Real Life "Unconditional Love"

From Jim:

I met a man on the streets the other day, his name is Dean, he is 21 years old He has been on the streets since he was 16 and has a sister that he has not been able to find. He lives on the streets of London England, where he is accepted by a very choice few friends, also homeless.


The politically correct name for his problem is "Developmentally Disabled" Others would call him "Retarded" "Slow" and many other names. He is scared of people (most likely because of abuse on the streets), lonely, has few friends he can trust. And he is homeless.


I met him and wanted to pray for him but he said no because he was afraid and only after much coaxing by Pastor Kurt was I able to minister to him.


When I saw him, the very first thing he said to us was; "I am special needs, I am Not stupid".


My own brother is a special needs person and all I could see, was my brother in Dean while ministering to him. But without the family and friend support my brother has.


Most people are afraid of people like him (along with the other homeless) because they don't know how to talk to them or respond to their differences.They think they are dirty, smelly, and can't even dress right. They think they are useless, don't want to work, but just want hand outs. We would as well if we were in their shoes.


Some of these people are sick, but others are just like you and me but have fallen on hard times. Lost jobs, women abandoned by husbands or evicted because of being unable to pay their bills, Young people who have run away and don't feel like they can go home. There are those who have lost everything because of medical issues and others who just want to live on the streets because they want to be left alone and don't trust anyone anymore.


We met a Greyhound dog trainer, a woman who plays the violin and sings beautifully. One person speaks four languages, and still another has more education than most of us could hope for, but all have fallen on bad times and are shunned, cursed at, kicked, and generally made fun of. Some have had trouble holding jobs because of addictions that are killing them. These could be any one of us or our own family members.


We need to give them hope in Jesus, not just here but at home as well.


Then there are people like Pastor Kurt who love them (20 years faithfully showing up each week (Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc), feeding, clothing, and ministering to them, taking them to church, and even into his home while ministering to their flu symptoms) , and can teach us how to love them as Christ Jesus Himself loves them.


Maybe you would like to consider coming and spending 6 months here in London learning how to BE Jesus to the Dean's, Jullian's, Paul's, Kathryn's, and others like them. Everywhere we go, there are needs like these.


I will be home next week, give me a call if you would like to enter into a very strong, mightily used by God, mission outreach (who needs your help and can train you to be used right where you are as well),


Think about it, Jim