One 7- On Being Hands and Feet
We were supposed to go and serve. Our Christian Homeschool Youth Group had plans to help clean the area and buildings, to give our time, and to provide support.
As if God pulled some (heart) strings, David, felt that it would be better to really show us One 7.
David is the founder and visionary of One 7. He and his family gave up all they had for this calling to serve. He spoke about living for Jesus without abandon, literally giving everything away to follow Christ. He is a modern day Simon Peter who became a fisher of men children. They have no retirement account, no home or vehicles, and he mentioned his kids may or may not go to college. What we think of as important, is not so important here. What is important is what is gained in the giving away.
Kids find their way to One 7 through Social Services, homelessness, at the request of parents who can no longer take care of their kids (for one reason or another) and because of abuse. It is sure that God leads them here. Currently there are 36 children living on site from all over the world.
The Soccer Ministry is a whole other ministry in itself. I have read letters of how parents of the opposing teams are amazed at the demeanor and character of the One 7 team….. how they share the gospel after the game whether they win or lose, how they give a gift to a member of the opposing team for good sportsmanship. The team members will often stay at homeless shelters for out of state games as they have no other place to lay their heads.
“Being part of an athletic team is a unique experience, and we use our program to draw kids into an environment that honors Jesus first, above everything else. After each game, one of our captains shares his or her personal testimony with the other team.”
And sometimes they win! (In more ways than one.)
Each staff member at One 7 parents children. Kyle gave us a tour of the apartments on site and is a father to 3 boys who come from Iraq, Vietnam, and Thailand. He has become a young dad just out of college. Kyle makes sure their basic needs are fulfilled and that homework is completed. But most importantly, he prays with them. Many ‘wealthy’ children do not have this basic critical need filled in their homes.
In Navy Seal style, David sent out some of our group to go to a grocery store to buy chicken and rice……a lot of chicken and rice.
The rest of us toured One 7 Academy.
“It is desired that One7 Academy be a place where God’s glory is promoted and genuine learning and growing takes place in the lives of students.” – from the One7 Academy Honor Code.
Girls who attend do not have to worry about bullying or persecution that was previously a problem. The school is beautiful (as are the girls) and the story of how it began and how the building was acquired is amazing as well.
God is in the details.
All of us then traveled to nearby apartment homes where residents struggle with just having enough food to eat for this day. One apartment had no furniture and only a small felt tablecloth on the floor.
Knocking on doors to see if anyone needs food.
Terrible picture, I know, but I was trying not to be obvious with my camera. This young mom did her best to clean up clothing that was strewn about as we entered. Only a bed and a chair were in the room….. and a picture of a Hindu god.
These people need Jesus.
Distributing chicken and rice.
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Needs are determined. In broken English, this woman shared her need for medicine.
If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. Isaiah 58:10
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, Matthew 25:35
People came out of their apartments when they realized One 7 had arrived.
Being hands and feet.
Kyle mentioned, “I wanted to go to Africa, and then I found out Africa was in my back yard.”
It took me a little while to digest the morning. I had to process it. It was humbling to see the condition of poverty in the city we live, right under our noses.
But what was most amazing was watching God’s hands and feet in action. And to see our kids participating as those hands and feet.
One 7’s name comes from the verse in Jeremiah where God calls him.
The Call of Jeremiah
(And really the call of the body of Christ.)
4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
One 7’s message to kids is that there is no performance in earning God’s love. That BEFORE you were even born, God loved you and knew you.
6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
Many of these kids cannot speak English. Some are refugees that left their country with only their lives. Many are young children.
But God tells them,
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.
And He does.
He put words in our mouths too as we spoke to poverty. One 7 demonstrated how to be His hands and feet.
As the body of Christ, we are His hands and feet too.
There is a huge difference in telling your kids about poverty and actually showing them. It is important to see how poverty lives and to see that poverty’s grasp has no prejudice.
We were supposed to go to One 7 to serve and bless. But instead, we were the ones who were blessed.
Thank you David, and all the staff at One 7 for an amazing morning and the opportunity to be a part of it.
It was a game changer.
If you would like to donate to One 7, click here.
In what practical ways can you be hands and feet to the poor?
