Coffee for the Homeless

The relationships we make while serving here is one of the most important reasons we are here. You never know what effect you can have on a person’s life when you’re willing to sit and listen to them, answer their questions or share your life with them. 

Pastor Jorge asked Britt to go help him serve coffee to the homeless in Antigua Wednesday night. Truth is, I don’t think Britt really felt like going. He was tired from being up late the night before. But I think he was glad he went. He’s always sacrificing his own desires to love people. 

I asked him as soon as he got home how it went, and if he had any stories. He smiled lazily and told about a guy who was terribly drunk who asked them to sing hymns with him. They had to finally just walk away, or they would have been singing all night. Made me smile knowingly. If you know Britt, you know he’s not a singer. 😉 

Then he told about a little family of five gathered together under the covered sidewalk by Central Park, a place anyone who’s ever visited Guate is familiar with. When Britt leaned down to pass them some coffee and bread, the dad asked about Mickey…and even knew that he lives in the states now. Britt was pretty surprised as he didn’t recognize the man. So he asked him how he knew Mickey. He said he used to be a security guard for our neighborhood. I sure was proud in that moment that my son had made friends with a security guard back then. 

Then the man went on to explain that his wife weaves fabric up in a mountain village where they live, far enough away that it’s not worth traveling back and forth to and from Antigua every night to sell her wares. So they spend the night on the covered sidewalks of Central Park in Antigua until she sells all her fabrics. As Americans, our taste in fabrics, are slightly different from the typical Guatemalan choices. But Britt was able to find a piece that he liked enough to help this lady out.

Isn’t it beautiful…all woven by hand?

Someday soon, hopefully, we’ll be able to share with you how this piece of fabric significantly fits into our vision for another leg of our ministry here. Exciting things are in the works. 

Pray with us for our people here. This country is abundant with stories just like this one. These people are happy and grateful. We want to take every opportunity we can to show Christ’s love to them. Pray for us too. It doesn’t take much to wear us down and lose that spark that keeps us persevering…things like having gallbladders removed, having a baby with Down Syndrome, or missing our boy and family back home.