Three months ago, if you asked me what it meant to be a Christian, I would have said: "To be a Christian means that I am called to serve God, love others as Christ did, to follow what the Bible says, and to build relationships with people." While all of that is true, I was missing something very important. After taking my senior capstone, Mobilizing Hope, I have a much clearer understanding of what it means to be a Christian.
To be a follower of Christ means that I love like Christ did, but I stand by the oppressed and the people in the margins, not just walk past them and quickly pray for them. It means taking a stand against all kinds of injustice. To be a follower of Christ means that I build relationships, I support, I help, and I encourage those around me - my neighbors. But who is my neighbor? The person that lives next door or down the street? Yes. And the homeless man on the corner, and the hungry runaway teen, the man in a jail cell for whatever crime he committed, children in Africa. Everyone is a neighbor. The Bible was very broad when it describes "neighbor", therefore as a Christian, I need to very broad in my love for others.
Three months ago, when I would encounter homeless people on the streets, I was fearful of them. I would put my head down and pray for them, but I would quickly move past them. I would never stop and engage. What I have learned and experienced in the course of this term is that homeless people are just that - people. They are living, breathing, human beings who - more often than not - have landed in this situation not because they wanted to, but because of life circumstances.
For the last 3 months I have been serving at a place called Hope’s Table in Tualatin. Hope’s Table is a ministry that serves a warm meal every Monday night for those in the community who are hungry. Volunteers prepare food, set up the space, then serve the meal and engage with the individuals who come. It's a safe place for people to come and eat a warm dinner. Every week Hope’s table offers something besides a free meal to their guests. Some weeks it's a free haircut, other times a librarian reads to the children. They offered free flu shots to those without insurance. There is a van that picks up homeless people in Tualatin and brings them to enjoy a meal.
The first night that I volunteered, I was nervous and uncertain about what to expect. But after walking through the door, I was at peace. I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be. The volunteers were wonderful and super friendly, and the guests were amazing. I got to know the people who I would volunteer with either every week or once a month, and looked forward to seeing them every time.
I also got to know the individuals who came for a meal every week. There were several who I connected with, and most everyone was a joy to talk to. There were several ladies who I had a strong connection with; I could relate to the emotional struggles they were experiencing. I looked forward to seeing the regulars who came through the doors, and I started to worry about the ones who didn’t show up for a few weeks. I found myself being blessed over and over and over again, just by walking through the doors to serve. The people were so grateful, so thankful, and so appreciative that Hope’s Table was there. This week there was a lady who was attending for the first time - she came up and gave me a big hug and thanked me over and over. I have been completely blessed every week. I am humbled by and grateful for this experience.
During my time at Hope’s Table I asked several guests a simple question, “What does Hope’s Table mean to you?” I got a variety of responses: (Disclaimer: due to respecting the privacy of the guests and legal issues, I cannot mention the names, or show the faces of any guests.)
- © “Friendly people. A warm meal. Making memories. It reminds me of when I was little and would go somewhere with my grandpa and we would share in a meal like this.”
- © “A place to get food.”
- © “Encouragement. Fellowship. A meal with friends.”
- © “Beautiful place. Friendly people. A place to come when I am all done working and very tired and cannot cook. Very grateful for this place.”
- © “Food.”
- © “Thankfulness.”
- © “Fellowship. Nice people. Encouragement. A place to get help. Really, really good food. Hope….”
I also asked the volunteers the question, “Why do you serve at Hope’s Table.” These are the responses that I got:
© “I watched my son be mistreated because he was different than his peers and I do not want others to feel like my son did.” ~Cammy
- © “It is as simple as Jesus said to feed the hungry. So I am.” ~Randy
- © “I started out as one of the guests, one of the homeless people, and now I am not homeless anymore. I want to give back. I love seeing everyone smiling, it is encouraging.” ~Randy
- © “We are called to serve.” ~Gail
- © “I have always had a passion for the homeless since I was younger. When I heard they were going to do Hope’s table I wanted in and have been here since day one. I have a heart for the marginalized and making the people in the margins feel like they are humans, because that is what they are. I just have a huge heart for these people. They have taught me more lessons than I can count. I keep serving so that I can share my blessings from this ministry with others. I am truly blessed to be a part of this ministry.” ~Darrell
- © “Our community group was looking for a place to serve, and we chose Hope’s Table. I love to cook and this is a way I can give back to other people. It helps me to count my blessings, and I feel blessed serving these people. And we are called to serve others.” ~Debbie
- © “I like to help people and serve people. We are called to serve as Christians.” ~Allen
I I have learned so much about myself, about what it means to love Christ, and what it looks like to be a true follower of Him. This has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had. I'm looking forward to continuing to serve at Hope’s Table, and finding other ways I can serve out my faith as a follower of Christ.
~Kylie Provencher
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