It's been a busy couple of weeks. We've been doing outreach.
No, not that kind. I mean to church people.
I had the chance to say hey to the ministerial association of the old home town. I spent quite a bit longer than my alloted 10 minutes explaining who we are and what we do. A bit surreal after the rough time we'd just been through. I wish I could tell you. Someday. Wait for the book.
But spending that time telling some people how great it is and how important it is was a good reminder for my own self. I needed to say those things more than they needed to hear them. Plus the banana bread was really good.
The pastors were very welcoming and I appreciated the questions they asked. They prayed for us and promised to keep doing so.
Days later, we had a chance to speak to the local chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and do the same thing. Out of that we've got a week this summer adopted, and some interest in Breakfast.
It's all very ecumenical, for a small town pentecostal. When I was growing up there was much bad and not much good about co-operating and worshiping with the 'liberal' elements who called themselves Christians but weren't really. As long as they kept to themselves, we felt sorry for them. If they tried to come alongside, we got suspicious. Since then, of course, my mom has come to terms with her inner Anglican and we've all realized that the 'social gospel' actually has a life.
Dinner this week was somewhat thought provoking. It was all pretty much as usual, except that there were at least 5 new faces. People who'd never been before. Now that the Salvation Army's lunch program has shut down for the summer, people are finding us. Just as our energy is flagging, the numbers are growing.
Plus one or two people who we'd lost sight of have come back. Especially one. He lives on his own north of town, about 7 km (4.5 miles). He's a musician. Plays at least 3 instruments. Which is a theme that we keep encountering. It's amazing how many skilled and gifted people live at the Motel. People who are carpenters and electricians and musicians and chefs. People who just didn't fit into a box somewhere, so found themselves on the outs with society.
It was great to see our old friend back again. He gave us all his shy smile and nod and bit of a wave. He remembered all of our names after 8 months absence and settled right back in.
Later, we went outside to carry pots and pans to our cars and we saw, in the front parking lot, his transportation. He collects vehicles on his space north of town and one had brought him to dinner. He'd got showered and shaved and put on a nice shirt and climbed aboard and driven the 7 km to Dinner. And home again.
Gotta love it.
r
No, not that kind. I mean to church people.
I had the chance to say hey to the ministerial association of the old home town. I spent quite a bit longer than my alloted 10 minutes explaining who we are and what we do. A bit surreal after the rough time we'd just been through. I wish I could tell you. Someday. Wait for the book.
But spending that time telling some people how great it is and how important it is was a good reminder for my own self. I needed to say those things more than they needed to hear them. Plus the banana bread was really good.
The pastors were very welcoming and I appreciated the questions they asked. They prayed for us and promised to keep doing so.
Days later, we had a chance to speak to the local chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and do the same thing. Out of that we've got a week this summer adopted, and some interest in Breakfast.
It's all very ecumenical, for a small town pentecostal. When I was growing up there was much bad and not much good about co-operating and worshiping with the 'liberal' elements who called themselves Christians but weren't really. As long as they kept to themselves, we felt sorry for them. If they tried to come alongside, we got suspicious. Since then, of course, my mom has come to terms with her inner Anglican and we've all realized that the 'social gospel' actually has a life.
Dinner this week was somewhat thought provoking. It was all pretty much as usual, except that there were at least 5 new faces. People who'd never been before. Now that the Salvation Army's lunch program has shut down for the summer, people are finding us. Just as our energy is flagging, the numbers are growing.
Plus one or two people who we'd lost sight of have come back. Especially one. He lives on his own north of town, about 7 km (4.5 miles). He's a musician. Plays at least 3 instruments. Which is a theme that we keep encountering. It's amazing how many skilled and gifted people live at the Motel. People who are carpenters and electricians and musicians and chefs. People who just didn't fit into a box somewhere, so found themselves on the outs with society.
It was great to see our old friend back again. He gave us all his shy smile and nod and bit of a wave. He remembered all of our names after 8 months absence and settled right back in.
Later, we went outside to carry pots and pans to our cars and we saw, in the front parking lot, his transportation. He collects vehicles on his space north of town and one had brought him to dinner. He'd got showered and shaved and put on a nice shirt and climbed aboard and driven the 7 km to Dinner. And home again.
Gotta love it.
r
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