Downtown 8/21/2010

Sometimes these trips downtown seem to go rather uneventfully, and then sometimes they will change in a moment of time on an encounter with someone or even on something I see that stays in my mind. These moments become tools used by God to teach me in ways I wouldn't have fully understood if I merely read about it in a book. Saturday was just such a trip. The trip started with one of those inclinations I get about wanting to see a certain person (in this case a couple) that I want to follow-up on. This time it was Phillip and Nancy who I met across from Lincoln Park about a month ago. When I got there I had to park about a quarter mile from where they have been staying and walk back towards them. When I got there neither of them were there. I was pretty sure it was their stuff because it was very neat and tidy (something a woman would probably do). There was even one of those 'tree' air fresheners hanging off one of their shopping carts! Yeah, outside too. Well I was kind of disappointed they weren't there but I left the food and water there anyway and happened to notice a woman sitting directly across the street. I walked over to her and asked if she had seen the "people that are living across the street here"? Her name was Edith and she said she had seen them walking away a while earlier. I thought she might be homeless at first too but she didn't have very much stuff with her like a homeless person would. Anyway, we talked for a few minutes and I told her the names of the people I had left the food for and to let them know I had been by (I gave her my name). Edith was actually sitting there reading a bible. I had been given some canned vegetables and had bought a can opener to give to them. When I last saw Phillip he was relieved that the can of soup I gave him was a pop top and told me the only way they have of opening regular canned food is to pound away at one end of the can on the corner of something concrete until it gives-way. I thought a can opener would be of great value to them. I hung on to it to give to them personally the next time I see them.
While walking back to the car I passed by another homeless man and got another bag of food to give to him. His name was Luis and he was in his early twenties. I asked if he had been kicked out of the park the night before (like Philip and Nancy had when I first met them). He said no but he had been kicked out of an apartment he shared with some other people by the police. I asked if he had any family nearby and he said he did but relations with them were strained at this time. I prayed with Luis asking God to heal his relationship with his family. I don't know what his family is like and what problems are there, but they are the first option and sometimes the only option for getting off the street. Pray for Luis, he is so young.
Not too far from Luis on Valley and Soto St was another homeless person sleeping under their jacket. It was about 11:15 by now and it was starting to get warm. It turned out to be a woman sleeping under the jacket. Her name was Clara and she was laying on top of a small concrete retaining wall and up against a chain link fence. She had no belongings with her. She accepted the food and water and I noticed the shoes she was wearing had no shoe laces and were pretty worn out--as were the rest of her clothes. I asked if she wanted or could use a new pair of shoes or even just some socks but she declined. She didn't want a new shirt or anything else either. All I could do was pray with her before leaving.
I left this area of northeast Los Angeles and headed downtown turning south on Alameda Street. Between 4th and 5th streets I saw a woman on the other side of the street with her shopping cart. I wasn't sure why she was stopped on the sidewalk but I turned around and drove back to her. Her name was Dina Bishop. She told me a couple of times that she lived on 5th St. between Central and Maple. She told me her husband had left her (today? five years ago?) and she lived by the Ryder moving trucks and near the recycling place. She kind of rambled and repeated herself so I wasn't quite sure she was dealing with today. Was that a beer she was drinking or was it apple juice? I didn't smell alcohol, she didn't appear to be intoxicated, but she was talkative. I was starting to get a little nervous about being stopped on Alameda by now and wondered as we talked through the passenger window if I should pray with her before leaving or just gracefully tell her I had to go. I decided to say, "Dina. Let me pray for you before I go." I held her hand through the window and prayed for her. I prayed that God would let her know that he... "loves her today, tomorrow and everyday." When I finished praying the whole encounter changed!!! She began by thanking me for praying for her and told me, "I woke up this morning hungry and mad." At this point Dina seemed as clear minded as anyone and told me she knew God loved her and thanked me again for praying for her. As I left her I was so glad that I had decided to pray for her and really, who was I to deny her or anyone else the presence of the Lord in their life by not praying. It would have been a sin on my part to not pray for Dina. At that point I decided to check out the area where she said she lived. Where was it again? On 5th by Maple and what street? As I drove down 5th I remembered it was Maple and Central. Was that why she repeated herself to me, so that I would know where I was supposed to go next? Traveling down 5th past Maple I came to a busy intersection. I don't even remember which street it was but the sight I saw there will stay with me forever. There was a man face down on the sidewalk. His face was facing the street and he had thrown-up while laying down. His arm may have been in the street but the rest of him was on the sidewalk. There was no room or place or time to stop, it was a busy downtown intersection. It was evident what had happened. This man had simply passed out on the sidewalk from drinking and had thrown-up right where he laid. In that moment I thought here lies a man, made in the image of God, and he is of value to God. So much value that He sent His son to die for his sins just like Jesus died for mine. It didn't and doesn't matter where he is or what's happened to him, this man is still of value to God the Father. In fact, Jesus gave us the story of the Prodigal Son who found himself in a similar situation as this man to drive home the point that all men are redeemable even if some people (like the older brother) aren't happy about it. Well this was skid row. I have seen homeless people drunk before. But this time the message was not about the reality of life on the streets but the spiritual reality that even the most down and out people are of value to God. He loves people today, tomorrow and everyday. Didn't I just pray that with Dina? It was also pretty unbelievable how God got me to drive down that street. He used Dina and her repeating herself to get me to drive over there and check out the lesson He wanted to teach me about how He loves people. I am just in awe of Him. God's timing is perfect, here was a teaching moment, a moment that I couldn't fix or help the situation, but one I was to observe and understand. I even drove back there later but couldn't find the guy.
I helped others afterwards, There was Pablo, (another Cuban-there have been a lot lately), Russell (he told me he has to deal with "the seeds that I have sown"), and Ricky. The Lord also blessed me in another way Saturday. I was driving down Mateo St. and passed by a man who called out to me. I turned around and drove back to him. His name was Michael and I had helped him back in February (he actually recognized me from way back then!). He needed some help and a ride. While I drove him where he needed to go he told me he had gotten a place to live in exchange for his welfare checks. He also told me his brother had died about 10 days ago and this brother (his name was Cleveland) was his closest family member. When I dropped him off at the bus depot I was able to give him some shoes and shirts in addition to some food. and prayed with him thanking God for watching over Michael. When we parted his last words to me were, "God sent you to me today." What an awesome God we serve. I felt fortunate that He let me know this day that one of the people that I had helped along the way had made if off the streets. --Until next week. John