I Can't Change the World

Last Friday night, a group of us went out to minister to some street kids. In DTS we read the book, A Cry from the Streets which was all about the YWAM ministry that got started here in Belo, working with children who lived on the streets. 

A former street kid, who now works with YWAM, by the name of Anderson led us. He spoke English well as he had been in the states (Elk Grove of all places) for 2 years. He was a real leader.

We had to go searching for the kids and once we found a few who were staying underneath some sort of business awning adjacent to a busy intersection, we invited them over to another spot so we could play soccer and worship and pray together.

When we first started, we only had about 5 kids/young people. Ages 13-19 I believe. We began with honoring their friend, Elisa, a 14 year old girl who had been killed the week before. She had been set on fire by another street kid. A lady from Holland named Annette, lead a song on the guitar, dedicating it to Elisa. Annette played and the girls sitting next to me cried.

Next, one of our team members got up to share. She cried as she told the kids how she knew what they were going through. A friend of hers had been murdered. “I am so sorry.”  She told the kids as tears fell down her face and Anderson translated.

Honestly, this whole situation- seeing these kids- seemed a bit surreal to me. A girl, Maya, who was the same age as my sister, dressed in a short, skin-tight, dress, sitting on the curb crying over a friend who had been burned to death.

How do you feel emotion for something like this when this is so outside of your perception of reality and life? How do you relate with someone when their way of living isn't even something you can comprehend?

They began a game of soccer, kicking off their sandals to use as goal markers along with halves of a coconut. I joined in and I wondered why we hadn’t started a game earlier. Language isn’t needed to kick a ball.

Eventually a few cameras came out and the kids were all over that. They loved having their pictures taken. In various poses, with various people, they paired up guys and girls and posed as “couples” and then for the next photo paired up with a different guy or girl. I couldn’t tell if any of them were actually “together.” I guess that didn’t matter much. Or, I don’t know… deep down I think it does. What is love to them? What is relationship? Does either hold any real value to these kids? Perhaps my ideas and reality of love and relationships are completely outside of their sphere of reality.

My emotions were pretty monotonous the entire night and as we walked away I wondered if we really had made any difference.

“Did you love?” God asked me.

“Yes.” I replied.

“Then you made a difference.”

I walked home thinking about how I cannot change the world. I can’t. But I can love.

And I can do all things through God cause he gives me strength. God has called me to make an impact on those around me. He has called me to change the world- with him. Though I feel helpless and as if I don’t even know where to begin, he has shown me and asked me and led me to LOVE. Of which I can only do with him.

There is truth in saying I can’t do it, because in all reality, I can’t. I need Jesus.

I cannot change the world. 

But I can love.

And together- you, me, and Jesus- we will change the world.