After attending OIM’s excellent Urban Intervention Training a few months ago my wife and I were finally able to go out on the street with a couple of seasoned veterans, Dwight and Debra.
I must say I was a bit nervous leading up to our night out since we had no previous experience on the streets. I’m on a journey of reading through the Bible in one year and I’m currently in Proverbs. There are many references in Proverbs where we are called to help the poor and needy. We have sponsored children through various organizations but there is a difference between sending money to help the poor and walking the streets to help the poor. I knew that I needed to get out of my comfort zone and after going to the Lord in prayer he gave me peace about this new challenge.
I was blown away by the appreciation shown by the people we were able to serve and help. Some were saying “God Bless You” to us before we could say the same to them. It was also great to see that a lot of people recognize the “Red Vests” and were calling us over because they knew we were there to offer some much-needed food, drink or clothing.
Overall, it was a great experience to be able to put on OIM’s Red Vest and bring the message of hope by handing out supplies. It was wonderful to be able to say “God Bless You” to those who live on the streets. If you decide to serve with OIM, be prepared to receive more of a blessing than you give
~Warren, Events Coordinator