Not Forgotten, But Forgiven: Part 1

Ministry On The Street

At the Vineyard Church in Duluth, Minnesota, we have something called Street Team, which reaches out to people of all ages on the streets of Duluth on a weekly basis. Shortly after the Christmas season, our street team spoke with a 17-year-old girl, whom I’ll call “Lisa.” We offered Lisa hot chocolate, a cookie and some gloves. While talking with her, we learned that because of her life experiences, she has made the decision to be an atheist. The conversation eventually shifted toward her desire to go to college (I think through the Spirit’s leading). I gave her my business card, since I work at Lake Superior College and would possibly be able to assist her in getting into a school.

Lisa moved on, and on my way home, I prayed for her. I honestly didn’t think I would see or talk to her again – which is typical for the weekly population we encounter — but I felt good knowing we were able to hold out a piece of hope to her by offering practical help with no strings attached.[bctt tweet=”I felt good knowing we held out a piece of hope to her with no strings attached. – Erica Baker” quote=”I felt good knowing we were able to hold out a piece of hope to her by offering practical help with no strings attached.”]

The next week on street team, I saw Lisa again. We started to talk, and she revealed to me things weren’t going so well for her, from a broken ankle to lack of a job and nowhere to live. She was receptive to some ideas and resources I gave her, but didn’t want to talk too much about it then, so we moved on to other topics and bonded over a favorite TV show. At the end of the night, I gave her my cell phone number and told her that she could contact me at any time, for anything. Again on my drive home, I prayed for Lisa.

The very next morning she called, and we decided to meet for lunch. I was hoping for a couple good hours to connect with her, but we ended up hanging out for nine! It culminated in a service at the Vineyard which we attended together, and she loved it. During the day she had shared with me about how religion had been forced on her as she was moved from one foster home to another, and she was grateful nothing felt forced that evening.

The Hope Of Jesus

As I got to know Lisa over the past several weeks, I started to realize she has probably affirmed more things for me than I have for her. Our friendship is growing, and I’m reminded of the girl I was at age 17: strong, independent, a bit stubborn, and driven, with a clear vision of a life direction.  I am reminded of the unfortunate reality that surviving often means separating your head and your heart. But most importantly, I am reminded of the hope and the love Jesus can give. I am so fortunate to be a part of God’s work in Lisa’s life. Seeing this transformation firsthand has certainly broken down many of those “heart walls” that I also once built as an act of personal survival.

Lisa continued to meet the Street Team every Thursday. For the first time in about a year she actually got to know everyone by name, and she loved talking to everyone. Every week, I’m smacked by the harsh reality that so many kids have no direction or love and kindness from anyone. They just struggle to figure things out every day, facing an addiction or possible addiction or unemployment or both. There’s little hope for a successful future.

Eventually we asked Lisa if she would like to officially join the Street Team. She was so excited to be asked. While giving her a ride to the place she was staying that night, I asked, “How does it feel officially being on the Street Team?” Her response was, “It’s awesome. I feel like I’m finally a part of something and that I’m getting things on track.”

Recently she asked if I would bring her and two of her friends to the Saturday service. When I arrived to pick them up, I noticed her friends were two of the countless kids we’ve met through Street Team. You could feel the power of the Spirit working in all three of them. During worship, one of the guests was sitting hunched over clutching a crucifix, while the other was dancing and singing with a huge smile. The sermon by Debbie Wright from the Nottingham Vineyard was about the Father’s love, which was just so fitting for three kids who have been essentially forgotten by their parents. By the end of the service, both guests were crying and we were able to pray over them.

Passing On Kindness

One thing I should say is that there aren’t many things more difficult than finding a homeless teenager a place to spend the night. But finding three homeless teenagers a place to stay is crazy! I told them that I would stick with them until they found a place to stay, even if it meant we just sat in my parked car. After about three hours we finally found a place for all of them. Before they got out of the car, we arranged to hang out a few days later to work on job applications and resumes.

I will never forget what one of the boys said to me as he was getting out of the car: “Thank you so much for your kindness. I will never a day in my life forget what you have done for me today. When I have the resources, I will think of what you did for me, and I will do the same for someone else.” I drove away in tears, feeling so incredibly blessed that I was given the resources to help these kids, to show them unconditional love, and to show them that they are worth it. [bctt tweet=”I drove away feeling so blessed. I was able to show these kids unconditional love – Erica Baker” quote=” I drove away in tears, feeling so incredibly blessed that I was given the resources to help these kids, to show them unconditional love, and to show them that they are worth it.”]

To read Part Two of Erica’s and Lisa’s story, click here.

Erica Baker is an active member of The Vineyard Church in Duluth, Minnesota. She volunteers as part of the Love Justice ministry and is a member of the Street Team, both of which minister to underserved populations of men and women of all ages lost in the shadows and streets of the city.