Reflections from a Student

Each time that I have gone down to Vancouver to help the Agape Street Ministry to do their Samaritan work, my new findings and experience never cease to amaze me. As I walk down the cold, dark, and sometimes wet streets of East Hastings I look around me, and my surroundings, and I’m in as much awe as if I had been born yesterday. The drama that was on TV suddenly becomes real as my perception of the world beforehand changes instantly before my very eyes. My feelings of comfort and security have vanished in the wind, being replaced with the horrid feelings of loneliness and despair. As I turn the corner and approach the woman standing there I can sense the look of fear in her eyes, wondering if tonight would be her last night to live, yet knowing at the same time that she must support her devouring habits.

Until my most recent trip to East Hastings I never fully understood the meaning of “Do unto my brothers as you would have done unto me”. I thought that I would never reach a situation where I had a decision to make, until I encountered the petite woman around the corner. She was standing there on the cold, rainy night in a short dress, and with a light shirt on her. She was shivering, and deprived of any kind of human hope that she may have had in the past. As she was standing there, spilling all the hot chocolate on the ground, not being able to hold onto it, her friend asked us if we had a sweater to give her. At that moment my heart ached, and went out to this woman who had gone through many unbearable things that her business demanded of her. Then, a thought popped up into my mind saying, “When I was naked, you gave me something to wear.” That night I wore a vest underneath my jacket and I knew that God was asking me to take off my vest and put it on her. Being human, I hesitated a little, thinking that my aunt gave it to me for Christmas, and I didn’t really want to part with it, and then I also knew that this woman needed it more than I did. Giving her the vest gave me the most unbelievable feeling that I have ever experienced of having the ability to help someone in need.

The reason why I am sharing my story with you is because at that moment I felt that God had called me to help those who are in need. In fact, it isn’t just that moment that God has called me, for I know that God has also called all of us to be willing to go out into the world to do what we can. If you believe that “the task ahead of us is never truly as great as the power behind us,” you will have the power to accomplish deeds that will assure that justice is done in the world.