Downtown 3/21/2010

What a day Sunday was downtown. I got down there at about 4:30 pm and I tried to find Louis Parks behind the Office Depot at First St. but had no luck there. I backtracked to Figueroa and 18th St. and found a man named John at a street corner. When he saw what was in the bag of food he said, "Aw man, I gonna eat tonight!" It was a reminder to me how each and every day is a struggle for the homeless to get enough to eat and how we take for granted the abundance of food we have in our homes. I moved on down the street (18th) and saw Robert on another corner. I've helped him a few times before. We didn't have much time to talk, but I commented to him about the deep and nasty wounds on his shoulder. He said he was doing a lot better now. He had spent a few days in the hospital because of them. I didn't have an opportunity to find out what happened but they did seem to be on the mend. Whatever your feelings are on the health care reform bill, I'm glad he was able to receive medical care.
Probably, my most memorable encounter Sunday was with a man named Carlos. He spoke enough English that we were able to converse well enough to understand each other. I found him near where I had found Ron from Kentucky last week. In fact, it was a different side of the same building. He had some cardboard on the front steps of the building that he used as his bed and he had a shopping cart. He told me as long as he keeps the front of the building cleaned up he is allowed to stay there. Initially, when I gave him the bag of food and water he was very grateful. I asked if he needed any clothing items. He said he could use a pair of pants (a big item with homeless folks). I got out and opened the trunk. I had 3 pairs of pants that I knew were too large for him but I was pretty sure I had one pair that might fit. We dug around and I finally found them. Carlos was extremely thankful. I gave him a couple of pairs of new socks and he showed me the condition of the pair he had on (they were really filthy dirty). I gave him a couple of shirts and a blanket and once again he was so thankful. He then asked if I was from a church downtown or -then he pointed up to the sky. I learned a valuable lesson about the character of God in this encounter. It is always a joy to me to be of help to these homeless people, especially when I leave them in a better situation and happier than when I first met them. Some are happy and then there are some who are thankful. Carlos was thankful. There is a a difference. God calls us, repeatedly, to be thankful. In Paul's letter to the Romans he talks about the condition of fallen mankind and says, "for though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him,". Elsewhere, Paul says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thess. 5:18) I wanted to do more for Carlos. I gave him everything I had that would help him. I wished I had more to give. It occurred to me that this is the way God is with us. Perhaps, if we were genuinely more thankful to Him for the blessings He has already given us we would receive more. Our thankful heart is a piece of our relationship with God that is often missing or at least is not as prevalent as it should be. I prayed with Carlos before leaving. He repeated out loud in English every line of that prayer. Carlos thought I was helping him, but he was helping me learn about the character of God. As I was leaving he was changing into the clothes I had given him. It was about 5:30 pm and he was going to head to the garment district. The stores there would be closing and he would be picking up all the recycleables in the trash to turn in Monday. God bless you Carlos and thank you.
I drove over to the 4th St bridge in hopes of seeing Ron. I found his stuff there but not him. I'll check back next week to see how he's doing. Near the recycling center (and the Jack in the Box) at 14th and McGarry I was able to help Jessie and on Central and 16th I found Alberto. Both had just finished their recycling work for the day. With the money they earned and the bag of food I gave them they now had "an abundance". It's a comletely different outlook on life, isn't it?
I had one bag of food left and was hoping to find "Downtown Richard Brown". I have a special friendship with Richard Brown. On my very first trip downtown last year I met Richard Brown. I had given him a loaf of bread that day (that was all I took the first couple of months) and asked if I could pray for him before leaving. He said yes and so I started to pray. I prayed for God's presence in his life and God's blessing on him and to keep him safe. He was probably one of the first if not the first homeless person I prayed with. After finishing the prayer (30 or 40 seconds of prayer) he looked up at me and said, "That was better than the bread." It was memorable to me and a confirmation also that what I was doing was indeed a calling from God. Now, whenever I meet with Richard he insists on me praying with him. One such time was when he had received news from his sister that one of his brothers had passed away. Yes, I do develop special friendships with these folks. Sunday, when I found Richard he had a friend named James (another homeless man) with him (see picture-Richard's on the left).

The first thing he asked me was to pray for them. With my hands on their shoulders we all prayed together. I gave them the last bag of food and the last of the water that I had with me. We stood on the sidewalk talking and up walked two other homeless people, Clay and Teresa. They asked if I had any more food to give away. I had an unopened box of cookies that I gave them and then I said, "Why don't you look through the trunk and see if you can find anything you can use?" They left with blankets, sweaters and socks. They were quite thrilled and it sure did end the visit downtown with a flourish. What a day! Until next week. --John