Feed My Sheep - The Hope Center

Jackson helping out at the Hope Center

It's been a long time since I've written... I am four weeks away from graduation and facing a mound of school work... and all I want to do is have my "feet in the street." Recently, I met some people who practice their faith as an action word. I'm completely and madly in love with them and their mission to bring the redemptive work of Jesus to our little town of Wilmington. 

My new friends at the Anchor Church, have created a day shelter for the homeless and displaced residents of Wilmington. I recently got my first glimpse of the Hope Center which will function to provide daily services (M-F) to these underserved and ignored community of people.

Initially, the Hope Center will offer people a comfortable place to feel safe and warm, a clean restroom, lockers to store personal items, and a place to receive mail. It is our dream that the center will expand to also offer showers, laundry services, Netflix, Internet access, and hot meals.

Despite the services that the Hope Center will provide, it will utmost and foremost function to build relationships. Most of us tend to overlook and ignore our fellow citizens who live on the margins. When we pull up to intersections and see that person standing on the corner with a sign that reads, "Hungry" or "Will work for food" - we avert our eyes. We make judgments about why people are in that situation. We say we won't give if "they are going to spend the money on drugs or booze." We really are arrogant.

PEOPLE - Here's the bottom line. True giving gives without motive, reservation, or hesitation. It is a sacrificial form of love that ignores logic and acts out of the pure heart of self-denial. True giving does not see people as causes or objects, but as friends. True giving trusts God to do as God sees fit in the situation. True giving mirrors Christ's work on the cross - it's a form of suffering love that demands us to risk, be made uncomfortable, and to go without. True giving demands we abandon our motives. 

Many of us are not practiced in this form of giving... myself included. However, God is constantly pushing me to grow to become a "missionary in the city God has placed me."

I am learning that true giving is to be present and helpful to the  people whom I once labeled as "homeless," but now see as my new friends. 

A few months ago I would have told you that I was afraid of the homeless... today... I love and cherish the time I get to spend serving them. How is this so? The Spirit of our Lord made a way through community and into community... all I had to do was say, "yes, Lord?!" and step into the invitation. God is doing a good work through me. 

We sang in church this morning... 

"May the bread on your tongue leave a trail of crumbs, 

To lead the hungry back to the place that you are from." 

(lyric: Derek Webb "Take To the World")

Lord, I pray to use my smallest action. That is can point the way to where I am from... which is YOU.

I hope you would support us and join us at the Hope Center when it is officially up and running. We are called to participate, not spectate, in the ministry of reconciliation. As the Anchor's friend, Ross Johnson says, "Pray with your feet."

BTW - If you are moved...The Hope Center needs money (About $6000 to be fully functioning). Please visit http://anchorwilmington.org/online-giving/ to donate. Just indicate in the tribute section "Hope Center."

A backdrop of Hope - The pallet wall at the Hope Center.