One of the days that I was there we headed out to skid row to hot serve meals to the homeless. Hundreds lined up and the amazing thing was that they could come through the line as many times as they wanted.
There were so many different types of people in line. My job was to walk around and talk to the homeless as they stood in line and also where they were sitting down to eat. If you know me, then you know I'm pretty shy when it comes to people I don't know. This was so far out of my comfort zone. I had wanted to serve food but God had other plans.
As I walked down the line I started with handing out flyers to let them know that there are buses that will pick them up, take them to church then drop them back off at skid row every week.
I said Hi, flashed them a smile, asked if they got a paper already and walked on. After a few minutes my shyness was really starting to bother me. I told myself that these people needed more than just that.
I started asking them how their day was going. Some said good, some said they were just hanging in there and so happy to get some food.
There were young and old and all races, all from different parts of life. Some in business suits down on their luck. Some with nothing. Some used to have it all and had lost everything. Now they found themselves in line for a free meal.
I saw a young chinese guy, probably around 20 years old. He had just gotten his plate of food and was trying to find a place to sit.
I walked over to him and asked him how he was. I smiled and he said "not good." I then asked why. He said he was alone and scared. I asked him where His parents were and how he got on the horrible streets of L.A. He then began to tell me his story....
You see his parents brought him to America and left him on the streets then went back to China. He said "they don't want me or love me anymore." "They told me to never come home. They don't love me." I asked him if he wanted to go home and he said so bad.
He then dropped his little tiny bag of chips that he was given with his meal and said, "oh no, oh no," as he picked them up. "These chips are like gold to me, it's like I won the lottery."
My heart sank. I thought to myself... it's just chips.... but to him they were everything.
I continued to talk with him then it hit me. I had to tell him....
"God has big plans for you. You weren't meant to be here on the streets but God is going to turn everything around for His glory. Everything you are experiencing is for a greater testimony. If you just say yes to Jesus, man, He will turn your life upside down. When you are scared, call on Him. When you are lonely, call of Him. He is going to take care of you. You are going to go home and God will provide you with a way. You wait and see. When you knock on your parent's door and they are going to love you and have their arms wide open. With God all things are possible. There are bigger and better things and God wants you to start dreaming again. Dream BIG.
He started to cry.
"God loves you. He loves you so much."
I told him to sit down and relax. He was safe and to enjoy his food.
I looked at him one last time in the eyes and said DREAM BIG.
It was amazing to me that I just spoke hope into his life and revived this boys dreams.
God was using me.
I will never forget that guys face. Lost and hopeless and the moment I spoke Hope, his eyes started to sparkle again.
He was just one of many that I talked to.
Be sure to check back next week for more!
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