Western Region Teens in Action - South Central LA - Testimonies - Yes North America

Western Region Teens in Action - South Central LA

by Katrina Bitar
Western Region Youth Director

Someone once said that if your faith is struggling… if you are feeling weak and wavering… go feed the hungry. You are sure to find God there. Whoever said that left one thing out, and that is that no matter how strong your faith is, and no matter how clearly you are able to see God in your life, nothing makes for a clearer picture than spending time with the poor and needy. And most importantly, taking your children with you to do so.

My life was blessed in countless ways when I was privileged enough to be part of one of the best teams I was ever a part of. This group of teens and adults was one community with one purpose: To serve in whatever way was needed, and in return, to realize the many ways that we are both blessed and needy.

Who said that just because you have no money or food that somehow you lack more than I do? The greatest thing that the teens and I realized those 3 days was how thankfully and sacrificially these people without homes lived. While eating breakfast with a man from the street, one of the teens said that this man was offering them some of his meal. Another group said that a woman they were eating with initiated the blessing of the food, and proceeded to talk about the wonderful ways that God works in her life throughout the meal.

Our faith was strengthened because we were inspired by the faith of those who you may assume would be angry or bitter. But no! They were thankful, prayerful, gracious, loving, and full of wisdom of the Gospel!

I will be very straightforward here: YOUTH WORKERS: IF YOU ARE NOT STUDYING SCRIPTURE AND SERVING THE POOR WITH YOUR TEENS, THAN YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT OF YOUR MINISTRY.

Imagine a normal day being the following:

Wake up.
Take a homeless person to breakfast.
Study scripture.
Serve at a homeless shelter.
Visit a retirement home.
Spend time at an after-school program.
Go to sleep.
Wake up and repeat.

It was through our “normal” weekend that we came to know what should be normal for us every day. “He who closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself cry out and not be heard.” - Proverbs 21:13

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