“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:17-18

This past weekend, Pam and I were down in Montego Bay for the annual Jamaica Link Ministry board meeting. JLM is the mission organization we have partnered with for the last 10 years in our ongoing mission to the students and parents of Cornwall Mountain. For the last three years I have served on their board.

Well, JLM’s mission compound is just a few steps from the Caribbean sea, right next to one of only three public beaches in all of Montego Bay. It’s called the Hip Strip and the atmosphere is friendly and festive. It’s where all of the locals go for swimming, and in the evenings to hang out, play music, drink, smoke, catch a refreshing sea breeze, watch the sunset, and otherwise “chill” Jamaican style. Consequently, it draws a very diverse crowd, including many homeless and panhandlers.

Sunday late afternoon, Pam and I were returning from an excursion into town. As we were walking down the hip strip, greeting people but also deflecting locals who were trying to sell us handcrafts and other Jamaican goods, a young man walked past us briskly and Pam said,

“Good afternoon, how are you?” “Hungry.” He said it matter of factly, not demanding or expectant as he continued down the street.

Pam stiffened and stopped, turning around to look after him. She paused. She had that look in her eye. “I think we should feed him.” She said. I said, “That’s funny, I think we probably SHOULDN’T.” We were in a hurry and had to shower and get ready for our own dinner date with friends and we were already running late.

“HEY!” she yelled out, waving her hand.

“Oh no, no, NO…” I think… “just great. Every homeless person within two blocks is going to accost us.”

The young man turned and trotted back to us. I squirm uncomfortably, but put on my game face. “Hi, my name is Steve…” I say, reaching out my hand.

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His name is Adrian, and he’s 28 years old. It turns out he works part-time as an exterminator, but business has been slow. His family lives up in the mountains, and he has difficulty arranging transportation into MoBay. Sometimes he gets to town and there is no work, and he has no money to get home. This was one of those days, and he has had nothing to eat.

Pam has to leave to get ready for our evening, but we take Adrian next door to an outdoor bar and order him a meal to go…jerk chicken, rice and peas, festival (a Jamaican biscuit), salad, and a bottle of Tropicana. As we sit and chat, waiting for the meal, he looks at my tee shirt. It’s our last year ministry shirt, with an outline of Jamaica, a cross and the words, “Serving Jamaica, Serving Jesus.” He looks at me and says with absolute sweetness and sincerity, “Could you tell me more about Jesus?”

“I would be happy to…,” I smile.

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God’s mission is all around us. How it is that God’s Spirit would identify one young man in the midst of a sea of need and then prompt Pam to respond, I cannot say. All I know is that one person was tuned into God’s agenda, and one person was tuned into his own agenda. In that moment, one person was listening and one was wrapped up in himself. But a good, compassionate, and gracious God, was sovereign over all.

Are you open for a divine interruption today? And if He put an opportunity in your path, would you see it?