Max Lucado hits the nail head on with Outlive Your Life. If you haven't read it, it is a great way to kick off the new year.........That being said.........
As many of you know I have one of the best jobs in the world, next to being the mom of Jake, Maddie and Carolyn. I am a Missionary in our own community. There are people here who don't know who Jesus is, or perhaps they have heard of him, but don't have a personal relationship with him. There are people in our county who are living in poverty, they are sleeping on the floor, they are scraping every dime together to pay their rent at the beginning of the month, and have nothing left for food. Some are single moms working two-thee jobs, but because of a car accident, find themselves unable to work, and quickly become homeless....This is going on all around us, in our 1st World, Johnson County, and many times we just choose to look away.
I used to drive by an apartment complex that is about 2 miles from my house. For 14 years I thought, man that is an eyesore, they should really doze it. One year ago, I was moved to go drop off some backsnacks because of a week of snow days. Some friends of mine and I started a backsnack program for Middle School kids in Gardner and Olathe 4 years ago. These kids were significantly below the poverty level, and many of them hungry on the weekends. Anyway.....I felt moved one snow day that these kiddos who usually get breakfast and lunch at school, were sitting at home for 8 days, without anything. We showed up at this apartment complex and dropped off some bags....met the owner....and from there we started a RELATIONSHIP with this community.
We started providing Help in this life, and Hope for the next. We started meeting the families, hearing of some of the struggles, and quickly fell in love with the parents and kids who live there. We learned of some struggles because of language barriers, and started a Homework Huddle every Wednesday to help kids learn English, help them with reading and math, and engage with them by playing educational games. But, the most important thing that we started doing, was creating a RELATIONSHIP....This was not a "project", this was not a feel good about serving one time, and leave RELATIONSHIP....This was a TRUE, spend time with, and get to know FRIENDSHIP.....
One year later I reflect....I drive by this apartment now and crane my head to see if Gladis is walking her baby, if Brendon and his sister are playing on the playground, if any of our friends are sitting at the playground picnic table, if Litzi is practicing her volleyball. The families who live here are some of the best friends I have ever had. We might be separated economically, I may live in a bigger house, but we have the same goals for our children, and many a love for this man called Jesus. This man who didn't see the difference between the poor and the rich, the healthy and the lame, the woman at the well and me. He saw us all as equals and offers the same promise of salvation to all of us, through Him.
As I write this today, my prayer to anyone reading is that you might feel the same passion for what Jesus did....feeding the masses, hearing the stories of struggles, sharing what you have been blessed with.
The goal of Mission Southside, whom I have the pleasure of "working" for, is to establish Site Teams at many identified communities in Southern Johnson County. This story is about one site, but there are 20 other sites who need this type of relationship. Do you have friends, family, a church who would come alongside these communities, with intentionality, and purpose of sharing the love of Jesus and creating a relationship with the least of these? Would you do what Jesus did and share what you know and have, and invest of yourself, not just your earthly treasure? I hope you can and will. It will be the biggest blessing you and your family could every receive.
Amy
As many of you know I have one of the best jobs in the world, next to being the mom of Jake, Maddie and Carolyn. I am a Missionary in our own community. There are people here who don't know who Jesus is, or perhaps they have heard of him, but don't have a personal relationship with him. There are people in our county who are living in poverty, they are sleeping on the floor, they are scraping every dime together to pay their rent at the beginning of the month, and have nothing left for food. Some are single moms working two-thee jobs, but because of a car accident, find themselves unable to work, and quickly become homeless....This is going on all around us, in our 1st World, Johnson County, and many times we just choose to look away.
I used to drive by an apartment complex that is about 2 miles from my house. For 14 years I thought, man that is an eyesore, they should really doze it. One year ago, I was moved to go drop off some backsnacks because of a week of snow days. Some friends of mine and I started a backsnack program for Middle School kids in Gardner and Olathe 4 years ago. These kids were significantly below the poverty level, and many of them hungry on the weekends. Anyway.....I felt moved one snow day that these kiddos who usually get breakfast and lunch at school, were sitting at home for 8 days, without anything. We showed up at this apartment complex and dropped off some bags....met the owner....and from there we started a RELATIONSHIP with this community.
We started providing Help in this life, and Hope for the next. We started meeting the families, hearing of some of the struggles, and quickly fell in love with the parents and kids who live there. We learned of some struggles because of language barriers, and started a Homework Huddle every Wednesday to help kids learn English, help them with reading and math, and engage with them by playing educational games. But, the most important thing that we started doing, was creating a RELATIONSHIP....This was not a "project", this was not a feel good about serving one time, and leave RELATIONSHIP....This was a TRUE, spend time with, and get to know FRIENDSHIP.....
One year later I reflect....I drive by this apartment now and crane my head to see if Gladis is walking her baby, if Brendon and his sister are playing on the playground, if any of our friends are sitting at the playground picnic table, if Litzi is practicing her volleyball. The families who live here are some of the best friends I have ever had. We might be separated economically, I may live in a bigger house, but we have the same goals for our children, and many a love for this man called Jesus. This man who didn't see the difference between the poor and the rich, the healthy and the lame, the woman at the well and me. He saw us all as equals and offers the same promise of salvation to all of us, through Him.
As I write this today, my prayer to anyone reading is that you might feel the same passion for what Jesus did....feeding the masses, hearing the stories of struggles, sharing what you have been blessed with.
The goal of Mission Southside, whom I have the pleasure of "working" for, is to establish Site Teams at many identified communities in Southern Johnson County. This story is about one site, but there are 20 other sites who need this type of relationship. Do you have friends, family, a church who would come alongside these communities, with intentionality, and purpose of sharing the love of Jesus and creating a relationship with the least of these? Would you do what Jesus did and share what you know and have, and invest of yourself, not just your earthly treasure? I hope you can and will. It will be the biggest blessing you and your family could every receive.
Amy
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