Brockton - November 24, 2024

Here is an update from Sunday’s LYNN Ministries team that served 95 meals on the streets of Brockton. The team had respresentatives from Church of Emmanuel, Evangelical Covenant Church, Attleboro, South Shore Community Church, Grace Chapel Foxboro, St. Mary's Foxboro.

After a day of rain and depressing greyness, the sun came out today and the sky was blue, but it was really windy! Lots of people commented that they were thankful for the sunshine but it is also at this time of year we notice that many of our friends lack the clothes they need to stay warm. We were able to provide blankets to some, but in addition the folks at Stefani Lee Photography donated reflective blankets, socks, gloves, Chapstick, candy, tissues and ponchos. Thank you! We did our best to get them into the hands of those who needed them most.

Despite the fact there was a big block party event just a block away we fed and prayed with a steady stream of people who were happy to see us and appreciated the hot food we offered. As always we interacted with folks experiencing a whole range of emotions: happiness, anger, frustration, contentment, humor, courage, fear, appreciation, guilt and hope. We tried, as best as we are able, to hear it all and remind people that in Christ we all have reasons to hope, and because of that we pray...

- For Donna who's looking for an apartment.

- For healing for Nadia/s eye infection.

- For Kathy who is hoping for housing

- For Loraine who needs housing and hoping shell be approved for disability.

- For Caroline who lives outside in a tent, hoping for housing, and blessing over her children.

- For Lindsay who prays for everyone living outside to have housing soon.

- For Eli who seeks clarity and direction in life. He knows what he needs to do and prays that he will be able to trust God

- For Nick who was showing kindness to his friends but who needs medical attention for an infection on his hand

- For Charlie who had a TIA (mini stroke) last week. He lives outside in a tent and needs prayer for healing. (We’ve known Charlie for a long time and is a really good guy.)

- For Canny who prays he will pass his parole hearing tomorrow, so he can get housing.

Sometimes we leave with heavy hearts as there are so many prayers and so many challenges but we also know that God answers prayers. We celebrate with Brittany who's been clean and sober for 7 months and is looking to enter another program to continue her recovery. We also learned that a young man who has been praying for work recently found a job. Sal reminds us every week that there is great joy, regardless of circumstance, when we allow God to live in our hearts.

Today we reflected on Matthew 25:40, "Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." We understand that as individuals we cannot eliminate poverty, or solve the housing crisis, or eliminate suffering from our own lives or the lives of those we serve but we CAN follow the example of Christ and treat each person with dignity and kindness. We can give them a hot meal, talk and pray with them and remind them of God's great love. We are often reminded to look at each person not as bodies with a soul, but as souls with a body. As a team, we are thankful to our friends on the streets of Brockton who allow us to serve them.

Happy Thanksgiving!