Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Home

I have quite possibly the worse sense of direction ever!
Case in point: This afternoon it took me a good 45 minutes to get from downtown back to school (which is like 10 minutes away). Granted, construction blocked my usual route, but still. Add to this the fact that I had a GPS (thanks Laura), and really, I'm excuseless.

Despite my seemingly aimless wandering trying to find CU, God had a plan. Despite the different routes that I took, I kept coming back to this same corner. Among the bright buildings and busy streets sat five homeless folk, taking turns displaying their plea on a cardboard sign. Each time I drove by, my heart broke a little more for them. It's been breaking for a few weeks now, as I drive out of church past cardboard signs that cover the faces and stories of God's beloved children, broken by this crazy world.

In South Africa, this scene was completely normal. There were beggers on every corner. It became routine to pack some extra fruit or a few jungle bars to pass out to the regulars that we passed each day on the way to Reigerpark. But this isn't Africa. This is America. This is GR. This is home. That same heartache, vulnerability, and loneliness exists right here, right in my backyard.

LORD, You're breaking my heart for this, but what do you want me to do about it? What can I do, Papa? Where You lead me, LORD, I will follow. Lead and guide me for Your name sake.

2 comments:

kd said...

hmm, yeah.

Caley said...

That's definitely something to consider and pray about. If you get an answer about what you can do, let me know, and i'll be right there with you!