Yesterday I attended some summer training to our camp with the interns that are here. Our ministry bought in a guy from CEF-Child Evangelism Fellowship to train and encourage our interns on the basics of ministering to urban youth/children in general. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have been a part of such a full day. As I write this my house is quiet. No one is here. I am alone. I have dinner in the oven and I can smell my apple candle from the other room. ("ahhh") This has not been the norm for us here in the King house. Let me explain... *exhale*. Last week my husband got a call from a yelling mom who was in a confrontation with another young woman. On the other end of the phone my husband hears her desperate cry for help...they have no where to go and they are in need of us to come and get them. They were put out of their place of residency. A mom, and her three daughters...homeless. (ages 13,11,and 8) Yes, they are temporary living with us. My life has taken such an interesting turn. I struggled with this for a while in so many areas.( how will this effect us, my daughter, me while my husband is away at work?) Yet, my heart just brought up some many bible passages on what it means to be hospitable. (esp. in crisis situations) and now, I am seeing what the Lord wants me to learn, I am getting glimpse of the Kingdom that are deeper than anything I have ever imagined. I am watching my daughter struggle and learn at an early age what it means to show mercy and walk humbly before God. One of the things that stood out to me at our training time yesterday was when the staff guy told our interns that they need to have the "gumby" approached when ministering to our kids. Who's Gumby? Well, Gumby is a green clay humanoid figure who was the subject of a series of animated television shows that I watched growing up. Key word here is CLAY. We, who minister to kids (or families that live with you for that matter), or do any form of ministry in general must always remember you have to be flexible to whatever it is the Lord brings in your life. I must have the understanding that there is going to be some stretching, pulling, twisting going on while ministering to others.I forgot this.... and some of the past couple of days have been hard for me. But, yesterday the Lord was faithful in bringing so much to my remembrance. I find myself up late praying and reading a lot about what biblical hospitality looks like. I am always asking myself am I being an instrument of Gods grace to a dying world? Am I using my home to minister to those who are in pain and who are spiritually sick? God is encouraging me and he is molding me while I am in the thick of this thang.
I was able to spend some alone time with the oldest while my little one got out the house for a little while with a friend. I listened to her pain, her struggles with her family and how she is searching for significance and acceptance. She tells me she doesn't want to leave me and my husbands home; yet, she does pray that God would provide a home for them. It broke my heart. As challenging as this is, I know God has ordained every waking moment of our lives and in those moments, God has provided grace for me, my husband and my daughter to be a "gumby" in this situation and for that I really am thankful.
Please keep this family in your prayers Pray that they find a permanent home close to where we minister. Pray for these girls and their moms salvation and also pray that in our helping them we don't hurt ourselves.