My Calling

I have always wanted to go on a mission trip but I have always come up with excuses on why it wasn’t for me. But hearing at church the Sunday before the youth was to leave that they were short parent chaperones I sat there feeling as if God was standing before me saying “They are talking to you”. I almost found myself saying out loud in church “who me”. I sat there for about 30 seconds before I realized there was no turning back I had prayed about how I could be of service to him. I talked to John and he seemed to be as excited as I was that I felt as though I was being called to go on this mission trip. I was someone who had a hard time talking to people I never met before. I was going to be way out of my comfort zone but just felt a real calling to do this. Today I went to the senior services center and met a man named John who ran the place like he was proud to be there. This establishment is a center that serves homeless seniors; the requirement is that you have to be at least 55 to get a meal here. They serve three meals a day and learn all they can about every person that walks through their door to accommodate as many of their needs as possible. Usually they stand in a line and get their dinner from a window and it sometimes takes hours to serve them. Tonight since there was 11 of us to serve them they got to sit at their tables and be served restaurant style. They thought this was wonderful they were so grateful and thanked us all. When we had finished serving them we spoke to John and learned a little about the center. He shared with us how he use to be homeless, he went from owning four condos and making good money to homeless within weeks. This was due to depression from losing his son. He came to the center to get help one day and the case manager helped him with clothes a place to live a meal and gave him a job there. He was so grateful he now has been there for 4 years and even has bought himself a car. He says he works there to remind himself that none is beyond homelessness and he doesn’t ever want to forget where he came from, or the fact that God had a plan for him. He touched my heart he was so passionate about his job and showed the people before him respect like they were his best friends, all 75 of them. I left there realizing I wanted to be like him serve people in the name of Christ and hold nothing back regardless of who they are. Comfortable or not from now on I will hold nothing back, I will finish off this mission passionate about serving God instead of worrying about what makes me comfortable.

Karen McMillen