Where is the love?

Last night was our last shelter night of "the season". I don't know why there even *is* a "season". Is there some memo that goes out to the homeless people that at the end of May, nobody is homeless? (I missed that memo.) So don't even get me started on the season. It makes no sense to me.

I am both greatly relieved and also deeply saddened to be done. Coordinating the site was a major pain, I'm not gonna lie to you. But it was also a great experience for me and my family. It really helped me focus on all the good things I have in my life and everything I have to be grateful for, even when things are tough for us with no relief on the horizon.

I'm not sure our old church has the same passion for community service that my family has. It seemed to be a struggle each month to get adequate food and help for the shelter. In the end it was always outsiders, not church members who came through for us. This led to some deep feelings of what I will kindly call disenchantment with our old church. Hence, it is the old church and we have moved on to a new church whose passions and views align more closely with our own. As a matter of fact, our new church is the group that bailed us out last night when we came up short on food donations. Our new Pastor even cooked for us and brought over food that his family donated! Whereas, when I asked our old church if they could have our old Pastor make an announcement from the pulpit that we desperately needed help, I was told no because they save him "for the big stuff." Excuse me? We had 70 people at the shelter last night who were hungry and didn't have a place to call home. How does that not constitute "big stuff"?

A few of the guests last night were little ones. Small children, about Moose's age. I was setting the tables for dinner when I saw the families outside waiting to come in and I couldn't help but cry. That could be us with our little guy. It could have easily been us. I don't understand why the members of our old church community weren't more generous with their time and resources. Since we are not going to be attending our old church and since I feel so disappointed with trying to lead people towards compassion when they have no desire to do so, I will not be back as the old church's coordinator. Of course I didn't tell them that, I told them I might be moving so I was stepping down. Which is totally true - we still don't know where we'll land permanently. I'll instead be helping the shelter ministry through our new church while we're here in Naperville for as long as that may be. I'm happy that we will still have the opportunity to "have compassion, making a difference" by putting shoes on Christ's love and bringing it to people who need it.

I popped in to check and make sure everything was cleaned up and all the leftover food had been distributed to needy families in our community this morning. As I pulled out of the parking lot heading home, the Black Eyed Peas shuffled up on my iPod. And just like them, I'm wondering...where is the love?

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love, the love, the love?

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction...
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found
Now ask yourself

Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love?