It was a pretty warm day for late December. I think the thermometer said 67 degrees when I was getting off the freeway at Alameda St. I wasn't sure if the Jack in the Box would be open or not so I had bought some sandwiches and had four regular bags of food just in case it was closed. Surprisingly, it was open and I was able to buy a bunch of burgers to give out. While waiting for the order, I saw Richard Brown recycling outside. I walked out to talk to him and he told me that Dave (Parker) was over where he lives and was waiting for me. I had hoped that more of the guys would be there Sunday, but when I got over there only Richard and Dave were there. I had told them two weeks ago that I would be there on Christmas day. Last week when I saw Solo, he told me that a woman who they call "OG" had died. I knew that both Richard and Dave knew her. Richard had told me a couple of months ago that a man they referred to as "Angel" had also died on 25th and Hooper. I wanted to give these men an opportunity to talk about these friends of theirs who had died if they wanted to. We did talk briefly about it, but they seemed to be OK with it. At this stage of their lives they understand that we could die at any time and that it is part of life. Richard lost his brother, Cleveland, a couple of summers ago and I think he was more upset with that one at the time than these two. Anyway, I told Richard and Dave about a story I read about an orphanage in Mozambique, Africa. During one week several babies (about 7 or 8 as I recall) that had been brought to them died. The woman in charge, Heidi Baker, was very distressed about it and cried out to the Lord asking why this had happened. She said the Lord answered by telling her, "I only ask that you love them into my arms." It was such a simple yet profound answer. It didn't answer the question of why, but did give the path of action that we all need to take. "Just love them into my arms!" It occurred to me that this is what we are to do with everyone we meet! After all, Jesus said the two main commandments are to love God with all your heart, soul and mind and (2) love your neighbor as yourself. If we keep theology simple and obey these two commands it does make life simpler....love God and love people. How simple can it get?
I had met with a couple of men last week, one was Mark and the other was Melvin. I told both of them that I would be there on Christmas day, but I couldn't find either of them. I did see Willie and Robert. I looked for Tara Lee and Doug, but couldn't find them either. Along the way I was about to help several others who I hadn't met before. I had a lot of extra food with me (but not a lot of extra time). On Olive street I pulled over to help a man who was going through a trash can looking for food. While I was helping him, two other men walked up needing help. There was a woman named Mary who I have seen and helped the last three weeks or so on a corner on 16th just east of Hill. She was all bundled up (it's colder when you sit in the shade like she was). I was able to give her some hot burgers and a blanket too. I was disappointed though when she didn't want me to pray for her (she asked instead that I pray silently AWAY from her). Perhaps in the future, I'll find out more about her. She doesn't seem to want to talk too much, although I did find out that she is from the local area. I'm guessing her to be in her thirties.
During my trip I drove over to Cloud Nine Alley (still no one living there) and down to skid row. Skid Row was packed! There were also serveral relief organizations in the process of setting up to give out assistance. I saw more children down there than I usually do. On one of the streets off 5th, I saw a church service going on with an overflow crowd sitting in folding chairs on the sidewalk. It was Sunday and they always have church services going on in some of the store front locations around skid row. Richard Brown had told me that in the last 24 hours that many people had stopped by to give out food. This probably occurs all over the downtown area at Christmas time.
Although I saw several more people than I've mentioned, I did want to say a little about my stop with John Stokes. He was surprised I had come down on Christmas Day. Throughout the two plus years that I've been making these trips, I've always been somewhat concerned about the mental outlook some of these people may have about me. Yes, even I have some insecurities! Even though I go nearly every week, I sometimes wonder if the people I see ever say to themselves, "Yeah, John comes down here a lot, but then he gets to go back to his 'regular perfect life'." You and I both know that nobody has a 'regular perfect life' and mine has just a many problems as the next guy. Yet I wanted my friends, who I have met down here and mean so much to me, that they are important enough for me to take time away from my family even on Christmas Day to make sure they have a good Christmas too. I had spent time with my wife and daughter in the morning and after the trip spent the rest of the day and evening with my extended family. Yet, the 3 hours or so I spent downtown was well worth it. There were people who I was able to give assistance to who may not have gotten anything to eat that day if I hadn't made the trip. There were people I prayed with that day that may not have given God a moment of attention if I hadn't stopped. As is often the case with these encounters downtown, the moment passes and it's only later, when I reflect on the encounter that I am hit with the importance of the mement that I completely missed at the time it ocurred. I always pray for encounters with eternal significance. I hope that is the case with some of these people that I met on Christmas Day downtown. --Until next time. John
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Downtown 12/18/2011
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." --A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens
The quote above came to mind when I thought back about yesterday's trip. It had a couple of very difficult moments and then some moments when I was glad to have persevered. I arrived around 1:30 in the afternoon with only a half dozen cans of food and an ice chest of bottled water. I didn't have a lot of funds available (after all it is Christmas time) and I was basically out of socks. At one point I drove over to the stores where I buy the socks at discounted prices hoping they would be open the Sunday before Christmas, but they weren't. However, I knew whatever I brought, the Lord would help me to find people in need who could use it. I started the trip by prayer-walking on skid row and on Cloud Nine Alley. Nothing special happened at either place, but while I was walking Cloud Nine Alley I was reminded of the relationships I have with Gary and Ray (two men who have lived there) in the past year and the special relationship with Pastor Rodriguez' church. I took some pictures (nothing I haven't posted before) of the alley. One of the pictures was opposite from where Ray lived. It is simply a picture of two roll-up metal doors that are heavily spray painted. It's what Ray woke up to every morning when he lived there.
I had been driving around quite a bit and saw a man named Richard on the corner of Hill and 16th looking for food in a trash can. I've seen Richard many times and have offered to help him at least three or four times in the past, but each time he refused to accept help. One time I left a bag of food next to him (he was seated on the sidewalk) and he got up and walked away leaving it there. I've come to the conclusion that perhaps the only way to get him to take the food is to throw it in the trash can. Yesterday, I drove around the block to get back to him and offered to give him some food again (which he declined) and the person in the car behind me started honking their horn! They must have been delayed all of 4 or 5 seconds. The problem when this happens is you can get pretty indignant and then your whole attitude changes to one of anger. Anger that someone couldn't wait the few seconds while you try and help someone and then the retribution that starts forming in your mind about what you would like to do to that person. In a very short time the idea of being a vessel of God's love to the homeless is all gone and your just filled with anger. Shortly after this, I was driving off Washington Blvd and down a small street called McCreary. I noticed a man laying on the sidewalk and thought it might be a friend of mine I haven't seen in awhile named Doug. As I pulled around the corner and was able to look right at him I realized it wasn't Doug and was someone I didn't know. Well this guy basically told me to move on, except he didn't say it civilly. After a couple of attempts on my part to talk courteously I gave up and drove on. I realized the more I tried to talk to this guy the worse it would get. Even if I got him to understand that I was there to help him, he wasn't going to be able to 'save face' and change his attitude, so I just went on. Both of these instances happened within about 10 or 15 minutes of each other. I've been rejected before, but never as vile as this guy was. I guess after two and a half years of doing this, that's a pretty good track record. I always have to remember to not take the rejections personally. These folks have all been treated harshly by society and they can get into a self-protection mode towards anyone they don't know.
Well, shortly after that things turned around somewhat dramatically. It was probably about 3:45 by now and I was in the area of the Jack in the Box. I turned up from a street off Olympic Blvd to 14th and saw a man who looked familiar. It turned out to be Solo. He was one of the men at the barbecue back in October. In fact, I had seen him last week a couple of streets from there where Richard Brown and his friends were. Solo told me that OG had died. OG was what the other homeless people called her. She had always referred to herself as Faulstine to me. She died on the sidewalk during the night Saturday. I noticed Solo didn't have much stuff in his shopping cart and I asked him if he wanted to look in the trunk for anything he could use. As it turned out, I had put a huge comforter in the trunk just before going downtown. It turned out to be just the thing he could use! It was not only warm, but because of it's size it would also serve as some padding for sleeping on the sidewalk too. One of the things about this encounter that made it special, was that Solo was "very happy" to see me. After the prior two encounters I needed that kind of welcome. When I gave him the two cans of food he told me, "I'm gonna eat this right now!" I saw that he had a bag from McDonalds. He told me someone gave him some fries. No hamberger, just fries, so the cans of beef ravioli were just in time.
Last week I met a new friend named Mark under the freeway at San Pedro. I drove back there and found him again yesterday. He didn't recognize me until I got out of the car and then he just erupted in joy! "Man, I am so glad to see you! I told everyone about you!" I had asked him last week where he had been staying and he told me a couple of the streets where he had stayed. I had driven over there and saw a tent but no one was in it. Anyway, Mark told me a little more about himself and his situation. Due to alcohol abuse he had lost everything including his family. I'm guessing Mark to be about forty years old. He was thankful for any help I could give him. I was sorry I only had the two cans of food. I gave him a blanket and prayed with him. I also had an opportunity to tell him about something I heard in church that morning that I felt he needed to hear. The message was on the birth of John the Baptist and how John's father (a priest) filled with the Holy Spirit talked about John being the forerunner for the redemption of Israel. The pastor had pointed out that this 'redemption' was a full pardon and not just the holding back of the consequences of sin. I told Mark that this applied to him too. I kept it brief and the prayer brief, because I don't know about Mark's spiritual background and by keeping things brief now could open the door for more meaningful conversation later. I told Mark I planned on being down there next Sunday (Christmas Day). He asked me where I wanted him to be! I told him anywhere around there was fine and to look for my car. I'll find him. As I drove away he called out, "Thank you John."
OK, the last encounter was down off Central Ave. I saw a young man sitting on a loading dock. His name turned out to be Melvin and he was probably about twenty years old. He told me he was on probation until March and had no place to go so he had been staying there. He said it was too dangerous any closer to downtown and he was afraid of getting beaten up. I told him I'd look for him next week too. I gave him the last two cans of food, water and a couple of packs of cookies that I had. He asked if I had any socks. I was able to find a pair of regular socks and a pair of new ankle socks. Ankle socks are OK during the summer months, but during the cold air of this time of year the longer ones are much better. Anyway, Melvin was a lot happier after I left, in fact, I gave him some 'reading material', a New Testament. Perhaps we'll have more to talk about next week, Christmas Day. Until then, John
The quote above came to mind when I thought back about yesterday's trip. It had a couple of very difficult moments and then some moments when I was glad to have persevered. I arrived around 1:30 in the afternoon with only a half dozen cans of food and an ice chest of bottled water. I didn't have a lot of funds available (after all it is Christmas time) and I was basically out of socks. At one point I drove over to the stores where I buy the socks at discounted prices hoping they would be open the Sunday before Christmas, but they weren't. However, I knew whatever I brought, the Lord would help me to find people in need who could use it. I started the trip by prayer-walking on skid row and on Cloud Nine Alley. Nothing special happened at either place, but while I was walking Cloud Nine Alley I was reminded of the relationships I have with Gary and Ray (two men who have lived there) in the past year and the special relationship with Pastor Rodriguez' church. I took some pictures (nothing I haven't posted before) of the alley. One of the pictures was opposite from where Ray lived. It is simply a picture of two roll-up metal doors that are heavily spray painted. It's what Ray woke up to every morning when he lived there.
I had been driving around quite a bit and saw a man named Richard on the corner of Hill and 16th looking for food in a trash can. I've seen Richard many times and have offered to help him at least three or four times in the past, but each time he refused to accept help. One time I left a bag of food next to him (he was seated on the sidewalk) and he got up and walked away leaving it there. I've come to the conclusion that perhaps the only way to get him to take the food is to throw it in the trash can. Yesterday, I drove around the block to get back to him and offered to give him some food again (which he declined) and the person in the car behind me started honking their horn! They must have been delayed all of 4 or 5 seconds. The problem when this happens is you can get pretty indignant and then your whole attitude changes to one of anger. Anger that someone couldn't wait the few seconds while you try and help someone and then the retribution that starts forming in your mind about what you would like to do to that person. In a very short time the idea of being a vessel of God's love to the homeless is all gone and your just filled with anger. Shortly after this, I was driving off Washington Blvd and down a small street called McCreary. I noticed a man laying on the sidewalk and thought it might be a friend of mine I haven't seen in awhile named Doug. As I pulled around the corner and was able to look right at him I realized it wasn't Doug and was someone I didn't know. Well this guy basically told me to move on, except he didn't say it civilly. After a couple of attempts on my part to talk courteously I gave up and drove on. I realized the more I tried to talk to this guy the worse it would get. Even if I got him to understand that I was there to help him, he wasn't going to be able to 'save face' and change his attitude, so I just went on. Both of these instances happened within about 10 or 15 minutes of each other. I've been rejected before, but never as vile as this guy was. I guess after two and a half years of doing this, that's a pretty good track record. I always have to remember to not take the rejections personally. These folks have all been treated harshly by society and they can get into a self-protection mode towards anyone they don't know.
Well, shortly after that things turned around somewhat dramatically. It was probably about 3:45 by now and I was in the area of the Jack in the Box. I turned up from a street off Olympic Blvd to 14th and saw a man who looked familiar. It turned out to be Solo. He was one of the men at the barbecue back in October. In fact, I had seen him last week a couple of streets from there where Richard Brown and his friends were. Solo told me that OG had died. OG was what the other homeless people called her. She had always referred to herself as Faulstine to me. She died on the sidewalk during the night Saturday. I noticed Solo didn't have much stuff in his shopping cart and I asked him if he wanted to look in the trunk for anything he could use. As it turned out, I had put a huge comforter in the trunk just before going downtown. It turned out to be just the thing he could use! It was not only warm, but because of it's size it would also serve as some padding for sleeping on the sidewalk too. One of the things about this encounter that made it special, was that Solo was "very happy" to see me. After the prior two encounters I needed that kind of welcome. When I gave him the two cans of food he told me, "I'm gonna eat this right now!" I saw that he had a bag from McDonalds. He told me someone gave him some fries. No hamberger, just fries, so the cans of beef ravioli were just in time.
Last week I met a new friend named Mark under the freeway at San Pedro. I drove back there and found him again yesterday. He didn't recognize me until I got out of the car and then he just erupted in joy! "Man, I am so glad to see you! I told everyone about you!" I had asked him last week where he had been staying and he told me a couple of the streets where he had stayed. I had driven over there and saw a tent but no one was in it. Anyway, Mark told me a little more about himself and his situation. Due to alcohol abuse he had lost everything including his family. I'm guessing Mark to be about forty years old. He was thankful for any help I could give him. I was sorry I only had the two cans of food. I gave him a blanket and prayed with him. I also had an opportunity to tell him about something I heard in church that morning that I felt he needed to hear. The message was on the birth of John the Baptist and how John's father (a priest) filled with the Holy Spirit talked about John being the forerunner for the redemption of Israel. The pastor had pointed out that this 'redemption' was a full pardon and not just the holding back of the consequences of sin. I told Mark that this applied to him too. I kept it brief and the prayer brief, because I don't know about Mark's spiritual background and by keeping things brief now could open the door for more meaningful conversation later. I told Mark I planned on being down there next Sunday (Christmas Day). He asked me where I wanted him to be! I told him anywhere around there was fine and to look for my car. I'll find him. As I drove away he called out, "Thank you John."
OK, the last encounter was down off Central Ave. I saw a young man sitting on a loading dock. His name turned out to be Melvin and he was probably about twenty years old. He told me he was on probation until March and had no place to go so he had been staying there. He said it was too dangerous any closer to downtown and he was afraid of getting beaten up. I told him I'd look for him next week too. I gave him the last two cans of food, water and a couple of packs of cookies that I had. He asked if I had any socks. I was able to find a pair of regular socks and a pair of new ankle socks. Ankle socks are OK during the summer months, but during the cold air of this time of year the longer ones are much better. Anyway, Melvin was a lot happier after I left, in fact, I gave him some 'reading material', a New Testament. Perhaps we'll have more to talk about next week, Christmas Day. Until then, John
Monday, December 12, 2011
Downtown 12/11/2011
It has been a busy week at our house. Although I've taken a week's vacation, it was taken specifically because there was so much going on last week and this weekend and I was needed at home (translation--taxi driver). So with little time and little rescources I went downtown knowing I was only going to have 2 or 3 hours to spend down there. Since it was a Sunday that shouldn't prove to be an obstacle in finding and meeting people. Actually, as I was leaving the parking lot of my neighborhood grocery store I was approached by a man named Rene who offered to clean my car windows. I ended up giving him some cans of spaghetti and bottled water. You know I think I may have met this man before, maybe a year or so ago. I did get to pray with him before leaving. I had decided to buy burgers this time and give out bottled water, that's because it takes less time to get ready for the trip. I needed to be back home by 6 p.m. I'd have to say this was one of my least prepared trips ever. I didn't have any spoons for the cans of food I was taking and when I ordered the burgers at the Jack in the Box I didn't notice until it was too late that the order was wrong (smaller burgers than I wanted). Well, I had my 'hot box' and my insulated burger bag with me and found a place to get some spoons.
During last week's trip I had run across Willie and he told me he had seen Tara Lee under the freeway at San Pedro and 16th. I drove over there, but didn't see him. I did find a man named Mark. He told me he had been staying right around that area and on 17th St. Didn't get too much information from him but he was real appreciative of the help. I spent some time on skid row and Cloud Nine Alley (still no one living there) and went back to 17th and Hooper St. Richard Brown has moved from under the freeway at Hooper St to 17th. When I pulled up there were a couple of other men there, both named Dave. One of them was at the barbecue a few weeks back. In fact, during my time there, several men came by and a couple of them had been to the barbecue. I opened the trunk up and was able to give out a lot of clothes and shoes. There were a couple of items that got snapped up right away. One was a long bathroom shower mat and the other was the cushion for a chaise longue recliner. Both provide some insulation from cold hard concrete. I'd say about 7 or 8 men came by during my 30 minutes or so there. It was really an enjoyable time. Richard is a very happy outgoing man and always encourges me to pray for him and any others that might be there. It also helps that we've known each other now for over two and a half years, so that trust is communicated to the other people. Before I left I had given out all but three of the burgers and the trunk was left with mostly womens clothes. I was a good stop, but the most rewarding part of it was it was an extremely fun and enjoyable time. I had been praying in the days leading up to this trip that I would be a vessel of God's love to the people I would meet and that is
exactly the way it unfolded. It was amazing. The photo at right is of some of the guys who came by. I asked Richard where he would be at Christmas. He wasn't sure because he has a sister who lives in La Mirada and he said she might come by and get him for the day. Anyway, I hope to be able to spend a couple of hours down there on Christmas afternoon. We'll see what happens.
I had three burgers left after this stop and happened to find Alan pushing his mountainous shopping cart. As usual, he didn't utter a word, but simply nodded his head when I asked him if he wanted the last of the hambergers. I gave him a couple of bottles of water and told him I loved him. He nodded again as I drove away. I remember seeing Alan during the first year I started making these trips. I wondered at the time as Christmas approached what he might be thinking about Christmas's in the past. He grew up in East Los Angeles. I guess he has no family left to help him out. I know God hasn't forgotten about this man...and neither have I. Until next week. John
During last week's trip I had run across Willie and he told me he had seen Tara Lee under the freeway at San Pedro and 16th. I drove over there, but didn't see him. I did find a man named Mark. He told me he had been staying right around that area and on 17th St. Didn't get too much information from him but he was real appreciative of the help. I spent some time on skid row and Cloud Nine Alley (still no one living there) and went back to 17th and Hooper St. Richard Brown has moved from under the freeway at Hooper St to 17th. When I pulled up there were a couple of other men there, both named Dave. One of them was at the barbecue a few weeks back. In fact, during my time there, several men came by and a couple of them had been to the barbecue. I opened the trunk up and was able to give out a lot of clothes and shoes. There were a couple of items that got snapped up right away. One was a long bathroom shower mat and the other was the cushion for a chaise longue recliner. Both provide some insulation from cold hard concrete. I'd say about 7 or 8 men came by during my 30 minutes or so there. It was really an enjoyable time. Richard is a very happy outgoing man and always encourges me to pray for him and any others that might be there. It also helps that we've known each other now for over two and a half years, so that trust is communicated to the other people. Before I left I had given out all but three of the burgers and the trunk was left with mostly womens clothes. I was a good stop, but the most rewarding part of it was it was an extremely fun and enjoyable time. I had been praying in the days leading up to this trip that I would be a vessel of God's love to the people I would meet and that is
exactly the way it unfolded. It was amazing. The photo at right is of some of the guys who came by. I asked Richard where he would be at Christmas. He wasn't sure because he has a sister who lives in La Mirada and he said she might come by and get him for the day. Anyway, I hope to be able to spend a couple of hours down there on Christmas afternoon. We'll see what happens.
I had three burgers left after this stop and happened to find Alan pushing his mountainous shopping cart. As usual, he didn't utter a word, but simply nodded his head when I asked him if he wanted the last of the hambergers. I gave him a couple of bottles of water and told him I loved him. He nodded again as I drove away. I remember seeing Alan during the first year I started making these trips. I wondered at the time as Christmas approached what he might be thinking about Christmas's in the past. He grew up in East Los Angeles. I guess he has no family left to help him out. I know God hasn't forgotten about this man...and neither have I. Until next week. John
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Downtown 12/5/2011
"I remember thinking,'What if there are children who will suffer somehow because I failed to obey God?' Hadn't I always taught my kids that actions had consequences? 'What if my cowardice costs even one child somewhere in the world his or her life?' I couldn't live with that thought.." Richard Stearns, CEO of World Vision, from his book "The Hole in the Gospel".
Where do I start, in talking about yesterday's trip. It was relatively uneventful, Monday trips usually are. However, there was a powerful lesson learned and the thought from the quote above certainly came to my mind after one of the encounters. Both the lesson and the encounter happened shortly after I arrived yesterday, so I'll begin there. I have learned in the course of making these trips that a certain amount of prayer is necessary before I go. I hesitate to label a specific amount of time that's necessary, but preparing my heart before going and asking for God's guidance, presence and providence in bringing about the 'right' people and encounters has become part of the preparation for each trip as much as gathering the food and clothing items and getting them into the car. Yesterday, I wasn't quite ready when I arrived so I wanted to go to the Lincoln Park area because I knew I could sit quietly in my car uninterrupted. As I got off the freeway at Main St and the I-5 I saw three homeless people behind a corner market. I wasn't sure I knew them, although one of them was a woman and I might have helped her before. Across the street from these people was another man, Kenny, who I definitely have helped before standing with his shopping cart in the parking lot waiting for benevolent people to help him. Although I wasn't quite ready to start helping people (remember I wanted to go pray first) I filed the location of these folks in my mind and thought if they are still there on my way back through I'll stop and help them. Then I started thinking about how these folks are always there and I began thinking somewhat critically about how they weren't even trying to 'improve their lot'. Here it was about 11:00 a.m. and they were just standing around not doing anything (like recycling). Now since I have total discretion over who I help I thought maybe these folks don't 'deserve' help today. That's when I started getting 'the lesson'. It seems as though everytime I start thinking critically about these people that I work with I am hit with the thoughts of my own sins and weaknesses. Am I somehow more 'deserving' of God's mercy and forgiveness than these people? Of course, the answer always comes back with a resounding "No". All of us, including me, have sins and weaknesses that we have struggled with all our lives. The old sin nature will plague us until the day we die. The difference between God's lofty Holy and perfect status and us is so vast that the differences between my sin and these homeless peoples' sin is inconsequential. Jesus had to die for all of us. Then part 2 of the lesson hit. Peter's question to Jesus about how many times must we forgive others. Peter thought seven times must surely be enough, yet Jesus said we must forgive seven times seventy! In other words, endlessly, because that's how many times God forgives us over the same sins and weaknesses. If we are to be Christ-like, we must be prepared to do the same for others. Do we really believe God's grace, mercy and forgiveness is endless....endless enough to forgive us of our weaknesses? If we believe it enough to proclaim it to others, then we must believe it for ourselves and begin to show that same grace and mercy to others, whether we think they deserve it or not. So I parked the car by the park and started asking God for a pure heart. "Lord, please give me your heart for the lost, because the one I have is like a cold stone." When I drove back through there, Kenny was still in the same place. He thanked me profusely for stopping and helping him. The other three across the street weren't there (maybe they were recycling now after taking a break), but there was a woman across Daley St. At first she was behind a chain-link fence and 3 other women who were standing at the bus stop were looking at her. I drove around a couple of blocks and backtracked to where she was. When I came back there she was crouched down under the freeway overpass. I wasn't quite sure why she was in this position, but when I called out to her and asked if she needed some food she quickly came over to the car. Her name was Yolanda. After taking the bag of food she started walking back to the concrete wall under the freeway. I couldn't stay stopped there (a bus was coming) so I pulled on down the street. It was as I was pulling away that I figured out what she was doing. Under the freeway and positioned along the wall of the freeway are several pipe openings. They are drainage pipes. She was filling up an empty plastic soda bottle with run-off water from a drainage pipe. I was horrified. I quickly backtracked and drove back to her. I had a gallon jug of drinking water---real drinking water. You can imagine how happy she was to receive it. That's when the quote above came to my mind. I'm really not too excited about Monday trips because the encounters are so brief you end up just handing out food and water. My personal disappointment was that I didn't get to pray with anyone on this trip. Yet, giving this woman some clean water was as important as anything else I could have done yesterday. Luckily, God answered my prayer to guide me and to providentially 'set up' this encounter. It only takes a couple of minutes at most to fill up a soda bottle with water from that pipe. Yet I was there at the exact time she was doing it. God rules and overrules. Praise Him for that.
I did see Willie yesterday. He was one of the men at the barbecue a while back. Everyone living in that alley has since had to move because its gotten so dangerous there. He told me where Tara Lee spends the nights. They both have had to move around quite a bit and they can't hang-out during the day where they've been staying at night. They are both spending the nights at different locations. There is still no one living in Cloud Nine Alley and Skid Row was pretty hostile yesterday too.
There was an encounter last week that I didn't talk about. I didn't get the man's name, but I saw him (see photo) sleeping in this corner. He had nothing but the clothes on his back. As I got out of the car I put some extra food in the food bag I wanted to give him. Yet when I walked up to him and asked if he could use some
food, he angrily got up and walked away. He didn't speak English, but I'm sure he understood that I had a bag of food available for him. I wondered how many times we are like this man. How many times have we missed God's blessing because we were too busy to stop and take notice of His presence. Well, just wondering. --Until next week. John
Where do I start, in talking about yesterday's trip. It was relatively uneventful, Monday trips usually are. However, there was a powerful lesson learned and the thought from the quote above certainly came to my mind after one of the encounters. Both the lesson and the encounter happened shortly after I arrived yesterday, so I'll begin there. I have learned in the course of making these trips that a certain amount of prayer is necessary before I go. I hesitate to label a specific amount of time that's necessary, but preparing my heart before going and asking for God's guidance, presence and providence in bringing about the 'right' people and encounters has become part of the preparation for each trip as much as gathering the food and clothing items and getting them into the car. Yesterday, I wasn't quite ready when I arrived so I wanted to go to the Lincoln Park area because I knew I could sit quietly in my car uninterrupted. As I got off the freeway at Main St and the I-5 I saw three homeless people behind a corner market. I wasn't sure I knew them, although one of them was a woman and I might have helped her before. Across the street from these people was another man, Kenny, who I definitely have helped before standing with his shopping cart in the parking lot waiting for benevolent people to help him. Although I wasn't quite ready to start helping people (remember I wanted to go pray first) I filed the location of these folks in my mind and thought if they are still there on my way back through I'll stop and help them. Then I started thinking about how these folks are always there and I began thinking somewhat critically about how they weren't even trying to 'improve their lot'. Here it was about 11:00 a.m. and they were just standing around not doing anything (like recycling). Now since I have total discretion over who I help I thought maybe these folks don't 'deserve' help today. That's when I started getting 'the lesson'. It seems as though everytime I start thinking critically about these people that I work with I am hit with the thoughts of my own sins and weaknesses. Am I somehow more 'deserving' of God's mercy and forgiveness than these people? Of course, the answer always comes back with a resounding "No". All of us, including me, have sins and weaknesses that we have struggled with all our lives. The old sin nature will plague us until the day we die. The difference between God's lofty Holy and perfect status and us is so vast that the differences between my sin and these homeless peoples' sin is inconsequential. Jesus had to die for all of us. Then part 2 of the lesson hit. Peter's question to Jesus about how many times must we forgive others. Peter thought seven times must surely be enough, yet Jesus said we must forgive seven times seventy! In other words, endlessly, because that's how many times God forgives us over the same sins and weaknesses. If we are to be Christ-like, we must be prepared to do the same for others. Do we really believe God's grace, mercy and forgiveness is endless....endless enough to forgive us of our weaknesses? If we believe it enough to proclaim it to others, then we must believe it for ourselves and begin to show that same grace and mercy to others, whether we think they deserve it or not. So I parked the car by the park and started asking God for a pure heart. "Lord, please give me your heart for the lost, because the one I have is like a cold stone." When I drove back through there, Kenny was still in the same place. He thanked me profusely for stopping and helping him. The other three across the street weren't there (maybe they were recycling now after taking a break), but there was a woman across Daley St. At first she was behind a chain-link fence and 3 other women who were standing at the bus stop were looking at her. I drove around a couple of blocks and backtracked to where she was. When I came back there she was crouched down under the freeway overpass. I wasn't quite sure why she was in this position, but when I called out to her and asked if she needed some food she quickly came over to the car. Her name was Yolanda. After taking the bag of food she started walking back to the concrete wall under the freeway. I couldn't stay stopped there (a bus was coming) so I pulled on down the street. It was as I was pulling away that I figured out what she was doing. Under the freeway and positioned along the wall of the freeway are several pipe openings. They are drainage pipes. She was filling up an empty plastic soda bottle with run-off water from a drainage pipe. I was horrified. I quickly backtracked and drove back to her. I had a gallon jug of drinking water---real drinking water. You can imagine how happy she was to receive it. That's when the quote above came to my mind. I'm really not too excited about Monday trips because the encounters are so brief you end up just handing out food and water. My personal disappointment was that I didn't get to pray with anyone on this trip. Yet, giving this woman some clean water was as important as anything else I could have done yesterday. Luckily, God answered my prayer to guide me and to providentially 'set up' this encounter. It only takes a couple of minutes at most to fill up a soda bottle with water from that pipe. Yet I was there at the exact time she was doing it. God rules and overrules. Praise Him for that.
I did see Willie yesterday. He was one of the men at the barbecue a while back. Everyone living in that alley has since had to move because its gotten so dangerous there. He told me where Tara Lee spends the nights. They both have had to move around quite a bit and they can't hang-out during the day where they've been staying at night. They are both spending the nights at different locations. There is still no one living in Cloud Nine Alley and Skid Row was pretty hostile yesterday too.
There was an encounter last week that I didn't talk about. I didn't get the man's name, but I saw him (see photo) sleeping in this corner. He had nothing but the clothes on his back. As I got out of the car I put some extra food in the food bag I wanted to give him. Yet when I walked up to him and asked if he could use some
food, he angrily got up and walked away. He didn't speak English, but I'm sure he understood that I had a bag of food available for him. I wondered how many times we are like this man. How many times have we missed God's blessing because we were too busy to stop and take notice of His presence. Well, just wondering. --Until next week. John
Monday, November 28, 2011
Downtown 11/27/2011
"And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God, and in accordance with the law and the commandments, to seek his God, he did with all his heart; and he prospered." -- 2 Chronicles 31:20-21, speaking about King Hezekiah
I tend to hear messages at church and understand scripture in ways geared to bringing that message to the people I meet on the streets in downtown Los Angeles. I had read the scripture above in my personal bible reading a couple of nights ago. Then I heard a message on Sunday about a husband and wife who appeared to live a life honoring God, yet somehow there was one glaring problem in their marriage. They were childless and being advanced in years, it looked like there was no hope for a resolution to this problem. Every week I see people who are not "prospering". Many are not living a lifestyle that honors God, but a lot do have a relationship with God that is closer than you may think. So often, the street people feel so separated from God that they feel beyond His reach and undeserving of His help. I try to change their attitude about that. In doing so, it changes my attitude and my relationship with God too. Oh, the couple in the message ended up being the parents of John the Baptist. God is in the business of working miracles.
When I arrived downtown I was 'expecting' a great trip. I just felt this Sunday was going to be different, yet it started out kind of slow. I drove around for quite a while before finding people to help. The first three people I helped; Mary, Henry and Jorge were all destitute and needed assistance, but only Jorge did I have conversaton and prayer with. I drove over to the alley where I did the barbecue last month (yeah, it's been four weeks since then already) and no one is living there now. There isn't even any 'stuff' on the ground to indicate that anyone is living there now, it's all deserted. As I was about to drive down that alley, there was a man pushing his cart along an adjacent alley. His name is Henry (2nd one of the day). He looked up and said, "Oh, you're the Bread Man. Am I glad to see you." It's always nice to be welcomed. Henry has been struggling of late and said that things have been made more difficult because he and a lot of the homeless in that area had been run-off by the police and public safety patrols. Not too far from here I found Jimmy from Texas. He was all bundled up and sleeping on the sidewalk near the Jack in the Box. He was really happy to receive some help and ended up getting some clothes too. When I asked if there was anything special he needed (before I prayed for him) he said he needed to pay someone back the $10 he owed them. Ten bucks seemed to be the going rate Sunday for people needing money. I think three people asked for that same amount (No, I didn't have it to give out).
I drove over to Cloud Nine Alley and still no one is living there either. It's been over a month now and no one is there to pray for (except for Pastor Rodriguez' church). I drove on down to skid row. I parked in front of the police station and got out to start prayer-walking. I asked God to give me someone to pray for during this walk. I was hoping to see Everett Whaley from a couple of weeks ago, but I'm not real hopeful of seeing him again at this point. Anyway, about half-way through the walk a man is walking towards me with a jacket on with no shirt underneath. I don't even remember how our conversation started, but he came up to me and asked how I was doing! I've never seen this man before (his name was Jimmy), so I was a little surprised but not too surprised. I told him I was prayer-walking down there. I asked him what he was up to and he told me he was trying to get into one of the missions later, but needed to 'clear his head first." He then asked me if I would remember to pray for him! I said, "Let me pray for you right now." When I asked God to clear Jimmy's mind and help him to make good decisions I heard him groan in agreement. When we were done Jimmy told me he was hungry. I told him I had food in my car, which was parked in front of the police station and I would be back there in about twenty minutes if he wanted to meet me there. I never saw him again, although when I got back there I waited for awhile. While waiting another man walked up to me and said, "Amigo." Now I don't think that I look like I speak spanish at all, so it was surprising that this guy walked up to me and started talking in spanish. I ended up praying with him too. In the end, I had asked God to give me one person to pray with, and He ended up sending me two and one in a foreign language just to show me how awesome and in control He is!!!
Before leaving I saw Michael, who is back living under the 4th St bridge. When I pulled up he was reading a gospel of John booklet (he was in chapter 9). We talked for quite a while, probably thirty minutes or so. He ended up with a pair of shoes, but didn't need the last bag of food I had. That worked out pretty good, because I found a man named Benny on the sidewalk on 7th St. who did need it. Now when I asked Benny (he was from New York) if he needed some food I had just pulled up in my car and was still sitting in it. He thanked me for the food and then said something I'll never forget. He said, "Do you have any clothes? These clothes I have are full of bugs!" It was a plea from a man desperate for relief. I hopped out of the car and gave him a new set of clothes to wear. He was very old and extremely skinny. I had a pair of pants that I didn't think I'd be able to give away because they were so skinny in the waiste, but they appeared to be able to fit this guy. I've had people complain before about lice being in their clothes from living on the street. I tend to forget about that problem because I don't hear the complaint very often. How miserable it must be to live with that problem and not be able to do anything about it because you don't have any other clothes to wear. I'm so glad to be able to help these people. --Until next week. John
I tend to hear messages at church and understand scripture in ways geared to bringing that message to the people I meet on the streets in downtown Los Angeles. I had read the scripture above in my personal bible reading a couple of nights ago. Then I heard a message on Sunday about a husband and wife who appeared to live a life honoring God, yet somehow there was one glaring problem in their marriage. They were childless and being advanced in years, it looked like there was no hope for a resolution to this problem. Every week I see people who are not "prospering". Many are not living a lifestyle that honors God, but a lot do have a relationship with God that is closer than you may think. So often, the street people feel so separated from God that they feel beyond His reach and undeserving of His help. I try to change their attitude about that. In doing so, it changes my attitude and my relationship with God too. Oh, the couple in the message ended up being the parents of John the Baptist. God is in the business of working miracles.
When I arrived downtown I was 'expecting' a great trip. I just felt this Sunday was going to be different, yet it started out kind of slow. I drove around for quite a while before finding people to help. The first three people I helped; Mary, Henry and Jorge were all destitute and needed assistance, but only Jorge did I have conversaton and prayer with. I drove over to the alley where I did the barbecue last month (yeah, it's been four weeks since then already) and no one is living there now. There isn't even any 'stuff' on the ground to indicate that anyone is living there now, it's all deserted. As I was about to drive down that alley, there was a man pushing his cart along an adjacent alley. His name is Henry (2nd one of the day). He looked up and said, "Oh, you're the Bread Man. Am I glad to see you." It's always nice to be welcomed. Henry has been struggling of late and said that things have been made more difficult because he and a lot of the homeless in that area had been run-off by the police and public safety patrols. Not too far from here I found Jimmy from Texas. He was all bundled up and sleeping on the sidewalk near the Jack in the Box. He was really happy to receive some help and ended up getting some clothes too. When I asked if there was anything special he needed (before I prayed for him) he said he needed to pay someone back the $10 he owed them. Ten bucks seemed to be the going rate Sunday for people needing money. I think three people asked for that same amount (No, I didn't have it to give out).
I drove over to Cloud Nine Alley and still no one is living there either. It's been over a month now and no one is there to pray for (except for Pastor Rodriguez' church). I drove on down to skid row. I parked in front of the police station and got out to start prayer-walking. I asked God to give me someone to pray for during this walk. I was hoping to see Everett Whaley from a couple of weeks ago, but I'm not real hopeful of seeing him again at this point. Anyway, about half-way through the walk a man is walking towards me with a jacket on with no shirt underneath. I don't even remember how our conversation started, but he came up to me and asked how I was doing! I've never seen this man before (his name was Jimmy), so I was a little surprised but not too surprised. I told him I was prayer-walking down there. I asked him what he was up to and he told me he was trying to get into one of the missions later, but needed to 'clear his head first." He then asked me if I would remember to pray for him! I said, "Let me pray for you right now." When I asked God to clear Jimmy's mind and help him to make good decisions I heard him groan in agreement. When we were done Jimmy told me he was hungry. I told him I had food in my car, which was parked in front of the police station and I would be back there in about twenty minutes if he wanted to meet me there. I never saw him again, although when I got back there I waited for awhile. While waiting another man walked up to me and said, "Amigo." Now I don't think that I look like I speak spanish at all, so it was surprising that this guy walked up to me and started talking in spanish. I ended up praying with him too. In the end, I had asked God to give me one person to pray with, and He ended up sending me two and one in a foreign language just to show me how awesome and in control He is!!!
Before leaving I saw Michael, who is back living under the 4th St bridge. When I pulled up he was reading a gospel of John booklet (he was in chapter 9). We talked for quite a while, probably thirty minutes or so. He ended up with a pair of shoes, but didn't need the last bag of food I had. That worked out pretty good, because I found a man named Benny on the sidewalk on 7th St. who did need it. Now when I asked Benny (he was from New York) if he needed some food I had just pulled up in my car and was still sitting in it. He thanked me for the food and then said something I'll never forget. He said, "Do you have any clothes? These clothes I have are full of bugs!" It was a plea from a man desperate for relief. I hopped out of the car and gave him a new set of clothes to wear. He was very old and extremely skinny. I had a pair of pants that I didn't think I'd be able to give away because they were so skinny in the waiste, but they appeared to be able to fit this guy. I've had people complain before about lice being in their clothes from living on the street. I tend to forget about that problem because I don't hear the complaint very often. How miserable it must be to live with that problem and not be able to do anything about it because you don't have any other clothes to wear. I'm so glad to be able to help these people. --Until next week. John
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Downtown 11/21/2011
Then the king will say "Come...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink..." --Matthew 25:34-35
This week's trip ended up being on a Monday in the middle of the day, which is not exactly my favorite time to go. However, bringing relief to the homeless is welcomed by them any time and any day of the week. I haven't seen Phillip or Nancy in the Lincoln Park area in over a year now. That hasn't stopped me from going and looking anyway. As I drove by where they used to stay I saw a man and a woman there at right about the same place. There was another man a few yards away from them, but I couldn't park at the curb right by them. After driving around I found a place to park not too far from where they all were and took a couple of bags of food with me. When I got there I met Tony and Debra. I asked about Phillip and Nancy and Debra did know them. She told me they had gotten a place to stay, but indicated they wouldn't be able to stay there much longer. Both of these folks were about the same age as Phillip and Nancy. Debra said she and Tony had been staying at this spot for about a month or so. I left a bag of food with them and gave the other one to Henry, the man who was living a few yards away from them. I had met Henry earlier in the year shortly before summer. He told me then that he was a farm laborer and was waiting for watermelon season. Monday he told me that this season wasn't very good, but he was getting along OK, just not good enough to afford a place to stay. As I recall he was almost 70 years old. He looks remarkably fit for someone that age. I prayed with him before walking back to my car, which he appreciated. I had asked Debra if they needed some water. I told her I had some in my car and I would drive back by and pass it to her from the curb. When I drove up she came over to the car and got it and saw some cans of ravioli that I had out on the seat. I was intending to give them to her and when she said she loved ravioli and Tony really liked the Chunky soup in the bag I gave her both cans and a jar of peanut butter. I told her the peanut butter they could use with the loaf of bread in the bag. She seemed very thankful and said, "God bless you." She then asked if I would remember to pray for them. I told her, "Let me pray for you right now." So holding her hand through the window I prayed for her and Tony. You would have thought from her reaction that I was the only one who had ever prayed for her (maybe I was). Debra looked like she had lived on the street for a long time, but she was in tears when I drove away. Despite the hardened appearance, even the toughest looking people are like little children inside.
In the course of the next hour and half, I drove over to Cloud Nine Alley (still no one living in the alley) and prayer-walked on skid row. I looked for Everett Whaley from last week, but didn't see him. I had told him last week that I come down there on Sundays, so on a Monday he may not have been around anymore. I hope he has found a safe place to live. I ended up stopping by to see John Stokes and David. I had bought some rodent poison to help them with their rat problem and wanted to make sure they got it. John was there, but David wasn't. John had been very sick the last time I saw him. He was better, but said he was still pretty weak from the whole ordeal. I'm sure the cold weather isn't helping. When I gave him the jar of peanut butter he said, "I love peanut butter. I could eat this whole jar." I wanted to make sure they had enough food to last through Thanksgiving on Thursday. I got to say a Thanksgiving prayer with John before I left.
I thought I only had one bag of food left at this point and I had seen some homeless people near Daley St and North Main. I recognized one of them as a woman I've helped before. I was a little leary of giving one bag of food to her with two other men there, but I decided I'd head back there and see if anyone was still there. On the way, I saw a young twenty-something man looking through a trash can under a freeway, by a bus stop. I circled back and gave the last bag to him. He was obviously very needy, but didn't want to talk much. I think he was embarrassed about his situation. Hopefully, the bag of food will give him some needed relief from hunger over the next few days.
As I drove on home at this point, I didn't realize that I still had one bag of food left on the floor of the back seat. I didn't notice it until I was half-way home. By this time it was night-time and I really don't know the 'turf' where the homeless are staying in the San Gabriel Valley like I do downtown. I was kind of disappointed with the whole trip. I guess mainly because I didn't have a real 'remarkable' encounter. Thinking back I was grateful for the encounter with Debra and Tony even if it just meant that I heard news about Phillip and Nancy. I have a feeling that those receiving the food and water were sure glad I made the trip too. The scripture quoted above was read in church on Sunday. I've heard and read it many times. As I've said before, I try to bring a piece of God's Kingdom to these people each time I go. Along with the food and water, at least a 'piece of His heart." --Until next week. John
This week's trip ended up being on a Monday in the middle of the day, which is not exactly my favorite time to go. However, bringing relief to the homeless is welcomed by them any time and any day of the week. I haven't seen Phillip or Nancy in the Lincoln Park area in over a year now. That hasn't stopped me from going and looking anyway. As I drove by where they used to stay I saw a man and a woman there at right about the same place. There was another man a few yards away from them, but I couldn't park at the curb right by them. After driving around I found a place to park not too far from where they all were and took a couple of bags of food with me. When I got there I met Tony and Debra. I asked about Phillip and Nancy and Debra did know them. She told me they had gotten a place to stay, but indicated they wouldn't be able to stay there much longer. Both of these folks were about the same age as Phillip and Nancy. Debra said she and Tony had been staying at this spot for about a month or so. I left a bag of food with them and gave the other one to Henry, the man who was living a few yards away from them. I had met Henry earlier in the year shortly before summer. He told me then that he was a farm laborer and was waiting for watermelon season. Monday he told me that this season wasn't very good, but he was getting along OK, just not good enough to afford a place to stay. As I recall he was almost 70 years old. He looks remarkably fit for someone that age. I prayed with him before walking back to my car, which he appreciated. I had asked Debra if they needed some water. I told her I had some in my car and I would drive back by and pass it to her from the curb. When I drove up she came over to the car and got it and saw some cans of ravioli that I had out on the seat. I was intending to give them to her and when she said she loved ravioli and Tony really liked the Chunky soup in the bag I gave her both cans and a jar of peanut butter. I told her the peanut butter they could use with the loaf of bread in the bag. She seemed very thankful and said, "God bless you." She then asked if I would remember to pray for them. I told her, "Let me pray for you right now." So holding her hand through the window I prayed for her and Tony. You would have thought from her reaction that I was the only one who had ever prayed for her (maybe I was). Debra looked like she had lived on the street for a long time, but she was in tears when I drove away. Despite the hardened appearance, even the toughest looking people are like little children inside.
In the course of the next hour and half, I drove over to Cloud Nine Alley (still no one living in the alley) and prayer-walked on skid row. I looked for Everett Whaley from last week, but didn't see him. I had told him last week that I come down there on Sundays, so on a Monday he may not have been around anymore. I hope he has found a safe place to live. I ended up stopping by to see John Stokes and David. I had bought some rodent poison to help them with their rat problem and wanted to make sure they got it. John was there, but David wasn't. John had been very sick the last time I saw him. He was better, but said he was still pretty weak from the whole ordeal. I'm sure the cold weather isn't helping. When I gave him the jar of peanut butter he said, "I love peanut butter. I could eat this whole jar." I wanted to make sure they had enough food to last through Thanksgiving on Thursday. I got to say a Thanksgiving prayer with John before I left.
I thought I only had one bag of food left at this point and I had seen some homeless people near Daley St and North Main. I recognized one of them as a woman I've helped before. I was a little leary of giving one bag of food to her with two other men there, but I decided I'd head back there and see if anyone was still there. On the way, I saw a young twenty-something man looking through a trash can under a freeway, by a bus stop. I circled back and gave the last bag to him. He was obviously very needy, but didn't want to talk much. I think he was embarrassed about his situation. Hopefully, the bag of food will give him some needed relief from hunger over the next few days.
As I drove on home at this point, I didn't realize that I still had one bag of food left on the floor of the back seat. I didn't notice it until I was half-way home. By this time it was night-time and I really don't know the 'turf' where the homeless are staying in the San Gabriel Valley like I do downtown. I was kind of disappointed with the whole trip. I guess mainly because I didn't have a real 'remarkable' encounter. Thinking back I was grateful for the encounter with Debra and Tony even if it just meant that I heard news about Phillip and Nancy. I have a feeling that those receiving the food and water were sure glad I made the trip too. The scripture quoted above was read in church on Sunday. I've heard and read it many times. As I've said before, I try to bring a piece of God's Kingdom to these people each time I go. Along with the food and water, at least a 'piece of His heart." --Until next week. John
Monday, November 14, 2011
Downtown 11/13/2011
"The LORD took note and listened (to those who still revered Him)... They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them....Then once more you shall see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him."--Malachi 3:16-13
Yesterday's message in church was, in part, on this passage from the prophet Malachi. The prophet was concerned that the wicked were prospering and the righteous were struggling and the the 'people' were getting an impression of God that He didn't care or wasn't going to do anything about the increase in lawlessness that was rampant in society. Sounds familiar doesn't it? God's response was, "Just you wait and see what happens when I put things right." The inference was for the people who continue to follow the ways of God to keep it up. Don't succumb to the way the society is going. Keep on keeping on. As the morning at church ended and opportunities to do other things came up it was tempting to just 'take the rest of the day off'. I had bought food to take downtown the night before and had everything ready to go there, yet I was feeling kind of lazy. As it turned out I went on downtown shortly after getting home even though I was pretty tired. I drove on down to Lincoln Park and rested in my car for about a half an hour and finally got started looking for people to help at around 3 p.m. Since this is the first trip after daylight savings time ended, I was only going to have about 2 hours of daylight left and needed to get going. The first 4 or 5 people I gave food to were needy enough, but I didn't end up praying with anyone and I felt the trip was being wasted. I stopped at the Jack in the Box to get a cup of coffee and a quick snack, hoping to improve my energy level. As I walked in there was a woman who looked homeless walking out the door. She had a cup of coffee in her hand. I figured that was all she could afford. I ordered, used the rest room and sat down and waited for my order. She had positioned herself by a trash can outside the door and just on the other side of the glass wall where I was sitting. When my order came, two tacos and a cup of coffee, I decided to give one of the tacos to her. Her name was Darlene and she was waiting for someone to give her a ride to a doctor. She didn't say what her ailment was. I commented to her that despite all the grease in the taco, they sure did taste good. She agreed they did.
After leaving there I gave out the last of the food bags and drove over to Cloud Nine Alley. I haven't seen Ray or any evidence of anyone living there in the alley for over a month. I then headed down to skid row. I had driven down there already, but the free parking in front of the police station was full. I was hoping by now there may be a couple of spots open. Somewhere around Olympic and Broadway I saw a most pathetic looking homeless man laying on the corner. His hair was all matted and with his beard you could hardly make out his face. The clothes he had on were the only thing he had. He had nothing else around him except for a styrofoam cup that was empty. I drove around the block to find a place to park near him. When I got out of the car I heard him yelling something, but I couldn't make out what it was. As I got closer someone walked around the corner in front of him and he yelled again. I thought to myself, "Well this could be interesting" as I set a can of soup with a spoon down right in front of him. I told him simply, "This is for you." He grabbed the can of soup and pulled it close to him. I turned to walk back to my car not knowing if the can was going to be thrown at the back of my head. I got to my car and started to drive on down the street. As I drove by where he was sitting on the sidewalk I could see he had already opened the can and was starting to eat out of it. Perhaps a meal in his stomach would calm him down.
I headed on down to skid row and this time found a place to park in front of the police station. Three weeks ago I had noticed a sign on the roof of a corner building on 6th and Los Angeles St. advertising for blankets. I decided to walk down there and check it out. It was still light out, probably around 4:30 p.m. The retail stores in the area were starting to close up, but there were still a lot of people walking around. Los Angeles Street, in particular, was filled with people walking around. I looked from the sidewalk at several of the stores. Most of them in that section were selling various combinations of fabric, rugs, comforters and blankets. None looked to have the kind of blankets I was looking for. I looked across the street at the stores over there and was just about to cross the street when a man came up to me and asked for some help. He had just arrived from Tuscon, Arizona the day before (probably arrived at the El Paso/LA bus depot across from the police station). He had spent the night in the lobby of the police station after he had been beaten up and robbed of the $800.00 he had on him. The police wouldn't let him leave until morning because they feared he might be attacked again by the same people thinking he had more money on him (which he didn't). He was trying to sell me his watch for $3 because he didn't have any money left and didn't want to just ask for a hand-out. I told him I come downtown once a week to help people out just like him, but the food I had was back in my car, parked in front of the police station. So as we walked back to my car together he told me his recent difficulties. He was 63 years old and was a church-going man all his life and was hoping to become an ordained minister. He told me when he saw me he felt the Lord telling him to "Go talk to this man." I gave him some food and clothing. He had a traveling bag and a jacket, but couldn't carry very much more, otherwise I would have given him more food. I gave him the last $10 I had on me and told him to keep his watch. He may need it another day. We prayed, hugged and prayed somemore. He was so thankful that he followed God's 'instructions' (so was I) and approached me for help.
When I left the area and started to process the trip on the way home, I couldn't help but think back to the morning's message at church and how, the prophet Malachi was telling the people to keep following the Lord and His ways that it does make a difference. What would have happened to this man, his name is Everett Whaley, if I hadn't gone down there. What would have happened if Everett hadn't been obedient and approached me for help. Yes, God could have used someone else to help him. But this way, we both know he was helped. We were both blessed and encouraged by the encounter. It was a privilege to be a part of it.--Until next week--John
Yesterday's message in church was, in part, on this passage from the prophet Malachi. The prophet was concerned that the wicked were prospering and the righteous were struggling and the the 'people' were getting an impression of God that He didn't care or wasn't going to do anything about the increase in lawlessness that was rampant in society. Sounds familiar doesn't it? God's response was, "Just you wait and see what happens when I put things right." The inference was for the people who continue to follow the ways of God to keep it up. Don't succumb to the way the society is going. Keep on keeping on. As the morning at church ended and opportunities to do other things came up it was tempting to just 'take the rest of the day off'. I had bought food to take downtown the night before and had everything ready to go there, yet I was feeling kind of lazy. As it turned out I went on downtown shortly after getting home even though I was pretty tired. I drove on down to Lincoln Park and rested in my car for about a half an hour and finally got started looking for people to help at around 3 p.m. Since this is the first trip after daylight savings time ended, I was only going to have about 2 hours of daylight left and needed to get going. The first 4 or 5 people I gave food to were needy enough, but I didn't end up praying with anyone and I felt the trip was being wasted. I stopped at the Jack in the Box to get a cup of coffee and a quick snack, hoping to improve my energy level. As I walked in there was a woman who looked homeless walking out the door. She had a cup of coffee in her hand. I figured that was all she could afford. I ordered, used the rest room and sat down and waited for my order. She had positioned herself by a trash can outside the door and just on the other side of the glass wall where I was sitting. When my order came, two tacos and a cup of coffee, I decided to give one of the tacos to her. Her name was Darlene and she was waiting for someone to give her a ride to a doctor. She didn't say what her ailment was. I commented to her that despite all the grease in the taco, they sure did taste good. She agreed they did.
After leaving there I gave out the last of the food bags and drove over to Cloud Nine Alley. I haven't seen Ray or any evidence of anyone living there in the alley for over a month. I then headed down to skid row. I had driven down there already, but the free parking in front of the police station was full. I was hoping by now there may be a couple of spots open. Somewhere around Olympic and Broadway I saw a most pathetic looking homeless man laying on the corner. His hair was all matted and with his beard you could hardly make out his face. The clothes he had on were the only thing he had. He had nothing else around him except for a styrofoam cup that was empty. I drove around the block to find a place to park near him. When I got out of the car I heard him yelling something, but I couldn't make out what it was. As I got closer someone walked around the corner in front of him and he yelled again. I thought to myself, "Well this could be interesting" as I set a can of soup with a spoon down right in front of him. I told him simply, "This is for you." He grabbed the can of soup and pulled it close to him. I turned to walk back to my car not knowing if the can was going to be thrown at the back of my head. I got to my car and started to drive on down the street. As I drove by where he was sitting on the sidewalk I could see he had already opened the can and was starting to eat out of it. Perhaps a meal in his stomach would calm him down.
I headed on down to skid row and this time found a place to park in front of the police station. Three weeks ago I had noticed a sign on the roof of a corner building on 6th and Los Angeles St. advertising for blankets. I decided to walk down there and check it out. It was still light out, probably around 4:30 p.m. The retail stores in the area were starting to close up, but there were still a lot of people walking around. Los Angeles Street, in particular, was filled with people walking around. I looked from the sidewalk at several of the stores. Most of them in that section were selling various combinations of fabric, rugs, comforters and blankets. None looked to have the kind of blankets I was looking for. I looked across the street at the stores over there and was just about to cross the street when a man came up to me and asked for some help. He had just arrived from Tuscon, Arizona the day before (probably arrived at the El Paso/LA bus depot across from the police station). He had spent the night in the lobby of the police station after he had been beaten up and robbed of the $800.00 he had on him. The police wouldn't let him leave until morning because they feared he might be attacked again by the same people thinking he had more money on him (which he didn't). He was trying to sell me his watch for $3 because he didn't have any money left and didn't want to just ask for a hand-out. I told him I come downtown once a week to help people out just like him, but the food I had was back in my car, parked in front of the police station. So as we walked back to my car together he told me his recent difficulties. He was 63 years old and was a church-going man all his life and was hoping to become an ordained minister. He told me when he saw me he felt the Lord telling him to "Go talk to this man." I gave him some food and clothing. He had a traveling bag and a jacket, but couldn't carry very much more, otherwise I would have given him more food. I gave him the last $10 I had on me and told him to keep his watch. He may need it another day. We prayed, hugged and prayed somemore. He was so thankful that he followed God's 'instructions' (so was I) and approached me for help.
When I left the area and started to process the trip on the way home, I couldn't help but think back to the morning's message at church and how, the prophet Malachi was telling the people to keep following the Lord and His ways that it does make a difference. What would have happened to this man, his name is Everett Whaley, if I hadn't gone down there. What would have happened if Everett hadn't been obedient and approached me for help. Yes, God could have used someone else to help him. But this way, we both know he was helped. We were both blessed and encouraged by the encounter. It was a privilege to be a part of it.--Until next week--John
Monday, October 31, 2011
10/30/2011-Downtown-Don't Pass Me By
"But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed. Although, they cannot repay you, you will be repayed..." --Luke 14:13-14
It had been nearly eleven months since I did the last barbecue downtown. Yesterday would be the last Sunday of daylight savings time so I picked this weekend to do it again. I had told Willie and Tara Lee that this weekend we'd do it and to invite their friends to come. I even had to go downtown last Wednesday for a work issue and when I was done I drove by their alley to remind them again about the barbecue. Now just so you know, I'm a pretty normal person and I worried about the turn-out the rest of the week. It's quite a project to get all the stuff purchased and in the car and not forget something. Would anyone besides Willie and Tara be there? Would they even be there? It's possible they could be run-off by then. Would too many people show up and I wouldn't have enough food? Jesus may be able to feed the five thousand on five loaves of bread and a couple of fish, but I'm not used to hamburgers multiplying. "Oh Lord, please show up and make this go right!" Well, the day arrived and I packed up my car. I got half-way down there and realized I had everything but the charcoal briquets. Yes I had some at home, but not in the car. I had told them I'd be there between 2 and 3 p.m. Well I would have been there at 2 p.m. but now I was going to have to find a store and buy the briquets. I knew there was a Smart and Final store down there, but wouldn't you know it I couldn't find it now that I was looking for it. I decided to drive by the alley and tell my friends what was happening. As I drove down the alley, EJ was waving to me. Chris was there too and they had set up a coffee table with some newspapers on top of it for me to set up shop. I told them what was happening and they told me where there was a store nearby where I could buy the briquets. On my way out of the alley a woman was standing near a building and she asked me, "Am I too late?" I told her "No, I just need to go to the store real quick and I'll be right back." When I got back it was about 2:45 p.m., she wasn't there but about 8 or 9 men were there. A couple of them I didn't know, but most of them I did know. I had been a little concerned about how to do everything without a table, and the coffee table was a big help, but I could have used a much larger (and higher) table. Anyway, logistically it all worked out, a few other people came by and end the end there were about a dozen people served. You know I had always wanted to do this with a group of homeless folks, but figured that I would have to always set up shop at several different locations to reach people because they don't have transportation. Well, by getting the word out and letting the people that I do know spread the word to their friends it works out OK. We had potato chips, hamburgers, sausages, canned vegetables, cookies and chilled water and soda. Of course, before I left I gave out some chocolate candy for "Halloween".
OK, enough about the logistics....so what really happened? When we think about barbecues, whether they were with our families or with our friends, we usually remember them as being a good time. I so much wanted this day to be a good time and a family-type time for these people. Chris told me he was so looking forward to the barbecue all week that he had gotten there in the morning because he didn't want to miss it. I had wanted to video record some clips, but it just didn't work-out this time. I had bought a small camera on the way down there to do it, but we couldn't figure it out in time to do it. One of the guys yesterday, they call he "Dreds" because he wears his hair that way was able to figure out how to get the camera to take pictures so we could look at them. He told me I had helped him and his girlfriend in this same alley earlier this year. Some of the other guys who came by later I had helped out from time to time. They all knew me, but I didn't recognize all of them right away. When I prayed before we ate, I thanked God for always providing for us. I acknowledged that sometimes the provision comes later than we sometimes hope for and sometimes it isn't what we expected, but we're still standing (there were a lot of groans of acknowledgement at this point) and I still thanked God for that provision. When I finished Tara started singing the chorus to the song, "Don't pass me by". I wasn't real familiar with the song, but looked it up on youtube today. There are a few versions of it, including one done with a mime acting it out (yeah I know you don't like mimes). However, it was this version that finally got the message of the song through to me. It is basically the story of the blind man on the side of the road who won't keep quiet when he hears Jesus is passing by. He makes such a noise to get Jesus' attention that the people standing around tell him to shut-up, but he refuses to keep quiet. Jesus ends up healing the man as He passes by. From a homeless man's perspective it was quite a poignant moment yesterday. Everyone clapped. I told them the last song we sang at church yesterday was "everyone's" favorite song. Someone burted out, "Amazing Grace?" I said, "That's the one." I also told them about something I saw in church that morning that reminded me of them. Before the service starts there is a screen where the announcements are given about upcoming events. One of the screens was an announcemnt for a group for Moms where they get together to pray for their kids and each other. The picture on the screen was of a half a dozen small children with the line, "Mom will you pray for us?" When I saw it I thought of my friends downtown. I told them yesterday, that "I know the police can be your best friend and your worst enemy and so can other homeless people. They too can be your best friend and your worst enemy. I want you to know that I'm your friend and I always pray for you." They told me they knew it and always feel blessed when I come by. I was humbled.
It was about 5:30 p.m. when the last burger was eaten and I then started packing the car up. As is my custom, I prayed with them before leaving. I prayed about how hard the rules and scriptures in the Old Testament are to understand and follow, but how thankful we are that God sent His Son to show us, by example, how to live. It was a memorable day. Everyone ate till they were full, everyone enjoyed the time and there were no harsh words spoken by anyone. It was truly amazing. I give all the praise and glory to God, for without Him I couldn't do this. For it's times like yesterday, that I needed God's Spirit to show up and work on our hearts. I started this ministry because I just wanted to be near were God was working. My only wish is that I had started doing this years sooner. As I have grown spiritually during these last two and a half years, the goal now each week is to simply bring the Kingdom of God to these people, if only for a short time. Yesterday it really happened. --Until next time. John
P.S. I had three cooked burgers left in the end. I stopped by where John Stokes and David live under the freeway on Elwood St. They got the last of them. John has been sick lately and very weak. He didn't have enough energy to go to the Jack in the Box and hustle money for a burger. It's great when even the left-overs meet peoples needs. Below are some pictures from the barbecue.
The picture on the left is of Willie, Chis, EJ and Dred. The one on the right is Willie, Me, Chris and EJ in the front. Dred took the picture. The one below is of Prince and Chris.
It had been nearly eleven months since I did the last barbecue downtown. Yesterday would be the last Sunday of daylight savings time so I picked this weekend to do it again. I had told Willie and Tara Lee that this weekend we'd do it and to invite their friends to come. I even had to go downtown last Wednesday for a work issue and when I was done I drove by their alley to remind them again about the barbecue. Now just so you know, I'm a pretty normal person and I worried about the turn-out the rest of the week. It's quite a project to get all the stuff purchased and in the car and not forget something. Would anyone besides Willie and Tara be there? Would they even be there? It's possible they could be run-off by then. Would too many people show up and I wouldn't have enough food? Jesus may be able to feed the five thousand on five loaves of bread and a couple of fish, but I'm not used to hamburgers multiplying. "Oh Lord, please show up and make this go right!" Well, the day arrived and I packed up my car. I got half-way down there and realized I had everything but the charcoal briquets. Yes I had some at home, but not in the car. I had told them I'd be there between 2 and 3 p.m. Well I would have been there at 2 p.m. but now I was going to have to find a store and buy the briquets. I knew there was a Smart and Final store down there, but wouldn't you know it I couldn't find it now that I was looking for it. I decided to drive by the alley and tell my friends what was happening. As I drove down the alley, EJ was waving to me. Chris was there too and they had set up a coffee table with some newspapers on top of it for me to set up shop. I told them what was happening and they told me where there was a store nearby where I could buy the briquets. On my way out of the alley a woman was standing near a building and she asked me, "Am I too late?" I told her "No, I just need to go to the store real quick and I'll be right back." When I got back it was about 2:45 p.m., she wasn't there but about 8 or 9 men were there. A couple of them I didn't know, but most of them I did know. I had been a little concerned about how to do everything without a table, and the coffee table was a big help, but I could have used a much larger (and higher) table. Anyway, logistically it all worked out, a few other people came by and end the end there were about a dozen people served. You know I had always wanted to do this with a group of homeless folks, but figured that I would have to always set up shop at several different locations to reach people because they don't have transportation. Well, by getting the word out and letting the people that I do know spread the word to their friends it works out OK. We had potato chips, hamburgers, sausages, canned vegetables, cookies and chilled water and soda. Of course, before I left I gave out some chocolate candy for "Halloween".
OK, enough about the logistics....so what really happened? When we think about barbecues, whether they were with our families or with our friends, we usually remember them as being a good time. I so much wanted this day to be a good time and a family-type time for these people. Chris told me he was so looking forward to the barbecue all week that he had gotten there in the morning because he didn't want to miss it. I had wanted to video record some clips, but it just didn't work-out this time. I had bought a small camera on the way down there to do it, but we couldn't figure it out in time to do it. One of the guys yesterday, they call he "Dreds" because he wears his hair that way was able to figure out how to get the camera to take pictures so we could look at them. He told me I had helped him and his girlfriend in this same alley earlier this year. Some of the other guys who came by later I had helped out from time to time. They all knew me, but I didn't recognize all of them right away. When I prayed before we ate, I thanked God for always providing for us. I acknowledged that sometimes the provision comes later than we sometimes hope for and sometimes it isn't what we expected, but we're still standing (there were a lot of groans of acknowledgement at this point) and I still thanked God for that provision. When I finished Tara started singing the chorus to the song, "Don't pass me by". I wasn't real familiar with the song, but looked it up on youtube today. There are a few versions of it, including one done with a mime acting it out (yeah I know you don't like mimes). However, it was this version that finally got the message of the song through to me. It is basically the story of the blind man on the side of the road who won't keep quiet when he hears Jesus is passing by. He makes such a noise to get Jesus' attention that the people standing around tell him to shut-up, but he refuses to keep quiet. Jesus ends up healing the man as He passes by. From a homeless man's perspective it was quite a poignant moment yesterday. Everyone clapped. I told them the last song we sang at church yesterday was "everyone's" favorite song. Someone burted out, "Amazing Grace?" I said, "That's the one." I also told them about something I saw in church that morning that reminded me of them. Before the service starts there is a screen where the announcements are given about upcoming events. One of the screens was an announcemnt for a group for Moms where they get together to pray for their kids and each other. The picture on the screen was of a half a dozen small children with the line, "Mom will you pray for us?" When I saw it I thought of my friends downtown. I told them yesterday, that "I know the police can be your best friend and your worst enemy and so can other homeless people. They too can be your best friend and your worst enemy. I want you to know that I'm your friend and I always pray for you." They told me they knew it and always feel blessed when I come by. I was humbled.
It was about 5:30 p.m. when the last burger was eaten and I then started packing the car up. As is my custom, I prayed with them before leaving. I prayed about how hard the rules and scriptures in the Old Testament are to understand and follow, but how thankful we are that God sent His Son to show us, by example, how to live. It was a memorable day. Everyone ate till they were full, everyone enjoyed the time and there were no harsh words spoken by anyone. It was truly amazing. I give all the praise and glory to God, for without Him I couldn't do this. For it's times like yesterday, that I needed God's Spirit to show up and work on our hearts. I started this ministry because I just wanted to be near were God was working. My only wish is that I had started doing this years sooner. As I have grown spiritually during these last two and a half years, the goal now each week is to simply bring the Kingdom of God to these people, if only for a short time. Yesterday it really happened. --Until next time. John
P.S. I had three cooked burgers left in the end. I stopped by where John Stokes and David live under the freeway on Elwood St. They got the last of them. John has been sick lately and very weak. He didn't have enough energy to go to the Jack in the Box and hustle money for a burger. It's great when even the left-overs meet peoples needs. Below are some pictures from the barbecue.
The picture on the left is of Willie, Chis, EJ and Dred. The one on the right is Willie, Me, Chris and EJ in the front. Dred took the picture. The one below is of Prince and Chris.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Downtown 10/23/2011
When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, don't go back to get it, it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so the LORD your God may bless you in all your undertakings. --Deuteronomy 24:19
Last week was my first week with my new day schedule at work. This means I finish my work week on Saturday night and actually have a normal sleep schedule. So I had't quite decided what to do about this week's trip. Whether to continue to go in the evening, focusing on the streets near skid row and buy food when I got down there or revert back to the way I used to do it and buy bags of food supplies to last someone several days (instead of just one meal). While resting in the afternoon (I'm still used to sleeping in the afternoons) a friend came by with some loaves of bread and other food supplies like I used to bring! Well, that settled it. I still didn't make it down there until close to dusk, but I went with the loaves of bread, cans of soup and cookies supplies. He also had three jars of peanut butter and that proved to be a hit with some of the folks too. With peanut butter and a loaf of bread, one can eat for several days.
I arrived shortly after 6 p.m. but there wasn't going to be much daylight left. I started by going to Lincoln Park (I hadn't been there in months) and saw Ceasar begging on the corner by the park. He got the first bag and I noticed when he thanked me that his english is improving. He immediately walked away and started eating stuff from the bag. It looked like he probably hadn't eaten all day. I looked for Phillip and Nancy and even Luis, but no one else was around the park area that I knew. I left there and drove back into the downtown area and found Robert on 4th St. just off Alameda. He was just standing around there, kind of shuffling because it was starting to get cold. He had on two light-weight jackets. I asked him if he was hungry and he told me he was. After giving him some food and water I asked if there was anything else he needed. He told me he could use a blanket if I had one, but all I had were sweaters. I looked around in the trunk for the largest one I could find and put that around his shoulders. Usually, I've been passing food through the window to Robert, so since I was standing outside next to him I took the opportunity to pray with him. I asked what size pants he wore and told him I'd start looking for a pair his size to bring to him. Robert lives across the street from a very small gas station/truck stop and exists off the generosity of the people passing by in the area. On the weekends, it's pretty deserted. I'm sure he goes without food a lot.
I drove across town using 14th and Pico streets to get to Olive St. I gave another bag of food out to a man named Rodrick on 14th. When I got to Olive St, I didn't see anyone at the spots where the homeless usually hang-out so I went on down to skid row and parked in front of the police station. A block before the police station I noticed at least a dozen cars parked on the left side of the street with their flashers flashing and crowds of people on the sidewalk. After parking I walked back there to see what was going on. As I got out of the car, a man was just walking up from that area and said, "They're giving out stuff!" He had only gotten a couple of nutri-bars and so I asked him if he needed some food, his name was Art. He told me he did, (I'm still not certain why he didn't get more from the people on the other block) so I gave him a bag of food. This was one of the bags with a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. When he saw the peanut butter he got so excited you would have thought I'd given him a hundred bucks! I told him I usually don't give out food without praying for the person, so he gladly accepted the prayer too. I walked on down to the other block to see what was going on. It looked like a church group had brought down a bunch of supplies to hand-out to the homeless people. They were pretty much all college-age people. After standing around and observing for awhile I walked back to where my car was. I had seen a man sitting on the steps by the police station when I first pulled up and now I slowly started up a conversation with him while continuing to watch what was going on back down the street. His name was Terry and we talked for probably thirty minutes. He was originally from the Hollywood area, but moved to the Detroit area as a child. He had been back out here now for over 10 years. It turns out he had been to college, including some bible colleges back there that I wasn't familiar with. He had even been involved in missions work through these colleges. Somewhere along the line, he became disillusioned with the directon these organizations were going. I don't think he lost his faith, but he certainly lost faith in the institutions. We prayed together and hugged. I think he felt a lot better when I left.
As I left the area I gave out the last two bags of food to some homeless people on the corner of Wall St and about 9th St. The man's name was Derek and the woman's name was Jamaica (probably not her real name). The man was obviously homeless (he had a shopping cart, right?), but the woman, really didn't look the part. It's at times like this that I think about motives and how pure my own motives are when I pray and ask God for him to get involved in whatever it is I'm asking about. Does he look at me and my requests the same way I looked at this woman and her request? I'm sure I've given away food and other items to people who just wanted to know what they could get from me. Hopefully, in most of those cases the items ended up in the hands of people who did need them. In my case, I wonder if the silence I experience from God, is really not so silent. Is he answering in a way to draw a deeper and more engaging conversation/relationship with me and I just go on about my life unaware? I think these encounters with the homeless take on a more far-reaching importance than what I see in the moment.
Before leaving the area I prayer-walked on Cloud Nine Alley. Ray's spot seems to be unlived in for a few days. Pastor Rodriguez was preaching, but I didn't go inside. I did stop by the alley where Willie and Tara Lee live. Since there is only one more weekend of daylight savings time we set up this next weekend to do a barbecue. I told them I'd be there between 2-3p.m and to invite their friends. We'll see how it goes. Please pray that I can reach a group of people with God's love. Until next week. John
Last week was my first week with my new day schedule at work. This means I finish my work week on Saturday night and actually have a normal sleep schedule. So I had't quite decided what to do about this week's trip. Whether to continue to go in the evening, focusing on the streets near skid row and buy food when I got down there or revert back to the way I used to do it and buy bags of food supplies to last someone several days (instead of just one meal). While resting in the afternoon (I'm still used to sleeping in the afternoons) a friend came by with some loaves of bread and other food supplies like I used to bring! Well, that settled it. I still didn't make it down there until close to dusk, but I went with the loaves of bread, cans of soup and cookies supplies. He also had three jars of peanut butter and that proved to be a hit with some of the folks too. With peanut butter and a loaf of bread, one can eat for several days.
I arrived shortly after 6 p.m. but there wasn't going to be much daylight left. I started by going to Lincoln Park (I hadn't been there in months) and saw Ceasar begging on the corner by the park. He got the first bag and I noticed when he thanked me that his english is improving. He immediately walked away and started eating stuff from the bag. It looked like he probably hadn't eaten all day. I looked for Phillip and Nancy and even Luis, but no one else was around the park area that I knew. I left there and drove back into the downtown area and found Robert on 4th St. just off Alameda. He was just standing around there, kind of shuffling because it was starting to get cold. He had on two light-weight jackets. I asked him if he was hungry and he told me he was. After giving him some food and water I asked if there was anything else he needed. He told me he could use a blanket if I had one, but all I had were sweaters. I looked around in the trunk for the largest one I could find and put that around his shoulders. Usually, I've been passing food through the window to Robert, so since I was standing outside next to him I took the opportunity to pray with him. I asked what size pants he wore and told him I'd start looking for a pair his size to bring to him. Robert lives across the street from a very small gas station/truck stop and exists off the generosity of the people passing by in the area. On the weekends, it's pretty deserted. I'm sure he goes without food a lot.
I drove across town using 14th and Pico streets to get to Olive St. I gave another bag of food out to a man named Rodrick on 14th. When I got to Olive St, I didn't see anyone at the spots where the homeless usually hang-out so I went on down to skid row and parked in front of the police station. A block before the police station I noticed at least a dozen cars parked on the left side of the street with their flashers flashing and crowds of people on the sidewalk. After parking I walked back there to see what was going on. As I got out of the car, a man was just walking up from that area and said, "They're giving out stuff!" He had only gotten a couple of nutri-bars and so I asked him if he needed some food, his name was Art. He told me he did, (I'm still not certain why he didn't get more from the people on the other block) so I gave him a bag of food. This was one of the bags with a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. When he saw the peanut butter he got so excited you would have thought I'd given him a hundred bucks! I told him I usually don't give out food without praying for the person, so he gladly accepted the prayer too. I walked on down to the other block to see what was going on. It looked like a church group had brought down a bunch of supplies to hand-out to the homeless people. They were pretty much all college-age people. After standing around and observing for awhile I walked back to where my car was. I had seen a man sitting on the steps by the police station when I first pulled up and now I slowly started up a conversation with him while continuing to watch what was going on back down the street. His name was Terry and we talked for probably thirty minutes. He was originally from the Hollywood area, but moved to the Detroit area as a child. He had been back out here now for over 10 years. It turns out he had been to college, including some bible colleges back there that I wasn't familiar with. He had even been involved in missions work through these colleges. Somewhere along the line, he became disillusioned with the directon these organizations were going. I don't think he lost his faith, but he certainly lost faith in the institutions. We prayed together and hugged. I think he felt a lot better when I left.
As I left the area I gave out the last two bags of food to some homeless people on the corner of Wall St and about 9th St. The man's name was Derek and the woman's name was Jamaica (probably not her real name). The man was obviously homeless (he had a shopping cart, right?), but the woman, really didn't look the part. It's at times like this that I think about motives and how pure my own motives are when I pray and ask God for him to get involved in whatever it is I'm asking about. Does he look at me and my requests the same way I looked at this woman and her request? I'm sure I've given away food and other items to people who just wanted to know what they could get from me. Hopefully, in most of those cases the items ended up in the hands of people who did need them. In my case, I wonder if the silence I experience from God, is really not so silent. Is he answering in a way to draw a deeper and more engaging conversation/relationship with me and I just go on about my life unaware? I think these encounters with the homeless take on a more far-reaching importance than what I see in the moment.
Before leaving the area I prayer-walked on Cloud Nine Alley. Ray's spot seems to be unlived in for a few days. Pastor Rodriguez was preaching, but I didn't go inside. I did stop by the alley where Willie and Tara Lee live. Since there is only one more weekend of daylight savings time we set up this next weekend to do a barbecue. I told them I'd be there between 2-3p.m and to invite their friends. We'll see how it goes. Please pray that I can reach a group of people with God's love. Until next week. John
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Downtown 10/16/2011
"You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:18
Yes, loving your neighbor as yourself is a concept in the Old Testament too. To answer the question of "Who is my neighbor?", continue reading....
After missing a week (car in the shop again) I returned downtown Sunday night. Feeling a need to see some familiar faces I went to see some of my 'regulars' and other old friends starting with John Stokes and his friend David. Where they live under the freeway there is a fenced dirt lot next to them. A trucking company had leased the lot to park their trucks there, but the lease was up and they had moved out. In addition to the trucks and equipment being gone so were the guard dogs. I mention this because John and David told me that now along with the flies in the day and the mosquitos at night, their place is now infested with rats and mice. I think in the past the guard dogs must have kept the rats away. I promised to bring them some traps next time. I can't imagine living under those conditions on a daily basis--as if being homeless isn't bad enough. When David asked me to pray for them it brought on new meaning when I asked God to protect them that night.
After leaving John and David I went over to Hooper St. under the I-10 freeway where Richard Brown lives. I met Richard on the very first trip I made downtown. Usually Raul is nearby but I didn't see him. Instead two other men by the names of Steve and Earl were there. Richard called them over so I could pray for all of them. Richard told me he was going to turn 64 in 10 days (the 26th) and was looking forward to turning 65 the next year. At 65 he can begin collecting Social Security and would have enough of a monthly income to afford a place in Mississipi where his sister lives. I really hope his dream comes true because he told me one of his friends, by the name of Angel, had died on the street the previous week about 10 blocks away there on Hooper St. I'll have to bring Richard something special for his birthday next week.
When I left there I drove just a couple of hundred yards north on Hooper to the alley where I saw Willie and Tara Lee a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping they were still there and they were. As I pulled up I saw Willie and another man standing in the alley talking. Tara Lee usually is inside his make-shift 'house' and doesn't come out. He will usually poke his head out to say hello and we talk through the 'drapes' of his house. So as I pulled up and said hello to Willie and then pulled over to one side to park the car I heard Tara ask who had come by. Willie said, "It's John" and Tara asked, "Is it 'our' John?" They had all been hoping I would come by that night. It was one of the most heartwarming welcomes I've ever received and I realize it's a result of time spent developing a relationship with them. During our conversation Willie prayed specifically for me (I was seeing a doctor the next day) and then Tara asked me to pray for everyone before I left. I don't know if you noticed, but all three of these groups asked me to pray for them, how wonderful is that?
At this point I had four hamburgers left, so I went over to Olive St and at Pico I saw a man named Julio sitting on the corner sitting up against a short retaining wall. He told me he was hungry and then I noticed he had on socks and sandals but no shoes. I was out of socks, but I did have a pair of shoes for him and a blanket too (he didn't have one). After praying for Julio another homeless man was walking by. He had a small blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Knowing I only had two burgers left I asked him if he was hungry too and he told me he was. I had a hooded sweatshirt in my hand that I was going to give Julio, but since I had given Julio a blanket I asked this man, his name was Pierre, if he could use it. He said yes, but then said, "I thought you had some food?" I told him I did and we walked over to the car and I gave him the last two burgers and some water. Before leaving him I prayed for him. I don't think I've ever prayed for someone named Pierre before! I continued on down to Skid Row and Cloud Nine alley to prayer-walk before leaving for home. It's always a good trip being able to pray for everyone I meet down here. --Until next week. John
Yes, loving your neighbor as yourself is a concept in the Old Testament too. To answer the question of "Who is my neighbor?", continue reading....
After missing a week (car in the shop again) I returned downtown Sunday night. Feeling a need to see some familiar faces I went to see some of my 'regulars' and other old friends starting with John Stokes and his friend David. Where they live under the freeway there is a fenced dirt lot next to them. A trucking company had leased the lot to park their trucks there, but the lease was up and they had moved out. In addition to the trucks and equipment being gone so were the guard dogs. I mention this because John and David told me that now along with the flies in the day and the mosquitos at night, their place is now infested with rats and mice. I think in the past the guard dogs must have kept the rats away. I promised to bring them some traps next time. I can't imagine living under those conditions on a daily basis--as if being homeless isn't bad enough. When David asked me to pray for them it brought on new meaning when I asked God to protect them that night.
After leaving John and David I went over to Hooper St. under the I-10 freeway where Richard Brown lives. I met Richard on the very first trip I made downtown. Usually Raul is nearby but I didn't see him. Instead two other men by the names of Steve and Earl were there. Richard called them over so I could pray for all of them. Richard told me he was going to turn 64 in 10 days (the 26th) and was looking forward to turning 65 the next year. At 65 he can begin collecting Social Security and would have enough of a monthly income to afford a place in Mississipi where his sister lives. I really hope his dream comes true because he told me one of his friends, by the name of Angel, had died on the street the previous week about 10 blocks away there on Hooper St. I'll have to bring Richard something special for his birthday next week.
When I left there I drove just a couple of hundred yards north on Hooper to the alley where I saw Willie and Tara Lee a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping they were still there and they were. As I pulled up I saw Willie and another man standing in the alley talking. Tara Lee usually is inside his make-shift 'house' and doesn't come out. He will usually poke his head out to say hello and we talk through the 'drapes' of his house. So as I pulled up and said hello to Willie and then pulled over to one side to park the car I heard Tara ask who had come by. Willie said, "It's John" and Tara asked, "Is it 'our' John?" They had all been hoping I would come by that night. It was one of the most heartwarming welcomes I've ever received and I realize it's a result of time spent developing a relationship with them. During our conversation Willie prayed specifically for me (I was seeing a doctor the next day) and then Tara asked me to pray for everyone before I left. I don't know if you noticed, but all three of these groups asked me to pray for them, how wonderful is that?
At this point I had four hamburgers left, so I went over to Olive St and at Pico I saw a man named Julio sitting on the corner sitting up against a short retaining wall. He told me he was hungry and then I noticed he had on socks and sandals but no shoes. I was out of socks, but I did have a pair of shoes for him and a blanket too (he didn't have one). After praying for Julio another homeless man was walking by. He had a small blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Knowing I only had two burgers left I asked him if he was hungry too and he told me he was. I had a hooded sweatshirt in my hand that I was going to give Julio, but since I had given Julio a blanket I asked this man, his name was Pierre, if he could use it. He said yes, but then said, "I thought you had some food?" I told him I did and we walked over to the car and I gave him the last two burgers and some water. Before leaving him I prayed for him. I don't think I've ever prayed for someone named Pierre before! I continued on down to Skid Row and Cloud Nine alley to prayer-walk before leaving for home. It's always a good trip being able to pray for everyone I meet down here. --Until next week. John
Monday, October 3, 2011
Downtown 10/2/2011
"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." Phillipians 2:13 --The Apostle Paul writing to a church he absolutely loved.
I couldn't imagine how the Lord would be able to top last week's trip, but He did! Last week I didn't make it off the Jack in the Box parking lot before giving out over half the food, a trunk load of clothes and praying with 7 or 8 people. Last night there was no one in the parking lot. It shows how special last week was. However, not to be outdone....the Lord had a special treat in store for me in an alley a couple of blocks away. Before leaving the counter I asked the woman behind the counter to pray for me that I would find the right people to give the food away to. When I left the JIBox it was nighttime....and a little later, in that sense, than I usually get started lately. I was trying to decide whether or not to just go down to Wall St immediately or go by the alley off Hooper where I used to see my friends all the time. I decided to just check the alley on my way to Wall St and see if anyone was around. That was a good move. Willie, Tara Lee and Chris were there. Floyd came by there a little later before I left. Now I had seen Willie about 3 weeks ago, but I hadn''t seen Tara or Chris in several months and it was a total blessing to see them all together again. I stayed and talked with them for 30 or 40 minutes getting caught up on all the latest stuff. I can't describe in words how really, really special it was. We made plans to have a barbecue some Sunday next month. I told them to bring their friends and we'll make it a special day. Before leaving Tara asked Willie to pray for me (which he did) and then he asked Tara to sing for me. Tara sang "This Little Light of Mine." I was so hard to leave them, but they knew I was leaving to help others. It had to have been one of the most special moments downtown made possible because of the relationships built up over two years of going there.
So it was off to Wall St. After last week's trip I had made a personal commitment to bring a blanket to Deena and Edwin down there. When I got there and Deena saw me, she stood up and welcomed me. I asked her if they still needed a blanket. She told me they had gone to a gospel music program (I think she said at the Staples Center a couple of days ago) and when they got back their blankets and jackets were gone. When I handed her the blanket, she held it close and said, "It's so soft." She loved it. I told her that some special Girl Scouts made it for her. We talked awhile longer and I asked them about the gospel music program and whether or not there was a message (sermon) given there. She said it was very enjoyable and each song had a message. I told them that the church I go to on Sundays while I work this night schedule does gospel music too. I asked if they did one of my favorites that I heard at that church called "He Reigns", but I guess they didn't. (You can check it out on youtube--He Reigns by the Newsboys). After praying with Edwin and Deena I crossed the street and met with a woman named Melissa who was trying to read a paperback book in the dark while sitting on the sidewalk. I had the bag of hamburgers with me and asked if she was hungry. Of course, she was so I gave her two. I couldn't carry the water and the bag of burgers too so I walked back to the car to get her a bottle. When I returned, I whispered to her, as a joke, that she was getting the biggest bottle of water I had and not to tell anyone. Well there was a tent about 10 or 15 feet away from where she was and someone inside overheard me whispering and said, "I heard that and I'm going to tell everyone!" It turned out to be Greg and Robin who I met the first time I came down to that street. So they got food and water too (and prayed for). Greg was the one who was wearing the Azuza Pacific sweatshirt that first night. He told me Dennis was back down the street the other way, so I was able to help Dennis and Bobby too. On my way to them, I talked with Melissa for a minute or two about the book she was reading. I told her I had just fiinished reading a book titled, "Heaven is for Real" and encouraged her to read it if she could find it.
Well, with that I was out of burgers. Before ending this I want to tell you a little more about my time with Willie, Tara, Chris and Floyd. While I was with them, I remembered the last time the three of us were together (Oct 3, 2010). I had given Chris a whole bunch of clothes to wear that day (including the shoes I was wearing) and gave them a short 2 minute sermonette instead of praying with them. Well last night I told them that I had been to church in the morning and wanted to tell them the two things I remembered most about the message. The sermon was based on the story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet on the night he was arrested. Although I knew it, I was reminded how Jesus washed Judas' feet too! Knowing what Jesus knew about Judas and what he was about to do, I thought this was another example of Jesus' total love for others despite what they did or would do to him and how it is an example for all of us to follow and not return evil for evil, but let love prevail always. The other thing, was the story of Job. Job suffered incredible losses, yet remained faithful to God. The important thing was that Job never found out why he was put through the ringer. We have the benefit of knowing Job chapters 1 and 2, but he didn't. In that same way, God doesn't always let us know the first two chapters of our story and what is going on behind the scenes. In the case of homeless men and women, you can bet they often wonder why they are in the situation they're in. For some, it may be obvious to them and to others perhaps not. I encouraged them to remain faithful, love God and love each other. --Until next week. John
I couldn't imagine how the Lord would be able to top last week's trip, but He did! Last week I didn't make it off the Jack in the Box parking lot before giving out over half the food, a trunk load of clothes and praying with 7 or 8 people. Last night there was no one in the parking lot. It shows how special last week was. However, not to be outdone....the Lord had a special treat in store for me in an alley a couple of blocks away. Before leaving the counter I asked the woman behind the counter to pray for me that I would find the right people to give the food away to. When I left the JIBox it was nighttime....and a little later, in that sense, than I usually get started lately. I was trying to decide whether or not to just go down to Wall St immediately or go by the alley off Hooper where I used to see my friends all the time. I decided to just check the alley on my way to Wall St and see if anyone was around. That was a good move. Willie, Tara Lee and Chris were there. Floyd came by there a little later before I left. Now I had seen Willie about 3 weeks ago, but I hadn''t seen Tara or Chris in several months and it was a total blessing to see them all together again. I stayed and talked with them for 30 or 40 minutes getting caught up on all the latest stuff. I can't describe in words how really, really special it was. We made plans to have a barbecue some Sunday next month. I told them to bring their friends and we'll make it a special day. Before leaving Tara asked Willie to pray for me (which he did) and then he asked Tara to sing for me. Tara sang "This Little Light of Mine." I was so hard to leave them, but they knew I was leaving to help others. It had to have been one of the most special moments downtown made possible because of the relationships built up over two years of going there.
So it was off to Wall St. After last week's trip I had made a personal commitment to bring a blanket to Deena and Edwin down there. When I got there and Deena saw me, she stood up and welcomed me. I asked her if they still needed a blanket. She told me they had gone to a gospel music program (I think she said at the Staples Center a couple of days ago) and when they got back their blankets and jackets were gone. When I handed her the blanket, she held it close and said, "It's so soft." She loved it. I told her that some special Girl Scouts made it for her. We talked awhile longer and I asked them about the gospel music program and whether or not there was a message (sermon) given there. She said it was very enjoyable and each song had a message. I told them that the church I go to on Sundays while I work this night schedule does gospel music too. I asked if they did one of my favorites that I heard at that church called "He Reigns", but I guess they didn't. (You can check it out on youtube--He Reigns by the Newsboys). After praying with Edwin and Deena I crossed the street and met with a woman named Melissa who was trying to read a paperback book in the dark while sitting on the sidewalk. I had the bag of hamburgers with me and asked if she was hungry. Of course, she was so I gave her two. I couldn't carry the water and the bag of burgers too so I walked back to the car to get her a bottle. When I returned, I whispered to her, as a joke, that she was getting the biggest bottle of water I had and not to tell anyone. Well there was a tent about 10 or 15 feet away from where she was and someone inside overheard me whispering and said, "I heard that and I'm going to tell everyone!" It turned out to be Greg and Robin who I met the first time I came down to that street. So they got food and water too (and prayed for). Greg was the one who was wearing the Azuza Pacific sweatshirt that first night. He told me Dennis was back down the street the other way, so I was able to help Dennis and Bobby too. On my way to them, I talked with Melissa for a minute or two about the book she was reading. I told her I had just fiinished reading a book titled, "Heaven is for Real" and encouraged her to read it if she could find it.
Well, with that I was out of burgers. Before ending this I want to tell you a little more about my time with Willie, Tara, Chris and Floyd. While I was with them, I remembered the last time the three of us were together (Oct 3, 2010). I had given Chris a whole bunch of clothes to wear that day (including the shoes I was wearing) and gave them a short 2 minute sermonette instead of praying with them. Well last night I told them that I had been to church in the morning and wanted to tell them the two things I remembered most about the message. The sermon was based on the story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet on the night he was arrested. Although I knew it, I was reminded how Jesus washed Judas' feet too! Knowing what Jesus knew about Judas and what he was about to do, I thought this was another example of Jesus' total love for others despite what they did or would do to him and how it is an example for all of us to follow and not return evil for evil, but let love prevail always. The other thing, was the story of Job. Job suffered incredible losses, yet remained faithful to God. The important thing was that Job never found out why he was put through the ringer. We have the benefit of knowing Job chapters 1 and 2, but he didn't. In that same way, God doesn't always let us know the first two chapters of our story and what is going on behind the scenes. In the case of homeless men and women, you can bet they often wonder why they are in the situation they're in. For some, it may be obvious to them and to others perhaps not. I encouraged them to remain faithful, love God and love each other. --Until next week. John
Monday, September 26, 2011
Downtown 9/25/2011
"...for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness." ---Lamentations 3:22-3
A few minutes ago I was reading a letter from a baseball manager thanking the team's fans for their support during the year (the team had just been eliminated from playoff contention). It was a pretty classy letter and it got me thinking how thankful I am to be on God's team. Despite my human frailties and sinfulness, He still uses me. How cool is that? Two thousand years ago, to cover sin, a person would have to continually take an animal to the temple for the priests to slaughter because only innocent blood would work. Now we claim the blood of Jesus' more perfect sacrifice to cleanse and recleanse us of our sins. It is the free gift we Christians keep talking about, but it wasn't free for God. It cost Him dearly. Yet His willingness to provide a way to repair our relationship with Him has always been in place. That is why the prophet Jeremiah could make the statement I quoted above. "His mercies are new every morning,"...if we ask for it. It continues to amaze me that our Lord and Savior can use a sinner like me to do His work. What a privilege it is!
During last week's trip downtown I wasn't listening to His call and direction until the very end of the trip. Then things started happening almost immediately after I did. I wondered after I left what the trip would have been like if I had obeyed His calling and went directly down to the recent focus area from the start. Last night I wasn't going to repeat that mistake, yet God had something else in mind and it was simply amazing. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I could use something to keep the hamburgers warm. Since then I received an insulated bag (one that was better than the one I had) and a box that I could plug into the cigarette lighter in my car (do they still call them cigarette lighters?). So last night I loaded up the ice chest with water and ice and my new box and bag and headed down to the Jack in the Box on Alameda. In an effort to try to hurry and get down to the focus area, I decided to go through the drive-thru which turned out to be a mistake. It takes too long for them to cook twenty hamburgers and the line behind me started to back up. So I parked and went inside to wait for them. While waiting a man by the name of Michael who used to live by the 4th St bridge came in. It's quite a ways away from where he usually stays so I was surprised to see him there (it had been a few months anyway). He recognized my car and came in to see me. As we walked out to my car carrying the box with all the burgers, there was another man standing outside that he recognized. He called him over to us. While I was putting the burgers in the insulated bag another homeless man by the name of Clark came up and before I knew it about 3 or 4 other homeless men and one woman came up also. I had opened the trunk to allow them to take whatever clothing items they needed. I prayed with all of them, some in the first group and others one on one. It was as unexpected as it was unbelieveable. By the time I left the parking lot of the Jack in the Box I had given away about 70 percent of the burgers and water! If I had stayed in the drive-thru line, I would have totally missed the opportunity. As you know I frequent that place almost weekly and never have I been able to help that many people at once, let alone in that parking lot.
Well, Michael needed a ride down to where he is staying which now is at an SRO building (Single Resident Occupancy). I think he probably got in due to his being a veteran. I don't think the rooms have bathrooms, they are just a room and the 'hotel' is full of other people who are in the same situation. You have to get on a waiting list to get one and I don't know how long you can stay there on the government tab. Anyway, the place was down on 5th and Los Angeles St and right near where I was going anyway. After dropping him off I headed over to Wall and 8th. I had the rest of the burgers in the insulated bag and got out there and started meeting the people on that street. The first man was Dennis from Texas. Well, you probably can guess what happened next. After I finished praying with him a woman walked up looking for help. She and her husband 'live' in one of the doorways across the street every night. Her name is Deena and his name is Edwin. I had helped them the first night I went to this street. At the time I think I said that she seemed very receptive to me but Edwin seemed like he really didn't want me to hang around. Deena told me that Edwin had told her to go see if I could help them out so she came over to me. I ended up giving them some clothing (there wasn't a lot left in the trunk at this point) and walked back over to him with Deena. He was listening to the football game so I asked him what the score was. In talking with them, they told me that often times people will come by and give out food, but that they never come over to their side of the street, that's why he sent her over to me. So in about 10 or 15 minutes I had given out the last of the burgers and had the opportunity to pray with everyone! Awesome!
For the last couple of weeks I have made it a regular routine to pray daily during the week for not only the people I have helped the previous week, but also for those I will meet the next week. I've been asking for God's Holy Spirit to go before me to prepare the way and to soften the peoples' hearts that I will encounter. God's presence was probably never more evident to me and His Spirit at work than last night. It just amazes me that He uses me. Until next week. --John
A few minutes ago I was reading a letter from a baseball manager thanking the team's fans for their support during the year (the team had just been eliminated from playoff contention). It was a pretty classy letter and it got me thinking how thankful I am to be on God's team. Despite my human frailties and sinfulness, He still uses me. How cool is that? Two thousand years ago, to cover sin, a person would have to continually take an animal to the temple for the priests to slaughter because only innocent blood would work. Now we claim the blood of Jesus' more perfect sacrifice to cleanse and recleanse us of our sins. It is the free gift we Christians keep talking about, but it wasn't free for God. It cost Him dearly. Yet His willingness to provide a way to repair our relationship with Him has always been in place. That is why the prophet Jeremiah could make the statement I quoted above. "His mercies are new every morning,"...if we ask for it. It continues to amaze me that our Lord and Savior can use a sinner like me to do His work. What a privilege it is!
During last week's trip downtown I wasn't listening to His call and direction until the very end of the trip. Then things started happening almost immediately after I did. I wondered after I left what the trip would have been like if I had obeyed His calling and went directly down to the recent focus area from the start. Last night I wasn't going to repeat that mistake, yet God had something else in mind and it was simply amazing. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I could use something to keep the hamburgers warm. Since then I received an insulated bag (one that was better than the one I had) and a box that I could plug into the cigarette lighter in my car (do they still call them cigarette lighters?). So last night I loaded up the ice chest with water and ice and my new box and bag and headed down to the Jack in the Box on Alameda. In an effort to try to hurry and get down to the focus area, I decided to go through the drive-thru which turned out to be a mistake. It takes too long for them to cook twenty hamburgers and the line behind me started to back up. So I parked and went inside to wait for them. While waiting a man by the name of Michael who used to live by the 4th St bridge came in. It's quite a ways away from where he usually stays so I was surprised to see him there (it had been a few months anyway). He recognized my car and came in to see me. As we walked out to my car carrying the box with all the burgers, there was another man standing outside that he recognized. He called him over to us. While I was putting the burgers in the insulated bag another homeless man by the name of Clark came up and before I knew it about 3 or 4 other homeless men and one woman came up also. I had opened the trunk to allow them to take whatever clothing items they needed. I prayed with all of them, some in the first group and others one on one. It was as unexpected as it was unbelieveable. By the time I left the parking lot of the Jack in the Box I had given away about 70 percent of the burgers and water! If I had stayed in the drive-thru line, I would have totally missed the opportunity. As you know I frequent that place almost weekly and never have I been able to help that many people at once, let alone in that parking lot.
Well, Michael needed a ride down to where he is staying which now is at an SRO building (Single Resident Occupancy). I think he probably got in due to his being a veteran. I don't think the rooms have bathrooms, they are just a room and the 'hotel' is full of other people who are in the same situation. You have to get on a waiting list to get one and I don't know how long you can stay there on the government tab. Anyway, the place was down on 5th and Los Angeles St and right near where I was going anyway. After dropping him off I headed over to Wall and 8th. I had the rest of the burgers in the insulated bag and got out there and started meeting the people on that street. The first man was Dennis from Texas. Well, you probably can guess what happened next. After I finished praying with him a woman walked up looking for help. She and her husband 'live' in one of the doorways across the street every night. Her name is Deena and his name is Edwin. I had helped them the first night I went to this street. At the time I think I said that she seemed very receptive to me but Edwin seemed like he really didn't want me to hang around. Deena told me that Edwin had told her to go see if I could help them out so she came over to me. I ended up giving them some clothing (there wasn't a lot left in the trunk at this point) and walked back over to him with Deena. He was listening to the football game so I asked him what the score was. In talking with them, they told me that often times people will come by and give out food, but that they never come over to their side of the street, that's why he sent her over to me. So in about 10 or 15 minutes I had given out the last of the burgers and had the opportunity to pray with everyone! Awesome!
For the last couple of weeks I have made it a regular routine to pray daily during the week for not only the people I have helped the previous week, but also for those I will meet the next week. I've been asking for God's Holy Spirit to go before me to prepare the way and to soften the peoples' hearts that I will encounter. God's presence was probably never more evident to me and His Spirit at work than last night. It just amazes me that He uses me. Until next week. --John
Monday, September 19, 2011
Downtown 9/19/2011--The Benefit of Listening to God
Last night's trip was one of those trips mixed with frustration and moments of joy. The first half of the trip seemingly was unfruitful. I was down in the area of my recent focus, but not quite on the couple of streets that are definitely the ones I'm 'supposed' to be on. I gave out half the food to homeless people who were in need, but something just seemed to be missing. One of the men was named Jeremiah. He was all alone and had almost no possessions. His shoes were off exposing some unbelieveably dirty feet. What an opportunity for a foot washing ministry! When he stood up his pants kept falling down because he had no belt to hold them up. Of course, they were several sizes too large. I had a pair of pants closer to his size in the trunk that I gave him. I also couldn't miss the opportunity to tell him about "his" verse in the bible. Yeah, that one, Jeremiah 29:11. Another person I helped in the first part of the night was a woman named Betty. I had pulled over a ways away from two men on a corner because there was no place to park near them. There was also some police activity nearby and I didn't want to be parking illegally. One of the two men on the corner was in a wheelchair. I had seen them and driven around the block to get back to them, but by the time I found a place to park they were crossing the street and I wasn't going to be able to track them down from where I had parked. While stopped there, a woman came up to the car and started to ask for some help. Her name was Betty. I'm not sure why she stopped in mid-sentence so I asked her if she needed some food. After giving her help with the food and water, she asked me for 50 cents. Now I have been told not to give out money to anyone, but is 50 cents really money? I gave her the change off the floor of my car, it was slightly more than that. Another man named Jeff was digging through a trash can on 7th and Los Angeles St. I was able to help him too, along with about three other homeless folks on other streets who were just walking around. However, something just wasn't right up to this point and I knew it. Deep down I knew what it was too.
One of the objectives of this trip had been to find the street and stairwell where I saw Jose and Rhonda a couple of weeks ago, but after driving around for awhile looking I never found them. During all this driving around I had gotten sidetracked from the initial objecive of these recent trips which was to just go down to the street where the homeless were sleeping in the doorways off 8th St. So after a short break I drove over to Wall St and 8th and got out of the car with the bag of remaining hamburgers. The first guy I walked up to was a man named Arthur from Alabama. We talked for a bit and he was thrilled to get some food. While talking to him, another man walked up. He had been standing with a couple of other men and asked if I had some food because they were hungry and homeless. His name was Jose. Well, I hadn't really finished with Arthur yet so I told Jose to wait just a moment so I could pray with Arthur first. Then I walked with Jose back to his other two friends. Wouldn't you know it, but another woman walked up to us while I was with them. She got in on the group prayer session too. I had to walk back to the car to get the cold water for everyone, including Arthur, but everyone was really appreciative. It made me wonder what I missed out on by not just going to this street to start with. I had been putting it off for over an hour and had seen very little results (ie. real conversations with people and prayer time). I finally listened to what God had been telling me to do and the trip changed immediately. If only I had listened and obeyed sooner. It reminded me of Jesus' words to the Pharisees, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me..." (John 10:27). Until next week. John
One of the objectives of this trip had been to find the street and stairwell where I saw Jose and Rhonda a couple of weeks ago, but after driving around for awhile looking I never found them. During all this driving around I had gotten sidetracked from the initial objecive of these recent trips which was to just go down to the street where the homeless were sleeping in the doorways off 8th St. So after a short break I drove over to Wall St and 8th and got out of the car with the bag of remaining hamburgers. The first guy I walked up to was a man named Arthur from Alabama. We talked for a bit and he was thrilled to get some food. While talking to him, another man walked up. He had been standing with a couple of other men and asked if I had some food because they were hungry and homeless. His name was Jose. Well, I hadn't really finished with Arthur yet so I told Jose to wait just a moment so I could pray with Arthur first. Then I walked with Jose back to his other two friends. Wouldn't you know it, but another woman walked up to us while I was with them. She got in on the group prayer session too. I had to walk back to the car to get the cold water for everyone, including Arthur, but everyone was really appreciative. It made me wonder what I missed out on by not just going to this street to start with. I had been putting it off for over an hour and had seen very little results (ie. real conversations with people and prayer time). I finally listened to what God had been telling me to do and the trip changed immediately. If only I had listened and obeyed sooner. It reminded me of Jesus' words to the Pharisees, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me..." (John 10:27). Until next week. John
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Downtown 9/12/2011
"Then the owner of the house...ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the towns and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame'. 'Sir,' the servnt said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.'" Luke 14:21-23 from the Parable of the Great Banquet.
Well, some things came up Sunday night that forced me to make this week's trip on Monday morning. As you know, if you've followed my blogs for awhile, going on a weekday is totally different than going on a weekend or even at night. However, it still is an opportunity to serve people who need help. One of the things that was so strikingly different were the streets where I've been doing the "doorway" focus lately. I practically had to do a double-take on some of those streets I was driving on yesterday because they didn't look anything like they do at night time. During the day, these shops have their merchandise out on the sidewalk in front of their respective stores. There is a mixture of floral shops, garment/fabric shops and fashion shops. You can probably imagine how colorful the sidewalks are with all this stuff out there trying to get your attention to come over a buy something. At night time, the merchandise is all back in the stores, the store fronts have a gray metal roll-up door pulled down to the sidewalk. During the day, the curbs are lined up with parked cars. At night, there are no cars and only homeless people on the sidewalks. All this happens during the daytime a block or two from the skid row area. When I prayer-walked the skid row area yesterday there were still several hundred homeless people milling around those streets. One latino man I saw was walking on San Pedro Blvd going north. When I got back to 6th and Wall St I saw this same man who was now crossing the street going south on Wall St. He stopped at the southwest corner there in front of the El Paso/Tijuana Bus depot. I had been praying the whole time for God to highlight someone for me to help. I figured this was the guy. I had a bag of food in my hand during the walk, so I gave him the bag. I told him, "This is for you." In broken English he replied, "Thank you." At this point I was right across the street from where my car was parked in front of the police station. I had noticed a woman sitting on the sidewalk 30 yards down the street from where I was. She was going through some bags that she had on the ground and I felt she was another one I was to help. I walked over to my car and got another bag of food and two bottles of chilled water. When I gave her the bag and the water I told her the same thing I told the man on the corner, "This is for you." She replied, "Oh, thank you sir." I'm not sure why she called me sir because she looked as old as I am. I then asked her what her name was and that's when I got a reply I wasn't expecting. She said her name was. "Sweet Dreamer". Yeah, honest. I had the other bottle of water in my right hand, so I reached out with my left hand to shake her hand and said, "Well, it's nice to meet you." With that I turned around and walked back to the man at the corner who I had given the bag of food to and gave him the other bottle of water. Again, he said, "Thank you."
On the way down to this area I was able to help two men. The first man, Art, was sleeping on the sidewalk and he at first refused any help, but then changed his mind. He told me he was waiting to take a bus back to Texas. I'm not sure where he was going to catch a bus there because he wasn't near any bus terminals. The other man was Robert, who lives off Alameda St. When I first saw him yesterday he was walking down the middle of Alameda which isn't a good place for a man his age. However, after I drove around the block to reach him he had made it safely across the street to where he usually hangs out. After giving him some food and water I actualy heard him say, "Thanks" in a very quiet whisper. Robert never talks very much, so this was a lot for him to say. I told him I loved him and I'd look for him again soon.
The last two men I saw were both familiar friends. One I hadn't seen is a few months and had heard he had gotten into some legal trouble. I was glad to find out it wasn't true. His name is Willie and he used to live in an alley with Tara Lee. He told me that some people (other homeless folks) had come by and knocked over all the stuff where Tara Lee stayed (it was just a few feet from where we were). He even covered up the bag of food I had given him because he didn't want anyone else coming by to see it and try and take it from him. He told me that he and Tara Lee had been wondering what had happened to me. I told Willie, when I switch back to the day schedule and can come down on Sunday's during the day we'll have another barbecue. I told him we'd pick a day and they could invite all their friends to come by. In thinking about it later, since I wouldn't be able to do this until November we could turn it into a Thanksgiving day barbecue! I'm looking forward to it. The last guy I saw was Doug, who I had seen last week. He was going through a dumpster when I drove by. He hustled over to the car and I passed some food and water through the window. He knew I couldn't stop there, so he quickly said, "God bless you." and I drove on.
During the middle of my prayer-walk on skid row I had gotten a phone call that made it imperative that I make it home by 2:30 p.m. Although, I made it home in plenty of time it kind of put me in a 'rush' kind of mode the rest of the trip. It wasn't until this morning that I realized I hadn't prayed with any of the people I had encountered. Even though I had prayed a lot before and during the trip, the main goal of these trips is to pray with the people I meet. Giving out food and water is really only of secondary importance to me. I had put notes in each bag of food and I pray that those notes will be of value to each of these people. Until next week. John
Well, some things came up Sunday night that forced me to make this week's trip on Monday morning. As you know, if you've followed my blogs for awhile, going on a weekday is totally different than going on a weekend or even at night. However, it still is an opportunity to serve people who need help. One of the things that was so strikingly different were the streets where I've been doing the "doorway" focus lately. I practically had to do a double-take on some of those streets I was driving on yesterday because they didn't look anything like they do at night time. During the day, these shops have their merchandise out on the sidewalk in front of their respective stores. There is a mixture of floral shops, garment/fabric shops and fashion shops. You can probably imagine how colorful the sidewalks are with all this stuff out there trying to get your attention to come over a buy something. At night time, the merchandise is all back in the stores, the store fronts have a gray metal roll-up door pulled down to the sidewalk. During the day, the curbs are lined up with parked cars. At night, there are no cars and only homeless people on the sidewalks. All this happens during the daytime a block or two from the skid row area. When I prayer-walked the skid row area yesterday there were still several hundred homeless people milling around those streets. One latino man I saw was walking on San Pedro Blvd going north. When I got back to 6th and Wall St I saw this same man who was now crossing the street going south on Wall St. He stopped at the southwest corner there in front of the El Paso/Tijuana Bus depot. I had been praying the whole time for God to highlight someone for me to help. I figured this was the guy. I had a bag of food in my hand during the walk, so I gave him the bag. I told him, "This is for you." In broken English he replied, "Thank you." At this point I was right across the street from where my car was parked in front of the police station. I had noticed a woman sitting on the sidewalk 30 yards down the street from where I was. She was going through some bags that she had on the ground and I felt she was another one I was to help. I walked over to my car and got another bag of food and two bottles of chilled water. When I gave her the bag and the water I told her the same thing I told the man on the corner, "This is for you." She replied, "Oh, thank you sir." I'm not sure why she called me sir because she looked as old as I am. I then asked her what her name was and that's when I got a reply I wasn't expecting. She said her name was. "Sweet Dreamer". Yeah, honest. I had the other bottle of water in my right hand, so I reached out with my left hand to shake her hand and said, "Well, it's nice to meet you." With that I turned around and walked back to the man at the corner who I had given the bag of food to and gave him the other bottle of water. Again, he said, "Thank you."
On the way down to this area I was able to help two men. The first man, Art, was sleeping on the sidewalk and he at first refused any help, but then changed his mind. He told me he was waiting to take a bus back to Texas. I'm not sure where he was going to catch a bus there because he wasn't near any bus terminals. The other man was Robert, who lives off Alameda St. When I first saw him yesterday he was walking down the middle of Alameda which isn't a good place for a man his age. However, after I drove around the block to reach him he had made it safely across the street to where he usually hangs out. After giving him some food and water I actualy heard him say, "Thanks" in a very quiet whisper. Robert never talks very much, so this was a lot for him to say. I told him I loved him and I'd look for him again soon.
The last two men I saw were both familiar friends. One I hadn't seen is a few months and had heard he had gotten into some legal trouble. I was glad to find out it wasn't true. His name is Willie and he used to live in an alley with Tara Lee. He told me that some people (other homeless folks) had come by and knocked over all the stuff where Tara Lee stayed (it was just a few feet from where we were). He even covered up the bag of food I had given him because he didn't want anyone else coming by to see it and try and take it from him. He told me that he and Tara Lee had been wondering what had happened to me. I told Willie, when I switch back to the day schedule and can come down on Sunday's during the day we'll have another barbecue. I told him we'd pick a day and they could invite all their friends to come by. In thinking about it later, since I wouldn't be able to do this until November we could turn it into a Thanksgiving day barbecue! I'm looking forward to it. The last guy I saw was Doug, who I had seen last week. He was going through a dumpster when I drove by. He hustled over to the car and I passed some food and water through the window. He knew I couldn't stop there, so he quickly said, "God bless you." and I drove on.
During the middle of my prayer-walk on skid row I had gotten a phone call that made it imperative that I make it home by 2:30 p.m. Although, I made it home in plenty of time it kind of put me in a 'rush' kind of mode the rest of the trip. It wasn't until this morning that I realized I hadn't prayed with any of the people I had encountered. Even though I had prayed a lot before and during the trip, the main goal of these trips is to pray with the people I meet. Giving out food and water is really only of secondary importance to me. I had put notes in each bag of food and I pray that those notes will be of value to each of these people. Until next week. John
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Downtown 9/5/2011--Labor Day night
'The commandment we have from Him is this; those who love God must love their brothers and sisters' also." 1 John 4:21
I don't think I could possibly convey in this writing how incredibly moving last night's trip was. I've had some memorable trips in the last 2 1/2 years and this one ranks up there with the best of them. This was the third consecutive trip specifically timed to start as the sun was going down. I got to the Jack in the Box at around a quarter to 7 p.m. The guy inside who took my order noticed the bible tucked under my arm (I figured I could read a little bit while I waited for the 20 burgers). His name was Juan and he told me he was starting school to become a pastor. He hoped one day to be able to preach the gospel like me! What an auspicious start! He asked if I would pray for him. When I walked out to the car and started organizing the food and everything for easy access I noticed two men going through the dumpsters at the recycling place just on the other side of the fence. My car was parked right opposite to where they were.
The photo I took is kind of dark so you may not be able to see much. Their names were Earl and Mike. Mike said he had been working at recycling since 4:30 a.m.
After praying with Mike and Earl, I drove over to an alley off Hooper St. This is an alley where some of my best friends down here have stayed, but no one has been living there for several months now. I keep checking each week anyway. As I drove back down 14th St. I noticed a man inside a fenced vacant lot. It turned out to be Doug. I hardly recognized him at first, he must have lost 50 lbs. or more. I have met with Doug many times in the past, one of the more memorable ones was on April 4th of this year. You might want to look at that blog again. He had prayed and asked God that I would come by that day. I took some pictures of Doug and they are on that blog. He was in terrible shape that day, both physically and emotionally. The next day he ended up in the hospital due to his diabetes. They were contemplating amputating his legs, but he recovered quick enough so that was unnecesary. He told me last night that the hospital healed him physically, but I had healed his broken heart and that had given him the will to live again. I was humbled. I have prayed continuously for greater spiritual gifts to serve these people (from 1 Corinthians 14:1), but haven't seen any visible results. Last night was confirmation of answered prayer. Doug and I talked for quite awhile. In addition to the food and water I gave him a shirt. He turned down a blanket because he had three (they were filthy and so was his shirt). He told me to give the blanket to someone who needed it more. I'll let you know how that turned out!
About two hundred yards down the street from Doug another man was sitting on the sidewalk. His name was Jerry and he was from south Florida. He has been out here for five years, but from the looks of it he hasn't been doing too well. He was overjoyed to receive some burgers and water. I asked him if he needed any socks or shirts and he told me he did. When I came back with them, he showed me a nasty gash just above the top of his sock. It must have been painful. I had already prayed for him, but I prayed again specifically for God to heal that wound as quickly as possible. Jerry was very thankful I came by. I also left him with a can of food for the next morning.
By now it was completely dark out. As I drove west down Olympic Blvd I saw Alan pulling his shopping cart with a mountain of stuff on it. Alan looks, not only homeless (which he is), but like a hermit too. The only time he ever actully spoke was the day a year and a half ago when he told me his name. Since then it's been mostly grunting noises and nodding if I ask him questions. So when I saw him I turned around and drove back to him and called out his name loudly. He saw me and stopped. By now he was in the middle of Olympic Blvd with his cart. He hustled over to me and I gave him a couple of warm burgers and cold water. I asked him, "Isn't this great?" He actually said, "Yeah" twice and hurried back to his cart! I told him I loved him.
Last week I had a great visit with 3 folks on Olive St near Pico Blvd. I drove over there to see if they or anyone else was in the area there. The man pictured was the only one around there. His name was Paul. He was sleeping when I walked up, but when I asked if he was hungry he woke up in a hurry.
He started eating the burgers immediately, not stopping when I prayed for him. I guess this is how most of the world goes to sleep at night--hungry. I was glad I was there for Paul.
I was able to help three others in and around the "doorway" area downtown. Eventually, I had two hamburgers left and was driving south on Wall St. I saw several people on the right side of the street, but happened to glance over to the left side and saw someone bedding down for the night under a stairwell. Something inside me said, "There's the one you want to help." I turned around and drove back there. After parking at the curb I got out and asked if they needed some food. I could tell by now there were two people there. They said in unison, "Yes, we need some food." It turned out to be a couple, Rhonda and Jose. They had been homeless now for 3 days. I was sorry I only had two hamburgers left, I wished I had more. I did have four cans of ravioli, so I gave them that along with some chilled water bottles. When it came to clothing, Jose said he had been wearing the same shirt for the last two days, so I gave them both some shirts and sweaters. I then asked if they needed a blanket. They told me they had only one small one. When I handed a brand new one, still in the zippered plastic bag,to Jose, I could tell he was overwhelmed. I was also thankful that Doug had turned it down earlier! They were truly thankful I had come by. I prayed with them standing right there at the back of my car for God to watch over and bless them and fill them with His presence. Again what a privilege it is to pray for people in their time of need. While we were standing there, another man had walked up and was waiting his turn to talk to me. He asked if I had any more food left. Well, I had just given out the last of the hamburgers and canned food to Jose and Rhonda. I did have some packs of cookies left and some water so I gave him some of those. I then remembered, just before leaving the house, my wife had given me a bag and told me briefly of it's contents. One of the things in it was a bag of snacks, so I gave him that also. The man's name was Ted and he told me I had prayed for him a while back, not too far from there. After Ted left, I walked back over to where Jose and Rhonda were. We talked a little bit about their situation. I asked if they had any family or friends they could ask to help them out. Jose told me they did have some family, but he was too embarrassed to ask. I talked to him briefly about what he could do, based on some of my experiences with prayer. I acknowledged that sometimes family relations can be strained, but I encouraged them to pray and ask God to soften the hearts of the people involved. I told them I have personally experienced God work to change people's hearts through prayer before and told him, with confidence, God can do the same for him. I prayed again with them for just this very thing to happen.
Well, with all the food gone, I drove over to Cloud 9 Alley. I got there just as the church service was ending with their prayer time. I joined in with them. It was a most memorable night. --Until next week. John
I don't think I could possibly convey in this writing how incredibly moving last night's trip was. I've had some memorable trips in the last 2 1/2 years and this one ranks up there with the best of them. This was the third consecutive trip specifically timed to start as the sun was going down. I got to the Jack in the Box at around a quarter to 7 p.m. The guy inside who took my order noticed the bible tucked under my arm (I figured I could read a little bit while I waited for the 20 burgers). His name was Juan and he told me he was starting school to become a pastor. He hoped one day to be able to preach the gospel like me! What an auspicious start! He asked if I would pray for him. When I walked out to the car and started organizing the food and everything for easy access I noticed two men going through the dumpsters at the recycling place just on the other side of the fence. My car was parked right opposite to where they were.
The photo I took is kind of dark so you may not be able to see much. Their names were Earl and Mike. Mike said he had been working at recycling since 4:30 a.m.
After praying with Mike and Earl, I drove over to an alley off Hooper St. This is an alley where some of my best friends down here have stayed, but no one has been living there for several months now. I keep checking each week anyway. As I drove back down 14th St. I noticed a man inside a fenced vacant lot. It turned out to be Doug. I hardly recognized him at first, he must have lost 50 lbs. or more. I have met with Doug many times in the past, one of the more memorable ones was on April 4th of this year. You might want to look at that blog again. He had prayed and asked God that I would come by that day. I took some pictures of Doug and they are on that blog. He was in terrible shape that day, both physically and emotionally. The next day he ended up in the hospital due to his diabetes. They were contemplating amputating his legs, but he recovered quick enough so that was unnecesary. He told me last night that the hospital healed him physically, but I had healed his broken heart and that had given him the will to live again. I was humbled. I have prayed continuously for greater spiritual gifts to serve these people (from 1 Corinthians 14:1), but haven't seen any visible results. Last night was confirmation of answered prayer. Doug and I talked for quite awhile. In addition to the food and water I gave him a shirt. He turned down a blanket because he had three (they were filthy and so was his shirt). He told me to give the blanket to someone who needed it more. I'll let you know how that turned out!
About two hundred yards down the street from Doug another man was sitting on the sidewalk. His name was Jerry and he was from south Florida. He has been out here for five years, but from the looks of it he hasn't been doing too well. He was overjoyed to receive some burgers and water. I asked him if he needed any socks or shirts and he told me he did. When I came back with them, he showed me a nasty gash just above the top of his sock. It must have been painful. I had already prayed for him, but I prayed again specifically for God to heal that wound as quickly as possible. Jerry was very thankful I came by. I also left him with a can of food for the next morning.
By now it was completely dark out. As I drove west down Olympic Blvd I saw Alan pulling his shopping cart with a mountain of stuff on it. Alan looks, not only homeless (which he is), but like a hermit too. The only time he ever actully spoke was the day a year and a half ago when he told me his name. Since then it's been mostly grunting noises and nodding if I ask him questions. So when I saw him I turned around and drove back to him and called out his name loudly. He saw me and stopped. By now he was in the middle of Olympic Blvd with his cart. He hustled over to me and I gave him a couple of warm burgers and cold water. I asked him, "Isn't this great?" He actually said, "Yeah" twice and hurried back to his cart! I told him I loved him.
Last week I had a great visit with 3 folks on Olive St near Pico Blvd. I drove over there to see if they or anyone else was in the area there. The man pictured was the only one around there. His name was Paul. He was sleeping when I walked up, but when I asked if he was hungry he woke up in a hurry.
He started eating the burgers immediately, not stopping when I prayed for him. I guess this is how most of the world goes to sleep at night--hungry. I was glad I was there for Paul.
I was able to help three others in and around the "doorway" area downtown. Eventually, I had two hamburgers left and was driving south on Wall St. I saw several people on the right side of the street, but happened to glance over to the left side and saw someone bedding down for the night under a stairwell. Something inside me said, "There's the one you want to help." I turned around and drove back there. After parking at the curb I got out and asked if they needed some food. I could tell by now there were two people there. They said in unison, "Yes, we need some food." It turned out to be a couple, Rhonda and Jose. They had been homeless now for 3 days. I was sorry I only had two hamburgers left, I wished I had more. I did have four cans of ravioli, so I gave them that along with some chilled water bottles. When it came to clothing, Jose said he had been wearing the same shirt for the last two days, so I gave them both some shirts and sweaters. I then asked if they needed a blanket. They told me they had only one small one. When I handed a brand new one, still in the zippered plastic bag,to Jose, I could tell he was overwhelmed. I was also thankful that Doug had turned it down earlier! They were truly thankful I had come by. I prayed with them standing right there at the back of my car for God to watch over and bless them and fill them with His presence. Again what a privilege it is to pray for people in their time of need. While we were standing there, another man had walked up and was waiting his turn to talk to me. He asked if I had any more food left. Well, I had just given out the last of the hamburgers and canned food to Jose and Rhonda. I did have some packs of cookies left and some water so I gave him some of those. I then remembered, just before leaving the house, my wife had given me a bag and told me briefly of it's contents. One of the things in it was a bag of snacks, so I gave him that also. The man's name was Ted and he told me I had prayed for him a while back, not too far from there. After Ted left, I walked back over to where Jose and Rhonda were. We talked a little bit about their situation. I asked if they had any family or friends they could ask to help them out. Jose told me they did have some family, but he was too embarrassed to ask. I talked to him briefly about what he could do, based on some of my experiences with prayer. I acknowledged that sometimes family relations can be strained, but I encouraged them to pray and ask God to soften the hearts of the people involved. I told them I have personally experienced God work to change people's hearts through prayer before and told him, with confidence, God can do the same for him. I prayed again with them for just this very thing to happen.
Well, with all the food gone, I drove over to Cloud 9 Alley. I got there just as the church service was ending with their prayer time. I joined in with them. It was a most memorable night. --Until next week. John
Monday, August 29, 2011
Downtown 8/28/2011
Last night was the second trip in the late evening to meet with the homeless living in doorways. I was really looking forward to seeing who God would put in my path. I got down there a little earlier than last week with the plan that I would check out some of the other streets near the one I was on last week. The skid row streets (5th, 6th and 7th) are always filled with people. However, the adjacent streets get the spill-over of people wanting to have access to some of the services down there, but not wanting to live in the midst of so many people. The adjacent streets, particularly those south of 7th street have an abundance of retail shops. There are several districts in and around 7th and Olympic that are quite busy, especially on the weekend. As a result of the tremendous amount of foot traffic on these streets, there is a lot of trash at the end of the day. So a lot of homeless people take the opportunity to go through the streets and trash cans looking for items to recycle. Consequently, when their day is done they simply find a spot on the sidewalk in front a store and crash for the night. Just about every street will have a few people sleeping on the sidewalk for several blocks away from the skid row area. Most of these streets are poorly lit and the people can almost blend in the with the trash and debris laying on the sidewalks and streets and go practically unnoticed throughout the night.
Well, the first encounter down in this area, (my first actual encounter was with Kenny at the Jack in the Box where I bought all the burgers) was with a woman named Mary. It wasn't quite dark yet, but she was already covered up for the night. I didn't know who it was under that blanket when I walked up. I try to gently ask if I can't see the person under the blanket if they are OK and then if they could use some food. I guess Mary had just dozed off because she woke up and gave out a bit of a scream. However, she did accept the help and prayer and thanked me for stopping.
After leaving Mary I was planning on going back to the same street as last week, but I felt led to go over to Olive St near the fire station by Pico. I'm glad I followed that leading because it turned out to be the encounter of the night. Olive is a one-way street in this part of town. I've had some other memorable encounters there in the past. One was over a year ago when I had taken some extra loaves of bread downtown on a prompting from the Spirit. When I drove down Olive I saw four men sitting in the doorway of an abandoned auto body shop. I drove by and didn't stop at first because, "I don't do groups of people." Then I remembered I had the extra bread and figured, "Maybe this is why I brought the extra stuff." It turned out to be the right move, not only did I help those four men that day, but two others walked up while I was with them. Last night, as I drove by the fire station, I saw three people sitting on a small retaining wall about twenty or so feet beyond the fire station. I've helped a couple of other people at this exact same spot before. I once again thought, "I don't do groups", but decided to stop and ask them if they needed some food anyway. There was a woman and two men sitting there. The woman jumped up and practically screamed, "Yes, we need food!" They were on the left hand side of the street and since Olive is one-way I pulled over right there and got out. The woman's name was Stella and the two men were Jorge and Jose. Stella's first words when I got out were, "God is going to bless you so much for stopping and helping us." Throughout my time with the three of them, she couldn't stop praising God for sending me. I ended up giving them clothes as well as food and water. Since it has been so hot here lately, I had over a dozen bottles of water on ice in the back seat of my car, so that was a big hit throughout the trip too. When I asked if I could pray for them before leaving, Stella said, "Oh, yes, but let me pray first!" The other two men gathered around and we had a group hug as we prayed. I don't know who was blessed more by me stopping because I was blessed in a big way.
As the night went on this encounter pointed to a great spiritual lesson that became more and more evident as the night went on, culminating in one of the last encounters before leaving the area. Before that encounter, though, I met with three others. Just a street over on Hill, I found Juan living on the sidewalk behind a small concrete wall that protected some sort of a water valve. I think I met him about a year ago the same day that I met those four men I mentioned above. He was telling me that day, and last night also, that there are many "Mexicans here and there are no jobs and no money for them." He warned me to be careful that I might get robbed by some who are desperate. Directly across the street from Juan another man was sitting on the sidewalk leaning up against a building. His name was Benjamin and although he was a little wary of me at first, when he found out I only wanted to help him, he ended up being quite thankful. Often times, when you see someone under a blanket on the sidewalk, you have no idea if it's a man or a woman. Such was the case at 8th and San Pedro when I met Leva. I wasn't sure if she was kidding me with her name at first (you know, like leva me alone). But she was thankful I stopped. What was kind of weird was it was completely dark out and she was under her blanket (yet with her feet hanging out over the curb into the street) and she had on sunglasses. Maybe it was easier to just wear the sunglasses than to hold them in her hand or next to her while she slept and run the risk of someone taking them.
This brings me to the second "Juan" of the night. He was sleeping on the sidewalk near 10th St. and Maple. It was somewhat of a normal encounter, he said he could use some food and water and accepted the help and was thankful. I prayed briefly for him, yet his attitude the whole time seemed to be that he wanted me to leave as quickly as possible. There could be a number of legitimate reasons for him wanting me to leave quickly, but I try so see these people as God sees them and I try to understand the encounter and everything about it as God would. I couldn't help but see the contrast between this man and the encounter with Stella and her friends. I have mentioned before the difference I've learned between being happy to have received stuff and being thankful for receiving stuff. The difference is personal. This is a biblical mandate expressed in Romans 1:21. The essence is you're happy to received much needed help, but it is expressed in thankfulness towards the giver (ultimately God) as opposed to just being happy over the stuff received. Last night the difference between Stella and her friends thankfulness and this man, Juan's, happiness was just that, but I noticed something else this time. The greater thankfulness was met with greater blessing. I stayed longer with Stella because she and her friends received me with much more thankfulness and in return, I opened up the trunk and gave them other items they needed. Therefore, the greater thankfulness resulted in a greater blessing! It seems so obvious when it's played out in front of you, yet I wonder why I've missed this lesson before. You remember the story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers and how only one returned to thank him. That one received the full blessing that the others missed out on. I wonder how God feels when people attend church and leave quickly because they are too busy and eager to 'get on with the day' than to linger and enjoy His presence among His people. How much of "the extra blessing" do we miss out on because we won't take the time to enjoy His presence on a daily basis, whether it's in His word or in prayer? Wow, the opportunities we miss could be staggering.
By the time I left Juan I had two burgers left. I headed over to Cloud Nine Alley, but gave the last two burgers to another man laying on the sidewalk by himself. It was completely dark out since the encounter with Stella and her friends. I asked this man what his name was and he told me, but I didn't write it down and I have forgotten it. I really don't like not being able to tell about these people without using their names. Sometimes, I don't get their names, but most of the time I do. All these people are people of worth in God's eyes. They have names and I wish to always honor them with their name. This man was awake when I drove up, I didn't get out of the car because he got up and came over to me to receive the food. I handed him the last of the food and we talked briefly before I pulled away. I regret not writing his name down.
The last three visits to Cloud Nine Alley, Ray has not been there. Well, last night he was. We probably talked for over an hour. He had had a diabetic siezure and had been in the hospital, that's why I hadn't seen him. He seemed to be in good shape last night.
These trips are becoming more and more about encounters with the living God as much as they are about encounters with people. I don't know if this feeling is accentuated because I've been going at night or not, but it reminds me of the old line, "only when it's dark enough can you see the stars". I've really been blessed these last two weeks to "meet the stars in the doorways downtown." --Until next week. John
Well, the first encounter down in this area, (my first actual encounter was with Kenny at the Jack in the Box where I bought all the burgers) was with a woman named Mary. It wasn't quite dark yet, but she was already covered up for the night. I didn't know who it was under that blanket when I walked up. I try to gently ask if I can't see the person under the blanket if they are OK and then if they could use some food. I guess Mary had just dozed off because she woke up and gave out a bit of a scream. However, she did accept the help and prayer and thanked me for stopping.
After leaving Mary I was planning on going back to the same street as last week, but I felt led to go over to Olive St near the fire station by Pico. I'm glad I followed that leading because it turned out to be the encounter of the night. Olive is a one-way street in this part of town. I've had some other memorable encounters there in the past. One was over a year ago when I had taken some extra loaves of bread downtown on a prompting from the Spirit. When I drove down Olive I saw four men sitting in the doorway of an abandoned auto body shop. I drove by and didn't stop at first because, "I don't do groups of people." Then I remembered I had the extra bread and figured, "Maybe this is why I brought the extra stuff." It turned out to be the right move, not only did I help those four men that day, but two others walked up while I was with them. Last night, as I drove by the fire station, I saw three people sitting on a small retaining wall about twenty or so feet beyond the fire station. I've helped a couple of other people at this exact same spot before. I once again thought, "I don't do groups", but decided to stop and ask them if they needed some food anyway. There was a woman and two men sitting there. The woman jumped up and practically screamed, "Yes, we need food!" They were on the left hand side of the street and since Olive is one-way I pulled over right there and got out. The woman's name was Stella and the two men were Jorge and Jose. Stella's first words when I got out were, "God is going to bless you so much for stopping and helping us." Throughout my time with the three of them, she couldn't stop praising God for sending me. I ended up giving them clothes as well as food and water. Since it has been so hot here lately, I had over a dozen bottles of water on ice in the back seat of my car, so that was a big hit throughout the trip too. When I asked if I could pray for them before leaving, Stella said, "Oh, yes, but let me pray first!" The other two men gathered around and we had a group hug as we prayed. I don't know who was blessed more by me stopping because I was blessed in a big way.
As the night went on this encounter pointed to a great spiritual lesson that became more and more evident as the night went on, culminating in one of the last encounters before leaving the area. Before that encounter, though, I met with three others. Just a street over on Hill, I found Juan living on the sidewalk behind a small concrete wall that protected some sort of a water valve. I think I met him about a year ago the same day that I met those four men I mentioned above. He was telling me that day, and last night also, that there are many "Mexicans here and there are no jobs and no money for them." He warned me to be careful that I might get robbed by some who are desperate. Directly across the street from Juan another man was sitting on the sidewalk leaning up against a building. His name was Benjamin and although he was a little wary of me at first, when he found out I only wanted to help him, he ended up being quite thankful. Often times, when you see someone under a blanket on the sidewalk, you have no idea if it's a man or a woman. Such was the case at 8th and San Pedro when I met Leva. I wasn't sure if she was kidding me with her name at first (you know, like leva me alone). But she was thankful I stopped. What was kind of weird was it was completely dark out and she was under her blanket (yet with her feet hanging out over the curb into the street) and she had on sunglasses. Maybe it was easier to just wear the sunglasses than to hold them in her hand or next to her while she slept and run the risk of someone taking them.
This brings me to the second "Juan" of the night. He was sleeping on the sidewalk near 10th St. and Maple. It was somewhat of a normal encounter, he said he could use some food and water and accepted the help and was thankful. I prayed briefly for him, yet his attitude the whole time seemed to be that he wanted me to leave as quickly as possible. There could be a number of legitimate reasons for him wanting me to leave quickly, but I try so see these people as God sees them and I try to understand the encounter and everything about it as God would. I couldn't help but see the contrast between this man and the encounter with Stella and her friends. I have mentioned before the difference I've learned between being happy to have received stuff and being thankful for receiving stuff. The difference is personal. This is a biblical mandate expressed in Romans 1:21. The essence is you're happy to received much needed help, but it is expressed in thankfulness towards the giver (ultimately God) as opposed to just being happy over the stuff received. Last night the difference between Stella and her friends thankfulness and this man, Juan's, happiness was just that, but I noticed something else this time. The greater thankfulness was met with greater blessing. I stayed longer with Stella because she and her friends received me with much more thankfulness and in return, I opened up the trunk and gave them other items they needed. Therefore, the greater thankfulness resulted in a greater blessing! It seems so obvious when it's played out in front of you, yet I wonder why I've missed this lesson before. You remember the story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers and how only one returned to thank him. That one received the full blessing that the others missed out on. I wonder how God feels when people attend church and leave quickly because they are too busy and eager to 'get on with the day' than to linger and enjoy His presence among His people. How much of "the extra blessing" do we miss out on because we won't take the time to enjoy His presence on a daily basis, whether it's in His word or in prayer? Wow, the opportunities we miss could be staggering.
By the time I left Juan I had two burgers left. I headed over to Cloud Nine Alley, but gave the last two burgers to another man laying on the sidewalk by himself. It was completely dark out since the encounter with Stella and her friends. I asked this man what his name was and he told me, but I didn't write it down and I have forgotten it. I really don't like not being able to tell about these people without using their names. Sometimes, I don't get their names, but most of the time I do. All these people are people of worth in God's eyes. They have names and I wish to always honor them with their name. This man was awake when I drove up, I didn't get out of the car because he got up and came over to me to receive the food. I handed him the last of the food and we talked briefly before I pulled away. I regret not writing his name down.
The last three visits to Cloud Nine Alley, Ray has not been there. Well, last night he was. We probably talked for over an hour. He had had a diabetic siezure and had been in the hospital, that's why I hadn't seen him. He seemed to be in good shape last night.
These trips are becoming more and more about encounters with the living God as much as they are about encounters with people. I don't know if this feeling is accentuated because I've been going at night or not, but it reminds me of the old line, "only when it's dark enough can you see the stars". I've really been blessed these last two weeks to "meet the stars in the doorways downtown." --Until next week. John
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