Trailer Park Lovin

There was a team of five of us that launched out this past Saturday as we were set to enter into a trailer park area in which evidence of oppression could be seen and felt even as you pass by. We entered into the trailer park and did a little car circle around to get a feel for the place even better. As we did this, we noticed several children on bicycles riding around on the gravel drive that circled around the homes. One of the most noticeable things for me was that there were so many of these homes that had been absolutely abandoned. I was quite aware of the dark spirit of poverty that was likely a product of drug addictions in this area. And so, we parked and began to spread out to go and knock on doors to find all treasures of God that may be hidden away out in this very deserted area. As one team went to one side of the homes, my team went to the other. There didn't seem to be anyone home in the first camper trailers that we knocked on and the first actual trailers that we approached were in terrible shape. They were some of the obvious abandoned homes that I had seen when we did the drive around. This one particular one that I see in my mind is one that had tons of stuff just thrown out in the yard in piles right in front of the steps that would enter into the home. The door was wide open and the screen was torn out and on further evaluation, you could see busted out windows and that the back door too, was standing wide open with writing all down it. The smell around this home was really unapproachable, so we didn't see what the lettering had said. The home directly behind it was similar and as these homes were all pretty close together, I couldn't imagine my back yard being one of these nasty, demon infested, abandoned homes in which these children that we had seen on bicycles were easily capable of rummaging through and finding no telling what. Even as we continued on, these children had all gathered in a back yard where there were old couches out on the lawn. They were just shouting and going on as kids do. We continued on our search and finally approached a home that was being lived in . We were just about to step up on the porch and a young man stepped out, wearing only jeans, and boots in his hand. I began to dialogue with him and soon found that he was a very pleasant young man that had been raised in church but he hadn't been living for Him in a long time and, of course, was living in a neighborhood that told me he was a bit bound up with some other things too. God just poured out on this young man many encouragements of plans that he had for him and even as I spoke to him, I was feeling very specific expressions of this man's "heart thoughts" that I began to speak to him. His gaze never left mine and I could tell that he really knew that God had sent us. While we were speaking, the children were in a place in which we could see and hear them and one of the little boys just over and over dropped the F bomb as he was speaking to the other little kids. At that, he told me that those kids really needed some parental guides and that just opened things even more to share on freedom. I know that I shared God's heart with him for at least a half hour or so and then I prayed over him and encouraged him to surrender again but to know that there is truly an awesome fascination with knowing who Jesus is and that though he may not have experienced that kind of connection as a youth, the invitation is his, all he had to do was say yes. He didn't say that he was going to lay it all down at that very moment, but I know that the seed was planted and also that God would water that seed. That young man wants better for his life and his little baby boy's life, and so God has spoken that better word over him just as he has all of us and He will bring it into fruition. He was the treasure in the trailer park, either noone was at the other trailers, or they wouldn't open up to any of the others praying or speaking to them for any length of time. Doesn't matter to me if we speak over one or ten, God sent us there and I know that one is worth it!

On a different note, as far as them not letting us pray for them, we went to another trailer park right after this one for some-what of a "follow up". One of the team members that had been with me during the evangelism seminar had mentioned the name of an elderly man that we had prayed for a couple of times while we were out then. I felt as though God had placed him on her heart and so we went back to him to show him a bit of love too. As we approached his camper, the door opened and he just stepped right out, for we seem to be having a day like that, where God was just sending them to meet us the moment we stepped onto their property. He was very joyous to see us and we just loved on him and talked to him for a few minutes and then I had been attracted to a lady that was sitting in the front of her travel trailer at the very front of the park, which wasn't very far up from where we were. I had seen her often sitting there as I had passed by and she had always been highlighted to me and so today was the day I would get to meet her. I told the team to just start working there way up and so we began. As I was knocking on a camper door in which noone was answering, I pointed to a camper directly across from it and told my team member at how the last time I was there, the man in that camper wouldn't let me pray for him though he was wearing oxygen. In a moments time after telling her that, he stepped out onto his little concrete slab and was just looking directly at me. I waived and started toward him. I mentioned how he must be doing better this time since he wasn't wearing any oxygen and surprisingly enough, he kinda said something about him just having to be strong and lifted his eyes up and said something like "me and with His help". I told him that last time he wouldn't let me pray for him and as he was still resistant, he told me that he used to be a Christian but he wasn't living right and he didn't want to be a hypocrite. I then began to explain the lie of the enemy with using that as an excuse and after an argument of truth that he could not stand against, he allowed me took his hand in mine and I began to pray over him. He had tears in his eyes the entire time and I could see the longing for him to want to be right. He told me thank you and headed back into his camper, I think that was all he could take at the moment with a touch of God's hand on his heart, for I could so feel God's presence over him. Mostly, I find, people want to be right. They have such "yuk" hanging over them that they just don't know where to start. That is why God is sending us out, so that we can be His voice, sharing truth and bringing freedom to the people. I love to love Him in this way. To go fishing with my daddy is the best thing that I could ever be doing at any time. I may not always see what some would think is a "catch" but seeds are being planted and that is what we are supposed to be doing. As for the lady at the front of the park, she loves Jesus. She has had a hard way and is just seeking a new life after divorce and lots of hurt. In fact, I will visit with her again today as I go to bring her some food to help her make ends meet for the rest of this month. Sweet, precious, lady in which God just wanted more of His resource to be provided to her in this time. I believe that is why He sent me over to Her. Simply to share His love!