Clown Ministry or Ministry-While-Clowning

[Joko the Clown]

Tonight I was twisting balloons in plain clothes outside of Albuquerque's best magic shop, The Magic Juggler, www.magicjugglershop.com in Nob Hill, a totally secular situation, mostly for passerbys and patrons of the bars and restaurants on Central Avenue. I do this occasionally, just for tips and good feelings. There was really nothing going on there, just a cool November night.

I had a little money in my hat already. A couple of families and some college students had been very generous. I had made a little brown bear for a homeless guy who was apologizing to me for not having any money to give me. I told him it wasn't really about the money. I was thinking, I might be close to broke myself, but I at least had a warm place to go tonight, with a high-speed internet connection!

A lady had come outside from the steakhouse next door. She said she didn't want a balloon, she had just wanted to watch me do my thing. At the time she was the only person around, so I told her I didn't have a choice but to make something for her. As I started filling a white 260, and making a teddy bear for her, she said that tonight was her husband's 50th birthday, but this morning his doctor told him he had cancer. He was meeting her there at the restaurant when he was done at the office. I did my best to say something comforting, and I told her to pray a lot. She laughed and said she had just recently started praying again and look what happened! Her husband gets this diagnosis on his 50th birthday! I said that God's ways are not our ways, that His thoughts are higher than ours, as far from ours as the East is from the West, and that none of us will ever understand what happens to us on this side of heaven. But one day we will look down from Heaven and see all the connections for everything we ever did or that happened to us and it will all make sense, but for now we just have to put our faith in something higher than ourselves. I gave her the teddy bear and a heart-and-flower to give to her husband and to tell him that she loves him every day. She thanked me for giving her some peace and for taking her mind off her situation for a moment. She placed a five in my hat and went back inside the restaurant to wait.

I have been talking a bit lately about starting a balloon/magic ministry. I have been praying about it and asking Jesus to let my balloons and magic give Him glory. I asked God to use my hands in whatever way he needed them. I have asked the Holy Spirit to guide me to where I needed to be.

Tonight, I think my ministry has begun.

[Nettie Belle]

That is a very touching and loving story. I think God wanted you there for that lady. You know, angels come in all sizes and forms ... you could be the angel she needed to comfort her and relieve some of her stress.

I often wonder about things in our lifetime too, but, like you said, someday, we will be able to figure it all out.

I love this posting ... it is definitely from your heart, and your ministry HAS begun. You know, it takes one baby step at a time to walk a hundred miles, and I think you have started walking!!

God bless you, and please keep us posted on your happenings.

By the way, Albuquerque is my FAVORITIST city in the USA. I almost moved there about 35 years ago, but it never materialized. It is beautiful there; you are very fortunate and blessed to be there.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful story.

[Bonkers #361]

I totally agree that god gives us situations. I wanted to start clowning after I lost my job. I did not have any money and every time I passed a sign to visit my grandfather it was flashing clown school I called and I could not afford it. 1 week before the school started I ran into the childrens minster at my church and we talked and he was telling me he had watched me on my previous job working with kids (toys R Us) and I had something special a connection or something. I joked telling him I am still a child and that I will never grow up and I walked on. That monday when I opened the mailbox was a check to cover my bills that were behind and enough for me to go to clown school. I realize that god has given me this to work with kids and to minister to them. I called the school and they had a couple of openings left. I just ran into my childrens pastor the other day again and he did not have a clue who I was he told me that I look fimular but he could not place where he knew me ( I go to a very large church ) I told him about the conversation we had and he did not even remember talking to me I told him that I felt god was leading me in that direction of clown ministry and he was excited saying that he had wanted to start start a clown ministry but could not find any clowns in our church

God does move us and points us in the right path

[Ruby]

What an inspiration to us all. It's what we do! Bless you. May we all have these experiences.

[kellygnc]

I have been praying about it and asking Jesus to let my balloons and magic give Him glory. I asked God to use my hands in whatever way he needed them. I have asked the Holy Spirit to guide me to where I needed to be.

Praise the lord it sounds like your on your way. do you ever volunteer for christian ministries? i have some friends who work with hundreds of children in NM and i think you would be able to help each other.

let me know if this sounds like something your interested in!

[Granny Grace]

I just love it when God engineers our circumstances and allows us to know that he indeed is using us. What a blessing!

[Firefly]

I've always believed that God puts us in places and other people's lives for a reason. You've just validated that. God Bless

[Firefly]

This is so God working through you. It's a "God thing" -- good for you to let the Holy Spirit work through you. Most people just say something silly like "everything will be all right" (me included). But, as you say His ways are not our ways.