It's been almost a year since I have started serving hamburgers to the young men here in the neighborhood. Today I was thinking about how a simple plate of food can open the door for many opportunities. On Wednesdays, the actual day that we serve food to the young men, not many spectacular things happen. The guys come to my door, we hand them a plate of food and they leave. But today, I realized how building a relationship with them on Wednesdays has paved the way to be involved in other parts of their lives. This simple act of service and love has torn down walls that couldn't have been torn down through something like a Bible study. If it weren't for God using the food, the opportunities listed below would not have happened;
· I was able to visit one of the young men when he was in drug rehabilitation
· One young man opened up to me about drugs and his troubled childhood.
· A homeless young man needed $5 for a place to sleep, we prayed together for it. Thirty minutes later, I found $5 lying on the grass and was able to give it to him.
· I was able to have a conversation with one of the young men about how he has watched these guys "guard my porch and let me into their inner circle."
· Young men who a year ago were very cold to me and were too scared to come on my porch, now smile at me and walk right up to my door.
· From 2 young men to a total of 44 that have come by on Wednesdays
· I have been able to see deeper into their lives and even see the very dark things they are involved in.
· The young men have become like my brothers. I know that they look out for me and I have seen them defend me.
· I was able to visit a young man in the hospital after he had been shot in the leg by one of his friends.
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