Downtown 2-7-10

Yes, it was kind of weird to actually purposefully plan to do something today other than go watch the Super Bowl. I figured NOBODY would be on the streets downtown except the homeless. It turned out that was almost true. The garmet district was busy with people and traffic as well as skid row. Yet it did seem kind of slow everywhere else. I found two men on a side street sitting on the sidewalk near the freeway. When I asked them if they needed any food they both got up and came over to the car. One was named Abdul and the other said he was Reginald. He also told me, quite proudly, that Reginald means "Regal". They also both needed water and when Reginald saw the blankets in the back seat he asked if he could have one. I "proudly" gave him one. I told him the blankets I had today were lovingly hand made by friends who care about the homeless. I asked if I could take his picture with the blanket to show them.
A couple of months ago I had a day downtown where I was able to help several women. A rarity for me. One of them was near a freeway off-ramp holding a sign saying she was recently homeless. Her name was Mary. I have seen her living on a street a couple of blocks away from where I had first seen her that day. Today I drove by that street but there was no one living there anymore. I had a feeling that the folks living there wouldn't be there for long. Well, I saw her again today near that same freeway off-ramp. She accepted a bag of food and I pulled around the corner and parked. I walked back to where she was standing and asked her if she needed any water. She had already sat down on the sidewalk and started eating the food in the bag. She told me that the people living on that street (18th and San Pedro) were run-off a few days ago and were now living under the freeway in an alley a little ways away from where we were standing. We talked a little more while walking back to the car. She needed some water and I was able to help her with a blanket and some warm clothing. I'm guessing she is in her mid thirties and I haven't seen any children with her. I've seen about three or four other people living near her when she was on 18th. Other than those folks I guess she's all alone. You may remember she lost her job first and then her home and car.
One of the saddest of the people today was Richard. I have seen him a couple of times before, usually near Flower St around 16th and 17th streets. He is always by himself and he never has anything with him. I have offered to give him stuff but he never accepts anything. He just says in his nice high-pitched voice, "No thank you, I'm alright." Once, I saw him sitting by himself under a freeway on the sidewalk and walked over to him and offered him some food and water (which he declined). So I went ahead and prayed for him and just left the stuff there next to him thinking maybe if I left he would take the food. I drove around the block and he had walked away and left the bag of food and water on the sidewalk! Today I saw him walking down 17th St. I didn't recognize him until I started talking to him (his voice is kind of distinctive). After he declined the food and water I asked if he could use a blanket. He said, "No thank you, I have this." He was pointing to a thin piece of plastic (like pallet shrink-wrap that he had tucked in the waist band of his pants). I'll keep praying for him. Perhaps one day God will grant a break-through with this man and allow me to help him. He needs help desparately.
I found Lee in the corner of a parking lot next to the sidewalk of a McDonald's off 7th and Alameda. This is the fringe area of skid row. He was sitting down by himself on a parkway holding a cup. I had circled around the block after seeing him and drove through the parking lot to get to him. He quickly accepted the food but surprisingly said he was OK on water. We prayed and he thanked me for stopping. I hope to see him again. While circling the block I saw Marie. She is the shoeless woman. Remember Doug told me she sleeps on the sidewalk curled up in a fetal position all the time? Well, that's what I saw today. You have to see it to believe it. She has a little blanket that she covers herself with and that's about it. I had already passed her when I realized it was her and was trying to get to Lee. Now that I know where she is I'll start looking for her there. Maybe, she will accept a blanket next time. In this same area I found a man named Kerry. This was my first time seeing Kerry. He told me he is 55 years old (my age) and is a Vietnam Vet. He told me he is 'messed up' from a mortar round from the war (he didn't say exactly how). Those of you old enough may remember the city Da Nang, that's where he was. When I first saw him he was searching through his 'shopping cart'. I brought him a bag of food and when I asked if he needed any water he told me that's what he was searching in his cart for. I asked if he needed any of the other things I had with me and you would have thought he hit the lotto! I got a picture of him with the blanket, socks and shirts I gave him. We prayed. We talked for a while. He was much happier when I left. Surely, God was present too.
I saw Les and Michael from last week. They were 'living' in the same little indentations in the wall of the building off of 18th St like they were last week. I also saw Doug again. He is suffering a lot from Type 2 diabetes. He told me he was surprised he lived through Saturday, he was so sick. The last person I was able to help was just off of Washington Blvd around Naomi St. I saw him sitting on the sidewalk against a building and had circled around to get to him. His name was Oscar. After giving him food, water, a blanket and praying with him he graciously said, "Thank you so much." Well, to Oscar and all the others I saw today, "It's a privilege to help." Until next week. --John