A walk in the park

When was the last time you did something for the first time? Over the weekend I recorded another ‘first event’; I joined a team from my local Church to invite people for our Special Easter service. Our target area was the City centre, it was pretty interesting. First of all I was intruding on people enjoying the beautiful weather; some were having lunch while others were just spending quality time with their families. I had to remember to smile, to be polite, answer a few questions and to say thank you to those who wouldn’t take the flyer. But thankfully a few indicated interests in coming and a particular couple I met asked if there was going to be food, I think I said hopefully (I wasn’t sure) all the same I took down their numbers and told them the Church bus was going to pick them up on Sunday.

On Sunday they were ready before 10 am; and someone else picked them up. But somehow I sensed there was something about them, on my way to Church with a few friends I brought up my concern of them been homeless and asking for food too. One of my friends asked why everyone always expects to eat in Church every time they are invited. This led to different people expressing their view on the issue. Well I got to Church, met them and at the end of the service I found out they were really homeless cos’ they came with their entire bags and the man told me too. They finally asked me for food, although we didn’t have cooked food in Church that day but we had 2 separate bags packed with canned food, pasta and some other dry food. Thankfully the Pastor asked me to give it to them.

I had to paint this story to point out something about the Church. She was born to cater to the needs of people, the early Church shared all they had and gave to anyone in need. Looking back now to the episode on the bus I remembered a few things, my coordinator in my Church in Nigeria said something profound, she’s one of the youngest in her family yet when anything happens and there is a monetary contribution they expect her to give more but you know what, she prefers to be on this side where she is giving than the one asking for money. A pastor I respect always says ‘don’t tell me you love me, show me – don’t say it is well, God bless you when you have the means of helping the person’. I read a book some years ago ‘Church Shift’ by Sunday Adelaja ; it’s an amazing book and he was saying the Church needs to be active and meeting the needs in the society. The Church he pastors feeds 2000 people daily through the Stephania Soup Kitchen that caters to needy street and abandoned children.

I think instead of us complaining that people are only coming to Church to be physically fed, let us ask God to bless our hands so we can be sources of blessings to such people. Even Jesus Christ fed the hungry, he didn’t send them away hungry rather He met their needs. Jesus Christ is in heaven, He won’t throw food from heaven rather we are representatives of Him here on earth. As we remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us remember love brought Him to the world, love led Him to the cross and that same love nailed Him to the cross. May this truth resonate within us as we carry out the message He entrusted into our care. Loyiso sums it up with this song ‘Jesus to the world’.

We are Your hands and feet

You are the Words we speak

Jesus to the world

Jesus to the streets

Jesus in my hands, meeting others needs

Loads of Love

JMAD

Fast Lane

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. I had woken up a little late and I needed to be in church on time (if you remember my bouncing episode I talked about in Tomorrow Never Comes). I got to church a little past 6.30 a.m., getting to the gate I saw a minister in the Youth Church trying to get some change to pay the cab man. I had the exact amount in my hand but I had plans for it in church. I simply told her ‘bye’ and ran off to meet prayers in church leaving her behind. So much for been a Christian. (Yea I can see you shaking your head in disbelief)

Just imagine you are watching a dual view TV, press pause and play backwards to June 2012 on the other screen. I had closed from work. A friend gave me a lift to somewhere convenient to get a cab and suddenly the Heaven’s opened up and I had some good showers of rain. I had no umbrella, no sort of shade close by and it was getting dark. The more I stretched my hand for a taxi the greater the intensity of the downpour. I literally gave up and just stood helpless until an angel in form of a Policeman stopped. He offered me a ride, not bothered I was soaked and will mess his car up (and please don’t give me the talk of me being a lady) it was already dark. He wasn’t going my way so he stopped me where he had to turn off. I started another journey on foot, thanks to the crazy traffic on the road and just then a car turned off from the traffic to help me. An elderly Muslim; he took me straight to my house and that was it.

We are all conversant with the Good Samaritan story (Luke 10 vs 25 -37). In the two stories I shared, I was the priest who passed by the lady who needed the change (I didn’t want to get to church late). Did I mention I eventually got in late; and I ask, did Christ die for the church or for human beings? The policeman and the Muslim were the good Samaritans depicted in the Bible.

I won’t go through the stress of asking if you’ve acted like the priest, maybe you’ve been a saint all your life rather, I’ll speak directly to those of us who’ve Christianity placed on our forehead and our actions are a far cry from what it ought to be.

Most of us are on the fast lane. We are like racers in Formula One, our eyes are fixed on the finishing line and we can’t afford to look left or right, in fact if someone gets in our way we may run them down. It took my selfish action to realise this hard truth.

Just like we’ve been having a series on “LOVE” in church and God reminded me through His daughter Pst. Sarah Omakwu, people are tired of hearing Jesus loves them, all they need is food, shelter, clothing, money to go to school etc. Just the simple necessities of life. We love this phrase ‘It’s well’. Who knows, I may have given that lady the same reply even when I had the solution to her needs in my hand. Someone is sick and needs to buy drugs, you’ve the money with you and you pat the person on the shoulder and say It’s well.

We don’t have to wait to have our names enlisted on Forbes’s magazine to help someone. All we need is a willing heart and the push we need will be available. Make up your mind to be the reason, there’s a smile on someone’s face. Don’t ask someone to come back tomorrow, when you can help them today. You just never know who’s at the edge of the cliff waiting to take a dive.

You may have been like me, selfish and concerned with the finishing line, but one experience changed it. Truth is there’s no set time to get to the finishing line of life. We can stop and pick people up. When we’re gone, it’s the little seed of kindness that will prove we walked this earth. I’ll end with the words of Beyoncé in the song ‘I WAS HERE’

I want to say I lived each day, until I died

And know that I meant something in, somebody’s life

The hearts I have touched, will be the proof that I lived

That I made a difference and this world will see

I was here

I lived, I loved

I was here

I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted

And it was more than I thought it would be

I will leave my mark so everyone will know

LOADS OF LOVE

JMAD.