In My Own Backyard

Last night was another good night for our Wednesday Night Service, at least from my perspective. Andy, James, and I were on one of the furniture mission’s routes to deliver furniture. The Furniture Mission is a group that Hillcrest supports with its budget so it was great to partner with them in a volunteer way as well. Our second drop of the night continued my eye-opening experience. We unloaded and moved several pieces to a family living by the loop just west of downtown Sioux Falls. There were a couple of adults and several children in an older home that is characteristic of the neighborhood. The family was in need of the furniture and it was great working alongside James and Andy, and it was an experience for me that continued to remind me of the real needs that exist right here in our backyards. When I was a youth pastor, we traveled hundreds if not thousands of miles (and spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars) to experience the kinds of conditions and contexts that we are seeing on a weekly basis right in our hometown. Every week, I am changed. Every week I am humbled. Every week I am challenged. And while these are baby steps for me and for Hillcrest, every week I am hopeful of what these baby steps are doing in my life, my family’s life, and the life of our church.