"Everything's good in the end. If it's not good then it's not the end."
"One can't solely rely on man for they are full of imperfections. Only leaning and trusting God will all wounds be healed."
Day 1 for the mission teams! I was SO excited! We met up for breakfast at Rescue Atlanta and went to Stone Mountain. Andy talked to them about COTS and we began our trek up the SM! Before climbing, Andy told us that we must climb it as one community, helping each other on the way. As we were doing so, I loved seeing 2 different churches from different states, both uniting in God's love. Walking up the mountain was a sort of reflection and once we got to the top it was awesome. People connected how the walk up related to COTS. How life isn't a "sprint" but a "marathon" that we must all journey together, helping each other along the way. It was awesome hearing junior high and high school students saying this. It gave me hope for our future.
Climbing down the mountain was for a time of reconciliation with one anther or God. I saw several people hold hands and cry with each other, pray with each other, and love with each other. I personally prayed to God to help heal my wounds and my afflictions and hate towards people I am close to. I know God heard my prayers because as soon as I got to the bottom I felt such a peace overcome me. It was indescribable and I know everyone else felt it too.
After lunch at Cici's my team (with Hana and Andrew) went to Woodruff for the team to meet new friends. We let them split up into different groups and let them walk around. Within the hour we called them back so we could eat dinner at Underground. Hearing the different stories that several had already had put such joy to my heart because I knew they were here to create relationships. I knew they were here to become "friendly to the friendless", "love the unlovable", and "touch the untouchable".
After that we went on a parish walk to Peachtree and Pine where they got to meet Robert, William, Dr. Love, and a new friend Kenon. Kenon affected me the most though. When we were getting ready to leave I see him talking and introduce myself. He kinda calls us all out saying that we are bad people for trying to convince people to become and saved (basically what a lot of other ministries do) and to help them "accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior". Now don't get me wrong, that's awesome that people are trying to do that, but most of them aren't trying to be their friends first. As soon as they hear a person say the word Jesus or I am saved! they believe their job is done. What they miss is the broken relationship that those people still have- that's what we're here to do. And we tried doing that to Kenon.
At first he told us his name was Booger. But when Josh, Grant, Sam and I kept talking to him he opened himself up to us. He said he loved basketball and spades. He even challenged us to a match (saying that he'd beat us... he is probably right!). But after our conversation that we thought was going to last 5 minutes... it ended up lasting 40. Kenon offered Grant a piece of carboard to sit down next to him and continue talking to him. They quickly became buddies and as we were leaving he said he wanted to see us again so we could play. He also said that the streets needed more people like us - that give them attention and listen to them and their likes and dislikes. That comfort them and just be friends with them. He thanked us for that. He then told us his real name.. Kenon, and before we left and said goodbye he said "God bless y'all".
Wow. What a change right? The answer is yes. From someone calling us out to someone telling us "God bless us".. yeah that's a big change. And it was just because we were friends with him. It was just because we treated them like humans, like regular people. Because that's real hard right? The answer is no. Andy said how COTS shouldn't even exist because we're supposed to being doing this as Christians already. But we don't. We miss that our neighbors all need loving and someone to care for. We miss is because the city hides it from us. We know the detours and ways around the "bad" parts of town, to help us ignore and shun the most vulnerable. What we should be doing is listening to them. Listening what God is speaking to us through them. And once we hear that- let us answer back. Who knows.. "we might be the answer to our own prayer."
Jenny Sample
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