A Typical Day at Soaring Wings Ministries

So often people will ask us what a typical day looks like here at Soaring Wings  Ministries.  I have to answer that question by saying that there is no such thing as a typical day here, in fact, we sometimes long for a typical day but then we remember that what we are doing here is not very typical!  Would you consider praying with a homeless man who is in his car part of a typical day?  I sure wouldn't....but that is exactly what our daughter, Meredith, did last week.  We were in Fort Collins, getting ready to set up for our time serving Donuts With Friends.  It was a bit chilly outside and there was major construction going on around the park where the homeless people gather so we had to go looking for the homeless people.  We walked down a  street, coffee and donuts in hand, hoping to run into some people in need.  It didn't take us long before we saw two vehicles parked along the side of the road.  One was a camper with several people coming out of it and another was a car with a man sitting in the driver's seat.  The camper had a young boy, about 7 years old, playing outside of it.  He was very excited to see us, but his mother was not.  As we walked over to the camper the man in the car rolled down his window and so Meredith approached him and asked if he would like some coffee and donuts.  The man told Meredith that he didn't need anything but he said he was a Christian and he asked Meredith if she would pray with him.  I wish I had a picture to show you of Meredith standing in the street, her  hand through the window on the shoulder of the homeless man...both of their heads bowed and eyes closed in prayer to their Lord and Savior.   I don't know what they prayed for or about, I didn't ask, but I know that Meredith fed him in a way that was more important than food.  

While Meredith was praying with the man in the car, Ed and I approached the camper to offer the adults some coffee and donuts.  The little boy made it easy for us as he quickly approached us and was very curious about what we had in our bags.  We let him pick out what he wanted from a bag of clothes that had been sent to us from a friend in New Hampshire.  He picked out a  bright red vest.   I also wish I had a picture to show you of that little boy in that bright red vest. It was about 4 sizes too big for him and so the vest went down to his knees, but he was sooo excited and went running back to the camper with a big smile on his face and excitedly chattered to his Mom about his vest.  We approached the camper and his mother never did come out of the camper, but rather stood in the doorway...a protective mother for sure!  She accepted some coffee, donuts and several blessings bags for herself and her family.  I hope that we ministered to her in a small way and we know that we left the young boy with some joy.  We also gave him some coloring supplies and a back pack to store all of his treasures.  The thought that came to me as we walked back to our car was that the little boy had so very little in the way of material possessions and yet,  he was filled with joy, excitement and enthusiasm.  He also had a mother who watched over him and protected him.  I thought of all the people who live in big fancy houses, who drive expensive cars, who take nice vacations, who can buy anything they want and yet they have no joy or excitement in their lives.  That little boy was blessed indeed beyond what money can buy.   

Not only was the little boy blessed but Soaring Wings Ministries was blessed as well.  After Meredith prayed with the homeless man in the car, he wanted to make a donation to Soaring Wings Ministries and so he gave Meredith $4.00.  $4.00....not a lot of money and yet it was.   We were humbled, we were amazed and we were blessed through Meredith's interaction with this homeless man living in his car.  

There is no such thing as a typical day here at Soaring Wings Ministries.  I have to be honest and say that it has been a struggle for me to let go of the thought of having typical days.  I like routines, I like the uneventful, I like the ordinary and it goes against everything in my personality to fulfill the tasks required of me here at Soaring Wings Ministries.   Someone once said to me, "You must be a very adventurous person to do what you do at Soaring Wings Ministries".   I almost choked and spilled my iced tea that I was drinking when this person said that!  I told her that I absolutely was not an adventurous person and in fact I was quite the opposite!  So what do I do when the tasks before me require me to go beyond my natural tendencies?  What do I do when I have to step over the threshold from my comfort zone into the unknown?  The answer is simple, I take small little steps and I keep moving forward knowing that Jesus is walking with me.  My strength to accomplish the tasks required of me comes only from the power of Jesus Christ living in me.  It is not me but it is Jesus.  I never, ever would approach a stranger in a camper parked on the side of the road, but Jesus would.  I know that Meredith also steps out of her comfort zone to be obedient to Jesus.  It is not her natural tendency to stand outside of car with a homeless man in it and pray with him but Jesus living in her helped her do this.  Jesus living in us....that is what helps us all here at Soaring Wings Ministries to do what we do each day.  Typical days?  There aren't any here.   

His willing servant,
Anita Rennells
Soaring Wings Ministries
Wellington, Colorado