Rose of Sharon

Last night I had the amazing opportunity to go out with a ministry called Rose of Sharon. This ministry is associated with the church I went to last Sunday called New Life Covenant.

To be honest, the night did not have the smoothest start. When I arrived at the meeting spot, the door was locked and no one answered when I rang the doorbell. I stood around for a few minutes, wondering what to do and had pretty much come to the conclusion that I should just go back home. I'm not a big fan of loitering in the dark in this particular neighborhood, but luckily, as I turned to leave, two other women came up the walkway and said that they were also participating in the night's outreach. Unfortunately, they had never done it either! Armed with our curiosity, we started exploring in an attempt to find someone who could point us in the right direction.

We came upon another building owned by the church. One of the women I was with recognized the meeting as the ministry called My Sister's Keeper. It turns out that she was once in the Dream Center treatment program herself and had been apart of the same support group. As we entered the room (I know, interrupting a support group is probably a faux pas, but I was just along for the ride!), there was an abundance of joy from these women towards us. Everyone got a hug- even me, a total stranger! It was so apparent that God was in that room with those women as they battled drug addiction and other harmful behaviors.

Eventually, we found our way to the Rose of Saron ministry. We met in the prayer chapel and prayed/did a devotion for a little more than an hour. The four other permanent members of this ministry explained that we would be going to some struggling neighborhoods to take roses to women we saw on the streets. We would tell them that Jesus loves them, and that if they knew any woman struggling with prostitution, drugs, alcohol, etc, to give them the card with rehabilitation information that was attached to the rose. We would then ask them if we could pray with them and what kinds of things were going on in their lives.

We headed out to the area near Chicago and Pulaski streets. Once in that neighborhood, we found a liquor store that seemed to be a hub of activity. There were people everywhere- on the streets, the sidewalk, in doorways, pouring out of the liquor store, pulling up in cars, EVERYWHERE. It was basically the last place a girl raised in the suburbs should find herself on a Friday night. Or ever.

As we got out of the van, I felt like there was truly a war going on inside of me. My ubringing cried out, "Get back in the van! What are you doing? You're going to die!" as the servant in me said, "This is where God wants to use you this evening." I felt like every nerve was standing at alert and the adrenaline was certainly pumping.

I saw things last night that I have only read about or seen on TV. I'd never seen that many strung out people in one place before. I'd never met a junkie with marks even on the palms of her hands. I'd never seen a man who was high on God knows what take a container of baby powder and draw a rectangle around a car (??). I'd never walked up to a group of girls as they were buying drugs. I'd never been offered drugs- none of this, until last night. All of the things that I thought were real before were completely altered last night as I stood on that street corner. I've been afraid to walk to my apartment in the dark. I've been so fastidious about locking my doors whenever I drive in a "bad neighborhood." I've been so cautious about the most everyday things, and yet last night I found myself milling about with drug dealers and addicts. It was uncomfortable, and it was scary, but at the same time, God was there. The whole time. Never once did I feel like I was at the mercy of the people on the street. God did not leave us alone in front of that liquor store. No, God was walking beside us, keeping us safe, and planting seeds of hope in these women.

While we met many women, I wanted to share one story that made a significant impact on me. I mentioned that we walked up to a group of girls as they were buying drugs. We started talking to them, and they realized that New Life holds church at their high school. When we asked them if they knew anyone who needed help and recovery, they immediately told us that their mom was a junkie and needed so much help. These girls were seriously worried about their mom. They were well-spoken, polite girls. They were also buying drugs. As they told us that their mom was an addict, they were purchasing drugs for themselves. The contradictions in this situation infuriated me and broke my heart all at the same time. How could they not see that they are headed in the same direction as their mom?! Why are children raised by druggie parents who can't teach them all the cliches of PSAs and DARE programs? And how am I so privileged that the first time I was truly exposed to drugs was at 22 years old as an urban missionary on a ministry project?

My heart is heavy with this injustice. Even though I know God is working, I also have to think how his heart must be heavy too.