www.ConvoyBaltimore.org
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| What it's all about...
Saturday's Convoy of Hope was a total success. Some may ask, how do we measure success for an event like this? Do we measure it by how easy the set up was or how smoothly the event went? Well, let's hope not, because after one inch of rain, 11 stuck vehicles, power shortages, slow set up, many last minute adjustments and mud mud mud everywhere, some would have to say this event wasn't a great success. So how then do we measure success? We measure it by the people who were served. Jesus gave us the two most important commandments of all time, for all people: Love God and Love Others. At the Baltimore Convoy of Hope thousands of demonstrations of these two most important commandments were lived out! Here's how we measure success:
- 1000 people served in Haircuts
- 375 families received portraits
- 80+ churches were involved
- 22 churches will be conducting follow up
- 70+ participating organizations
- 1101 volunteers
- 1100+ children heard the gospel and enjoyed the Kidz Zone
- 80,000lbs of groceries were given away
- 2600+ guests received personal prayer
- 110+ decisions for Christ
- 3052 Guests attended and witnessed first hand the love of Christ.
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More than just numbers...
Numbers are great, but they don't tell the countless stories. Like this quote from a couple of Baltimore City Police Officers who were on duty, "You don't understand, this is our beat. We see this neighborhood everyday, and we have never experienced this kind of peace." "This place, from one side of the park to the other, is usually filled with all kinds of crime and violence. It was such a pleasure, for once, to see everyone getting along."
Or the story of a 22 year old woman from the Dominican Republic who attended the Health Services tent. She is an illegal alien and came to the US in hopes of receiving much needed medical care. Seven years ago she was working on her family farm when her hair was caught in a machine, ripping her scalp so severely she almost died. Saturday's at the outreach she met compassionate volunteers who directed her to a local church who has a team of social workers. She attended that church this morning and met one of these social workers who, along with a local doctor, evaluated her on the spot, prescribed her antibiotics for a severe infection and will be setting up free medical treatment that will hopefully include plastic surgery.
These are just two of the many stories. Tell your story and share your photos here!
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A word from our local coordinator...
What an incredible outreach this turned out to be. I would have never anticipated what we experienced. If I can be transparent for moment, I'd have to say that on Thursday afternoon, when we were setting up in the down pouring rain, I found myself facing disappointment and frustration. Trucks were sinking in the saturated ground, volunteers were struggling just to walk, and set up was going painfully slow. I stepped aside for a few moments to talk to the Lord. "This would be a lot easier if you would just shut off the rain and dry up this field. We've worked so hard for months and something as trivial as precipitation is now dictating the failure or success of this outreach. I feel awful for our set up team and will feel even worse for our volunteers on Saturday and for our guests if they have to tromp around in this mess." I closed out my little complaint session with Jesus by looking down at the ground and asking for the rain to stop over night.
I showed up bright and early Friday morning to more rain. Sitting in my car my heart sank like those trucks. Then in a flash, the Lord reminded me of several times in the Bible where there were situations that looked impossible or tough, but He was in control. A man being tossed into a lions den, three boys being tossed into a furnace of fire, a boy being sold into slavery and then imprisoned falsely. An entire nation facing slaughter on the shores of a raging sea, a prophet outnumbered by the prophets of Baal, a shepherd boy squaring off with a warrior giant on the battle field. God taking on the form of a carpenter's son who went around teaching a new way of life and healing multitudes and then enduring a mockery of a trial. That trial then leading to a cruel crucifixion and death.
These images passed though my mind as I sat in my car on a day when we were to be setting up for the "perfect" outreach. Then the Lord gently reminded me that in all of those stories, He came through and He was glorified. I realized then that it didn't matter if it stopped raining. What mattered was getting this outreach site done and making it a place where He could be glorified through His people. And that is exactly what the Baltimore Convoy of Hope turned out to be. It was an experience for our guests that demonstrated the love and grace of God in tangible ways. The muddy field actually went from being a problem to an element of witness. Our guests kept saying over and over "I can't believe you are all out here in this mess to show us love." God knows what He's doing. In an area of Baltimore that hasn't fully recovered from the MLK riots, we were able to bring love, help and hope. One community leader said "This area has seen
nothing but murder, addiction and loss. Today I think many people are waking up to a new reality of hope and love.This area will never be the same."
I'd like to thank our leadership team for all of their incredible work to make this outreach possible. It was so amazing to work with such talented and compassionate people. Thanks is also due to the many organizations and businesses for your involvement and contributions towards this effort. Your generosity is incredible! I would also like to thank the 1101 volunteers that braved the mud and came out to serve. You didn't just "get by" and wait for the outreach to be over. You served your hearts out! I saw smiles and laughter and hard work all day. I saw you helping our guests walk, I saw you wrapping thousands of hot dogs to serve, I saw you playing with children to brighten their day. More importantly, Jesus saw you. I think that your service Saturday is one of the things that will prompt Jesus to say "Well done good and faithful servant...". You brought hope to needy people who have been hurt and cast aside. This may have been a one day event, but make no
mistake about it, the fruit from this outreach will remain for eternity. Don't be surprised if in Heaven someone taps you on the shoulder and tells you the story of how they attended an outreach at Clifton park in 2009 and saw the love of God in action. How they were loved like never before and how either on that day or in the weeks that followed, they surrendered their lives to the God of those compassionate and muddy volunteers.
Serving Him,
Kelly Harrison
Local Coordinator for the Baltimore Convoy of Hope
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