Displaced Persons

In times of conflict you have migrations of peoples from the area of conflict to hopefully places of relative safety.  They are called displaced persons.

When someone is finally the victor in the conflict and people now get to be relocated to fit with the ideals of the victor, these are called displaced persons as well.

And as I was out driving between garage sales on Saturday, I saw a different kind of displaced persons - those forced out of their homes.....

I was down in the Federal Way area, headed towards Des Moines and even I, unobservant as I am, started subconsciously counting empty houses.  There were lots of them, at least one for every city block, sometimes as many as three.

As I neared Des Moines, there was an entire family sitting by the road surrounded by a sea of garbage bags and a few items of furniture.  A mother, three kids and two pets.  Really obviously the now vacant house behind them used to be their home.  Unlike so many of the "homeless" in this area - I am willing to believe that they really are.  Unfortunately, I had nothing on me (much less in my bank account! with which to help them, grrrrr!).

Back home, I saw one of the neighborhood college students sitting by the road going through a pile of stuff.  Her school books it looked like.  Later she was gone and the books with her but the rest of her belongings I guess there was no place for or too heavy to carry away.

And I look at my new church, whom unfortunately decided to expand a few years ago, heavily indebting themselves.  Now that the economy is in shambles they are unable to even meet the commitment they made to their own missionaries they have sent out - much less attempt to help with the needs of the community!  So, now they are faced with scratching and begging to meet mortgage payments - while another chance for witness within the community goes begging.  (Churches really should not be in debt!)

Yeah, no different with me for that matter.  I invested foolishly, lost everything and now am unable to help those I see so much in need of not only material needs but spiritual and emotional as well - much less help with the needs of my children.  My church has lost its ministry opportunity and I am scoring in the same ball park.....  But, at least I can pray that the Lord will bring those people the resources they need and that they will know it comes from Him.

Lots of opportunities for witness, to those wiser than me it seems.