My Open Door!

“My Open Door”

First Part of the Evening

This past Thursday I went and volunteered at a local food pantry. It is a Christian organization, “Open Door Pantry” that feeds about 400-500 needy families a week in the community.

 How it works is that cars drive up to a warehouse door and the food is loaded into their vehicle. It is quite a production. They have a laminated card with their number on the card and they radio inside and their number is crossed off a list.

Blue- Large Family 6+

Yellow- Medium Family 4-6

Green-Small Family 1-4

Boxes are tailored to family size and the appropriate amount of food is distributed into each box.

I was honored to be asked by a friend and her family to volunteer. The organization is run completely by food donations and donated funds. They have no government help or subsidies. It was quite an operation; it is in a large warehouse east of Ann Arbor. This particular Thursday they were short on volunteers and I spent the first part of the evening working the assembly line. Let me tell ya, “I have new respect for assembly line workers!” I was completely wore out…lol It was good for me to say the least. This organization that week had about #40,000 of food to distribute.

My job was to find boxes, put in a juice, and then help put in vegetables and fruit when the line got backed up. In a two hour time-frame I probably packed 250-300 boxes. And let me tell you it is hot working in a factory but I loved every minute of it! There is something about digging in and helping in the community for those in need…

Second Part of the Evening

I know and believe that what happened for the rest of the time that evening was a God thing! My friend who I was volunteering with showed up a little later than me. She and I were asked to go in the parking lot and pray with the people in the cars who were coming to receive food. Since it is a Christian organization with no government funding, there is a freedom and liberty to pray with people. The people who run the food pantry are so busy running the food end of the program that they don’t have people who are willing to pray with people.

This is where Jesus shines! I was thrilled to death to pray with people. My friend Annette and I went up to every car and this is what we said, “Hello, what is your name? My name is Linda. Is there anything you would like me to pray about?” This went on for about two hours. In a two hour time frame we were able to pray for about 50-75 people. WOW!!!!

I am telling you the people are hurting, hungry, and broken. They are hungry but more so they are hungry for God. In all those people we probably had only about six people refuse prayer. But oh the other 50-75 people!

Here is the best part…

Of those who were prayed for there were about 7-10 people who said they needed prayer for sickness. One lady said she had tumors riddled throughout her legs. A sweet couple a man and a woman both had tears streaming down their faces as they said, “You want to pray for us?” They were both sick in their bodies and had physical and spiritual needs! Here is what I said to the people sick in body, “I believe in laying on of hands for those sick in body, would you like me to lay hands on you?” Every one of them said, “Yes, please lay hands on me.”

When people are sick and desperate and need a touch from God they are willing to try anything. I was amazed how God used me to step outside of the box once more. He is stretching me to reach people. I was so honored and humbled that God used me in such a mighty way. People there at the pantry could see something in me. One man who was a volunteer in the parking lot said, “You have a gift for this don’t you?” See when you let your light shine people can see it inside of you. I told him that I really did have a gift for evangelism.

Evangelism

Evangelism is my heart! Every week at the shelter more and more people are coming to meet me. Most of the new faces I have never seen before, but they all know who I am. Last Sunday before I went to the food pantry on Thursday God had impressed on me to stand in a circle with my homeless friends and pray for their needs. This probably prepared me for my outreach on Thursday. We went around the circle and I asked for specific needs from my friends and offered words of encouragement to those there that Sunday. I then told them so as not to be alarmed that I believed in speaking in tongues over their prayers. Every one of them was glad that I took the liberty to pray how God intended me to pray.

Then this week at the shelter…

I was gathering up the extra clothes and food, then I heard one of them say, “let’s go.” The lady said, “No, not until she prays.” And another one said, “That is why I came, I came for the prayer.” These statements about made me break down and cry. The one who came for the prayer was a new face. I had never seen her or met her before. She had tears in her eyes… She had heard about last week so this week she had come. I didn’t even have to find her and tell her, she was told by another and she came on her own. WOW!!! God you are amazing! To God be the glory!!!! He is working even when I am not there.

My only intentions when I first came to the shelter in December were to help people and show them love, and to meet them where they were located. I was just trying to let my light shine and to fulfill the Gospel in Matthew 25:35-41. I don’t want to miss any footsteps and I don’t want to stand before God not helping and reaching the least of these in love. And here it is 6 months later and the people are growing in number. They know who I am and they look forward to seeing me. One has received the Holy Ghost and has been baptized. There are about 7-8 a week who get on the bus and go to church regularly. One lady who we prayed for last week has gotten a job, she said she had a “praise report” I laughed inside my head. She is already a Pentecostal. She is one who goes to church every week!!!!

The Last Part of the Evening

I had asked the people who ran the pantry at the beginning of the evening, if they would be willing to donate to my homeless ministry in Ann Arbor. I supply about 95% of the items myself, yet God always seems to be supplying my needs. They told me they normally only supply to individuals and families or churches who distribute to the needy. I told them that was fine with me and either way I was there to volunteer. I had made friends all evening and God found favor…

The blessing…

The pantry loaded up an entire pallet of probably 500 orange peppers. They gave me 4 huge boxes of expensive cucumbers. I received 4 large bags of potatoes. I then also received 6 large boxes of bread and additional bags of bread! I was stunned!!! Here I had asked for a little and I received 100# of food which was over and abundantly more than I had ever asked for!

I knew I could not distribute this kind of food to my homeless friends at the shelter. I have a dear friend who works with needy and displaced families in Ann Arbor and Tecumseh. She was able to take the food and distribute to 50 families. I was able to keep some back and distribute to 4 families. Then I was able to share the bread with the homeless. I bagged up pita breads in sandwich bags and a local fast food chain donated butter and honey for the pita breads. WHAT A BLESSING!!!

I drove away that night feeling fulfilled. I clapped to the Lord and said, “Well done Lord!”

The BEST part!

Sunday this week repeated itself. I prayed with a large group of homeless friends on the streets. I am expecting God to perform great miracles in their lives. He is working in the community. I am also going back this week to the pantry to volunteer and to pray with people again.

The answer to evangelism is prayer!!!

If we are willing to meet their physical needs in the community and we are willing to step out in faith and pray for their needs, God will draw the people to salvation! Will you help start a spark? It is amazing to me the people I have been able to touch as one person. I can only imagine what it would be like for another person… Or better yet a whole church?

I have a plan God has given me for one church to reach their community. I have shared this with the church God has placed in my heart… I believe that it will happen and I am standing on His promises…

Do you have a promise? Do you have a dream? Does it include reaching for souls? If not I pray that God will spark you to help. One person really can make a difference if God is standing right beside you to order your steps!

Thank you sweet Lord, you are my all and all and to you I give all the glory. It is not by my might, my only part is the willingness to go and to step out in faith!

UPDATE*** Today on June 16, 2013 My second homeless friend received the Holy Ghost and was baptized in Jesus Name! Also two other homeless friends I found out are backslidden pentecostals coming home to the Lord! My heart is  overwhelmed!