Wholistic Missions: Transform
Loving means doing. There is an active, intentional aspect of loving especially when it comes to revealing the love of the Father. One of the simplest and most biblical ways to love others is to meet the needs of another person. That’s where Wholistic Missions starts. God wants us to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). The Bible also reveals that what we do for those in need, we have done for the Son of God (Matthew 25:40).The Transformation Center is a prime example of active love in the community. They not only serve the guests that come through their doors, but they also do so with a loving heart and a desire to be close to those they serve. At the heart of their work, they care about the people not just their needs.“You come here as guests, but you leave here as family. That’s what we believe here.” -David Schmincke, Leader at Transformation CenterThe volunteers who serve at the Transformation Center have the opportunity to serve in a number of different positions all with a focus on serving the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical, and social needs of their guests. Typically, they provide about 100 individuals or guests with 3-4 day supply of food.David Schmincke, one of the leaders, exemplifies the type of love that God has called to give to others. He greets anyone and everyone with a hug. He is filled with joy to serve those who God puts in his life. He does his best to remember names and stories of all the guests and all of the volunteers that join the cause. The Transformation Center provides to the physical needs of its guests through handing out food and clothing on Saturday mornings and other special events. Just this past Thanksgiving during their Harvest of Hope event, they provided over 500 ready-to-prepare Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner to guests of the Brooklyn Park area. As one of their regular volunteers over the past few years, I have seen and heard incredible stories. One of the positions, hosting, involves speaking to and praying with the guests on a one on one level. Sometimes the guests are guarded and have little to say, and other times they share their awesome story and desires for their life that they want to see God work on through them.What I pray for with the guests usually has one common prayer that I ask from God. When I pray over the food that they are receiving that day, I ask God to bless it, and I ask that it would be a reminder for the guest throughout the week that God loves them. I pray saying that God is using the volunteers as His hands and feet to show love unto the community. My hope and prayer are that the guests coming through – like Michael, Ashley, Andrew, and Harold – leave knowing that we are thinking about them during the week. No matter what comes their way, they should be able to know that they are loved and cherished by us acting through God’s divine plan. I don’t want them to feel forgotten, forsaken, or unloved for any reason. If you’re interested in Wholistic Missions and you want to make a difference in other’s lives, start today. You can contact Vicki Delair or click here for more information on the Severn Run’s Wholistic Missions page.