tom #6

Blog 6

Tonight, myself and one other member of our team spent the night with SOS, another food based ministry for the homeless that is centered in Malibu, California. Food is provided to anyone that will come and everyone just eats together. After dinner, someone from the group leads everyone in a few worship songs and a short Bible study follows. I have been attending this ministry consistently over the past year and really love what is going on there. Tonight, though, I think I finally saw how valuable a weekly event like this can be if it is done right.

I have a few people that have become my friends there, but I never really realized what that bond meant. Tonight when I walked in after not being there for a month, I scanned the room for the few people that I typically talk to. I saw only my friend Jon and walked up to him to say hello, but the unusually large smile that greeted me was more than that of a man I had seen maybe once a week for three months. He greeted me like one of his best friends had come back after a year of being out of touch. I saw how much more valuable that friendship was than so many others I have currently. There is something special about sharing meals together. There is something special about praying together. There is something special about openly sharing the successes and struggles of your life openly. In an environment where sharing these essentials of life is common, some incredible friendships can develop.

----- tom (tom@lifebread.org)