This morning’s witness is about my day last Saturday. I had the privilege of joining a group of young adults in the Boston area who belong to a ministry called Encounter. This is different than the Encounter School of Ministry that I attended. This ministry is a group of Catholic young adults that get together as a large group on the third Saturday of the month and go out and encounter the homeless on the streets of Boston. They walk the same path each time and they get to know those who are living on the streets. They form friendships and they pray for their new friends. We have all seen God working in our lives. However, we might not all be aware it is God working in our lives. This is why it is so important we start talking about it more. The more we share our experiences, the more people understand how God works and how much He truly loves us. If you would be willing to share any experience of how God has worked or is working in your life, please email me at catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com or click here. It won’t take up much of your time, and your story could be just the story that someone needs to hear today. Prayerfully consider sharing. Everyone has a story, and the world needs to hear them. Music:"Adding the Sun" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
This morning’s witness is about my day last Saturday. I had the privilege of joining a group of young adults in the Boston area who belong to a ministry called Encounter. This is different than the Encounter School of Ministry that I attended. This ministry is a group of Catholic young adults that get together as a large group on the third Saturday of the month. They meet at a church in Boston, and they gather for Mass. Then, they head downstairs to the church hall for breakfast and fellowship. After breakfast is over, they gather in groups. One group is for those who have been there before and they meet and do formation. They learn a topic or something that will help them when they go out and minister. Last week they talked about Mother Theresa I believe. They also have a group for newcomers where they explain all about the ministry. They talk about what you should and should not do while you are out there. They give you tips about what works and what doesn’t. Then, they show you a video about the group in Colorado that they designed their group after. This group is called “Christ in the City.”
When you go to their website, the first thing you see is a quote from Mother Theresa that says, “Many people talk about the homeless, but few talk to them.” Mother Theresa talks about something called the Poverty of loneliness. The approach of “Christ in the City,” and also this Encounter Ministry in Boston, is Healing through Relationship. These two ministries spend time each week building relationships with the homeless on the streets. It is through seemingly small interactions—the disarming power of eye contact, a genuine smile, stopping to say hello and learn someone's name—that the seeds of friendship take root, and a journey of healing begins.
There are lots of homeless ministries in Boston, and they are all a little different. I know two people from my class who go out on Saturday mornings in Boston and pray over people. They head to Mass Ave and another place where there is a large homeless population, and they pray with them for healing and for conversion. They pray for an end to their addiction, and whatever it is they need prayer for. There are also other groups that bring the homeless food, clothing, or other material things they may need. Encounter’s primary goal is to build a relationship with the homeless. They walk the same paths each week so that they really get to know the people on their path. They become friends with them, and then they pray for their friends during their prayer time.
After this group time, they meet up in the church again to break into small groups. They usually only have 2-3 people in a group, and they try to have at least one male and one female in a group, as males and females both offer something unique to any situation. Before heading out, the priest will say a prayer. Then, everyone heads out to their specific section of Boston to minister for about two hours or so.
This weekend was my first weekend joining this group. Mostly because I did not know about it before but also because it is for young adults, and I am no longer a young adult. However, I have had the privilege of spending time with 6 of the ladies in this group lately, and so I wanted to see what it is they do for ministry. They invited me to join in this week. I was in a group of four going out for ministry. We decided to walk to our area. As we walked, we talked and got to know each other a bit. Once we got to our area, we decided to split up into groups of two as larger groups can be intimidating, and also, we can reach more people if we split up.
I was with a young man named Duke. He had been doing this ministry for a few years, I believe. He was great at initiating conversations with those we met. I was nervous because I had never done this before and also because I am not always great at starting conversations or keeping them going. However, it was a great day. We first met this man who Duke has seen around a lot. We talked with him for a while, and he seemed happy to have the company and to have someone listen to him. He said he always has a goal each day for what he will spend the money that he makes on, this way, he doesn’t waste it on just cigarettes. I thought this was a great idea. Saturday, he was trying to make enough money to buy a cheap watch as he doesn’t have a phone anymore, and it is really hard getting through the day without knowing what time it is. Especially if he has to be back at the shelter at a certain time.
What I loved about the first man we talked to is that he seemed happy. He talked about how he knew God was always looking out for him. He was thankful to God for all he had. He was grateful that he wasn’t sleeping on the streets and that he had a shelter to stay in. He said he was sleeping on the floor at the shelter, but that was better than the streets so he was grateful. He said he was waiting for disability to go through so he could maybe get an apartment. He seemed very optimistic and that was heartwarming to see. He had hope and that is always nice.
Next, we talked to a woman who seemed sad. She didn’t really want to talk to us until she found out that we were not social workers. Then she opened up a bit. She had a really hard childhood, and that was hard to hear. She had unspeakable things happen to her from the time she was young, and it was so sad to hear her talk about it. She also seemed to be a bit confused as she said a lot of things that didn’t make sense. We stayed with her for a little while, but conversations were hard as she didn’t really answer any questions and just repeated the same things over and over again. We left after a bit. I think she liked that we stopped and said hi, though. I think she liked having someone listen to her.
The next guys we walked by, we almost didn’t stop. I am not sure why, I think it was probably because he was smoking a cigarette, and he didn’t really look homeless. Although you never really know who is homeless. Not all homeless people look a certain way. I am not sure why we didn’t seem to be stopping. I do know when we looked at him and he gave us a big smile, we knew we should stop and say hi. He was very friendly and talkative. He told us how he used to be homeless, and he used to sleep on the street corner right next to where we were. He said he had a good job and was doing well, but then his drinking took over, and he lost everything. He said he was pretty sick from living on the streets. He had to have his toes amputated because he had diabetes. He said it got so bad he could barely walk. He had a walker, and if he walked for more than a few feet, he would be winded.
He had serious health issues, and one day, it all got to be too much for him. He said he got down on his knees and cried out to the Lord for help. The Lord helped him. He went into rehab and gave up all drinking and substance use. The only thing he does now that he doesn’t like is smoking. He said he knows the Lord will help him give that up one day also. He got a social worker who was able to find him an apartment within 3 months. Previously, he had been on a list, but he was too busy with alcohol to go in and check on where he was on the list. He is also taking classes at some centers in Boston. They give him a stipend for transportation so he can get to and from the center. He is learning how to use computers and how to troubleshoot if they aren’t working. It is a 12-week class, and after that, he will enter an Intensive Outpatient Therapy class where they will reinforce what he learned at rehab and help him develop more strategies to stay sober.
He said he has met friends through the center and through rehab who are also trying to stay sober. If any of them are having a rough day or are thinking about having a drink, they will call each other and go out for coffee and encourage each other on their journey. It was so beautiful talking to this man. He also said as soon as he went into rehab, he got on Facebook and reached out to his family, and they were all happy he was in rehab. They were super supportive and happy to hear from him. They were willing to help him in any way they could. He was calling his older brother that day to see if they could have coffee together as he works in the city.
This man said he gets up each morning and stands on the street he used to sleep on, and he talks with the people who walk by or the homeless on that street. He said he does this for the Lord. He wants to thank God for all He has done for him. He also does it so that he can be an example to those on the street who are still addicted to drugs or alcohol. He can be an example of what can happen when you call out to the Lord. He is living proof that things can change, that help is available when you are ready, and that life can get better.
He said he stands on the street for several hours, and then he goes to mass and confession. Then, he will make his way home. He said he is so grateful for his life. He is grateful for God helping him. He is grateful for his apartment, which used to be not that great, but then they started fixing it up, putting rules in place so people can’t be drinking in the hallways and such, and they hired security. He feels safe and secure there now. He has contact with his family again. He is so happy, and you can see it just by looking at him. His smile was so big you could see that he was full of the Holy Spirit!
Then, as we were talking to him, there was another man that came by. We talked to him for a bit. He didn’t seem too interested in talking with us, but he liked talking to the guy we were talking to. The guy that came up to us gave the man we were talking to a pair of brand-new socks. It was nice to see how they cared for each other.
After everyone was done with the ministry time, then they all made their way back to the church. They spend a few minutes in the church individually praying. I thanked God for all the encounters that I had that day. I prayed for each one of my new friends. I asked the Lord what was one thing he wanted me to learn from this experience. This is what I felt the Lord told me, “Remember that we can learn just as much from our friends as they can from us. The people you met today are my beautiful children, whom I love dearly. I am doing good work in them, too, but sometimes it takes longer because they are resistant and they are blocking me. That doesn't mean I can't work, but it does sometimes take longer. I will use all they have been through for their own good. Thank you for your prayers for them. You may be the only one praying for them, so don't forget them. I don't want to see a single one of my children perish. I am grateful to you for going out with Encounter today.”
After they pray in the church, they go downstairs and eat lunch with their group and debrief about their experience for that day. While we were debriefing, God gave one of the ministers in our group a beautiful gift. When we were talking about the man who went to rehab and was doing so great, one of the women in our group was so happy. She had prayed with this man the night before he went to rehab, and she hadn’t seen him since. She had never stopped praying for him and wondering what happened to him. She was overjoyed and so grateful when she heard how well he was doing.
The reason I said God gave her a gift is because it is not often that you get to see the fruit of your prayers. Often, it is our job to plant the seed or say the prayer, but we don’t get to see the seed bloom or the prayers bear fruit. She had prayed with this man, they had formed a special bond, and to hear the Lord not only saved him from his addiction but saved him from living on the streets and reunited him with his family in some way was amazing. She wanted to go right back out and talk with him, but unfortunately, she wasn’t able to. However, I know she will be looking for him the next time she goes out. This provided encouragement for the whole group, too. God is hearing their prayers, their work is not in vain, and they are making a difference. Next, they get in a big circle, and each group talks about one way their life was impacted by the people they met that day. Then, they end with a Thanksgiving Rosary. This is not where they say the rosary. It is where they say one thing they are faithful to on each Hail Mary bead. It was beautiful to hear what everyone was thankful for. I am so grateful I got to be a part of this ministry for a day.
The third Saturday is when the whole group of young adults go out and minister. However, several of them go out a couple of times a week in small groups. I know the ladies I have been fortunate enough to spend time with actually live in community with each other so they can help each other grow closer to the Lord, and they also go out a few times a week for ministry. It is amazing to spend time with young adults who are so in love with Christ and who give their time to make sure the homeless have someone to talk to. They do extraordinary work, and if you are a young adult listening to this, reach out to me, and I can tell you how you can get involved. If you are not a young adult and are interested in homeless ministry, I am sure there is something that would fit your needs, too.
Thank you very much to all those involved in Encounter Boston for letting me join you and for all the amazing work you are doing. You are making a difference in the lives of all you encounter!