He who has a Why to live for can bear with almost any Hows….

It was awesome to hear from Jackie Pullinger. I have read her book, heard her stories and testimonies but hearing from her on the pulpit simply made the stories and testimony more alive and real. During the seminar, many things, lessons and reflections streamed through my mind. A lot of the things that she shared not only touched my heart but once again brought me back to the reality of being a Christ-follower. 

“Ministry to the poor is not a profession but a way of life and an attitude of the heart”

This phrase striked me a lot during the seminar. Many times we have take ministry and serving the poor and needy as a grandiose thing that we need to do or even as a social obligation. However, the bible does not teach us this way. As Jackie put it, “….a way of life and an attitude of the heart.”. I was reminded once again that even as I serve as a staff in TCS to serve the needy in the community, it is not a profession that I have entered into but entering into a call from the Lord. This call is a call to partnership with Him so that His kingdom and His abundant life can be shared even to the ostracized in the society. I was reminded that this should be a lifestyle and not a job or profession. I have to live it out 24/7 so that I will be able to humble myself to hear the cries of these needy. And from these cries, I will then be able to hear the heartbeat of the Lord in a greater measure.

“To live amongst them”
The similarity I found between Jackie and Mother Teresa is that they choose to live among the poor and the outcast. They did not serve them from afar. As I reflected, I see glimpses of my staff in TUH. The clients will confide and share with them their struggles or problems. To some extent, they will rather share with them rather than with their family. All these are possible because the staff have been with them to listen to them, pray for them and counsel them. To live with them, is not easy. There will be disappointment and there will be hurt. As Jackie puts it “ministering to the poor will use up all your heart”. However, this will then be the true demonstration of the power of the gospel, where we have to live daily depending on the grace and strength of the Lord and always “death on us so that life can be given”. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to serve the clients in TUH. Serving in the hostel is some how like a proxy to living amongst them. And I know the Lord will use this to further break me, mold me and build me as He opens my eyes to see their cries and needs as I serve alongside with and for them.