Just made it through slum survivor.
It was a pretty good time!
A rough few days but we all made the most of it.
But really, it was nothing compared to how others have to live. We were blessed in many ways...from being able to make our slums in the basement to receiving chocolate from time to time.
Through out a lot of the time I could only think, "I can't wait till this is over." How sad is it that it's not over for some people; they don't just get to play homeless for a day or two then go to a nice home and have a nice hot dinner waiting for them. Most of them don't even know when they'll get their next meal.
This was a great humbling experience for me.
How crazy is it that we take even the most little things for granted!
There's quite a few homeless people here in London I'm excited to have the chance to come along side them, maybe see if my team will give up a meal so we can give it to the people that need it more.
If you have any other ideas on how my team and I could bless the homeless while we're here in London, email me at m_steener@hotmail.com
While we did Slum Survivor we also had talks on slavery, and how some people have to sell their family members into the sex trade so they can have money to eat. Before this weekend- if I thought about parents selling their children into the sex trade so they can eat, I would be pretty mad and horrified at the parents; but honestly they don't have any other choice. It's either that or watch their children starve to death.
It's gut wrenching to think that the basic needs we're so accustomed to having met are forcing people to make horrible decisions, or even leaving people for dead.
This morning I did a Bible study with the kids, the topic:
Slaves to sin or righteousness?
We talked about how sin can really hold us back in life, chaining and restricting us from everything God wants for us.
and what the words, "the truth will set you free,"in John 8:32 mean.
We also did an activity where I gave them peices of paper, and they wrote down sin that enslaves them and keep them from having an even better relationship with God.
Then I had them write the opposites of what they wrote on another peice of paper, showing them what they can work on day to day to become slaves to righteousness.
Then we put all our papers together, that had the sins that enslave us written on them, and made a huge chain link.
So often our sins can feel like chains, they restrict us and are heavy burdens to carry. But God broke those chains when He sent His son to die on the cross so we don't have to forever be chained to sin but to have life and have it to the fullest (John 10:10)
...we then ripped up our chain symbolising that we can overcome anything with God. (John 16:33)
This post has come to its end but before you click off this page and go on with your daily schedule, I hope you'll make your own list of things that enslave you as well as their opposites, and join me and many others on this journey of becoming slaves to righteousness.
humbled and angered to action.
mariah
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