When we encounter Christ in the poor, we embrace our own poverty. We are filled with great love and are able to allow the love of Jesus to flow from us to those we meet. It is not enough to simply take a stand on an issue. We must stand with others and be one with them in what they face. When we do this, then the walls, the stigma, and the barriers are broken down. Human to human, life to life, a personal encounter cannot be replicated. The depths of the human heart and connection with people is what life is all about. The love of Christ is here with us always and present in the little ones. As Matthew 25:40 says, “Whatever you do for the least of my people, that you did onto me.” The greatest poverty in the world is being unloved. It is a tremendous blessing to have the opportunity to share with others on this journey of life and meet people where they are. Love transforms all and Christ Jesus gives us all the fulfillment that lasts forever. May the Lord bless those of Mexico City, especially the little ones.Having the opportunity to go to spend time with people who are the down trodden and outcasts of society is important. When we go and simply show up, blessings and immense light comes flooding in. The encounter that we have with the poor is something that is transformative. We bring joy into the lives of those we meet and they lead us closer to the Lord, radiating the love of Christ. This intense experience is what continues to keep me going back to the places that nobody else wants to go. However, the fact is that the poor are all around us. They are in our work places, our communities, and in our schools. Poverty tends to mask itself behind various walls. There are all different forms of poverty albeit physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and financial. Whatever form of poverty someone faces, it can drain them, sucking the very life out of their inner being. When you and I show up in someone's life, we give them hope and these seeds germinate. There is no telling how much this renewed hope will do for a person or a community and in fact it is not up to us to decided. We plant the seeds and God causes the growth. As long as we remember that we are workers in His vineyard, we will stay connected to the vine. This will allow us to do God's work that He calls us to and our labor will bear much fruit.
Mexico City is a special place for me for so many reasons. Experiencing the beautiful people in one of the most economically challenged places in the world has touched my life in a profound way. I remember getting my invitation from a friend to join a group on mission. When I learned where Hope of the Poor served the people on the streets of Mexico City and in the dump, I was touched. Going there and showing up was another story. So many people were supporters of my first mission and the one's I have served on since, as there is so much need in this place. And yet, we weren't focused on "doing" but the emphasis was about being. Being present is a gift, a far more impactful one than most understand. Do not get me wrong, there was food, water and clothing brought with us, as these all served as a vehicle to allow us the opportunity to encounter the poor. However, the heart of the mission was to share in time with our fellow brothers and sisters.
Think back to the ministry and times of Jesus. He certainly performed many miracles and all of these impressed the crowds. Giving sight to the blind, healing the lame, and raising the dead is quite remarkable. It is not an every day occurrence that these happenings transpire today. However, it is extremely important to recognize that as much as Jesus wanted to bring healing to people's lives, what he desired more was to draw them in so He could have an encounter. Jesus was not merely a doctor for the ill, but one for the broken hearted and those who lacked faith. Recall the words of the Lord in Mark's Gospel, "...Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."(Mark 2:17) This shows that physical healing was important to show the power of God, however the spiritual health is the most critical as that lasts forever and sustains the soul.
Street Ministry
Jesus is in Mexico City. I saw and experienced the Lord face to face in the poor children on the streets and their distraught parents. Climbing down into a drainage ditch and seeing how those who are forgotten in society live, opened my eyes. I was blind, but now I was able to see. Jesus was in the little girl who jumped into my arms and clung onto me. The human need and desire to feel secure, to experience love, and comfort is extraordinarily tangible. No thing, no material good, not even food or water which sustains life, can replicate this need for intense love. Love is what the human heart and soul needs and that is what we shared in our ministry. Spending time with the homeless in the local parks and listening to their stories, hearing their testimonies, and connecting with them on a deeper level was truly beautiful. All the barriers, walls, and differences were erased. Skin color, socio economic status, level of education, language; none of that mattered. What mattered was the human heart connecting between me and the person I was spending time with. What mattered was the warm hug, the holding of a tiny hand while walking on the street, and the kicking of soccer ball to smiling faces.
Visiting the City Dump
We took an hour or so bus ride to our next destination where Jesus spends much of his time south of the boarder. There was no seashore and there certainly was no crowd gathered. The stench was horrific driving into the city dump. Even from a couple miles out, the smell infiltrated the bus. As we got closer it looked as if this was a very mountainous area where we were approaching. Then, it dawned on me...The mountains I saw off to a distance were actually heaping piles of trash. Hundreds of feet tall with no end in sight, these garbage mounds were massive. For as far as the eyes could see in every direction was filthy disgusting rubbish. Out of the enormous piles emerged the people who worked and lived there. How could this be? Who could withstand such horrific conditions. It was very hard to wrap my mind around all of this. Even the thought of these conditions could be paralyzing. I quickly called to mind why we were there. We weren't at the dump to fix anything and certainly had not come to fix anyone. We were there to love and encounter Jesus face to face. Walking up the mountains of trash to find other human beings, to be present, and hang out was our main goal. And that is what we did. In doing so, I felt God's presence like I never felt him before. Looking into the brokenness of those people, I saw Christ staring back at me. The suffering crucified Christ gazed into my soul. In many instances, all I could do was to look back and with my eyes and smile tell the person on the other end that they mattered, were not forgotten, and are loved. We were there to love and to share in God's love. I felt the Lord and I believe that the children, women, and men I shared those afternoons with felt God's presence as well. The smiles I received and the hugs, the many "muchas gracias" uttered, and the hand shakes all were evidence that Jesus was alive. In the midst of a mountain of trash, Christ was present.
Jesus & Baseball
Get Involved
My hope is that you too will seek out opportunities to encounter Christ in the poor. Take a step out of your comfort zone. Remember, the poor are all around you. Invite someone into your conversation, take a few minutes out of your day to be present, and love someone like Jesus did. Your willingness to love and show up in the lives of another person will sprinkle light and make this world a better place. There is no doubt that you will feel whole, as engaging in such an encounter is truly a holy moment. We are called to be saints and we can change the world one person, one encounter, and one relationship at a time!
(Here is a link to a video that I created highlighting some of my experiences with Hope of the Poor & Baseball Miracles encountering the poor in Mexico City)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr68MvDZR-g
To learn more about HOPE Of The Poor or BASEBALL MIRACLES or to help these great organizations to continue to serve through donating, please check out the links below:
https://hopeofthepoor.org/
https://www.baseballmiracles.org/
God bless you,
Dan Jason
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