We arrived in San Jose early one morning and went to the City Team Office to meet with our contact, Ryan Derfler, Director of Experience at the Men’s Center, for lunch and introductions. After lunch, he showed us around the City Team Operation at the Men’s Center.
We went to the cafeteria that evening to serve the homeless. Kathy worked on the serving line, and I prayed with some folks in the dining room. I prayed with a family of 5, Mom, Dad and their three kids. Turns out they were from El Paso, TX, homeless up until just a few days ago when they got an old RV to move into. They were so happy. It at least afforded them and their children shelter from the elements. I sat there and watched them pile up the free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches the shelter was giving so the kids would have food. It was so sad to see a family so hungry.
We all
prayed together, holding hands (including the kids). It was beautiful to see a family pray
together and know they had such love for each other and for the Lord.
We finished
our time there that evening and headed back to the family center in hopes of
good night sleep. We knew we’d likely be
sleeping on makeshift beds in the Center’s office, but we were grateful to have
a bed. As the Lord would have it, though, there was a couple there who heard us
talking about sleeping on air mattresses in the office.
He put it on
their heart to pay for a hotel room for us for the night because they wanted us
to have a good bed and a hot shower.
They said we looked tired and like we really needed it. We were thankful to just have the air
mattress and a bathroom, so we were blown away to get a hotel room and a hot
shower! (You get kinda used to not being able to shower sometime when you are
on the road and homeless.)
We also met
a woman named Carmen at the center. She
showed us the church planting she had been doing in the last year. OVER 800 CHURCHES! God put it on her heart to
just go door to door in neighborhoods and plant home churches. From those churches people were going to
their friends and starting more home churches and now they are 8 layers
down. Just ONE person spreading the
word. Just goes to show you that one
person really can make a difference.
Like I said,
we weren’t in San Jose very long, but it was an encouraging stop along the
road. We even met a man who was in ministry with people at my church back in
Texas! 2800 miles from home and I meet
people doing ministry with my people back home.
I love how the Lord does that.
Well, we’re
off to Santa Cruz and then San Francisco!
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