Where the 0 Meets the 15

I recently returned home from Washington, D.C. where I, along with three other leaders, took a small group of youth to take part in various outreaches in the city. Originally, the trip was supposed to be much like last year’s trip where we worked with a church plant that my home church partners with and supports. While we were able to minister to this church plant in a few different ways (such as cleaning the building they meet in and collecting garbage around the area), our main event was washed out by what was looking to be a second deluge. This could have been a massive blow to us, but God is good and had other things in store for us.

                You see, last year, we went on a trip to minister to the same church plant and stayed at The William Penn House, which was a Quaker establishment that housed groups of any faith. The location and price were really good, but this year lodging at that location did not work out which set the youth pastor on the search for other housing options. The search yielded a group called CSM (City Service Mission) who would not only house us, but feed us various ethnic foods from local, family owned establishments in the area. Their goal is to bring groups in to volunteer at organizations around the area that minister to the poor and needy that partner with CSM as well as provide the volunteer groups that come in the opportunity to gain a new perspective on the lives of others who live much differently than the average middle class American.  Having not ever partnered with this organization before, none of us knew quite what to expect. Needless to say, it was a life changing 5 days.

The organizations we served with during the week included a breakfast/clothing to the poor and homeless, a food delivery service with tailored diets to those who were homebound, had illnesses, or addictions, and a neighborhood childcare ministry that was much like a daycare of sorts. It was wonderful to be a part of helping others receive the food they needed, an extreme joy to work with children who craved love and attention that “the missionaries” (as they called us) gave them, and I was blessed to get to know a few men at the breakfast ministry by just listening to their stories. One of these men started our conversation with “What do you think about this Trump fellow?” but my response of acknowledging that all leaders needed prayer met with agreement and the running phrase through our conversation that “God is good, all the time He is good.” This coming from a man who had been homeless at one point and was still in need, but who was absolutely blessed and actively acknowledged it without complaining of his conditions. And while these ministries were incredible to be a part of, the thing that made the most impact on me were the Prayer Tour and the Urban Plunge.

The Prayer Tour is just what it sounds like: a tour of the different parts of Washington D.C. while learning about those areas, the history of those areas, and what the lives are like of the people who live there. It was humbling and heartbreaking to hear about the gentrification of the areas and how bad the poverty was. In one instance, a few hundred families were getting thrown out on the streets because the area is being built up and nobody wants the families in the current building around. There are plans to get other places for these people to stay, but at present no one is really trying too hard to welcome these places into the proposed areas. There were other areas where needs were explained and by the end of the day it was absolutely draining to hear about all the need and to not know exactly what to do about it in order to make a difference. I mean, I could write to leaders in congress and what-not, but it still seemed that the problem seemed so massive and the undertaking so great that even anything said amidst other voices would just fall on deaf, uncaring ears. It reminded me of the sentiments Reese Roper expressed in the Five Iron Frenzy song Where the 0 Meets the 15:

What do I have to give them? Does it matter if I try?

I can’t stand to see you suffer, I try to intellectualize,

a formula to end you pain, it doesn’t work,

God knows I’ve tried. Sometimes my cup is overfilled.

Sometimes I’m too afraid that I’m going to spill.*

Thankfully, I did not feel quite like the weight of the world and that all the problems of the world had to be solved by the end of the week, largely in part to another activity we did called The Urban Plunge.

The Urban Plunge was an activity that put you face to face with the community and let you experience firsthand what one would need to know were one living on the streets. Each participant got $2 for lunch (the average amount a person may make per day by panhandling) and had to find out from members of the community (whether they were homeless, poor, or anyone else) where to find water, toilets, shelter, bedding, places for belongings, healthcare, etc. This activity was more difficult than you might think. There were no public bathrooms in the convenient stores and the Chick-Fil-A was an outdoor walk up or drive thru. Thankfully we got free water at the Chick-Fil-A and we found a fire station where they let us use the bathroom. We learned about a place that provided food, shelter, showers, and medical care but we were also told it was a rough place to be. Finding food to last you for a day was extremely difficult. Even with combining our money to have $10 to spend (there were 5 of us) we were only going to be able to buy a few pieces of chicken at Popeye’s. We ended up combining our money to buy a 3 course meal at Dollar General with bologna, cheese, tortillas, chips, crackers, and chocolate covered donuts. We even had $1.25 left over and were able to share our extra food with some ladies in need close to the picnic area we made in the street. We prayed for them and they let us know how encouraged they were. It was such a blessing to know that something so small could be so impactful.

After reflecting on how difficult it was to get anything, it really hit me: you don’t have to completely solve poverty in the US to make an impact on those in need and that’s not what everyone is called to do. What was it Jesus said?

“And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:10)

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. […] Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:35-6; 40).

Certainly there is more we can do, but I think my major take away was that it’s much better to do something small than nothing at all and that the smallest act can make a huge impact, whether that’s a small bit of food, a little bit of water, or just a listening ear and a word of prayer. I’m planning on having small snacks/water on hand in my car to give out to people when I’m out and about and I would encourage you to join me in doing the same.

For more information about CSM, visit their website: http://www.csm.org/

(*Lyrics by Five Iron Frenzy)