3 Lessons from the Street
A few months ago, I stepped out of my very safe & secure comfort zone to volunteer as be part of a street ministry.
We meet on a corner in the heart of the city for about 90 minutes to serve coffee, a hot meal, and to be the face of Christ to anyone passing by. We offer food, clothing, an ear to listen, and a heart to pray.
What started as a Lenten offering has become a life-giving source of grace for my overly comfortable and privileged soul.
This past week, I decided to take my camera. In no way was my intention to exploit those in need or to advertise and promote the street ministry. God had been placing this idea on my heart for a long time – to show others just how beautiful they are.
It is a true honor to photo and capture the beauty of those amazing souls I come in contact with. Soon, I hope to share the pictures here on the website. The goal is to hand out a card with the site info to those whose images I capture. I want them to see what I see… their beauty!
It’s easy to hide behind a lens. Those who know me know that I haven’t been very outgoing in a long time. Wounds, anxiety, stress, etc. have slowly crept in. The journey to healing is ongoing. May God use me for His purpose, and may He provide me with the courage I need to actually do it.
With all this background, here are 3 things I’m learning in street ministry:
- If you ask a random person if you can pray with them, they (more often than not) will stop and say, ” yes”.
- While people are hungry for whatever food we may be offering that day, they are more hungry for someone to listen to their story.
- When asking someone if you can take their photo because you see beauty in them, they shine even brighter.
Please pray for me, for those I minister with, and the beautiful people who receive a hot meal & smile. And, know of my prayers for you.
What are your thoughts?