Big Macs and Bologna Sandwiches : Repost 2007

Throughout the entire week last week I was in serious conflict with making my way to the mission field downtown. While I have encountered some financial setbacks involving paying off bills, I have had difficulty making the means to pay for the trip in gas and time. The Lord has given clear instruction to "sell all your possessions" and "follow me." In doing this, once we have become his, he now owns everything we once "owned." Now we have the dilemma of being good stewards of what the Lord allows us to have. Whether this is actually a "dilemma" is another story indeed, but more or less boils down to a matter of obedience or rebellion to the Lord's commands.

That being established, things changed considerably in my agenda as of Friday afternoon. Working at one of the major fast food chains in the world (McDonald's) I often see 100's of pounds of food wasted every day. This food is not wasted just cause, but in the facet of quality and service. This food that is wasted on a regular basis troubles my conscience when I witness it being done, or have to do it myself. The significance of this is the event that occurred that changed my plans. In the crew room of the restaurant I observed some 75-80 wasted Big Mac buns. These buns had just recently expired two days prior (according to the freshness date). To me this is not justified and the food should be used to some extent. My steps then changed from going home and relaxing and doing some studies to asking permission to take the wasted buns and make sandwiches for the homeless in Detroit's Hart Plaza.

A co-worker of mine named "Elissa" (for anonymity sake) decided she would come with me to help make sandwiches. This was a glorious opportunity because Elissa, is unsaved and does not know what it is to be born again. The fast, hectic, and stressful environment in the work place does not usually provide for the atmosphere that would be conducive to witnessing. However, the steps that took place after allowed us to go to Calvary Baptist Church in Romulus after purchasing ten packages of bologna, four packs of cheese, and a box of sandwich baggies. We were able to utilize their kitchen and space to make 75 bologna sandwiches. The time we spent there allowed for good conversation and progress to take place, our friendship outside of the workplace as begun to slowly develop aside from the usual teamwork necessary to manage a restaurant. I pray that the Lord uses the seed that was sown and allows further witnessing opportunities in the future, as well as future chances to fellowship with believers to show the glorious power of the gospel that can change someones life. Something everyone needs, but doesn't necessarily receive. She has expressed interest in further discussion and desires to know more about Jesus.

This was only the beginning of the night....