Lent Day 13… The Road To Heaven Does Not Run From The World

The road to Heaven does not run from the world, but through it.

—Robert Farrar Capon

Yesterday we spent our afternoon on Skid Row. We’re here in Los Angeles for a week with a team from NWLife to serve at the Dream Center.

This is my 12th or 13th trip to the Dream Center. I started coming with teams of students in the late ’90′s because I wanted to expose my people to ministry that goes beyond having church services on Sundays and Wednesdays. I wanted to be influenced by a ministry that didn’t tuck itself away from the world, but rather went right through the world—as the hands of Jesus bringing love, compassion, service, food, and whatever is needed.

“Find a need and meet it, find a hurt and heal it” is the famous mantra of Tommy Barnett – the grandfather of this kind of ministry in America.

So yesterday we were in Skid Row handing out bags filled with hotdogs and chips. After the food was all given away, we went to a little park to spend time with people—playing basketball, chess, dominoes, or just standing around talking.

Ashah stood watching as some men played dominoes. When their game was over, she jumped in and played with them.

One of the domino-players was Willie Wade Washington (how cool is that name???!!??!! and it really is his name… he showed us his license). Willie lives in a low-income apartment nearby. He’s retired, a father of three, originally from Shreveport Louisiana. Willie came to Los Angeles in 1973.

He’s a great storyteller, friendly, and hospitable. He told me exactly where he lives, so that “Next time, when you’re here, you can stop on by.”

Some of the guys in our group played basketball with men from the park. I watched from the sidelines as an older gentleman sunk shot after shot, schooling all the young guys on the court. After the game, as we were leaving the park, the older gentleman—Tyrone—yelled through the fence, “Let me pray for you before you go!” So we stood on the sidewalk, with our hands gripping the chain link fence, with Tyron on the other side praying for us. As he finished his prayer, we all yelled “Amen!” and continued on our way—back through Skid Row to our waiting vehicles.

I agree with Robert Farrar Capon…

The road to Heaven does not run from the world, but through it.