When I was in my twenties my choices and decisions were filled with the wonder of adolescent hubris. I miss being filled with excessive amounts of pride and self-confidence. It took a while for me to develop foresight, to perceive and prepare for what may happen in the future. I miss being filled with excessive amounts of misguided spontaneity. Maybe wisdom is gained through accepting the things we cannot change and having courage to change the things we can.

Last month a church in Burien, a suburb south of Seattle, welcomed thirty-five homeless people into their parking lot. This group of homeless people were staying in front of the library and have become political scapegoats for the community. Neighbors don’t want encampments by them, the city doesn’t want to provide shelter, the city council believes the homeless should be cared for by the church not the government. When I went to visit the camp, the pastor shared how the city was fining him every day and trying to bully him to sign away the churches ability to provide shelter. The very same city council members that said the responsibility for the homeless should rest with the church are leading the crusade against the encampment. The media has gotten involved, stirring up the false narrative that the poor among us are not only dangerous but evil. The lack of compassion and empathy is truly chilling. After the pastor calmly shared all the drama surrounding his church and the encampment we prayed. Praying for peace, safety, and for the church to continue to embody the gospel, the presence of God was tangible. When we were done praying, I was invited to meet the camp and take a tour.

This little encampment is one of the most organized I have ever encountered. When I shared with the camp leader and community organizer that Operation Nightwatch would love to help provide support in the various ways that we could, I knew that I would be hearing from her sooner than later. A few weeks later, she contacted me to see if we could provide bus fare and help send a young couple back home. After running a background check and confirming that the couple could stay with family, I went online to buy the tickets. My card was declined so I called the bank. The bank said everything was fine on their end and that it must be a problem with Greyhound. I tried two other cards that were also declined. I restarted my computer and tried to buy them on my phone. After an hour and half, I ate some Christmas candy and drove to the bus station. When I got there, prepared for the worst, it looked like they were closed. The lights were off in the ticketing booth and there was no line. I was relieved when I was able to open the door. As I walked into the bus station a voice from behind the counter asked if I needed help. Apparently, the ticketing agent prefers to sit in the dark! It took all of three minutes to purchase the tickets. Five hundred and sixty dollars can change somebody’s life.

Later that night I went to the camp to deliver the tickets and itinerary. The couple was deeply moved at how many people had helped them. They had been promised work in Seattle that fell through. Someone met them at 7-11 and brought them to the camp. They told me that they had been homeless for three weeks. The other campers gathered around to share in the moment as we prayed and thanked God for his Angels that come along side us when we lose our way. When were unable to predict the future. Thank you, God, for your way of seeing. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).”

Michael Cox