Jesus for the Homeless

I usually never go to town to seek the homeless, but last night, I'm proud to say that was what I did with a group a friend of mine started up called 'Jesus for the Homeless.' In the words of my cousin, this group aims to 'seek the homeless, talk to them, give them food, learn something. Show them that Jesus cares about anyone and everyone!'

I was pleasantly surprised after meeting a few people on the streets whom the group talked to. Those people that society considered to be scum were normal people like you and me. One man offered his fries to everyone. One man had an amazing sense of humour.

And then there was Allan and Angie.

We found them lying down near the top of Albert Park (as the bottom of Albert Park is very dangerous to be around at night) with their luggage and a few blankets under and over them. They insisted we sit down and talked to them so we gladly did. My heart was moved by Allan and Angie's heart for God and their strong hope. I was brought to tears when I heard Angie's story about how her family and friends turned on her, her back pains due to emotional stress and abuse, and her struggle to simply exist. I loved how even after all of that ordeal, and her being homeless, she still wanted to hope and help other people in the same situation as her. She really inspired and touched me. The highlight of the night was Allan giving his life to God right then and there. How beautiful it was to see the light in His eyes, and the joy they both had just because we took the time to talk to them and offer them food, money, company, heart. I will never forget them and I will continue to pray for them.

Even though all we offered them was our time and company, some sandwiches and juice boxes, it felt to me that we offered so much more because of how thankful they were. They smile like they are the richest people in the world.

It hit me that this is what REAL christianity is all about. Jesus never ignored the lesser people of socitey. In his eyes, they were the most important. He sat with the hookers, the poor, the lame, the broken, the needy, the outcasts. He gave them God's love, and love was all that was needed. He says in Matthew 25:31-40:

"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then he shall sit on the throne of his glory.
And there will gather before him all the nations, and he will choose them one by one, like the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he sets the sheep from his right and the goats from his left.
That is when the King says to those from his right, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom that was destined for you from the foundations of the universe. For I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me to drink. I was an outcast and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. '
Then the saintly will say to him, 'Our Lord, when did we see you hungry and we fed you, or you were thirsty and we gave you drink? And when did we see you an outcast and we took you in, or when were you naked and we clothed you? And when did we see you ill or in prison and we came to you?'
And the King replied and told them, 'Amen, I am telling you, that whatever you do for one of these my little brethren, for me you have done that.'

Of course at the beginning I had my doubts.
I felt that touching them would be unclean. But touch is what they long for. Touch might be something that would make them feel somewhat valid again. Touch is what they are deprived of. All I can say is that the fear you have for doing what society looks down upon is cast away by God's perfect love. Truth.

I am definitely going to do this again.
God is so good.
All the time, he is good.

Jenny Chang

I am a simple creature, but complex at the same time.
I hate meeting strangers online. I think certain people will befriend someone because they 'look good' on the internet. I want to meet people who will know and come to love me for the real-life me, not how I appear on the internet.
When I have a down in life, I go down hard. But when I'm at my peak, I'm amazingly positive.
I'm afraid of becoming loving a particular band/musician because I hate the fact that they won't know how much of an impact they made on me. Crazy huh? I envy musicians because they get to play and inspire and travel and create. But I know the point is not to be envious, but to do the same with what I have..with the talents I have been given.
Some people draw energy from being around people, butI draw energy from being by myself.
I love God beyond what I can explain. I would rather spend one day in his presence than 1000 days on this earth.
I drink too much tea.
I love street fashion, and most of the time, I think runway fashion is just a bit silly.
I love reading a good book.
My dream is to one day travel the world as a photo journalist, make Hope99 (Kate and I's mission organisation) into a worldwide organisation, and make enough money to put my mum into early retirement. But mainly, to travel the world and experience life on the edge.
I don't take things on surface level, I'm very deep when I want to be. It's a blessing and a curse.
I love people-watching, and I'm always aware that there is always more than meets the eye.
I'm a sucker for romantic songs, even though I'm a bad player in the game of love.
I love love love the rain. I always have an urge to run out and play in it sometimes, but then I don't want to be sick.
I can never get to sleep at night, and I can never seem to wake up when I do.
I'm always a bit tired.
I care too much about first impressions and what people make of me.
I draw inspiration from sunsets, stars, the beach, love, music, and ordinary people who do incredible things with what they have.
I don't like TV or watch it much. I feel like it's a bit pointless and soul sucking, and I don't really have the patience for it. I only watch shows that make me laugh and add a little sunshine into my life, like Friends and The Mighty Boosh.
I will never think less of you because of your past. I also believe you are worth it.
I have had a hard past...and sometimes I look back and begin to shake. I realise the circumstances I face now and I have faced in the past are sort of like a refiner- I am being polished into something beautiful and strong. Although I do envy people who have had an easy time growing up, who have stable families and dads, who havn't had money issues etc, I know I am not lesser because of the cards I have been dealt it. It's learning to see the stars in the gutter.
Smokes relax me.
I appreciate tattoos and the stories they tell, and I am hoping to have my body tattooed one day.
Faith, Hope, Love.
I am waiting relentlessly for my Prince. In God's time, not mine.
I hate wasting food and I have a bad habit of eating everything even when I'm really full.
When I was younger I spent all my pocket money on buying CDs at Real Groovy in town, and I loved it. I would put the CD in my CD player soak in every chord, every beat, every tune. I love how music takes you to a faraway place, and drowns out the bad in the world.
I love dogs, and will definitely get one when I move out as my mum definitely doesn't like dogs.
I love to laugh and encourage people.
I think crying is beautiful. Tears are a way to express what cannot be expressed in words. And I read somewhere that ever since the beginning of birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive.
Love is the final fight.
Music breaks all barriers, transforms, inspires, speaks, loves, comforts, uplifts and changes things. It does many others for me too.
Sushi and avacados are my favourite.
Tigers are fierce and independant, whales are big and strong but humble and peaceful, birds are gentle and always return home, and dogs are loving and friendly. These animals have atrributes that kind of desribe me or what I want to be, and that's why they're my favourite.
I'm a clean freak.
My deepest darkest fear is losing someone I love because I think I won't be able to cope with it. Also, not being able to travel and experience the world.
I never know what I want to do with my hair.
I'm a bit awkward.
I feel life is moving too fast, even though I tell it to hurry up sometimes.
I will and want to believe in the good left in this world.
Whenever I meet someone, I always look at their shoes. To me, you can tell alot about someone by the shoes they wear.
I get along with guys way more than I do with girls.
I think the smile and the eyes are the most attractive features in the opposite sex. I think you can tell alot about a guy like how kind and genuine and honest he is by his smile and eyes.
I like a good challenge in life. Call me weird but I enjoy the hard times in life more than the good ones. Just because during the hard times, you grow and you struggle but you lean on and get to know God more. And it's during the hard times that people's true colours show.
I'm shy when I first meet people, but once I get to know you I crack a lot of jokes.
I can't save money. At all.
I don't express my opinions out loud, even though I'm quite an opiniated person. I guess I'm a little afraid of what people might think, or of being wrong.
I'm worth it. And so are you. I'm beautiful. And you definetly are too. I can make a change. And I know you can too.

YEAH!

There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout: This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me... or leave me. Accept me - or walk away!

RA RA RA RAAAAAAA!

So I've been listening to The Devil Wears Prada today and watching their vids on Youtube, and as usual I was amazed and inspired by the passion these guys have not only for music but for their faith.

Alot of my friends ask me why I like that type of music because they only see it as 'just screaming' and also cause they 'can't hear what they're saying.' One friend even said it felt like they were telling her off. Haha that's pretty funny. I usually never had an answer to their questions, not until now: Passion.

It goes with every hardcore band I admire. When they play their instruments, when they belt out a song, when they scream, when they perform altogether, you can't deny that they put all their energy, all they have and all they don't have into it. They are unrelentless, they don't care about what people think or about what they look like, they are simply doing what they love with an incredible passion for it.

When I listen to bands like TDWP and Underoath, I don't hear the annoying screaming some people hear. I feel the music, and I listen to the lyrics. They are so heartfelt and beautiful. The people who ask me why I like them don't notice that.


I have a friend who loves rap but I didn't like it. Also, she didn't like hardcore. We were discussing our music tastes, and I gave her a song by Underoath to listen to that had minimal screaming but amazing lyrics. She loved it when she had a listen to the lyrics. She in turn gave me a rap song to listen to that had raw and meaningful lyrics, and I loved it! I think that yes, some hardcore and some rap music are distasteful, but when both genres are used to glorify God, it's the most wonderful thing.

When people diss me for this type of music, aren't they also dissing God? It's funny because He gave those people the talents, abiblities and passion to do what they do now. And we can't put God in a box when it comes to music. It's so inaccurate to say that God only loves soft praise songs. I believe with all my heart that whatever music is played to give glory to God, whether its hardcore or acoustic, rap or indie, IS praise and worship. There are just different ways of doing it. I love those bands because their music shows their passion for God and music in an obvious way. Also, I would say I'm passionate too.


Really, who cares about genre of music. As long as God's name is being honoured and lifted, all types music should be cherished and encouraged. Just saying, look beyond the sweaty, screaming men. Look at how much talent, energy and passion it takes to do what they do, and only then can you point the finger at me.