Look At Them

We don’t have to look to the slums of Africa to find poverty. Most of it is in our own backyard. When it does not personally affect us, we tend to overlook the needs of others. Maybe we have enough food every day, and hunger lasts but a moment before we are able to fill our stomachs again. But there are people who don’t have that option. In Los Angeles alone, there are thousands of people who are not living that so-called American dream because they are burdened by poverty. You can look away from these people…but do you REALLY want to?

Sure, nearly everyone in our country is dealing with the descending economy, but some of us are getting hit- hard. Hardworking parents are now struggling to keep their children fed. People who never would have imagined losing their homes are now living in homeless shelters and are praying for a way out.

The “junk” mail comes into your mailbox: ‘Please help Lucy get a meal this week. Your gift can prevent her from starving’- maybe you didn’t read that part of the letter because you saw that sad picture of Lucy and didn’t want any part of her life. You tossed her story in the garbage bin because she isn’t your daughter or sister or niece. But she is a real person with real needs who really needs your help. Alma, Carmen, Paul, Victor, etc.- they all exist and all have stories that have been shared from coast to coast. They live in the inner cities and destitute communities of Los Angeles.

Maybe like them, you are struggling with money. Times are tough and our checks aren’t always enough. But you can make a difference in someone else’s life. Sign up for the Adopt-A-Block newsletter or read stories on the Dream Center website and allow yourself to feel love and compassion for your distant brothers and sisters. Whether you can give financially or not, God can hear your prayers for these loved ones. Nobody is asking you for a million dollars- we are asking for your heart. Will you continue to look away?

-Shimmy

Getting off the Skid Row Streets

On Sunday afternoon, I went with a group from the Dream Center to Skid Row in downtown L.A. to give out sandwiches to the homeless people living down there. One homeless man explained his story to our team of why he has been staying in Skid Row. Someone from the Dream Center told him about the shelter that was available for him to stay at in the Dream Center. Our team took him off of the streets that afternoon, and before driving him to the Dream Center, one volunteer treated him to a frozen yogurt on that hot day.

This man is now a disciple in the Hope for Homeless Youth program at the Dream Center, where he has the opportunity to get his life put back together again, and learns about how much God loves him. The Dream Center truly acts as the hands and feet of Jesus every, single day.

-Shimmy
Credit: Red Eye, Inc.

Shining

Colossians 3:23-25 (Message) says:: don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work.

I have a bad habit of doing just what is asked. Not in all areas, but in some. One of those places is my second job, Starbucks.
I work at the Dream Center and then go work another 5 hours at Starbucks. I sometimes, honestly, think 'I did great at the Dream Center today so it's okay to slack at this job.' I do what is asked and what is expected without going that extra mile. Without running to win the race. But tonight, God grabbed my attention and brought that verse into my head. "Do all of your work to the Lord." If I was doing it for God would I leave ANYTHING unclean?

I started cleaning a little bit more and then started to notice how dirty the store actually was. Not just what could be seen by the customers but things only we as employees would see if we really looked. So there I was, on my hands and knees on the dirty, coffee covered, wet, soppy floor scrubbing down walls and holes and crevices that no one had obviously touched in months. Scrubbing and rescrubbing trying to get the chocolate and caramel sauces off that had been plastered to the sides of things. "No one is even going to see these, God. Why does it matter if I clean them?" I thought. To which God quickly replied, "How many deep, dirty crevices of your life have I cleaned that no one else will see but you and I?" Talk about a humbling moment. My coworker looked at me like I was crazy but I just kept cleaning. I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop scrubbing away at the dirt and grime and filth even though I knew that tomorrow it would be just as dirty and tomorrow night when I went into work I would have to start all over again.

What a moment that was for me, one of those times where you realize you are no better than anyone else and God can help you realize things about your life whether you're on a mountain top with him or scrubbing the floors and cubbies that only you and He will know you scrubbed. But if you think about it...our work is representing Christ... Wouldn't we want everything we do to shine like we have cleaned it 30 times over and scrubbed til nothing could possibly be stuck anymore?