It was completely pouring. A torrential downpour. Our team was getting off the marta station coming from the airport and our only dirrection was to find a homeless shelter in Atlanta called Safehouse. Our entire team was caught in this unexpected storm, yet everyone was smiling and laughing as their suitcases and clothes were getting drenched. From then on, I could tell thatt there was going to be something different about this trip, this team, this mission. After arriving at Safehouse, we were split into teams and were told to venture out onto the streets of Atlanta during the night and “Ask The Lord” to tell us what to do and who to bless. Our team went to Grady hospital and then Hurt Park. At Hurt Park a few of us struck up conversation with an older man named Joe. As he began to tell us about himself and his family, Joe became more emotional and took out some of his anger from the past on us. After storming off, he finally returned a little shaken. He resumed the conversation and made a sudden jerk with his arms. We got frightened and jumped. Joe was really hurt because we thought he was dangerous. Only with the Holy Spirit’s strength and courage were we able to calm him down. I grabbed Joe’s hands and reassured him that we loved him and he was a wonderful man. After looking into his eyes and seeing the pain, the conversation was light and full of laughter after that point. God was faithful and kept our team safe. God began to show me that night how much I had been missing out on last year. I was at Georgia Tech literarlly a minute’s walk away from these same streets and I had done nothing. I was afraid, but the Holy Spirit is in me so what do I have to fear? I will not accept this, I am not going to stand idle. I am going to make a difference. I will cause a change. What’s stopping you?
