As you might know, I’m with our MC students in Minneapolis. We’ve had an awesome trip so far and we appreciate your prayers today as we do outreach in North Minneapolis and serve alongside a family (who graciously opened their home for us to spend the night last night!).
Yesterday, we had the privilege of working with the staff at the Marie Sandvik Center on Franklin Ave., sorting clothing donations. Outreach organizations like the Marie Sandvik Center get tons (literally) of donations on a regular basis. They need to be sorted between men’s, women’s, and children’s, as well as for the season. We spent two hours helping out and it ended up being a great blessing.
The Marie Sandvik Center has special significance for me. The last time I was there was October 2008 (with a group of students as well). It was that night, as we were sleeping on the floor of the Center, that God spoke to my heart that it was time to visit Colombia. I had felt for awhile that He was calling me to ministry there, but figured it would be several years down the road.
Part of that call was a conversation I had with one of the staff while we were cleaning a little storage/supply room. This young man and his wife were, at that time, preparing to serve in Pakistan. I remember two specific things from that conversation. First, he said, “Pray. A lot.” Second, he said, “Whatever you do, don’t let finances be the determining factor in going.”
That night as the Lord spoke to my heart about taking a trip, those two things really resounded in my heart and mind – and are still resounding, three years later. I wanted to take a picture in the room where it happened so I could remember how God used someone to confirm his call on my life…