UNDER THE BRIDGE: Pour It Out!

Jeff taking it easy before the service starts!

Sunday, March 29, 2015

     “Jean-Luc?”

    “Yes, Ashley.”

     “Where’s Mother Mari?”

     I looked at her for a second.  She seemed troubled, and tears were welling up in her eyes.  “She’ll be here in a moment,” I comforted her.

     There was a troubling storm coming her way on the horizon.  Her husband had been snared… again… by crack cocaine and violence, and was now in jail for a long time!  We had been helping Ashley and her husband for the past four months with counseling, clothing, food, prayers, and we had sent them to an agency which got them out of the street and into an apartment.  We had provided them with furniture and the essentials of apartment life.  Now, she was going to lose, again, the life she was building.  I love them both.

     Ashley is twenty-four years old, and she is four months pregnant.

Ashley!

     Except, she confided in me yesterday that her and her husband were not legally married!  They met; they liked each other; they stuck together.  They called each other “wife” and “husband.”  That’s how it works in the street.  It’s simple.  No need for a license, a ceremony or a certificate.  A decision is made, and it’s instantaneous.  A homeless woman needs a man in the street to help her and to protect her.  It is essential.  A man has standing in the street when he has a “wife.”  And Ashley is a beautiful young lady.

     I minister to the homeless and preach the Word on Sundays.  She needed a “pastor” to talk to, one day.  She made me her pastor.  She didn’t ask for my credentials or which church ordained me.  It’s simple.  No need for a license, a ceremony or a certificate.  A decision is made, and it’s instantaneous.  She needed to talk to a pastor; I’m it.  I counseled her, lead her to the scriptures she needed to hear, and I prayed with her.  Her life had direction, again. 

    Still, a woman needs to also talk to another woman.

     “Why do you call her ‘Mother’ Mari?'” I asked Ashley.

     “My mother is not here.  I need a mother.  She’s now my mother.”

     You see how it works in the street.  I’m a pastor to many of the poor and homeless that I love so much; the least of these.  If Jesus loves them, then I love them, too.  Mari, who is homeless herself, is a mother to all the homeless young ladies who come through our streets.  Mari is often twice their age and her street wisdom is evident.  She is also a gifted organizer.  She shuffles their thoughts around; reorganizes their priorities; gets them back on track; and builds up their confidence.  She prays with them.  We are training Mari as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Mother Mari (R) with Ashley on the sunny side of the building!

    Mari exhibited motherhood.  Ashley needed a mother.  Mari is now Ashley’s mother; hence, Mother Mari! It’s simple.  No need for a license, a ceremony or a certificate.  A decision is made, and it’s instantaneous.  She needed to talk to a mother; Mari’s it.  Because of Ashley, we all now call Mari "Mother Mari!”

     Ashley now needs another “husband.”  No problem.  She gets on a dating app on the iPhone and finds an old flame with whom she reconnects; all within a couple of days.  Yes, I know, she’s four months pregnant.  She was thinking she would have to give the baby up for adoption.  Now, maybe not.  Jason, her new husband is OK with her being four months pregnant.  He has a job as a fisherman who goes out on a boat a week at a time and comes back in for a couple of days.  They’re both OK with that. She doesn’t have to live in the street, again.  No need for a license, a ceremony or a certificate.  A decision is made, and it’s instantaneous.  She needed a husband; within a week, Jason’s it.  (Her ex was also named Jason!)
     Of course, you must realize that with the homeless, everything can be so ephemeral (in danger of speedy disappearance), as a beautiful, blooming flower is ephemeral.  

    Mother Mari walks up; they both hug and go sit on the sunny side of the building to sit and talk – as mother and daughter.

     You may see all this as very odd.  You may feel very uncomfortable with this sort of thing.  You might think, “These people need help.  This is not the way to do life!” 

     But on the cross, Jesus did the same thing as these homeless people are doing out of need and love.

“When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’  From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”  John 19:26, 27

     We also worked with another young lady of the same age as Ashley.  In fact, her name is also Ashley and she joyfully is six months pregnant!  She never thought she could get pregnant again, as her ex-husband had abused her so badly.  We call her Ashley Number 2.  She also has a “husband,” Nelson, and I am their pastor!  Mother Mari is there for Ashley2, also.  You follow?  The whole homeless “village” is actually interconnected and helping each other.  The homeless subculture is probably more representative of the first century church than today’s church actually is.  In fact, today’s church establishment is very far from being representative of the first century church!

Nelson (L), Ashley2 and two beloved dogs!

     Ashley and Nelson have two dogs.  Though they have been offered a place to stay if they got rid of the dogs, they instead chose to live in the street with their beloved dogs rather than part with them.  Ashley spends her days in the street with the dogs while Nelson goes to work at his new construction job which pays well.  At night, they sleep under a bridge.  They hope to be able to get into an apartment before she gives birth (so the state doesn’t take the baby away!) 

     Ashley also helps watch another homeless man’s dog on some days while he goes to work at a local carwash. When there is a need, they have no qualms about sharing the money and helping each other out.

     Nelson, concerned about doing his “family” right (Ashley is having a girl), wants to get legally married and has stopped drinking, now for over a month.  The thing that Ashley loves most about Nelson is that he does not abuse her.  However, today, Sunday, as we begin to gather for church in the park, he “got off the wagon.”  He started drinking with a couple of buddies while waiting for the service to start.  He knows he messed up.

Nelson (L) at entrance to fishing bridge.  Bruce (R) is coming with us to minister
for his first time.  Welcome, Bruce!

     It’s Heather’s turn to preach, today, as she preaches once a month.  As she gets ready, Nelson comes from around the building, drunk; Mari and Ashley come back from the sunny side of the building, both crying and smiling.  Ashley2 and her two dogs sit near Heather to hear the sermon.  Unfortunately, Ashle2’s dog is in heat and draws all the other four dogs belonging to the other homeless.  They get rather noisy before their owners take them to different parts of our “church!”

     We hold services in the park by the bay two or three Sundays a month, but we minister to them with love, food, clothing, counseling, prayer, etc., the rest of the month.  Today, we also serve them a freshly cooked meal with all the trimmings.  Heather, Amanda, Paule-Anne, Paul, Bill and I brought them soup, sandwiches, salad, desert and a variety of soft drinks which they love.  We normally have the service and meal under a pavilion, but because it is so windy today, we decide to hold the services on the lee of a closed up bait store in the park to get out of the wind.

Heather preaching in the lee of the old bait shop!

     Today, we also have the pleasure of having 5-year old Natalie with us, again.  Her grand-parents have custody of her and were homeless before they got into an apartment a few months ago.  Today they are homeless, again.  With their truck repossessed, they have made their home in the woods by the railroad tracks.

Natalie!

     Natalie’s grandfather is blind in one eye and her grandmother has Lupus.  Natalie is truly loved and gets the best care they can give her in their circumstances.  Everybody helps by providing them with some of their needs.  Natalie has stolen everyone’s hearts, including mine! 

Heather preaching the Word with Natalie actually sitting down and listening!

     If you see Natalie sitting down, take a picture; it’s a unique moment! She is always on the go and loves for me to swing her around… ‘cause no one else does!  She is very intelligent and quickly learns anything you teach her.

     Today, her real mom and dad are here with us also.

     I love them all.

Natalie's two grandparents on the left, and her two parents on the right

     Heather preaches the Word of God to a dynamic audience – there is always someone moving around.  It’s like Heather preaching to an ant hill with the ants never stopping.  Some draw close to her because they truly want to hear the Word of God.  Others, who move around more, stay on the periphery of her preaching; like Nelson, for example, who is drunk.  But, as I later look at the pictures I took, I see that many are listening to Heather at a distance of their liking.  Can you imagine this happening in our structured church of today?

A dynamic church listens to Heather.  Natalie in the front with grandma and grandpa
on the right of her.

 

     

Heather prays for the least of these whom she loves!

     Today, the homeless have made Heather their teacher, preacher, counselor and prayer partner.  They didn’t have to.  In fact, they are very particular about who preaches to them or pastors them.  They actually choose who is their preacher, or their pastor.  They know Heather loves them as they are.  They are handicapped as much as a paraplegic who cannot walk is handicapped and in a wheelchair.

     God forbid that we should not love them. 

     Read why Sodom was truly destroyed.

“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom:  She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.  Ezekiel 16:49

     When you walk in the street and see human nature at work, do you throw your hands up and give up in disgust?  Throw your hands up, rather, at the human nature of the “arrogant, overfed and unconcerned.”

     Do we then quit our work in the street to the least of these because “human nature” is overwhelmingly evil?  No!  It is because of fallen human nature that we are in the street!  We have the answer to the sin that so easily besets us – Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Redeemer and Healer.  We bring the least of these the love that Jesus so freely gave to us unto His death on the cross.

     This Revival is not about laying on venerable (worthy of reverence!) hands on everyone for them to receive some kind of revival “anointing.”  This Revival is about you consistently pouring yourself out to serve the least, the lost and the last with the love of Jesus Christ flowing through you.  We pour ourselves out daily for this Revival as Jesus poured himself out for His New Testament Revival which, by the way, also started in the street. 

     There are no shortcuts.  This great, coming Revival is street filtered.  Go in the street, saints of God, and you will find The Revival.

 “…God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”  Romans 5:5

     Well, good night y’all and God bless you.

Getting in line to eat!

Lots of food for seconds and thirds!

Serving Jesus Christ with a joyful heart!

Speaking of joyful heart, heeeeeeere's Nataliiiiiiiie!

It's time to get the donated clothing out - Heather, Natalie and Scott
carry the bags.

And now, it's time to "shop, shop, shop" for clothing!

Well, good night, y’all, and God bless you.

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