My canvas group (small group) had a FAITH VENTURE last week.
Faith ventures are one of a canvas group's four practices, and it's meant to stretch the faith of the participant in a way that blesses others. My canvas group, EXSATIO, decided to put some 'care packages' together to hand out to a few homeless people or really anyone who could benefit from some little things like trail mix, gum, bottles of water, face wipes, chapstick, a Bible, and a bunch of other things most of us probably take for granted.
So we went to the store together, assembled the packages, and started walking around downtown and by the river, looking for people to bless. For a while, we didn't find anyone. We found a few places where we could see some type of dwelling, and we left packages there, hoping that someone would get them and use them. But as evening faded into night, we became a little disappointed that we hadn't gotten to interact with anyone.
And then a group similar to ours who were out doing something very similar told us a few gentleman up an alley would sing for us if we wanted. I ran up the alley to check it out (though honestly, something made me doubt that they were still there, and I told the rest of my group to wait and I'd be back and we'd keep searching elsewhere). Sure enough there were 3 guys sitting there, drinking a little, and they were very friendly. I started talking to them, and then the rest of my group, one by one, realized that I must have found them and started showing up around me.
We gave them the rest of our little packages and then just sort of sat and talked. None of us necessarily had a plan or anything, but we just wanted to be open and give a little of our time to people who many just walk by without taking much notice. And some really great things started happening. More people showed up, and EXSATIO started branching off in little clusters, talking to different individuals, listening to stories and sharing the hope that we have in us and the Source from which we draw strength to care for others like we were doing that night.
I got to talk mostly to one guy who I won't name just for privacy's sake. He was a very sincere man, and he actually had a great singing voice! He was raised in the church with tons of siblings and so knew lots of old hymns, which I and a few others sang with him. He said he wants to do a music project of songs he's written, and that any proceeds that come from it he wants to give 90% to the church. He seemed to be a believer in Christ but said that he's gotten into some bad things and wants to 'turn a corner.' He said he was an alcoholic, and his wife of only 5 months has taken a restraining order out against him and kicked him out of their apartment. He's now living in a trailer. We prayed for him and also for another individual whom one of our number had been talking with very deeply.
The whole canvas group seemed very affected by the whole experience. I asked them to take some time to digest and reflect upon the experience, maybe writing down some things that really made an impact in their hearts and minds. So here's a few my own thoughts:
At some points I felt that Christ was really using me, that He gave me a power to connect with this man and that the man could feel it as easily as I could; I felt like I was Christ's hands and heart to him in these moments.
I stepped out on a limb and offered to help him with his music project; I'm going to have a meeting with him! Maybe no one's ever taken him seriously before, maybe people have made him promises that they broke.
If I'm truly honest, there's a part of me that doesn't want to follow through; it's like I enjoyed the time I had with him but I don't want to give him any more time. But I do know that I WILL do it; I won't break my promise. I say that I feel like it's part of my job to encourage creativity (particularly relating to music) in others; why wouldn't I do that for this man?
I felt so surrounded and supported by my canvas group, my friends; they made sure I wasn't alone, which would have made it much harder. It's good to step out into uncomfortably deep waters in order to serve and be a blessing to others.
During our prayer for another guy, I felt very emotional and really could see a glimpse of what his life could be like if he let God change him; I really wanted God to water the seed that was being planted.
Anyway, this blog is getting long, but there you go! We're planning to follow up however we can with those we talked to and we're going to do another faith venture later in the semester.
