POLAND 2009 - Homeless Shelter Ministry

Piotrków-Trybunalski, Poland

Thursday, February 5, 2009
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Homeless Shelter Ministry
Last week Daniel asked if I wanted to do some ministry at a homeless shelter that he has been visiting and ministering at. I eagerly took him up on this offer as for five years, we ministered with The Salvation Army, much of which was focused on the homeless. Daniel asked if I could bring my guitar, sing some songs that I wrote and perhaps share my testimony.

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When we arrived there yesterday, the first thing we saw was a man that they had pulled in off the streets who had drank and drank and drank, and when he was found was up to his hip in his own excrement and had frostbite. They were shaving his head in the łazienka (bathroom) because he also had head lice. They had called the ambulance who were on there way to pick him up and bring him to the hospital for medical care. I hear that this homeless shelter is the nicest one in town, as the manager has taken her time to make it feel quite like a nice home. This shelter is connected with the Red Cross. Daniel had previously asked if any other Protestant or Catholic churches came to visit the homeless, or if they had sent any counselors. They said that no one with any religious affiliation had ever come to the shelter before. We feel blessed that our small evangelical church can be “Jesus with skin on” to the people at this homeless shelter.
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Anyway, Daniel, Mark and I then went upstairs where 6 or 7 homeless guys gathered around, along with the manager of the shelter. I started by asking Daniel to translate the words of the original song “I’ll Find My Way” and proceeded to sing it. I could tell that right away they were all fully attentive. Then I gave my testimony about how I had walked away from God at a young age, and how I had gotten into bad things like alcohol, drugs and wrong relationships. I told them about my near death experience when I had overdosed at age 19, and how I had remembered at that time that if I were to die, that I would hear God say one of two things: (1) “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into My rest,” or (2) “Depart from me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you.” Knowing that I would not hear God say the first thing, I cried out for Jesus to save me. He did save me. I was at the lowest place of my life. I then read to them from Matthew 5:6 where Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” I told the guys that another translation would be “broken in spirit,” and how it is when people are at the lowest place in their lives that they can encounter salvation that is only through a personal relationship with Jesus. It is when we are completely broken that God can reach down and put the broken pieces together. It is interesting that the Beatitudes start with brokenness, and then go into being merciful, peacemakers and pure in heart, as I believe the road to these things starts with brokenness before God.

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Everyone listened intently, but one young man in particular seemed to really be tracking and connecting with God as I shared. His name is śymon (Simon) and he is 29 years old. He wanted his picture taken with me afterwards. I sang two more songs, “In The Silence” and “Where The Wind Blows.” Daniel translated “In The Silence” for me. They were glad that we had come and even asked us if we would come back next Saturday night at 6:00 pm sing and share as they will invite a bigger crowd of maybe 20 homeless. We felt honored and agreed to come back. Thank you Lord, for allowing us to minister to the “least of these” here in Poland. This world will only change as lives are changed by Jesus, one person at a time.

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Please pray for the homeless who were there and heard the message, and especially for śimon, who I hope to continue to develop a relationship with. Also, please pray for our meeting next Saturday night, that God would bring the right people to hear the right message at the right time. Thanks guys.

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Christian Young