The heart of this vision is the people behind the doors at C-grade apartment communities like Willow Pond. That is the reason Behind Every Door exists. We want to know the stories, build friendships, meet needs, serve, bless, and be a part of winning friends to Jesus and the unshakable Kingdom of God. We have already met many new friends--including lots of kids. Many of the stories are difficult and the circumstances messy...often heartbreaking. And to think that we can bring help and hope...it is a high privilege and huge honor.
I was reminded of the heart of this vision a few weeks ago when I got a call that Linda Wilson went home to Heaven. Linda was a resident at the apartments in California where I worked. She was very much alone in life. She came to a Wednesday sharing and prayer meeting one week and announced she had 6 months to live. She cried and we cried. And then I watched as many in the room that night proceeded to care for her, drive her to appointments and love her over the next couple years. I think of the "stretcher-bearers" who brought the sick man to Jesus through the roof. That is what they were.
Linda came into my office one day a few weeks after she told us the bad news. She wanted to be baptized. And so me and a pastor friend began to teach her about baptism...and then we baptized her in our backyard several weeks later. Over 80 friends, many from the apartments, joined us for a great celebration. I've never seen so much meat on one grill! I shared that night the words of a friend of mine...who said that one day, for all of us, " our body will fall off ." Well, Linda's body fell off a few weeks back. She was surrounded by community...friends, prayer and song.
That is the heart of the vision. People like Linda Wilson . And Jesus can do amazing things--like turn historically dark apartments filled with many isolated individuals...into a community. Linda was alone in a studio apartment. And then a group of friends at a random C-grade apartment community got to be a small part of her coming to Jesus. And now she stands face-to-face with Love Himself. Good news indeed.
--Dean Wilson
