Wow, what a week! Lee
came in and said he would like to take over the place. Awesome!
That made the kids happy … some were there working on their various
projects, heard our conversation, and were glad to have the ‘clubhouse’
continue. I think he will do well. His artwork is awesome; I’m not sure how his
teaching or relating to others style is, but he’s a nice guy. I’m glad to hand it over to see the work
continue – not just someplace for the kids to hang out, but a place to talk
about God/Jesus and continue ministering to the people.
William and I had a wonderful conversation this morning
about how it was a sacrifice for him to do so much physical labor (at his age,
it is too much!) so that I could spend the year learning to minister to people
in a better and broader way. That I did!
This was definitely a year of education
for me in that arena, and a year of education for us both overall. We realized how ‘living’ the bible really
is. The bible really is alive – one cannot
understand until you actually live it!
Faith in action – do the thing rather than go to the people/churches and
tell the thing or just be a pew sitter – we have to be the example, be out
there in the trenches, get dirty so to speak.
When the bible speaks about how we are at war, that is no joke! This is front-line, get shot (mostly by the ‘church’),
wounded, get back up and go do it again.
Now, I really do understand how those within the walls of
the ‘church’ think they are doing the right thing, because I think back to the
30+ years I was ‘within the walls doing the work’ – that was the whole point,
it is all geared ‘introspection’ and ‘feel good theology’ rather than getting
out there and putting yourself on the line.
They cannot perceive what we try to tell them – they cannot see that ‘church
as usual’ will not get the job done. Those
on the outside see hypocrisy, the sickness, financial troubles, bad behaviors –
just like the world – and say, “I don’t want that – they are no better off than
I” attitude and I don’t blame them. Only
when they see a life-change, a new life that actually is Jesus in action
through them, then they want that, but not the other – clubhouse mentality, us
vs them, we’re saved you’re not attitude – they don’t want that because they see
that it doesn’t work. Only the real
change from the inside out with evidence – then they will pay attention. This ‘hit and run’ mentality the ‘church’
has, by doing an event one time here or there doesn’t work! You have to be out there, making friends with
the people, relate to them on their level – then they will listen. That’s why our park ministry in Ashland
worked – the people knew us, knew we cared, knew we were there for them; just
like now, we were there for the kids, there for the people when they needed to
talk!
William’s work has been going well – he finished painting
that Fountain house; however, he only got $487 – half of what the work was
really worth! He’s not working for Chuck
any longer – William basically takes home only $10 an hour and at his age and
skill level, he’s worth a lot more than that!
Of course, that meant we could
pay only one of the rents (which both are late at this point) and we have none
left over for groceries, again. William
also painted the deck for David on Saturday – he’s so wore out, he needs a
break – he only had 1 day off last week, going into a hard laborious week –
poor guy almost drops from exhaustion and down to about 100 lbs! He’s not eating enough or resting enough! When we go back to Oregon, we are on vacation
for the next year!!
I did; however, start our new ‘on the road’ job – the phone
calling (for: http://www.americanmobitech.
Our little garden is doing great – 6 baby (3-4”long)
watermelon/someone pulled up pumpkin’s water bottle, but the pumpkins have tons
of flowers, the zucchini is going nuts – I’ve pulled 20 of them out so far –
giving them away to everyone!
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