I know everything- just write this off as the ramblings of a person with a computer and the ability to type.


But isn't that so like us a humans? What's in it for me? I'll help you out, but I'm going to need something in return. I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine. What happened to community, to rejoicing with a person just because they have something to rejoice about, or mourning with someone because their heart is broken? What happened to the Acts 2 church? Selling all our possessions, giving to the poor and helping each other out? Some say this isn't realistic. That's old school. It can't be done. I say why not? I don't know how it would look... I really have no other dream than I want to see it lived out, but I don't know how to get there or anything. But it's such a big burden, and it won't go away. One thing that I've learned over the course of this California adventure is that it doesn't take much for most people to let you in. I spend about 5-6 days on average with a group, and before it's over we've shared heartfelt parts of our lives together. I watched a group of 7th and 8th graders sit around a man in the civic center park and just talk and laugh together. He was just as excited about them being around him as he was to have someone to joke and laugh and listen to him.


"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn..."

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."