Yay a non stock photo this week!
I didn’t find him.
I went down to Waikiki homeless outreach last night, I rode with Spencer to pick up the pizzas. I took notice of the reflections in the Papa John’s store window as I waited. Diamond Head in the background and the sun starting to set were reflecting off the window showing off the cotton candy skies.
“T” didn’t show up for pizza. So a DTS student named Nick, who was down there for the first time, and I walked down to where Nathanial (a SOME student) had seen him yesterday.
The SOME (School of Missions and Evangelism) students have three days a week scheduled for outreach and evangelism. Monday they were handing out Bibles and saw “T.”
I had to interrupt Nathanial, he was speaking Tagalog with a homeless man. Nathanial told me where “T” usually stayed. I guess on Monday “T” was eager to get a Bible.
I love that these students are ready to be on the streets, sharing the good news of Jesus. They are headed to the Middle East in a couple months.
Nick and I made a couple loops looking for “T” but didn’t find him, and as the sun was setting it was getting even harder to see people in the park and I wasn’t trying to approach people in the darkness.
This morning the amazing Sandi Walrod is doing childcare for us. So I finished up some tax prep and drove down to Waikiki to see if I could find “T” this morning. I didn’t.
I did run into Anna Roberts though. I was walking through the park admiring the birds and a dog playing in the fountain when I heard my name. “Jim Baker”
I wasn’t expecting to see anyone and recognizing people when you can only see half their face is a bit challenging, but I figured it out pretty quick. I took note of the location and tucked it away for a future adventure with the kids to feed the ducks in the park.
This morning as I was getting ready to go I couldn’t find my keys. Was it demonic attack to keep me from going? Was it God warning me not to go? Or had I just misplaced my keys? I think I just misplaced my keys.
I think in my head I was trying to make excuses not to go. I mean, I even prioritized paying taxes and doing paperwork before I went. (All things that actually did need to get done, but not things I enjoy doing.)
As I drove down to Waikiki not knowing what I’d find I thought about Jesus leaving the 99 sheep to find the 1. (Matt 18) This morning I didn’t find the 1. But I tried. And I’m grateful that God pursued me.
The takeaway?
Shoot your shot when you have the chance, there might only be one.
I should have been bolder with “T” when I got the chance last week. He said multiple times he needed a phone, I should have helped him then. (I wasn’t driving at the time, but I could have found a way)
I’m not condemning myself. I’m just learning lessons. I was rusty, I hadn’t been on the streets for a while. I wasn’t ready in season and out. (2 Tim 4:2)
My Tuesday evening meetings resume next week so I won’t be down there for the official outreach again. But I’m glad that there is team that will be, and I know they will run into “T” again.
There are new people coming to Hawaii everyday, to be homeless on the beach. Sure there’s a natural beauty, but the poverty cycle of homelessness is bad and it won’t be paradise when you get your stuff stolen.
I’ve heard stories relayed of people waking up to others digging through their pockets. Things only get harder on the streets, and that hardship turns people to self medicate and lose motivation.
What if Jesus is sending us out to share His hope with people who are desperate and disillusioned. What if some of these people need to boldly hear that what they think they are getting into, isn’t what they are really going to get into and that God has a better plan for them. What if us being motivated by God’s love to be down there is the divine sign that people need to know that God cares for them.
In 2021 my family made some big life transitions. We left the paying ministry to be more focused on the volunteer ministry. And through that big step of faith and obedience to what we sensed God was saying, we clarified our calling.
We’re equipping those who will GO. These fired up students inspire me, and I hope to impart a little bit of the wisdom I’ve learned since I’ve lived double their lifetimes. Thank you to everyone who gives to our ministry so that we can make all of this happen.
Who do you need to be lovingly bold with? What hope do you need to be imparting? What action do you need to take?
