Sarah knocked on our door and gave us a hammer she found – she thought we would need it as we were going to start renovations for our bathrooms.  I have so many stories similar to this of our friends and neighbors who are in great need but still want to give and express kindness.

One of the things I love most is getting to cut hair for people. I love seeing the confidence people have after they get a good haircut. This does so much more than just help them feel clean; It recognizes their dignity.

I started praying for him under my breath and Juan responded in Spanish as I was praying for him. I understood what he was praying and afterward asked him if he had ever accepted Jesus into his life. He said no, but that he would like to tonight.

I came here expecting to see a change in myself, our friends on the street, and the teams that we would be leading each week. What I didn’t expect, though, was how much this time would contribute to shaping the hearts of the people that I already had in my life.

On a Friday in June, our team took bags of snacks into the Tenderloin in hopes of finding someone who could be blessed by lunch and a good conversation. Near the local laundromat, I met Katie, who when asked if I could eat lunch with her, didn't respond in the way I was expecting. She remained silent and simply pulled out a small plastic crate. It was set out for me right in front of a similar one that she was sitting on.

I was terrified, I was devastated, I felt inadequate to be leading, and I doubted that God knew what He was doing. Throughout this feeling of not being enough, I went to other staff members and they simply repeated to me that God does not call the equipped, but He equips the called. God is able to watch over me and in the struggle God is continuously equipping me. 

Our focus is not trying to avoid what’s wrong, our focus is now fixed on our Father and because we love Him we don’t want anything else! That Spirit we receive lets us know our true identity as His Children.

“On the first night of the course I told you about the aliens and you were very gracious to accept me into the group, but I now know what Christianity is about, and the Holy Spirit is changing me.”

I was astonished to see the outpouring of grace and love your organization gives to those in need. I was touched by the dignity you allow–or so it seemed from the 11th floor of the hotel looking down on God’s creation. Even months since my return from San Francisco, your ministry is what I remember of the city.

So I did only what I could do - I gave up. My mind was over-burdened, so I stopped caring about the expectations of others. My heart was heavy, so I stopped striving to please people to maintain a relationship with them.