(I’ve been remiss in transferring the final posts from the Detroit trip. But since certain people have mentioned-er, well, we’ll stick with “mentioned”-it, here’s the next one in the series. I need to finish this week and next week we’re off to Hawaii, and the continuity will be shot. So, here goes)
Day Three and your body is beginning to feel the toll of too many years, not enough sleep (Lisa and I were up until 3 AM), so much need, so little you can do, the endless, endless tugging at your mind and soul. The teens don’t feel it the same way. They are young, resilient, in the moment. This is still an adventure. One wrote, “I am loving this week. It has taught me more about myself and sharing God’s love with others. I love VBS and loving on the kids, even when they are difficult. The work projects have been amazing as well. I believe greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city.”
Ahhh, youth! The faith and energy of the young. Hold that thought. Keep reality at bay for as long as possible. Perhaps that’s why God called so many young-Samuel, Jeremiah, Elisha, Daniel, Shadrach et al. Their lives are simpler, uncomplicated, unpolluted by years of . . . well, for lack of a better term . . . living.
But the staff-aka old-at least feeling disproportionately older than we were two days ago-people, like me, are all moving with more coffee in their veins but less spring in their steps, more determination to slog through another one, push through to tomorrow-the last day-then we leave. We know we are going uphill on roller skates. The rookies have had their “Aha!” moment, that all cannot be completed in the allowed time, that our tomorrow is already booked with the stuff that we know will not get completed today. We also know that we are not here for a do-good-er vacation. We came because we were called. That which we think we came to do and that which we are supposed to really do, are likely not the same. We will accomplish exactly everything that God purposed for us to accomplish-nothing less, nothing more-and if we that is the only thing we figure out, it is enough.
One of the bright spots every afternoon for all of us is after VBS when the Military Avenue Church Youth Center opens and the cafe is available. Steve runs the Youth Center and cafe. He lives in one of the houses on the church’s property and is also the caretaker. At the orientation meeting that seems like forever ago, we were asked to give a list of things that we would liked stocked in the cafe because Steve gets to keep the profit so he can pay his utilities and have a little money for other necessities. My requested personal vice was Diet Dr. Pepper and Butterfinger candy bars. I figure they cancel each other out. Plus anything with ‘Doctor’ in the name must be good for you and butter is dairy-also good for you.
Steve is a local Detroit-er who is committed to the inner city, showing the love of God to the kids, doing what he can to keep a light shining, although he has every reason to leave. He has family out of the area so he could get away. He’s been shot once, stabbed about a dozen times, chased downed thieves and confronted crack heads and drug dealers about staying away from the kids and church property. Yeah, I know, if you let that sink in for a minute and figure out what you (or I) would do in the exact situation, I’m not sure staying would be at the top of my list.
But he chooses to stay.
Anyway, a couple of us stopped by this afternoon to get “the usual”-by now Steve knew what to pull out for me when I walked in the room, and while we were waiting our turn I watched him take care of the others ahead. A couple local kids ordered nachos-you know the basic ball park food, a handful of tortilla chips and a couple squirts of some orange/creamy/imitation cheese-like substance topped with a jalepano pepper. While I watch Steve dish this up, I see him stuffing the container with chips, packing it in then stuffing in a few more, tapping them down and doing it again until he cannot get another single chip in the tray. Then he fills the cheese compartment with the above mentioned liquid ooze, pours more over the chips then gets two or three scoops of peppers can piles them on. At this point I look up and the menu board and see that Nachos are $1. Steve has just packed into one serving about three times as much as you get at the ball park AND pay $6 for. He does the same thing when a kid orders ice cream. Only it’s fifty cents. Scoops big enough to make both Burk Baskin and Irvine Robbins roll over 31 times in their graves. All this time I am thinking, there goes his profit margin. So I said (not wanting to point out the obvious economics of profit and loss), “Wow, Steve, you give amazing portions when you serve up the nachos or ice cream to the kids.”
He just smiled. “God is good to take care of me and give me food every day. So this is how I try to show His love to them, by feeding them generously.”
Steve doesn’t need a lesson. I did. It’s not about economics.
“Men do not light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way what they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matt. 5:14-16
Steve is a light shining in the dark parts of Detroit.
THANKS BECK! THIS ONE REALLY GOT ME. STEVE REALLY IS A LIGHT IN A PLACE OF DARKNESS. I LOVE THIS POST.