Mercy in Madison Park

When Pete Todd and a group of men embarked on a Mercy Project last month, they looked forward to painting fences, beautifying a local neighborhood and getting their hands dirty. Little did they know, they would walk away with something much more rewarding than a few painted fences at the end of the day.

A member of Saddleback Church since 1998, Pete and his family had been involved in small groups and various ministries for years. He’d always enjoyed working with Saddleback Men and encouraging other men to get involved. When a recent opportunity arose for a group from Saddleback Men to beautify the Madison Park neighborhood of Santa Ana, he quickly agreed to join in.

Just before 8:00 AM on a warm Saturday morning, Pete and the group met to begin their work. There were nearly 20 of them, all varying in age, each with their own backgrounds, talents and stories. One guy brought his 6-year-old daughter to help out. Several of them had learned about the project after attending a men’s event at Saddleback and expressing interest in volunteering. A few knew each other, but many were meeting for the first time.

The diverse group gathered to discuss the day’s agenda, which would include cleaning, prepping and painting wrought iron exterior fences. They said a quick prayer and got to work.

Glancing around, Pete took in his surroundings — a pretty tree-lined street with older apartments and duplexes.  An elementary school sat nearby, and graffiti was crudely scrawled across several buildings. Though the neighborhood wasn’t exactly run down, it definitely needed a little TLC. A few kids wandered out to play, but the place was otherwise quiet.

As the morning progressed, Pete and the team kept busy. A few residents came outside to chat with the men.  Drugs and criminal activity, they learned, had been a growing problem on the street for the past several years.

“The neighborhood completely changes at night,” one resident said. “We’ve had nine murders on this street in the past three years.”

Pete shook his head in disbelief. Nine murders in three years on this quiet street! Though he’d grown up in nearby Tustin, Pete had never visited this part of Santa Ana. It seemed hard to believe that Madison Park, a short twenty minute distance from Saddleback Church, was home to so much crime and tragedy.

An older man emerged from his apartment, and Pete introduced himself.

“I’m Frank,” the man said. In his mid 70s, Frank was very sharply dressed and looked as if he could still work a 10-hour day. With a kind but weary smile, he began telling his story.

“I was married for 56 years to my beautiful wife Lorraine,” he said wistfully. “We met and wed very young. Lorraine grew ill, and for 17 years, I carried her upstairs to our second-story apartment.” He pulled out a photo of Lorraine in her younger years and showed it to Pete. “She was a beauty,” he said with a sigh. “Had a figure like a violin.”

Lorraine had passed away just two short months before. Frank’s grief was still fresh, and he needed someone to talk to. Pete and the guys were happy to listen.

“Where are you from?” Frank asked.

Pete explained that they were part of a Mercy Project with Saddleback Church. Frank said he attended a church of his own. Before parting ways, Pete and the guys prayed outside with him, asking God to comfort him in his time of grief.

By noon, the gang had completed their projects. Once-peeling fences were now freshly painted, and the ugly graffiti on the buildings had been covered up. The quiet, tree-lined street looked as though it had sprung to life again. The men were filthy, their clothes spattered with paint, their faces sweat-stained and red. To Pete, this was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen – a group of men willing to get their hands dirty for God. Each had worked hard and wanted to be there, and each had made a meaningful difference in the lives of others that day.

Since returning from the project, Pete has been excitedly brainstorming with other guys about other men’s ministry projects. He believes God will raise up an army of men going forward. “You can’t get this sort of experience sitting on the couch,” Pete said. “For men wanting to get involved, I would encourage them to try it – at least once! Not only are you putting your faith in action, but there is no experience required. You will experience great satisfaction in making a difference, whether it’s painting, cleaning up or meeting a guy like Frank. Plus, you’ll meet some great, hard working guys when you decide to join the ‘Army of Good.’ You can’t experience any of this if you don’t say ‘yes’ and join in!”

With a background in sales and marketing, Pete has a knack for connecting guys who want to serve. “Men want to get dirty and work with their hands,” he said. Serving, he believes, goes hand in hand with a desire to live purposefully, finding significance beyond a successful career or personal life. He has a vision for growing the men’s serving ministry and would love to see dozens or even hundreds more come forward to volunteer. He hopes to engage men in four to five meaningful projects each year.

“As we go forward as a team, we will grow,” Pete said. “I have no doubt this will be huge.”

Pete hopes to return to Madison Park one day soon, back to the quiet neighborhood where residents like Frank need a listening ear, a friend, or maybe a painted fence. “Putting our faith into action means loving our neighbor,” said Pete. “Sometimes that means making their property look nicer, but sometimes it means listening to their story, praying for them and simply being present for them. It’s an amazing feeling when you know you’re being used by God.”

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