My family and I spent the day today serving others alongside our college students & other church members at an apartment complex here in Jacksonville. Pastor Hung and some people from the Korean ministry had been going out there for awhile to help the residents, many whom are new to the country. There are many needs for material goods, jobs, learning English... Today the focus was a "Fall festival" for the children, complete with lots of free food, games, face-painting, balloons, music testimonies, and the raffling of turkeys!
I'll admit I was a little nervous about going because it is a high crime and high gang area. I wasn't sure what to expect and I was a little concerned about our safety. And I wasn't sure how the people who lived there would respond to us... It was all so unknown. But what a blessing it turned out to be! It was interesting to spend time with people from all over the world. Some of the people are from Jacksonville; many of them are from Angola, Bosnia, and every place in between. About 80% are Muslim, and all are low-income.
Do you know what I found? None of that mattered. We were just people. Race, background, socioeconomic status, even religious beliefs -- didn't come between us. The people, some of whom were skeptical at first, warmed up quickly. The children, many of whom don't get much time with their hard-working parents, loved all the attention. And we all had fun enjoying a Saturday afternoon together.
It helps, at times, to be reminded that I am here on this earth for a specific purpose. That - on the days when things are rough, on the days friends are distant, on the days I wonder if I make a difference...am I doing anything to be a light in this world... that God shows me that He can use me when I make myself available.
