Charlotte247’s Weblog

I’m knocking out some time at 24-7. A mother & son have just come in. She says she needs a place to clear her head. Her son asks for some more sticky-note post-its to stick on the wall of the reconciliation station. Clearly got some grudges he’s ready to lay down. A photographer & his girl stopped in shortly after to photograph the site for an upcoming issue of Charlotte Magazine. He has a favorite spot here. She looks around never having seen anything quite like it.  They stop by me desk before they leave. He says he really likes the space. Gives him stuff to think about. His girl especially likes it. They both make plans to come back when he’s off work to just take it all in & get some needed down time in the thick of the peace they feel here. The mother stops in to talk to me before she leaves with her son. Says the music helps her forgive & talk to God in wider ways than before. Holding her hands to both her cheeks, she is in the full grin of a soul set free. As she leaves she makes plans to return in a few hours to knock out some unfinished business with God. Yeah,this is why we exist.  For them. To host the encounters between God & the objects of His passion. Yeah, that’s why we’re here.

Last night John (homeless guy) & I (the hungry one) talked for 5 hrs straight.

It started when I turned around the corner & saw him waiting for me at the door of 24-7 with his hands raised.

In retrospect I’m not sure if they were ACTUALLY raised, or if that’s how I saw him. Hands raised to the sky, worshipping God.

We shared dinner & God for 5 hrs straight.  There were tears, worship & prayer.

It was a wonderful exchange between God, John & me.  We were both in awe of God & how he orchestrating our meeting, our conversation & the music.

We both walked into 24-7 one way, but walked out differently. 

Stretched, compassionate, hungry, full, heart grateful, naked, stripped, fulfilled, with the veil rent.

It was exactly what I’ve come to love about the great exchange I get from volunteering with 24-7 - a man/woman, black/white, rich/poor, hungry/full.

We left hugging each other truly thankful that we had not wasted the evening watching our favorite shows, but being fully engaged & investing in couch time with God.

We didn’t know going in, that we would leave seeing life thru another’s eyes, clearer, focused, compassionate & hungry for more.

Leaving in my fully gassed up 5 yr old car, him on foot we could hear God giggle – YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-K