Where is the Hope?

As I pulled through the drive thru at Sonic, the last person I expected to see was Robert. Robert is a homeless man I met 3 years ago.  At the time he wasn't homeless.  He lived in a nearby apartment.  Since then, he made some bad choices, ended up in jail for a while, and could be found camped out in his truck in the Ministry Center parking lot for nearly 7 months last year.

 I did a double take at the man sitting at the picnic table.  Was that Robert, I thought?  I hadn't seen him in his silver Dodge pick up truck parked under the tree at the Ministry Center since last November.  Seeing him sitting at the picnic table at Sonic was out of context,  I just wasn't sure.

As I was placing my order for my diet peach green tea, a scruffy man walked up to my window.  Amy?  It was Robert!  I asked him quickly where he had been.  He recounted his whereabouts of the last 4 months and what he had been doing.  As I was moving up in the line, I said, "well, we have missed seeing you around".  The 54 year old homeless man began to weep. 

I stared at the pain in his eyes.  I invited him to follow me to the Ministry Center, because I was headed there for Homework Huddle.  He nodded his head yes, too choked up to speak.

As I nudged forward in the drive-thru line, I watched him out of my rear view window walk back to his truck.  I wondered if he would really show up.

After nearly 20 minutes had passed, I saw the silver Dodge truck turn into the parking lot.  Robert proceeded to the end of the parking lot and backed into his usual parking spot under the tree, like he hadn't been absent for the last 4 months. 

He slowly walked back to the picnic table outside the Ministry Center and plopped down.  I could feel the heaviness of his body as he sat across from me. 

About the same time, Craig pulled in with a bus load of kids for homework huddle.  He joined us at the table.  Robert shared his struggles with us.  No job, filing taxes, needing to be on anti-depressants and heart medicine, but not being able to afford it. We were able to help him trouble shoot some help with free income tax filing and prescription help.  These little helps seemed to give some hope.   He lamented about his family wanting nothing to do with him because of the choices he made years prior.  He talked about how lonely he is.  How he has lost hope and has even contemplated suicide. 

We asked Robert where he found hope when he wasn't feeling so low.  He really didn't have an answer.  He told us he had been helping other homeless people in Olathe.  He had given them rides to the shelter in Shawnee.  He gave them some clothes and blankets he had, leaving him with nothing, but he had his truck.  He said we were the only people who seemed to care about him and ask how he is doing.  He said we were always nice to him.  How lonely that must be?  We haven't seen him in nearly 4 months!  He shed lots of tears sharing his heart.  This man sitting across from me was completely broken and hopeless.  Sometimes just listening to someone provides hope. 

Craig and Robert exchanged phone numbers with an encouragement to pass along any job possibilities that might come our way. 

As the afternoon wrapped up, I saw Robert head down the train tracks to the South of the Ministry Center parking lot.  He was headed to the tree lined area he used to sleep in and hang out in.  He disappeared for about 15 minutes and returned wearing a smile.  He jumped in his truck to go purchase some chicken for some homeless friends he found in his old stomping grounds.  This man who is completely broken, has very little material possessions, no money to buy the medicine he needs, was sharing what he had.  It was evident to me, that Robert found hope in encouraging others and sharing what he has.  Please join me in praying for others to encourage him.  All people want to be known and cared for.  Pray he can see Jesus through us and learn of the hope found in HIM while we are listening and caring. 

God's Timing

I've known Rachel for 6 years.  Her daughter wrote me a thank you note that really launched me into the ministry here at Mission Southside.  About a month ago I invited Rachel to discover more about God's plan for her life.  She was so surprised that I asked her because she had just purchased this bible at Saver's the week before!  Truly, God's timing.

We have been meeting now for about a month. This bible that she purchased used to belong to Marvin Sweigart....we know this because it is engraved on the brown leader cover.  Every week she reads from Marvin's bible.  Sometimes there are things underlined.  Sometimes there are notes in the margin.  Every week we wonder a little bit more about Marvin's story.  Who was/is Marvin?

Tonight we added someone else to our group.  We were all comparing our bibles.  Mine is LARGE print...my eyes are getting so bad.  Stacy's bible is REALLY small print, I don't even know how she can read it.  Then Rachel shows Stacy her bible.  We all realized there had to be a story about Marvin.

When we finished reading about Adam and Eve, Stacy pulled out her phone.  "Let's see if we can find out who Marvin is/was she said.  She googled his name......

Marvin was a pastor for 12 years.  This could have been one of many bibles he owned.  Marvin died on July 1, 2017.  The end of his obituary said:

 To know Marvin was to love him.  That love and affection will cause countless family members and friends to greatly miss him, but his influence and testimony will live on forever.  

Marvin, your testimony is living on in a bible now owned by a woman studying it for the first time.  Praying that your little notes in the margins and your underlined scripture continue to teach and preach to my dear friend Rachel.

I love writing and underlining in my bible.  I love to look back at different times in my life that things stuck out to me.  I have to admit that when Rachel first showed me that bible I thought, " how sad that someone threw this away or donated it".  But, what I realize now is that that bible continues to testify for a life of a man who made Jesus Lord of his life, and perhaps he continues to disciple long after he has left this earth.  This is his legacy.

Harrison Square Fire

Meeting the families for breakfast and supplies and fellowship the morning after the fire.

Joan, my new friend

A New Home for our New Friends

As the year end approaches, I am convicted to share with you all three videos over the course of the next three days about the work I am blessed to be a part of at Mission Southside. Whether you are near or far, I invite you in to join Greg and I in making a monthly donation, or a one time tax-deductible donation or volunteering to help. We all have our time, our treasure and our talent we can offer. Mission Southside honors what you bring.
This video is near and dear to my heart. One evening at 10:28, one of the 15 year old kiddos in our Leaders in Training Program, reached out to me just as i was getting into bed. He lives right down the street from this apartment and was worried about the residents. He had helped at a free garage sale just that day at the apartment and met several people. Greg and I reached out to the management and headed there. My husband was amazing. He left to get milk and chicken nuggets for a family of 3 kids who hadn't eaten yet when the fire broke out. He got water and tons of snacks from Quik Trip for all the residents who were outside. He ran to our ministry center, just one block away, to see if we happened to have shoes in 5 sizes for a family who ran out with out shoes, and to God be the Glory we had all of their sizes. Because of Mission Southside we were able to put these families up in a motel at 3:30 am and come along side them to help them navigate this tragedy for the months to come.
The thing about being a part of Mission Southside is that is allows us to LIVE OUT our faith. Jesus commands us to love God and love our neighbors.....Several of the families I met that night have become near and dear to my heart. I just met one of the ladies for coffee last week. As the volunteer in this video says, it's not just about going to church, its about BEING the church.
Please consider donating to this Mission of loving people right where they are. No donation is too small. www.missionsouthside.org

Be Part of Something Bigger

BE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER One evening in August, at 10:30 p.m., we were made aware that one of the apartments we had just hosted a lunch and free garage sale at that day, was on fire! A 15 year old,  who is involved in the Leaders In Training Program, called me concerned about his neighbors. Feeling God’s prompting, and the encouragement of the 15 year old boy who lives down the street, my husband and I loaded up to go see if we could find some of our friends from the apartment. When we arrived we were met by the fire chief, who said residents had been asking for Mission Southside. We came alongside families, found shoes for the barefoot, purchased chicken nuggets and water and milk and fruit for those who hadn’t yet eaten, when the fire broke out, and were famished because it was a long night. At about 3:30 am we were able to help not only pay for rooms, but to encourage, console and escort the displaced families to their motel room for the next several days. The next morning we met them with breakfast and coffee at Mission Southside, where they were able to find clothing and shoes, food, and even gift cards to meet physical needs. Our friends from one of our church partners, met us there to help their friends they had recently met in the last couple months. When I asked one of my friends if she was going to church this morning, trying to figure out when she could meet the families, she said, “ THIS is Church today!” There were many emotions. There were questions about why Mission Southside would go out of our way to help these families with more than just "stuff". There were hugs, lots of hugs. There were tears.  In this vulnerable situation, we became good friends. Everything we do is about relationship. 5 months later these relationships have grown to a whole new level. Because we loved you so much.....we were delighted to share not only the Gospel of God, but our lives as well.  1 Thessalonians 2:8 Recently, my friend, Rocio, a former resident at one of our 15 under resourced apartment communities we serve, reached out to me about helping a friend who experienced a bad fire a month ago early in the morning. How could I say no? Rocio and her husband, Jose, delivered food every Friday to one of the communities faithfully for two years, and even continued for 5 months after they moved into a duplex with more room than their tiny little apartment. While they lived at this apartment community, they also became volunteers of Mission Southside, wanting to give back and be a part of something bigger. Rocio asked if we could help this family, a mom and 5 kids, with clothing, blankets and shoes today. You see, Rocio and Jose had generously taken in this family of 6, until they could find another home....which could be weeks. They told her not to worry about food or rent, they will take care of it, and they could stay as long as they needed. After Mission Southside helped this family with clothes, bedding and some gift cards, Jose reached out to me. He wanted to thank us for taking care of their friends. He was grateful and kept repeating gracias a Dios por la Mision.  (Thanks to God for the Mission) After chatting for a bit he revealed that he lost his job on Tuesday, just two days before they took in this family. Yet, they graciously offered to share what they have, with their friend who lost EVERYTHING the next day.  We were able to help move this family into their new house last week. A few weeks ago, I got to sit in on an amazing offer of tuition paid to a kiddo who would definitely have struggled to pay it.  This 18 year old from Olathe North works, has to help with rent, and doesn't have a vehicle. The offer didn't come from someone with an affluent business, but someone who drives a 2007 van, and she admitted she could have used the money to by a new van with less than 250,000 miles on it. But sitting at a table, listening to the reasons that prompted this generous donor to give such a gift, and how she felt God leading her to do this, I was overcome! God's evaluation is different than man's. This season where we are dependent on the grand gestures of giving, I am reminded that God LOVES a cheerful giver big and small. He is faithful to take care of His own. Whether it is the deceased woman's family who looked out for a cancer patient by bringing what she had, (her couponing extras) or the woman who could have updated her car, or the guy who lost his job, but took in a family, or your donation to Mission Southside of $5-$5000. God will honor what is brought to the table, the widow's mite. God is faithful to our mission and to, and through, the people we serve and serve with. Would you consider joining Greg and I in making a monthly donation, or a one time tax-deductible end of the year donation to help Mission Southside be prepared for future crisis and to keep our programs like Leader's In Training, ESL, Homework Huddles, Discovery Studies and other ministry going?  If you already do or have, we are humbly grateful.   Thanks for your generosity and your ongoing prayer for this ministry of putting God's love into action by extending help through hope.

Friendship Family Ties.............

Have you ever felt that nudge from God to actually care about someone you don't know?
 This is my friend, Miranda, whom I have been meeting with every week since June.  I have known her for four years.  Our relationship started out as knowing her son, junior.  He would come to Homework Huddle and Fun Friday at the apartment she lived at.  Then she started coming out more.  I still remember that moment our relationship went beyond a wave and a simple hello.  It was Christmas time, 2014.  We, "the church people", had shown up with some gifts to surprise several families who had become dear to us through our ministry at this apartment community.  The families had no idea.  We invited parents to come to the laundry room at the local apartment where they lived. They were given bags of toys and allowed to gift wrap them and take them home.  It's not about Mission Southside getting credit for anything.  It's about possibly meeting a need, and allowing the parents to bless their kids. 

 When Miranda showed up she was so surprised.  We had time to chat while wrapping gifts.  This sweet woman had a story.  These unexpected gifts came at a very much needed time.  While her husband had a VISA, he needed to go back to Guatamala for about 4 months to clear some things up, before he could return to the US.  She was going to be alone for a while.  A single mom.  She had several health issues, as well.  I asked if I could pray for her, and we had a sweet time of just praying through a list of things that were on her heart. 

A few months later she found herself pregnant, and with a husband who was in Guatamala, straightening out his Visa.  Through this time of uncertainty, Miranda and I connected more.  I would stop by and see her, she would start coming outside more when we were at the apartments.  Sometimes we would just chat, sometimes something was weighing on her heart and we would pray.

Miranda's pregnancy ended up being high-risk.  She had many health complications.  She was trying to continue working, being a single mom to Junior, and keep this unborn baby healthy.  She ended up on bed rest towards the end of her pregnancy.  She was beginning to get anxious about having her baby without the help of her husband.  One day we were talking about what was the most stressful thing and she said she didn't know where Junior would go when she went into the hospital.   Here was a woman I knew, and probably shared more time with than many of my friends, and I felt God nudging me.  I went home and had dinner with my husband and kids that night and told them about Miranda's stress.  Truthfully I knew what I wanted to ask them, but was a little hesitant about how they would react.  Well, I didn't have to even ask.  My kids said, "well, mom.  You told her he could stay with us, didn't you? 

Several weeks later, she ended up in the hospital.  Junior came to stay with us for 3 days, and then his mom returned home.  Miranda had some health problems and went back to the hospital, and Junior returned to our home, and baby Amalya went to another friend.


 Three years later after our relationship went from a "hi" and a "hello", she passed away unexpectedly the week of Christmas, 2017.

 Every week since June, we would meet and we would share what we were thankful for, what was challenging and continue our study of creation to the cross. She died a believer, but what I came to realize was that the time, the relationship we have had for... four years and the significantly deeper relationship these last six months was just as important to me and there is a giant hole in my heart. Time is short. If you feel that nudge to grow deeper in relationship with someone and to discover God’s plan for their life or just that nudge to spend time caring and sharing your life and the gospel as well (1Thess. 2:8) do it! You won’t regret it. 

Everyone Can Love Their Neighbor

When you think about the great commandment you probably think of this: 

 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

 But does Jesus mean even when you are under resourced?  Mission Southside can be found in 20 under resourced apartment communities around Johnson County.  When we go in, it is not with the mindset that we will do everything for that community and enable them.  It is with the mindset that we are loving our neighbors in community WITH one another.  It is not an US and a THEM, it is a WE.

At one local apartment complex, a resident named Pilar, delivers welcome baskets to new residents.  She creates them with items from Mission Southside and some items donated by the site team.  This has become her little ministry.  She welcomes people to the apartment community, she invites kids to Homework Huddle and moms to bible study.  She finds out is people have very little or are perhaps sleeping on the floor and she contacts Mission Southside to perhaps get a bed for kids sleeping on the floor.

At another complex a gentleman who has lived there for 8 years has started a Food Co-op Ministry.  He retrieves the food that is sorted at Mission Southside on Fridays and delivers it to his apartment complex.  He knows when his neighbors have been in the hospital, he knows the neighbors who perhaps have recently lost a job.  He also knows the single moms who struggle every month to keep food on the table for their kids.  He works at McDonalds, but happens to be off on Friday.  This gentleman walks a little bit taller and is doing his part.  He even has a Mission Southside t-shirt. 

We can all love our neighbors.  We all have something to give.  It may be our time, it may be our talent and it may even be our money.  But all of these things can help to raise up leaders right in the communities we are serving, and empower them to bring what they have to give. 

A Homeless Man’s View of Mission Southside

A Homeless Man’s View of Mission Southside

Last night, during Sports Night, I met a man named Robert.  Robert Showed up on his bike and was watching us shoot some hoops from afar.  We invited him to play.  He was obviously athletic, even in his flip flops and he started rebounding the balls for the kids.  Robert “appeared” homeless. 

After about 30 minutes of hoops, we began chatting a lot more.  He told me he has been watching what we do and he thinks it is really important.  I asked him why?  He said he used to be homeless and lived behind the Ministry Center.  He saw several of these kids on a regular basis.  He said the most important thing we could do is pour into these kids so they don’t end up like him.  He grew up in KCK on Troost, got into drugs, and lost everything.

He told me he had been trying to help the homeless who live there.  He knew Danielle’s new friend Amber.  He knew Colin, the guy I saw shoplift at Price Chopper and we would see several times a day heading down the tracks, but hadn’t seen for a while.  He knew everything about them.  He was very concerned about Amber’s whereabouts.  He said that Colin is in Jail until at least August, and he is really on drugs.  He is hoping he can get clean during his stay in Jail.

He told me that he has been working with a husband and wife who owned Olathe Ford(?)  He said there is not an answer for homelessness in Olathe.  The City isn’t doing anything.  The Church isn’t doing anything.  If you are a woman with kids you may be able to find someplace and some help, but if you are a man there is nothing.  That is why he is really trying to work with these people and figure out an answer.  He said that there is no one living back in the woods right now.  They all moved over behind the Wal-Mart on K-7.

He went on to tell how he lost everything because of drugs.  He said he hasn’t talked to his kids in a really long time.  He was reminiscing about when he coached his son’s baseball team and they won the championship.  He loves sports.

He told me he lives at Harrison Square Apartments, where we have a site team.  He said he is just getting back on his feet.  I asked if he needed anything and he said his apartment is all furnished.  He kept bringing it back around to the kids and that we need to pour resources and time and relationship into the kids.  He said that sometimes he struggles with having food, but he has a job at the granite company, he has his bike, and a roof over his head. 

At the end of our convo, he told me that he is really not a church person. When I asked why, he said that he grew up Catholic.  He tried a couple of churches, including one in Spring Hill, and he just didn’t feel welcome.  He said he sees us doing our “church thing” at Harrison Square, but he really doesn’t come out because he isn’t a church person.  He said it took him two months to even come talk to us, because he wanted to see what it was all about.  I told him he would be welcome to come out for sure. 

This guy has a testimony in the works.  He referred to faith, and hope, and used a lot of words that definitely have a spiritual flavor.  He just doesn’t know who God is, and honestly I am sure no one has ever offered to help him figure it out.  I invited him back on Tuesdays.  Told him he could get a hot meal, hang out and just talk. 

We never know who is watching.  And more than ever, I believe our actions and love for others is the greatest testimony of Jesus, especially in the lives of someone who is far away from Him or has never heard of him.   “Dear Children…let us not love with words and speech, but with actions and truth” 1 John 3:18  Who knows what could happen in this guy’s life especially when he is already fulfilling the second part of the Great Commandment…..Loving his Neighbor.