YouthExcel - leap frame

It was a cold, dark and rainy day as pastor John and I stepped into the white church van and headed for Roseburg. This was the fourth Thursday of the month… the time allotted to Tri City Baptist church to do the chapel service at the Roseburg Rescue Mission.
Driving in the rain, we reminisced about how many years we have been coming to the mission. For John, it has been a lifetime thing. He remembers going to rescue missions with his dad when he was very young. For me, the first time I set foot in a rescue mission was shortly after I came to Tri City Baptist - about 20 years ago. I have been making the 20 mile trip into Roseburg once a month ever since. It's hard to say why, exactly. Certainly I feel deep compassion for people who have lost everything in their lives; not only their worldly possessions, but often their families, their health, and sometimes even their minds. But, I think even more it's an opportunity to share God's great love and compassion to people who have nowhere else to turn.
As we arrived at the Mission, a couple of gentlemen came up to the van, welcoming us and offering to help carry things in. John and I have developed a system over the years in setting up for the service at the Roseburg Mission. He carries the TV/VCR, and I carry a board (to place the TV on), a tape player, some tracts and our Bibles.
John and I have settled on a low-key program that the folks at the Mission seem to appreciate and benefit from. We show a video -- usually of nature scenes -- and play a song in the background that has a good, encouraging message in the lyrics.
On this particular night, I look out across the crowd of about 30 people, mostly men between the ages of 30 and 50, and see a couple of young women each holding a baby while trying to control their toddlers (who want to be anywhere but here). The sight of it saddens me, while at the same time I am grateful; for the Rescue Mission: a church-sponsored organization that attempts to provide for the physical needs of hurting people while, at the same time, showing them their need for the Savior.
I am proud of my church for supporting the Roseburg Rescue Mission. If it weren't for caring churches like ours (all across the nation), this job would have to be taken-over by the government. We must not let that happen. It should be inherent within the hearts of all Christians to desire to share the Gospel with others, whoever they are, and to care for the needy.
After pastor John casually and softly interrelates his experiences of that week with the Gospel truths, and offers a simple explanation of the plan of Salvation, we pray. When we are finished with our program, the chapel monitor dismisses the participants to go eat supper. Nearly always, a couple of guys will come up for personal prayer, counsel, or just to tell us that they appreciate the program.
The day's mission complete, we crawl back into the van and head for Tri-City. As the windshield wipers slap back and forth, we together wonder if anyone heard God's message that night… if seeds for faith in Christ have been sown. Overall, we've decided to leave it up the Holy Spirit and to continue to be faithful in sharing God's love and grace whenever and wherever we can.
Pray for the staff at the Roseburg Rescue Mission. Pray for our church's ability to continue to support the mission. Pray for individuals who frequent the Mission, and please pray for us each fourth Thursday as we share God's love and His plan of Salvation with the needy and the lost.