A call to help fight an Injustice

This evening I had the opportunity to speak to the high school group at church about the Dalit's in India.

I shared many stories, had props, video clips, songs, clothes, passion, and a fairly good message,(Or so I thought.)

I enjoy speaking, and this evening I enjoyed the topic, though harsh and hard at times to share and explain.

I used passages from Matthew 5:14-16 and Isaiah 58:6-12

I kicked some serious apathetic and unknowing butts. I shared truth. I wanted action.

Our group supports a child from Africa. The issue is, we have raised 6 bucks in three weeks. It costs something like 3o bucks to support him. I pounded them.

I looked in the bucket and saw like two bucks...I wanted more...so does the kid in Africa.

I also have a passion to see these kids supporting Dalits too.

It just so happened that I had about twenty wristbands with the Indian Flag colors on them. I took a gamble.

"3-5 bucks for a wristband. All the proceeds go to supporting a Dalit child."

I didn't know what to expect.

I have three wrist bands left.

We raised over sixty dollars off of the others.

God blew me away.

Later in the evening, I was outside talking with one of the directors at our church. We were talking about the evening and lighting a fire under the students butts to help out at church as well as fighting injustice.

So here we are pumping each other up and saying all of these things, when God says, "okay, you want that? Let's see if you can step up and do it yourself."

There was a lady wandering around the church with a few grocery bags and dressed up in warm garb that was a little shabby.

We looked at each other and wondered if she needed help. The director got out of her car to see what she could do. I went and grabbed my girlfriend and we came over to see what was up.

Turns out, the lady is NOT homeless. She had been robbed. She has no access to an ATM. She is broke.

We begin a journey, she needs to find a twenty-four hour joint to stay at all night. Due to medical conditions she cannot fall asleep. She wont take her meds for fear of something wrong happening. She is not from Oregon. She is "Religious" and you can tell that she has everything memorized. She is educated.

We decide to go to Starbucks in Tanasbourne. It is 24 hours and is capable of harboring her for the night.

My girlfriend and I drive seperate to the coffee joint. The director and the lady go together.We arrive at the coffee shop to find that this is really not a place the lady wants to be. She wants company. She needs food. She needs rest.

We settle for Shari's by Sunset High School.

The four of us travel again.

We enter Shari's and share with the manager what is happening. They are glad to let the woman stay for the night.

Now, I am worried because I have no money...and I know we need to buy something while we are keeping this woman company. Turns out the director wants to buy my girlfriend and I dinner. "I have to Ben. I want to."

We sit down and settle in. We hear all about the woman and her needs at the moment. We talk and share some of our stories. Turns out the woman came to the worship service and very much enjoyed the "praise and worhsip" part of the gathering. The director proceeded to tell the woman that the Lead Worshiper was my father. The lady honed in on this and asked me a barrage of questions. I answered politely and tried to be an adult so as not to offend. (I tend to use Dude and Man and Crap a lot, this time I refrained from this)

All in all I had a wonderful time getting to know this woman and having dinner with her.

I know that it was a blessing to her to have the three of us for dinner and conversation.

I do not know if I will ever see her again, but I will pray for her and her situation and all others in the same situation across the world.

God called my number, I answered with Here am I, Use Me!

What would your answer have been?