New Friends

It is always interesting to see who God brings across my path week to week. One of my goals is to go back to my significant volunteers and hear their stories. Yeah, it takes time and intentionality in order for this to happen. So as I have reconnected with some friends now I hear and see their lives unfold before me.

I know that reconnecting with a family from a partner church has led to our being able to have them put together for us a great marketing tool to be used to further our work. So as I meet my friend, who is a geologist, I see he has a jacket that has my college town written on it, which is way too cool. As we sit and listen to each other I begin the journey of asking questions to get at his heart and passion. Yes, this guy is a MIT grad and has a passion for something that most of us wouldn’t even understand without lots of explanation.

What attracted me to Mike were his twins, his smile and willingness to get ‘dirty’. He has helped paint probably 5 houses over the last year or so. He has brought teens from his new church. As I listened to his story between his college, grad school and now professional life it was clear he loved what he was doing and had worked at the same company for a long time. I listened to the stories around his sons, who are seniors and in college. Mike had a couple of wow type stories that truly showed his openness to see unusual things happen.

I am learning that as long as I am open to talking, smiling, listening that God will lead others across my path. Last night after tutoring I have dropped off most of our group but make a detour by the local hot dog stand. It is literally freezing outside with a wind that just cuts through all of your clothing. The Hispanic mom who does the stand has on her parka and gloves. As I am attempting to tell her our order a Hispanic man pulls up and asks if I need his help to translate. Obvious I can always use some help. So we talk a little and I discover he works for a radio station and had been a contractor and lives a few blocks away from our South Ranch Community. I will know e-mail him and connect.

I just left meeting Mrs. Thelma White who is now one of our newest painting grandmas. She is an amazing lady with a great story of making in spite of her husband leaving her with 3 young kids. She is a believer who isn’t ashamed of the gospel. Another new friend who will help us continue to impact our South Phoenix neighborhoods. She also helped me with her neighbor, Velma, who is in the ER with some health issues, whose house we will also paint in a couple of weeks.

New friends are a vital part of life’s journey. I can’t imagine what would happen if I stayed home all of the time and sat behind my laptop. Yeah, each morning I get up real early to read and write at Starbucks. I do tell my ‘kidz’ that the early bird does catch the worm and then when you snooze you will lose.