From Geoffrey and Jessica; In the valley of bones

It is easy to make assumptions about people. When I look at a
homeless man on a street corner holding up a sign it is easy for me to
write him off and to deem him as a “lost cause.” Troubled youth are
labeled as a “waste of time.” Judging people based on past failures
seems to come second nature at times as well. There are so many areas
in life where instead of looking at the potential of a person I feel
blinded by stereotypes and negative connotations.

The more time I spend here working side by side these benevolent
people, the more I realize how God has assembled an army of wounded
healers in this place. These men, women, and children seem to have
been overlooked by society. The hurdles that some of these people
have faced are heart breaking, but the faith they profess and the
strength in which they live out their lives is inspiring.

Though the staff and students have been deemed as unworthy, lost
causes or wastes of time by society this ministry accepts them with
arms wide-open and is more than willing to pour out into their lives.
Children that otherwise wouldn’t receive an education are being
provided with a teaching that is beyond their parents’ wildest dreams.
Parent’s that are crippled by their inability to financially provide
for their children are still able to put their children through school
through this ministry. Almost every child is on a scholarship because
every child is looked upon for where they can be in life instead of
the dejected value society has placed on them. The staff is made of
men and women who have experienced some of the pains that the storms
of life can bring about but have been nurtured in their education and
spirituality and are now looked up to and admired by many.

In Ezekiel 37 there is a valley filled with bones. God sends Ezekiel
into the valley and tells him to look around and asks him what he
sees. Bones. Bones of fallen men and women. Bones that can never be
anything again. Bones that represent hopelessness, destitution and
death. Often when we look at the people in our lives it is as if we
are in this valley filled with bones. We don’t see people with
potential, we don’t see them for where they can be with a little help,
and we don’t feel they are worth our time. We feel that there is no
point in reaching out to certain people because they probably wont
receive our input. We shouldn’t give to a homeless person because
they want to be in the position that they are in or they are probably
going to use the money for drugs or alcohol. It is so easy to look
around ourselves and label everything and everyone we see as a pile of
dead bones, but we need to look at people for where they can be and
see the potential they have. Ezekiel followed the orders of God and
spoke life into the bones and they rose up and came to life. An army
of healthy, strong and able-bodied men came to life out of that pile
of nothing. People who have done the most atrocious acts and who have
morally fallen to depths beyond comprehension are still of worth and
can be transformed from a pile of bones into a healthy, strong and
able-bodied person. It is amazing the transformation that can take
place in someone’s life when someone is willing to give a little time,
love and affection to him or her; this place is filled with walking
living proof of that.

The men and women I work with here were once a pile of bones no one
saw anything of worth and look at them now.

Be blessed,

Geoffrey

WORD OF THE DAY
Phew-ha-yea-tra – parade

Randoms:
– A little girl gave me a valentine she made for me.
– yesterday we had the staff over for breakfast. We made AMAZING
banana pancakes. I remember a few years ago a friend told me it was
physically impossible to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon without
drinking water. It dries up your mouth and it is just impossible.
I’ve tried it a few times and have gotten MANY friends to try it
because of a bet. So I mentioned this to the guys who were over for
breakfast. I started it off by saying I would give someone $5 if they
could swallow it. Then I explained how it was impossible. Once I
said impossible one of the guys wanted to try it. He put it in his
mouth and started having the typical reaction, NORMALLY people spit it
out though… not him though. He grabbed a bottle of water and started
drinking it… we were all yelling out to him to spit it out. He
didn’t. He ended up vomiting 3 times. One of the other guys was near
him when he vomited so he threw up to. I have it all on video and
I’ll be sending it probably with the next email.
– we eat a lot of mangos they are SO cheap. We got 7 big mangos the
other day for under $2.
– Jessica wont watch Paranormal Activity with me. She doesn’t want nightmares.
– Homemade egg rolls are amazing!!!

PRAYER REQUESTS
I’m still not 100%. It looks like I have walking pneumonia.
Jessica and I have had a pretty rough week – It is nothing I can
really disclose but please pray for us

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