Last week as I hosted the Sacred Space of 24-7, the door slowly opened and a tentative face peered in. I beckoned her to come in. She was requesting help for the many repairs that needed to be made on her home.
“What is this place?” was her inquiry.
As I explained to her that the prayer room was for everyone, for herself and all her family and friends, she asked about the cost of using the space. When I told her it was free she turned to me incredulous. You could physically see a sense of ownership come over her as she relaxed and entered further into the room with a new boldness. Her gaze first fell on our wall of God-graffiti near the door. She read each one aloud which sent gooseflesh running up and down my arms. Will I ever get used to what the Presence of God does in this Place? I hope and pray not.
As we toured the room, I explained each station but was struck by her reaction to the place set aside for our outreach to the Villa Heights neighborhood.
“That’s me! That’s my neighborhood. We need so much help. We have a drug house. That needs to be shut down. It’s not safe. The park needs to be cleaned up.”
On and on she went. The needs are so great that one feels so helpless. I felt like taking up hammer and nails and marching up to her house myself, knowing that I could not. Arthritis is taking its toll. If I could I would take these dear, sweet people under my wing and care for each and every one. But the charge given to me has been, “One at a time, Karen. One at a time. Let me love them through you.”
We move on to the “Lost and Found” wall where I help her post the names of her children and her grands. I ask her if I can pray for her. We sit down together under the names of her loved ones and join two sets of hands, one African in descent, the other European, connected by our common bond in the Savior. What beautiful things our God creates through His Son!
She promises that she will return to spend time here. I can only hope that it is true. It is difficult to let these souls placed in my charge for such a short time go back out into a world from which this special place provides small respites of peace and shelter. What a privilege to be a part of the amazing things God is doing to bring healing and wholeness to our city.
