Boise

Country: United States
State or province: Idaho

Team Leader
Lucy Stamm
Contact

Admin
Login

Team Badges

One body in Christ - 2020-01-12

January 19, 2020

One body in Christ, the Boise Catholic street evangelization effort continues, thanks to your prayers. Two evangelists were available last week.

A mother and her little son (perhaps 4 year old) were heading across the square toward the hockey arena. The little boy was interested in a free Rosary. His mother implied she already had one at home. The boy chose a black Rosary, and his mother accepted its pamphlet. They then headed back across the square, where they met up with the dad, just coming out of the hockey rink.

Two tall teenagers with bad complexions answered our offer of a free Rosary. Minimally Christian, they listened to a short explanation of the devotion, and the encouragement to “sit down and try it.”

A tall thin man, smoking a cigarette and apparently housing challenged, stopped briefly. His voice did not match his size and we could barely understand him. It seemed that he was already Catholic, new to the area, and attended Mass at a nearby parish. He accepted a Rosary and its brochure.

Then, for several long minutes, there was not a pedestrian in sight. The evangelists started praying the Rosary, and groups of people poured out of the buildings on the other side of the square. Some eventually made their way past our table.

A couple in their late teens or early 20s were holding hands and grinning widely. Evangelist Chuck offered them a Rosary, and they came to our table. Each chose a Rosary and accepted the pamphlet. Chuck encouraged them to pray it together.

A woman stopped for a Rosary and pamphlet. She told us she was in RCIA and took her daughter to Mass when she could. She was very enthusiastic about becoming Catholic. We encouraged her to pray the Rosary with her daughter. “If one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Cor 12:26b).

Two teens who looked familiar stopped and said they had received Rosaries from us some time ago. One boy had glued his to his skateboard. (sigh) We emphasized the Rosaries were not decorations, but were a path to a deeper relationship with God Himself. They thanked us for handing out Rosaries in the cold.

A man passing on a bicycle. On hearing our offer of a free Rosary, he pointed to the yellow one hanging from his handlebars, evidently received from us some time ago.

“Amir” was our last visitor. He is a fallen-away Catholic refugee from an embattled country overseas, where Christianity is actively persecuted. From his youth, he said, the country has been at war and the Christian community persecuted. He got away ten years ago, but a lot of his Christian family members stayed in their villages, only to be burned out of their homes and churches by a radical group from the dominant religion. These family members are now scattered as refugees in various countries in the region. Amir no longer goes to church, and now seems agnostic on the existence of God, because so many prayers of his people went unanswered. God never stopped the violence and persecution, he said. Amir now concentrates on being “a good person”. He accepted our sympathy but did not want our encouragement to return to Faith, nor did he accept the offered helpful reading. It sounded like he hears enough of this call back to the Church from his family. He warned us of the dangers of the dominant religion in his country, and we offered him God’s blessings. “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Cor 12:26a ).

Foot traffic was very light, but the two evangelists still gave away perhaps 10 Rosaries and its booklet.

Please pray for us again today. Ask God to send people to us prepared to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and His Holy Catholic Church, and that much good fruit for His Kingdom comes of today’s efforts.

Recognizing we’re one body in Christ, we extend His love to each one we meet. So, thank you again for your prayers and other support for this apostolate. In turn, may God protect and greatly bless you and all those you love!

“Go with the strength you have“ (Judg 6:14).