Intercessory Missions Testimony~Feeding the Homeless

Wow! How to start? It is just indescribable to say the least to have eyes that see the need in this city. As me and the team stood outside of the homeless shelter in Pine Bluff this past Saturday, we just didn't really know what to expect completely. We decided to go and greet them in the early morning, as they have to leave the shelter by 7:00 a.m. , so that we could alert them to the fact that we would be in the area to serve them lunch. As I stood and waited for this first time encounter with the homeless of our city, my heart sank when the first to emerge from the building was a pregnant young women in her seventh month and a very small child. The child was carrying a blue ball in her hands and as it was a cool morning, she had summer clothing that consisted of a string tank top. As they came toward us, my maternal instincts just wanted to tell them to come home with me for the day and that I would return them for the evening, but I knew that I was not equipped to be able to do that so I had to swallow that thought and just began to speak to them and get them the information that we were there to give. We searched out the daily routine of those that are living at the Salvation Army which consists of nothing more than wondering around the city from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. every day except for Sunday as long as they go to church there. The reality that this beautiful pregnant momma and her three year old baby were having to just be out there like that was such a bitter reality! In spite of the situation that they were in, this momma was all smiles and had said that she had favor at a nearby Hotel that she was about to head to and that she would be able to rest on the couch there in the lobby. She did tell me that it has been hard to get around due to swelling in her feet and still, having twin two year olds of my own, I couldn't imagine trying to keep a little one occupied all day long with nothing more than a ball, a library, and a hotel lobby. After she agreed that it was a great thing for us to come back in the lunch time hour with sandwiches, we told her that we would see her soon and she and her little family began to walk the 1/2 mile or so over to the Hotel that she had spoken of. Inside of myself I was still crying out "No, just let me drive you over." I knew that I had to turn my attention to the others that were now standing in a sleepy daze in the parking lot as they came out, so I once again, had to dismiss the thought and let them go. Another lady that I had spoken with on this morning had a story of not knowing anyone at all in the city but had found herself here, with addictions, and now homeless. She had gotten herself a boyfriend that she had met during a time in a rehab house in the city but at the moment he had gone back to Jonesboro for his mother's funeral so she was all alone. Her boyfriend was also homeless at the moment and they both had come from different cities only to find themselves in this situation. She had told me that she was afraid to just walk around the city during the day because she had began to realize the danger that surrounded her in crime. She pointed to a small lot that was right beside the shelter and as everyone began to head off to do the "morning" thing, she and another guy walked on over to the lot and just sat down on the ground. As we began to leave to go and prepare for the lunch time meal, my heart was just so heavy for these ones. They didn't have anywhere to even sit that would be comfortable for any length of time and time would just be ticking buy slowly....day after day, just waiting until they are able to enter back in to the shelter. Upon our return a few hours later, these ladies came,as well as a couple of men that we had met,and we loved on them for a couple of hours. I had brought a couple of youth with me and they had a big time just playing with the little three year old, causing her to have a few good giggle fits and we kept her momma comfortable on the back of a tailgated truck. I was relieved to hear that the twenty two year old expecting momma had a case worker working with her and that she would likely be in her own home sometime this week. She does have income that will help her and right before this shelter, she had been in CASA, the women's shelter. We talked about that different reasons that they were in the place that they were in at the moment and we counseled them on the truth of the love of God for them and the importance of staying under His shelter. God's love came through to them and during prayer we could feel His touch upon them. My heart just goes out to them and I do pray that they will seek Him and find Him as they seek Him with all of their hearts. I know that He wants to show them the better way. He has spoken a better word over them and I pray that they had ears to hear.

This was just another journey of love that God has me on and I can not express how very thankful I am that He has chosen to use me here for the purpose of glorifying the name of Jesus in the city of Pine Bluff. He is coming for His bride and I have committed to being a voice of one that will tell them that He is after them. Truly, He loves us!