Family, The Simple Way, and lots of Questions...
9 Comments Published by Boys Town on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 10:30 AM.
Our little community (plus our friend Claudia) hit the road this Easter! We picked up Jo from the airport on Friday and drove to see my parents in Houston. Jo had just returned from 2 weeks in language school in Antigua, Guatemala. It's a miracle - she's totally fluent! Okay, not quite fluent (neither am I!), but definitely on the road! We're glad she's back.
It was great to see my parents, though very briefly. I loved sitting around the table listening to Dad talk about how he drove around their suburb "looking for homeless people." He has been reading The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne lately, and is determined to be a different kind of church where he lives. (The truth is, my dad has always been a bit of a revolutionary sort of guy.) He and Mom are leading a small group now, and trying to live out together what it really means to follow Jesus. I'm inspired and encouraged by my parents who, in their 60's, refuse to allow life to just settle down and happen to them- they are squeezing every ounce of life and love out of what they've been given. I think they become my heroes again and again every day, simply because of the way they continue to love me and everyone else around them.
Speaking of The Irresistible Revolution....from Houston we drove to San Antonio to hear Shane Claiborne speak on Saturday night. Hearing him share in person the journey of community and loving Jesus was great. In fact, it was so great that we (& our friends Roland & Carolyn), like a bunch of groupies, followed him to Austin on Sunday night! We very sheepishly showed our faces for night #2, but were grateful for another opportunity to listen to him share his stories. On night #2, Shane asked everyone to consider leaving their shoes at the communion stations to be given to a homeless shelter not far away. It was beautiful to come to an altar, receive the body and blood of Jesus, then place your shoes on the pile already there. In the same way that communion reminds us of how we put together the broken body of Jesus, the shoes reminded me that we need each other. Sometimes I have, sometimes you have, but as Christ's Body, there should be no lack among us.
I felt my life being destroyed by the Gospel, yet again. I kind of thought the "damage" had been done with my big move to Mexico. Apparently, that was only the beginning. I wrestle with lots of questions here - what does it really look like to love and serve my friends in BT? What does it look like to let them be my friend? Is what I'm doing enough? And not "enough" in the sense of checking off some religious to-do list, but enough in that, if I call Jesus my friend, am I doing enough to wipe away His tears? To meet Him in His most "distressing disguises," as Mother Teresa put it? Dorothy Day said, "If you have two coats, you've stolen one." Have I stolen from the poor? from my friends? from Jesus? Not sure anyone can answer these questions for us, as it tends to be in the heart between Jesus and us.
I went to see Lucia and Blanca yesterday, only to find that Lucia had not been at the shelter since Sunday. On Easter, she took herself right back to Boys Town, leaving everything behind. I found her, drunk and a bit high, behind Nora's place. She was talking to a girl named Maria, who was clearly in need of a fix. My heart sank and shattered as Lucia, through tears, shared with me why she came back. She and Blanca had faced some problems in their friendship, and I'm not sure of the whole story, to be honest with you. I just cried with her and told her I loved her, but that I wanted to see her in a different place. I felt so angry when I left - angry at Lucia for going back, angry at Blanca for stirring up trouble, angry at the enemy for his stupid schemes, angry at God for not doing something more to stop it all. Thanks to Jo, I was reminded of the verse in Romans 12 that says, "...if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. Love from the center of who you are..." I've always told people that I'm not here to love people in BT so they'll change - I'm just here to love the ones Jesus loves; the changing part is up to Him. That becomes more difficult to accept when people become your friends instead of your ministry. Pray for Lucia today, that God will carve out a place for her (or even that our landlord would allow us to take her in).
It was great to see my parents, though very briefly. I loved sitting around the table listening to Dad talk about how he drove around their suburb "looking for homeless people." He has been reading The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne lately, and is determined to be a different kind of church where he lives. (The truth is, my dad has always been a bit of a revolutionary sort of guy.) He and Mom are leading a small group now, and trying to live out together what it really means to follow Jesus. I'm inspired and encouraged by my parents who, in their 60's, refuse to allow life to just settle down and happen to them- they are squeezing every ounce of life and love out of what they've been given. I think they become my heroes again and again every day, simply because of the way they continue to love me and everyone else around them.
Speaking of The Irresistible Revolution....from Houston we drove to San Antonio to hear Shane Claiborne speak on Saturday night. Hearing him share in person the journey of community and loving Jesus was great. In fact, it was so great that we (& our friends Roland & Carolyn), like a bunch of groupies, followed him to Austin on Sunday night! We very sheepishly showed our faces for night #2, but were grateful for another opportunity to listen to him share his stories. On night #2, Shane asked everyone to consider leaving their shoes at the communion stations to be given to a homeless shelter not far away. It was beautiful to come to an altar, receive the body and blood of Jesus, then place your shoes on the pile already there. In the same way that communion reminds us of how we put together the broken body of Jesus, the shoes reminded me that we need each other. Sometimes I have, sometimes you have, but as Christ's Body, there should be no lack among us.
I felt my life being destroyed by the Gospel, yet again. I kind of thought the "damage" had been done with my big move to Mexico. Apparently, that was only the beginning. I wrestle with lots of questions here - what does it really look like to love and serve my friends in BT? What does it look like to let them be my friend? Is what I'm doing enough? And not "enough" in the sense of checking off some religious to-do list, but enough in that, if I call Jesus my friend, am I doing enough to wipe away His tears? To meet Him in His most "distressing disguises," as Mother Teresa put it? Dorothy Day said, "If you have two coats, you've stolen one." Have I stolen from the poor? from my friends? from Jesus? Not sure anyone can answer these questions for us, as it tends to be in the heart between Jesus and us.
I went to see Lucia and Blanca yesterday, only to find that Lucia had not been at the shelter since Sunday. On Easter, she took herself right back to Boys Town, leaving everything behind. I found her, drunk and a bit high, behind Nora's place. She was talking to a girl named Maria, who was clearly in need of a fix. My heart sank and shattered as Lucia, through tears, shared with me why she came back. She and Blanca had faced some problems in their friendship, and I'm not sure of the whole story, to be honest with you. I just cried with her and told her I loved her, but that I wanted to see her in a different place. I felt so angry when I left - angry at Lucia for going back, angry at Blanca for stirring up trouble, angry at the enemy for his stupid schemes, angry at God for not doing something more to stop it all. Thanks to Jo, I was reminded of the verse in Romans 12 that says, "...if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. Love from the center of who you are..." I've always told people that I'm not here to love people in BT so they'll change - I'm just here to love the ones Jesus loves; the changing part is up to Him. That becomes more difficult to accept when people become your friends instead of your ministry. Pray for Lucia today, that God will carve out a place for her (or even that our landlord would allow us to take her in).
"The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to find the disciples to give them the angel's message." ~Matthew 28:8
"As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his feet. Still they stood there doubting, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, 'Do you have anything here to eat?' They gave him a piece of broiled fish."
~Luke 24:40-42
"Death swallowed by triumphant Life!
Who got the last word, oh, Death?
Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now?
It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three - sin, guilt, death - are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!"
~1 Corinthians 15:54-57
Encouraging Words from Paul
3 Comments Published by Boys Town on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 at 10:20 PM.
"...if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.
Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality."
Romans 12:7-12 The Message
Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality."
Romans 12:7-12 The Message
Friday was Cubana's birthday, so I took a meal and cake and flowers into BT to celebrate. Initially, it seemed pretty bleak in terms of party-goers. The birthday girl disappeared while I was setting up the food in the bar. Just when I was about to let my disappointment get the best of me, Cubana returned with several folks in tow to celebrate her birthday. The party had begun, and even the juke box knew it - this mysterious juke box comes on and off at will, and blares anything from the Beatles to Los Tigres del Norte (a popular Tejano band). As everyone gathered around, I said, "alright - let's eat!"
"No, Kelly, you have to pray for Cubana first!" Praying in Spanish is kind of a challenge for me, but I just went for it. We thanked God for Cubana's life and prayed for many more years for her to know Him and glorify Him in her life. As I was praying, I became acutely aware that I was standing at the pole where many of those attending the party had danced at one point or another in their careers. It was by far the most unlikely "See You at the Pole" prayer gathering ever. (For those who are unaware, "See You at the Pole" was a yearly event where students in public schools around the country would gather to pray at their flag pole before morning classes. I, like many good christian teenagers, dawned my christian t-shirt and met at the pole, though I was unaware at the time of the foreshadowing in my life.)
Crystal was there, smoking cigarettes in all of her pregnant glory. I was completely annoyed by her indifference to anyone and everything, and decided I had better just avoid any conversation with her for the moment. After the party was over and we had finished cleaning up, I was chatting with some of the girls. I said to Crystal, "Do you know what I heard? I heard your baby doesn't like to smoke!" Admittedly, I said this in a tone of sarcasm - annoyed sarcasm. This drew laughter from everyone, even Crystal. Three months ago, I wouldn't have dared to say what I think to her. This is either a sign that her heart is slowly softening, or that I'm becoming more brainless. Either way, I'm grateful for the growing friendship, even one that allows us to be honest. I had taken Crystal to the doctor the day before, and we had a great conversation. I took her to the property that will soon be home to me where we talked about having dreams for your life. She told me she didn't have a dream for her life. "Well, I have a dream for your life," I told her. "I hope that soon, when you're ready to leave drugs behind, you can run your beauty salon out of the home that will be built here. Then, one day, you can have your own place and I'll send all of my friends to get their hair cut by you." Her face lit up, and I hope this sparked a new dream in her heart.
One of the girls asked me if I have a job here in Reynosa. "I live by faith," I said, not even thinking about how strange that must sound. I've never shared that with anyone in BT before as it hasn't really come up in conversation. I often think about how most of them work in there because they're desperate to make ends meet for their kids or families they've left behind. I always struggle with asking them to leave that way of life because I wonder how they will be able to support children or even themselves on the wages of the average person here. Life is hard here, and working in BT often means more income than any other job available to them. But God has been so incredibly faithful to take care of all of my needs - why wouldn't He do the same for them? Am I not living in hopes of showing them the same Jesus who cares for me and knows my every need? Of course He'll take care of them. Amazing how He uses every detail of our lives to show Himself - His faithfulness, His mercy, His endless love - to those around us.
Speaking of His goodness and provision...some friends who were here last week building houses (www.strategicalliance.org) heard that we were preparing to take care of Crystal's baby girl (at night while she works). Knowing that we didn't have any spare baby items laying around the house, they threw me an impromptu baby shower! It was awesome and truly an answer to prayer. The site of all those diapers made me feel slightly overwhelmed at the way my life is about to change! I'm ready...I think. :)
