A Contemporary Acts 16 Journey

By Jean Dwyer, Christ Church Woodbury

The story of the beloved couple continues to bless me, and connects me with God on His journey of never ceasing adventures.

Over the holidays, as I was taking inventory of the Christmas baskets our church put together (23 in total) for Casa Maria, my pastor asked if we had any extra warm clothing and blankets for a couple who stop by church from time to time. They live in their car at a rest area off I-94, not too far from Stillwater and Woodbury. I managed to find a few items, and we took them to the couple who were sitting in their car in the church parking lot, waiting patiently. We also took them a gas and a grocery card.

They introduced themselves, shared the story of how they have been homeless for months, waiting to get Section eight housing. When my pastor and I went back into the church, I mentioned that it was half-off day at a local consignment store and that I felt the need to go and buy a few items for the couple. She thought she knew what rest area they were staying at. I asked her to join me on a road trip once I got some warmer clothes and a few gift cards.

I went off to the consignment store, sent my husband off to Great Clips to get a gift card so both could get haircuts, and a gift card for pizza. In the meantime, my pastor worked with her husband (a pastor who works in
Wisconsin). Two days later, we were off. On the drive we talked about Acts 16:6-10, where Paul is traveling in one direction, only to be redirected by the Holy Spirit. We both felt that we were being led by the Holy Spirit since neither one of us knew where, exactly, the rest area was located, only relying on the directions from my pastor’s husband. This journey did not just involve two people, but many individuals. A community of believers jumped at the opportunity to help us come alongside this beloved couple.

When we arrived at the rest area, we cautiously approached the front welcome area where there was a MDOT employee working. My pastor asked if he knew this couple. He hesitated at first, and once my pastor told him she was clergy and that this couple has been stopping by our church for the last nine months, he was more than eager to help us. He agreed to take the packages we brought, along with the gift cards. He had us place them in a backroom until the couple showed up. We were so relieved by this young man’s trust in us, and his willingness to go “against the rules” to make sure this couple would receive these items. We left the rest area feeling there was still goodness and humanity in our world even though it is sometimes hard to see. We didn’t get to see the couple that day, but in January they showed up at church on a Sunday, knowing they would see both my pastor and me.

It was a cold, sad Saturday, the day after Alex Pretti was shot. It seemed like everyone at church was down, and rightfully so. I was headed down for coffee hour, when I turned and there was our pastor, and our beloved couple talking in the narthex. I sat and talked with them. They stopped by to thank us for the warm clothes and gift cards. They also wanted to show us their haircuts, and to return the pizza gift card, since they don’t like pizza! How humbling it was that they were returning a gift card – something they could have bartered or sold to someone else living at the same rest stop but instead felt it necessary to return it to us.

Our beloved couple joined us downstairs along with other folks for coffee hour. Many of our parishioners joined their table that morning, introduced themselves, and welcomed them to our church. The story of the beloved couple continues to bless me, and connects me with God on His journey of never ceasing adventures. Our parishioners continue to ask about them: how they are doing,? One family regularly contributes a gift for haircuts. This is ministry, ACTs of discipleship, and the opportunity to participate in God’s kingdom on earth.