Jane and Finch

Today I went to Canada's Wonderland with my brother. We go every year for the annual reunion my camp hosts. It was so great, God blessed the conversations and was filled with gladness as we embraced one another. It was great to see this community, all these beautiful people rejoicing with each other. Jesus was so present there. My friend was a conqueror of the Leviathan and I danced with the wind as it blew through the park. it was a beautiful day. 

Soon that day had to come to a close and I was so pumped to do anything! My brother took us through this old neighbourhood to get to the 401. The houses turned into apartments, lined up along the road. The stores began to look run down and covered with graffiti. The people were many, but they moved like zombies. I looked at all these people, I saw searching eyes, thirsting for hope, hungry for love. My brother looked at the sign at the intersection and told me that this was the sketchiest place in Toronto. He told me to lock my door. I stared out my window and saw brokenness, these people, labelled as exiles, as the poor and needy. 

One person is beautiful....

Based on this intersection, there were stories and rumours, events and blaming thrown upon these people. These hurting people. There was so much hate there. Such lies placed on these children of the Lord. Given out to them, that they are nothing, that they are garbage thrown on the street and second-class citizens. I started to hear the word dust, that they were like dust, and God would make beautiful things out of this. They were a people, a people of great variety, because they were a people that would one-by-one run to their Father. I kept envisioning this. All they needed was the guidance and the support and the power that comes from community. Great strength, in placing ones burdens on a family.

'We are made in the image of a God who is community, a plurality of oneness'

---Shane Clayborne

however many is extravagant!!!!

My heart is broken for them, and I feel like it is the first step that needed to happen. I will not feel sorry for them, I will not belittle them, but my heart which is filled with Christ and His light that makes my life harder and harder, is broken. And that is good. This is breaking God's heart! I wanted to go out of my comfortable car and help this lady with her groceries. I wanted to add some colour to the school. I wanted to plant sunflowers in the churches' gardens and paint over all the graffiti on the walls of buildings. I imagined turning this place into a place of love, of safety and joy. To have these beautiful people laugh and run and search for Him. For their thirst to continue, but for it to be of God! This place has taken up such space in my heart, in my prayers. I love these people, because they are my hurting brothers and sisters, and God wouldn't want me to have overlooked them any longer. Not to drive through quickly. No! Because I am not ashamed of them...they are broken, but I am also, more even, because I know God and this makes life challenging and eye opening, but it is a brokenness that I never want to disappear. I never what to be ignorant towards any part of my family through Christ. 

A family will be messy somethings

'Following Jesus is simple, but not easy. Love until it hurts, and then love more.' 

---Mother Teresa

Jane and Finch, 'If you reach out for God, His power will reach into your life and defeat your daily battles.' Your amazing grace will come from the one of endless compassion and sustaining strength.

But then again it makes messy look good in groups.

So loved.