Places To Come To

When she said the words, my mind scrolled back through a trail of memories—times we showed up, loved her, walked with her. Seven years of memories.

We were wrapping up Bible Study at the Radiant Inn Family Room, going around the circle, giving people a chance to share prayer needs and  something they were grateful for. When it came to Sheri, she said this: “I am thankful for JOC. Because you are here, I’m not out there.” Saying this, she points to Colfax, literally on the other side of the wall from Room 200.

Let me tell her story: I met her seven years ago at the Carriage. She told me she was staying there, waiting for her husband to get out of jail. Over the next weeks we got to know her better, gave her food, prayed with her. I took her story at face value.

Not long after, Diane and I moved into Room 36 at the Ranger, beginning our journey of living among our friends. One night, I walked a few blocks to buy a bottle of wine at the local liquor store. I ran into Sheri on Colfax. Eyes big, she looked at me and in a shocked voice said, “What are you doing here?” I explained about living at the Ranger, wanting to be among our friends. As I headed back, I noticed she had moved to the other side of Colfax.

The next time I saw her, she told me why she was “out there”—the life she was living, a life on Colfax. Details aren’t necessary, but understand that a life on Colfax circles around drugs, sex, violence and bad companions. Little good happens on Colfax.

Like many of our friends, she floated in and out of our circles. I have story after story from that journey with her. Sometimes she was on the street, often in one of the motels. I would see her regularly, out walking Colfax. Sometimes she wanted to engage, other times not.

One day, when I hadn’t seen her in months, as I was walking Colfax, praying over the street and the motels, I spotted her a half block ahead. Her face lit up and she ran to me, almost jumping into my arms to give me a big hug. Good friends, we were happy to see each other!

Some time ago, she landed at the Radiant Inn, living there, doing some room cleaning to help pay rent. When we opened the Family Room, a place where she and others could come, she became a regular, there every time we were open. She took classes, did crafts, came to Bible Study. We saw her fledgling faith in Jesus grow as she became a deeper part of that community, actively participating in Bible Study. She started changing in front of our eyes.

“Because you (JOC) are here, I’m not out there.” I have heard her say the same now multiple times.

Seven years of knowing her, loving her, praying with her, simply being friends with her. Progress is slow here, we see that all the time. A friend calls what we do, “slow-drip discipleship.” In this moment, those slow drips of love have led to a bright moment for Sheri.

The Family Room was and is a key part of her journey off Colfax. The space at the Radiant has taken our mission to show up and love people to another level, creating community and a deeper focus to our work. That happened for Sheri. It is happening with others. Having “a place to come to” was a key piece of her not being “out there”, not living the Colfax life.

Our dream for our building was that it would be “a place to come to.” As God has closed that door (see below for a building update), He opened up the Radiant Inn Family Room instead.  A place to come to. Then, in a way that is truly miraculous, He opened the door to start another Family Room at the Riviera Motel. We are just getting started there and are excited. Another place to come to. The Riviera and the Radiant are about a mile and half apart. Most of our friends are car-less, so this makes what we do accessible to more people in close proximity to where they live and hang out.

But there is more. The owner of the Riviera is actively partnering with us and has offered us the use of a small bar on her property (in the picture above), empty for many years. That would give us more space to do the Family Room and partner with our friends. In addition, it will mean that our friend and partner Greg Salinas will be able to bring in “A Seat At The Table BBQ,” a creative restaurant that will serve rich and poor alike, and also offer job training for the marginalized. Another place to come to. Almost like Jesus has moved us from one big place for people to come to and is now giving us multiple, intimate places to come to.

We have a lot going on at JOC, with many opportunities to expand and deepen our work, too much to cover right now. But here are a few things we would love to have prayer for:

• Pray for the sale of the building. We just signed a contract to sell it. Pray for the process and details of that to work out. It will take several months to actually close. We will keep you posted.

• Pray for us as we really need to add another Street Pastor to our small staff and team. Pray as we work on finding enough money for that. Consider making a monthly gift directed to the Family Room for that purpose. 

• Pray for the bar project. We are working on a lease agreement and then will have some rehab we need to do. We will need volunteers to help with the rehab. Consider if that is a way you could help. 

Jesus is on the move on Colfax, using JOC to change lives. We are very excited by that, especially excited today for Sheri, and for Jesus opening doors to create “places to come to.”

Blessings,

Shawn

*Name and some details changed to protect identity.