Dominique

One of the things that I care deeply about is injustice. It is something that I have cared about for some time now, and probably have posted on before. Injustice, if you were to describe it is when someone of power takes advantage of people who don't hold as much power. This could be manifested in the injustice of human trafficking, bonded labor, unfair wages, sex trafficking, or spousal abuse. I have always wondered how I can be involved in bringing some sort of justice into these areas, but have never figured out how, until recently.

The organization that I work with in Seattle (YWAM) is very involved in the city, specifically urban ministry. For the last few years I have been involved in volunteering at different organizations, such as the homeless men’s shelter, a street feeding program and the homeless women and children’s center. I usually only help out when we are running schools or have teams in. I drive the teams down town mostly to be a representative of YWAM. I have never really enjoyed doing this kind of urban ministry. To me it seemed impersonal and I had no passion for it. This sounds bad, but it gets better and most of you reading this probably feel the same way.

This fall I brought a team of students down to the homeless women and children’s center every Wednesday evening. Something started happening inside of me the more I went. I started to see the shelter as meeting an area of injustice. The injustice was kids growing up without a father figure in their lives. Just 4 years ago my dad left my mom and started a new life away from our family. Although I was 32 years old at the time I felt the loss of my dad. Our relationship changed when he left. Our conversations became more shallow, and when they were deep it was because we were talking about the situation of him leaving. I haven’t gone to my dad for years now just to get advice, ask for money or for encouragement because of the way this has affected me. I want to get there though.

Back to my point. The reason that I have continued to go to the women and children’s center even after the school finished is because my reasons for going came out of a belief system that I have. I believe that kids should have a father and mother figure in their lives. I am not against single parents, I couldn't imagine how hard it must be to raise a child by yourself and I also don't know the situation of all single parent families. Sometimes it is healthier for a child to have only one parent if the other one is or was being abusive. I am trying to cover my bases here so as not to offend, hopefully you get where I am coming from.

I see me going to the shelter for 2 hours every Wednesday evening as an outward manifestation of what I am passionate about in my life, injustice. I want to be there for children like Dominique (pictured above), Braxton, Zoe and Ricardo as a healthy male figure they can talk to, play with, hug and wrestle. It is a small thing, but it is something.

What are you passionate about? What moves you? What do you want to see happen in the lives of others? What are you doing about it? I have said this before, and I am saying it again now, DO SOMETHING.

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' -Matthew 25:34-39