9.6.09

The idea of giving back once you’ve been given to is a powerful motivator that I had never really experienced until my work with people in real need. Most of the time in my “bubble” of comfort when I saw people receive something it wasn’t because they really needed it – maybe it was more of a nice thing to receive and, therefore, did not evoke feelings of deep appreciation. But as Otter Creek has started to walk with people truly in need, we’re getting to experience a “phenomena” that seems pretty foreign to many of us – we get to peak around the corner and see the widow dropping in her mite and feel the holy ground beneath our feet for being able to be present at that moment.

I got a call earlier today from a friend who lives at Tent City. This man has his own issues and struggles, regrets and goals, but he is also one of the most giving people that I’ve met. I can’t help but put myself in his place and wonder if I wouldn’t be totally consumed with getting myself out of that environment no matter who I had to step over or on to make it happen. But not this man. He genuinely seems to take a special joy in lightening the load for his fellow travelers in a number of different ways. This afternoon he was under one of our city bridges working with a ministry that feeds the homeless (remember, he’s one of them!!). He met a young couple that had just arrived in Nashville with their 5 month old baby girl. The father is on disability and they get some money each month so they had checked into one of our local long-term hotels for a few weeks.

But these young parents had no bed for their baby (If you’re wondering why the hotel wouldn’t provide a rollaway or even a portable crib for the baby then I need to take you with me to see the type of hotel I’m talking about). And at 5 months old, they were worried that keeping the baby in the bed with them could be dangerous. So I got a call asking if Otter Creek might have a crib for the baby. Just one homeless man trying to help out a homeless couple in the only way that he could think of – call a church… Isn’t that how it’s supposed to happen??

Later that evening I called another Otter Creek member and invited him to take a ride with me to deliver a portable crib to this family’s hotel room. The irony of this is that the man I invited was the one who had donated the portable crib just a few weeks earlier. We called as we were getting close to the hotel and got the room number. As we drove into the hotel parking lot my friend asked me, “Don’t you ever get a little nervous about driving into places like this?” Given the neighborhood and time of night it was a reasonable question. And while I certainly take the normal precautions and try to be aware of where I am, I had to admit that I really don’t get too nervous. I feel like I’m on a mission, representing something much bigger than me or Otter Creek and that thought calms me.

We met the couple and saw one of the cutest babies you’ve ever seen – she was asleep in her car seat and never woke up when we were able to lay her down in her new crib. We had a few minutes to hear a little about the parents’ story, gave them our phone number and headed back to our clean, comfortable homes. I called my friend at Tent City to thank him for sending these folks our way. He seemed so very pleased that he was able to give back. And I’m so very pleased that Otter Creek is able to be used as a resource by people to help others. Parts working together in a way that helps the whole look more like Jesus than we could ever do on our own….my friends, that is the kingdom of God at work on earth as it is in heaven…