Jesus is also a Social Worker.

My little sister, Talia, is in Australia at what I like to call: Bible Boot Camp.

Last week she studied Acts, and then she kinda changed my life.

Acts is like the account of the first church getting started.
Acts is happening right after Jesus ascending to heaven, and the apostles are basically starting what we now call- Christianity.
And I love what these guys were going for:

Acts 4: 34-36
And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

So, they made sure to 'Stop World Hunger' off jump. They literally sold their houses so that everyone could eat. Waytago, guys!

But then, these Hellenists dudes came to the apostles and complained that their widows weren't getting any of the digs.

This part of the story makes me happy because in Haiti, when we were feeding the kids at the park everyday, we would get bombarded with people that were mad that we weren't feeding them too. Cause errrrrbody be hungry in Haiti.

One time, while I was walking into the park with the bags of to-go containers full of rice and beans, a guy walked up to me, blocked me from moving, opened up the bag and just took one. Then we just stared at each other. I couldn't decide what was happening- Am I letting this guy steal from me, or I am feeding someone who is just that desperate? I finally just made him say thank you, before I walked away without my lunch.

Another time we had a gang of street men yelling and screaming at my Social Workers, threatening to "beat" all of our kids once we left if we didn't feed them too.

NO ONE would translate what was happening to me during the screaming, because they all knew I would have gone ghetto-mama-bear on those jerks which might have gotten us killed.

I had two Social Workers quit that day.

So, I am glad that Acts has an account of people being mad that they aren't getting some too. That's real.
What the apostles decided to do was appoint seven guys to "serve tables" because they needed to get back to praying and telling people about Jesus, and they were spending ALL of their time dealing with the craziness of poverty.
So, these seven appointed guys went out into the community, evaluated the needs of the people, and distributed the goods appropriately.
In 2014, we call this community outreach, these seven guys were basically social workers for Jesus' very first church.

When I first started Haiti Mama, I got some slack because I had no intention of verbal evangelism.

I wanted to say:
"But, that's not what God is calling me to do! If God wanted someone to go to Haiti to preach, He wouldn't be calling me. He's telling me to do social work in Haiti, he's calling me there because I am a Social Worker! Doesn't God need social workers too?
If I walk up to someone who is hungry, homeless, and hopeless and say "Jesus loves you, and can save you." won't they except some sort of results like... now?
We're not really suggesting that as long as they go to heaven after they die of starvation we've done enough, are we? Doesn't Christianity know about Maslow's hierarchy of needs? What Maslow calls self-actualization is what Christians call salvation. Same concept, folks!
Maslow proved that people have to have their basic needs met before they can focus on their spiritual needs. Someone who is starving isn't going to give a crap about the random dude I say can save them, unless this random dude is going to make something happen right now."

But I didn't say that... because I was afraid someone would argue that it was indeed more important for them to HEAR the name of Jesus than anything else. And I wanted to believe that Jesus pulling you out of the trash pile your sleeping in, putting food in your belly, and a smile on your face was just as important.
I needed to believe that God wanted social workers, too.

After drilling Acts into her brain, Talia FINALLY made the commitment to come alongside me in Haiti and she taught me what she had learned about the original church, She taught me that they sent seven men out to do community outreach and make sure no one was hungry, what they called: serving tables. She taught me that the very first little church was essentially fundraising, and then feeding people!
Hellller! Halleluiah!

Talia said:
"When they said serve tables in this case it means administrative matters. Which is totally what you are doing in Haiti Mama. You are Serving the Tables. You are going out to the people and dealing with administrative matters. You are the one evaluating the need and seeing how you can distribute the goods.
For my role- I feel as if I'm the one who’s devoted to prayer and ministering the Word."

This week, God taught me that He has always needed social workers, and that He agrees with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Because now that we have met the physical needs of our families, He's sending in Talia, the evangelist to tell them all about the Bible.

And they will be ready to listen because this Jesus guy has been keeping their bellies full...