When I first came to the Tenderloin District for the first time in 2013 by myself, I served with a ministry called City Impact. During my time serving with them, I never knew exactly what Spiritual warfare looked like. I believed North America did not need missionaries. On that trip, in that place, I learned how very wrong I was.
I saw first hand what Spiritual Warfare looked like. I saw how powerful and destructive sin could be and how it could grip a community into addiction to the point of being spiritually bankrupt and in bondage. That was the trip that taught me North America needs missionaries too.
After returning two more times in the following years, The Holy Spirit challenged me to not be silent about this mission field in San Francisco called the Tenderloin District. I knew God wanted me to organize a team of Young Adults so that others could see the same things I saw. This incredible group of Young Adults accepted my invitation and made sacrifices to go on this journey with me. It has been rewarding to know they would too see and experience the things I have seen.
But while there is still darkness, God continues to shine bright through City Impact. It has been an encouragement to see how much City Impact has grown. This was my fourth visit, and every time I have returned here, the light of this ministry continues to expand and drive out more darkness. More buildings have been purchased by this ministry which means they are able to expand their reach to more of the lost and broken. They can bring in even more teams, mobilize volunteers, and train more leaders than ever before.
I have also seen a growing appreciation in this community than any other visit. There are more people saying “ You are you from City Impact right? Thank You! We love what you guys are doing! Keep it up the great work! God Bless You!”
For those that do not know, City Impact started with one man named Roger who one day witnessed and ignored the cries of a boy being bullied. When Roger arrived home, God spoke to him and asked, “what would you do if that was your son?” the man said, “I would have helped him.” God then replied, “they’re all the same to me.”. He broke down in tears, and the next day he handed out 50 sandwiches and kept serving weekly. 33 years later City Impact is now a large scale ministry of 5 major departments, 16 weekly programs, and intervening on behalf of the people of the inner city. This is how great our God is and how powerful the Holy Spirit can be through one single person.
Some of the greatest displays of God’s power was accomplished through using one person. This is found time and time again in the Bible and nothing has changed. Today it still only takes one person willing to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. I learned on this trip that any one of us can be that one person too.
So what did God accomplish through us? Often times, I want that feel good story to share. I want God to show me results from our efforts. And in many ways there was results.
During our week, our team served hundreds of people food. We listened to their stories, and what amazing stories they were. We loved, encouraged, and prayed for people.
On our final day, our team took part in City Impact’s largest outreach of the year in which 10,000 people were served through meals, being medically assessed, being clothed, having their feet washed, their pets washed, their hair cut, having make overs, being prayed for, and many other of the 45 outreaches planned.
While these results are great to share , With mission trips, the reality is I do not always get the results I hope for. I may not always get to see what God accomplishes from our efforts. With mission trips, I often asked myself, “What if nobody comes to Christ? What if nobody’s life was changed? Would this trip be successful? Would our efforts still be worth it?”. By the end of this trip, God reminded me of His economy, and in His economy, the answer is an overwhelming yes; It is always worth it. God did not send us to be successful. He did not ask us to produce results. He asked us to be faithful and obedient to His mission. Missions does not always require results, but it always requires being faithful and obedient to His call and His mission.
What I do know is that with over 10,000 people served means that over 10,000 seeds were planted in the Tenderloin District. I probably will never know what happens to all those seeds. Just like what Jesus spoke in the parable of the Sower, some of those seeds may be eaten by birds, some may fall on rocks without soil, some may be scorched by the sun, or some choked by plants, or maybe just some will fall on good soil, where it produces a crop—100, 60 or 30 times what was sown. I may never know and I am certain it is not up for me to know. What I do know is that God is faithful and He will finish what He starts.
The greatest reward from this trip for me was seeing the seeds that have been planted in the lives of our team and this awesome group of Young Adults. I am excited to see how the Holy Spirit will work in their lives and be that “one person” that God uses to change the world.
I will say this. In North America, There is always enough food and water, there is always enough clothes, there is always enough medical and dental services, there is always enough shelter and housing, there is always enough education and resources, but there is not always enough love. It does not matter how many people our team served in San Francisco or how many we will serve in Edmonton. If do not love, we accomplished nothing.
