{Heart} 4 Homeless

Sorry fellow bloggers. I have been away and busy.  I have had in mind to post this since last Wednesday and here it is Sunday and I am just getting to writing.  Ugh!  I already have another post to write about all our family festivities from yesterday-so needless to say, I am running a bit behind :))

My "dashboard" overwhelms me and there is no way I am going to catch up. So, if you wrote something especially awesome that I probably missed, leave me a link in the comments. 
___________________________
Now onto the post.

We are reading RED LETTERS: Living a Faith That Bleeds by Tom Davis for school. It comes highly recommended and let me tell you, it is AWESOME!  Hard, and awesome! 

You are about to witness one of my great WHY I LOVE HOMESCHOOLING MOMENTS! 

So, Hunter (15yr old) is reading about "the least of these" lessons in this book.  I then assign him to write down all the activities in his life for the last week.  I then asked him to evaluate "when" he served the thirsty, hungry, stranger, offered clothing, oppressed, prisoner, etc.  Well, his answer was never, that week.  We then discussed passion. "Hunter, what are you passionate about, what has God put in your heart that you just can't get out of your mind"  For me, it is the orphan, Africa, for him it's different.  Being his mom I knew what it was.

When I think of Hunter's prayer life, I think of James 5:16.  The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  This verse sums up my boy.  He doesn't pray for a million different things. He prays for a few things for his ENTIRE life {so far}!  One prayer is for his uncle Jason to stop smoking and the other is for the HOMELESS.  Since he was 4. Both things.  Yes, other things come and go, but  these two things always.  It is a little joke that still comes up from Sunday School teaches past-but it is no joke :)   As age and wisdom comes Hunter has discovered new depths to the realities of what he is praying for in those things.  Like, at times he has wanted to give up on his uncle ever quitting smoking, and has come to know the issues are much larger than just that.  The homeless, it is more than them just having a home, so much more. 

I said "Hunter if you were going to help the least of these as in this scripture what would you be passionate about?"-of course it was the homeless.  Then posed the "what do you want to do"  again naturally went to something we have done before, but he wanted to do more.  We brainstormed, came up with a plan, then he called his youth pastor to see if he could meet with him and share the idea. 

Last year on several occasions we collected items to pass out to the homeless, made "survival kits" with necessities. We got together with friends to pass out gloves, blankets, cocoa, different things on different occasions.  It blessed my heart to drive around down town and have my son get out of the car, offer a blanket, shake hands, introduce himself, and look a broken man in the eye.  Many are Veterans, many Christians, it just blessed my heart. 

So, a year later, he is taking it to his church. Asking others for donations. Then at the New Year's Eve lock-in the youth will assemble to kits and write notes to go inside.  Then Jan 24th they will go distribute them.  He got up at the end of service and shared Matthew 25 and his vision.  For the first time speaking to a group.  I was am so proud!

Hunter modeling a finished kit. 

 

 A display box of items that only cost $1

First Aid Kit, Toothbrush & Paste, Rain Pnchos, Tissues, Lip Balm, Beanie, etc.

 

Other things we are collecting

Water bottles, crackers, socks, gloves, zipper bags

Hunter really wanted to put a bible in the bag and we did find a new testament at the d*llar st*re but the text is very small.  However, a little googling and I found a gift that we are buy Hunter for Christmas to put in his kits.  It is a booklet about Jesus called He Had No Home targeted for homeless.  He will be so excited. 

So, I shared that little story in a rushed way (hey I warned you I was behind).  I wanted you guys to pray for my son. Pray for those who this ministry will touch. 

This quote is on the header of one of my favorite blogs-I LOVE how it is worded:

"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved...whatever you have done to the least of these, you've done it to Me." Matthew 25 according to Richard Stearns, President of World Vision

My son is not a hero, he is not doing some great thing, he is simply serving Jesus.  Like we ALL should do.  What is your passion?  How can you serve?