A weekend on the streets of San Francisco
The YWAM base offers weekend plunges as well as short and medium term missions opportunities to young Christians interesed in changing their world. The weekend we went up we were greeted by Charles a native of Uganda who was spending two years ministering in the United States.
I traveled with a team of 13 from Eugene Faith Center's college-age group. Our first task the night we arrived was to take the plunge. We separated into groups of five and went out looking for ten things on a list. To find these locations we had to ask people on the street for directions. We talked with shop keepers, street people, and foreigners. I will not pretend that I wasn't scared. I saw drugs sold, cross-dressers soliciting, people fighting in the street, managed to dodge a flying condom and step over the human waste on the sidewalk. Surprisingly, I found that the conversations came easier than expected. People were for the most part very eager to talk with us.
The next day we made double lunches and shared them with people living in the city center. They welcomed the food and chance to talk. Coming from all walks of life they shared their stories of victories and hardships. One woman cried as talked about giving her children up for foster care because she did not have a place for them. She pulled out pictures of them to illustrate her story. Many were open to us praying with them.
Food was often a hook we used in reaching people. We hosted a "Love Feast" and free spaghetti dinner at the base with music candles and tableside service. The atmosphere was peaceful and friendly in contrast the harsh street language outside. We also participated in hot chocolate evangelism. This was effective to get just about anyone to talk. Often the chocolate went cold because the people were more hungry for conversation than for food.
The stories shared where often of families in other parts of the country. Some were kicked out, some ran, and others had come to die. Many it seemed had simply given up hope. It is in this place that they are open for ministry and simply hurting for the tiniest expressions of love.
With all the hype surrounding the phrase "What would Jesus do?" I think this is the answer. This is what he did. He came to seek and save. He told the story of the shepard who left the nintey-nine to find the one lost sheep. Even if that sheep has wandered into the Tenderloin district.
