The Basment

Yesterday, Walt, Peter and I went to visit La Paz de Dios, the primary Hispanic contact ministry on Bailey Avenue. They had asked us to take a look at their basement and see if maybe we couldn't do some work down there for them. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I don't think I was ready for what I saw... that was quite a situation. The basement hadn't been looked at for years. The floors were cracked, and it's going to take some time to think about what we want to do down there. Can we do it? Sure. But it's a lot bigger investment than I had originally thought.

And maybe that's a good thing. In fact, I'm almost sure it is. It's so easy to do something quickly and then check it off the 'good deed' list. This will require an investment of time and energy, and I hope something meaningful comes from it, a relationship with La Paz and perhaps others in need.

I also believe it has something to teach us about our relationships with others. How often is the basement of the soul neglected, malnourished, cracked and moldy? We casually ask 'how are you?' without expecting much of an answer. If we're going to be in community together, we have to be willing to invest in one another some serious time and resources. Christ's disciples followed him through thick and thin, and I am almost willing to guarantee that they didn't expect all of that when they signed up. But because there was such deep love between them, they stayed.

When our eyes are opened and we see the hurt in the world, will we stay? Or will we go looking for other, easier, options?