Some members of our church go to the local street mission once a month to serve food. One month a while ago, the regulars were not available, and our care group was asked to fill in. It was not the first time I have been involved in a social outreach, but it did lead to some reflections.

The people we were serving were homeless, people living on the street. When the doors opened at 6:00 p.m., they began filing in and sitting at tables. There was a brief prayer and devotional message. Then, we began serving an evening meal of chicken patties, vegetables, and French fries. Four of our group were putting the food onto plates, and four of us brought the plates to the clients, who were sitting at tables. The clients had been taught not to approach the kitchen, and latecomers raised their hands to indicate they had not received food yet. Those who run the ministry are not naïve. They know how to offer tough love and establish boundaries to protect everyone involved

Over the course of the evening, I made several observations, which continue to haunt me.

The clients had multiple needs. They needed food for sure, but most were also in need of basic hygiene, lacking access to showers or toothpaste. Many were in need of medical care. Some were in wheelchairs, some were limping, some had badly twisted spines, some had digestive problems and could barely eat. Some were addicted, although clients obviously high on drugs were not allowed in. It needs to be said that the ministry provides a wide range of services to help those willing to move to the next level, including subsidized housing, recovery houses, vocational training, medical referrals, and more. Not all clients remain homeless. After the meal was served and the tables cleared away, mats were placed on the floor to provide overnight sleeping accommodations.

The clients acted like other people. Many expressed gratitude for the food. Many of them know each other and talked like friends. There were cliques as in any school cafeteria. But they don’t necessarily trust each other. Many are desperate, and some will steal from other people on the street, crimes that are rarely reported to the police. Many seemed fearful, carefully clutching their meager possessions. Many have been mistreated (on the street and before that) and have good reason to mistrust others. They need emotional and spiritual healing as well as physical healing.

One of the saddest sights was a woman with several children eating together at one of the tables. I did not learn her story. She seemed more put-together than some of the other clients. Her children seemed happy and well behaved. The love of a parent can overcome many hardships. Her children ate what was put in front of them without complaining.

I have huge respect for the regular workers, who see this sad parade every day and find the resources to love the clients, day in and day out, getting to know them as individuals and gently and patiently guiding them to greater help. I also couldn’t help but notice that while Christians continue to insist that people should work to support themselves, that people should not become addicted to drugs and alcohol, and so on, it is mostly Christians doing the hard work to rescue people in trouble.

When I came home, I found I had little appetite for the wonderful meal my wife had prepared for me. It was hard to enjoy my abundance after seeing people without basic necessities. I have also found myself becoming impatient with the frivolous things that are often our focus—Christmas and birthday gifts that are not needed or even wanted, knickknacks, luxuries. Paul’s advice in 1 Timothy 6:6-8 seems ever more important: “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (NIV). Paul’s understanding was earned by being on both sides of the soup kitchen: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:1-12).