J
Jordache
Guest
Several years ago one of my pastors began formatting a ministry to develop community. It began in phases which built upon each other. One of the first was a community event called "Clean Up LA" where we partnered with LAPD. Another was when we partnered with the group that did extreme makeover home edition and painted and landscaped 4 homes. One of the subsequent phases involved the college group I was a part of at the time. I was put in charge of a ggroup because I was a bilingual leader. We were to knock on doors and survey a neighborhood as to how we could help the kids of the neighborhood. But one of the goals was to look for a "house of peace" in order to plant some sort of ministry.
The first and 60 houses llater it felt like almost everyone had slammed the door in our faces. Los Angelenos don't take to kindly to strangers. But just before we were about to end the night, we knocked on the door of a Mexican woman. I asked her the questions and she said we could come back and talk to her son because he was that age and would be able to answer better. She said he was sick and I asked if we could pray for him. She invited us in and we met Calvin.
Calvin was 21 yrs old. He had Muscular Dystrophy which had just reached a point to where it was too severe to attend school. He was very welcoming as he now had no friends. We prayed for him and told him about Jesus. He had been raised Catholic. We also promised to visit him the next week. During the second week he accepted The Lord and seemed very encouraged. For three weeks we did this and on week three he asked if one of the guys would come in. Afterward we found out it was for confession. The following week the house was strangely empty, so we left and returned the following week. His mother answered the door and handed us all invitations to his funeral. Many of us were able to attend.
The first and 60 houses llater it felt like almost everyone had slammed the door in our faces. Los Angelenos don't take to kindly to strangers. But just before we were about to end the night, we knocked on the door of a Mexican woman. I asked her the questions and she said we could come back and talk to her son because he was that age and would be able to answer better. She said he was sick and I asked if we could pray for him. She invited us in and we met Calvin.
Calvin was 21 yrs old. He had Muscular Dystrophy which had just reached a point to where it was too severe to attend school. He was very welcoming as he now had no friends. We prayed for him and told him about Jesus. He had been raised Catholic. We also promised to visit him the next week. During the second week he accepted The Lord and seemed very encouraged. For three weeks we did this and on week three he asked if one of the guys would come in. Afterward we found out it was for confession. The following week the house was strangely empty, so we left and returned the following week. His mother answered the door and handed us all invitations to his funeral. Many of us were able to attend.
i did not expect that ending, hopefully he is in a better place now by the grace of God