“I like my coffee strong with lots of cream and sugar. That’s why I’m glad I get to make it on Sundays at my church, cause I get to make it the way I want to drink it. And I drink a lot of it. I love to play my guitar there too, but with all the restrictions I can’t do that now. I hope by Christmas it’s all over so I can play again.”

That was our conversation this morning. A year ago, I was talking with C about the church that used our mainfloor for their weekly meetings. He’d been going there for the free food, until the pastor discovered C. could play guitar. That’s when he was recruited into the worship team, and that’s when C. started to call it “his church”. C. has been homeless, kinda off an on like a lot of other things in his life. He’s off an on employed, off and on eating healthy, off and on a lot of things. One thing that has been consistent for him this last year has been his faith community. Something we prayer for while he lived with us in Uturn, but never saw the fruit of those prayers until now.

Our mandate is to serve among young people. At some point they grow up and move on from being apart of our regular ministries. Although we continue to be in relationship with many of them, it’s different. One of the realities that Covid has illuminated is the value of our larger faith community. As people have suffered with more and more isolation, stress and anxiety, many of our local Christian leaders have stepped up and invested more and more of themselves in their congregations. It is hugely encouraging to hear C. tell his story and how he’s found a home and a place to belong. That is our prayer for all of the youth we get to serve among. That they will find a place to belong among others who are following Jesus as well.