I have not written lately due to illness and other challenges.

The picture in this post, is of a little memorial, that sits in the back alley of Bridge of Hope Community Center .  Every day or two, a woman comes and places fresh flowers or something that reminds her of her brother who was shot and killed there. It was a gang fight. Something that is familiar to those dark alleys in City Heights.

This blog is about God’s Mighty Wonders, that I am a witness to everyday. But, there is another side of that as well, that I don’t always share.

As a result of working with the poor, working close to families, being a ministry where devastation has occurred, and that is what has brought us together, I see and experience a lot of pain, sadness, dilemma, fear, and hopelessness.

Example of a typical week: Being faced with mental health issues of a mom with serious PTSD due to war trauma, who needs help in order to keep her children from CPS taking them away.  A young teen, pregnant, poor, and afraid, wanting to keep her baby, but feels there is no way to keep the baby- Fighting for Life . A Vet I have known for years, who we bring food to each week, is dying of cancer.   The nerves in his fingers are dying- turning black. The pain is insurmountable.  I spend time with him, being in his pain and journey of watching his body be eaten away. Slumlord issues- Landlords taking advantage of our families who are new to this country. They are not taking care of rats, mice, and other issues- Injustice. Cultural differences, language barriers, and fear of the police, are all added into the mix.

Homelessness, addiction, poverty, weariness…. These are things we see and experience everyday.

The Mighty Wonder in this story is:

We are more than a resource organization. We are ambassadors of Jesus the
King, pointing souls to their utter need of a perfect Savior, capable of
being all and everything they need anywhere in any arena.

We set our hearts on what is unseen
and eternal. We trust the purposes of God, which far exceed ours in
breadth, length and depth.

How do I live in the tension between rejoicing in the promises of God, and the mourning due to sorrow?

I focus on the one in front of me.

I can do that. It is not me who is the Savior. He is their answer.

To slow down, be in the moment, and love the one.

Love covers a multitude of sin.

Love is the universal language

 

In awe of the Wonder of His love