The rain fell lightly, as a gentle wind caressed the leaves and branches of a green maple tree. From the window, partly covered by the undulating maple leaves, the street corner portrayed the daily routine of life on a block in North Philadelphia. Cars rumbled by, their stereos grumbling with subwoofers and traps, singing in Spanish or bragging about a wealthy lifestyle. Salsa and samba alternated with reggaeton and gangsta rap, hip-hop and latino folk songs. The street corner, much like the maple in the window, bobbed and swayed, swelling and contracting with life. Snippets of conversations let themselves be eavesdropped, as the people possessed by the dialogue were carried past the corner. Cars, children, guys, girls, fireworks, music, sounds, silence, rain and wind were carried to the corner, then carried away.
Or at least, it felt that way. The house, belonging to the window in front of the maple tree, was like a ship in a sea of life and culture. So much navigating, and yet no one seems to leave this neighborhood. In fact, the house-ship doesn’t move at all; its sailors and crew left their ports to board it, in the middle of this multicultural sea. There’s a children’s song in Italy that talks about Jesus and our boat:
Io ho una barca che naviga sul mar,
e Gesu’ Cristo e’ il capitan…
I marinai che stanno accanto a lui
han lavato il loro cuore col sangue di Gesu’…
Se non fosse stato per il Signor,
la mia anima si sarebbe persa,
se non fosse stato per il Signor.
~ ~ ~
I have a boat that floats on the sea,
and Jesus Christ is the Captain…
The sailors next to Him
have washed their heart with His blood…
If it hadn’t been for the Lord,
my soul would have been lost,
if it hadn’t been for the Lord.
Often life feels like a tumultuous sea, upset and angry, with little certainty on the horizon, and all navigation hopeless. As I look through the window in front of the maple tree, at the people and life pulsating outside, I remember that I am a sailor that not only boarded this house-ship, the Urban Hope Balmer Building, but I am foremost a sailor who has had his heart washed with the blood of Jesus.
Myself, as well as several other sailors, have come to work for the Summer Medical Institute (SMI). During training for the upcoming three weeks, we have received training to facilitate improving the well-being of the inhabitants of the surrounding North Philly neighborhoods.
Ultimately however, our desire is to share with these people how Jesus wishes to wash their hearts with His blood – just like He did for us – and become the Captain of their vessel.
One of the recent training sessions touched the subject of making people fishers of men, with reference to the allegorical vision of William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army. In his vision, survivors who have escaped from a raging sea are mostly oblivious to people still trapped in the waves, and he rallies those saved to jump back and save those drowning. The image brought to mind the above song, which I got to sing while attending children’s camps in Italy.
We have the chance to provide physical care and love, an opportunity for sharing about our divine Captain, who gave Himself for us and these people. I confess that I am inadequate and unqualified for this; the same captain that saved me, I will have to rely upon for strength and grace to carry out His commandment. If it had not been for the Lord, my soul would have been lost.
– Jordan Aguirre