Response Church

Last week our small group headed downtown to serve at Traders Points outreach church. The Response Church is in the heart of the needy area of the city. The majority of the congregation is made up of single moms and their children. Each week they hold a special meeting called "Thursday Night on the Block" It is during this meeting that the moms get pampered in air conditioning with manicures, pedicures, craft time and childcare.

So last Thursday I packed the kids up and headed to the heart of the city.  Cameron & Grace got to hang out and play kick ball with the kids for a few hours while Audrey and Madilynn made friends in the nursery area.  What a great way to expose the kids to other children who are not as fortunate as they are.  The great things about my kids is that they didn't even notice or care that these kids come from a struggling home life.  They just had lots of fun and want to go back sometime.

I really had to step out of my comfort zone for my part.  While I was giving these pedicures to women I did not know I also had to try to speak up and converse with them.  Two things I am not good at is touching strangers feet and talking to strangers.  It actually worked out really well.  I got into a groove and found the conversations easy and focused on the purpose of the whole thing.  These ladies were getting a much needed night off.  The kids were having fun with free safe childcare and they could just sit and get their nails done.  

It felt great to serve.  I always think I should help out more, I just don't know how to plug in.  Our small group has been asked back for next month and I am looking forward to it.  What a practical and easy way to live out Jesus for these ladies.  I was asked so many times why I would come downtown to do nails of women I never met.  They just couldn't grasp why we were there and not getting paid for our services.

My prayer is that when they look down and see their beautifully painted toes they will remember that Jesus loves them.