Downtown 1/24/2011

Every once in awhile during these trips downtown, if I'm paying attention, I'll experience a profound truth about God that makes me wonder why I didn't see it before. Today's trip was one of those times. I'll talk about this encounter a little out of order from when it occurred. I was driving on Third St. by Alameda when I saw a man lying down on the sidewalk. His name was B.B. It is a one-way street at this point and I was able to drive up to where he was on the left side and stop and talk to him from the car. The sun was out and it was around 11:30 a.m. He was lying on his back and turned to look at me as I pulled up. I asked if he needed some food and he came over the couple of steps to the car to get the bag of food. As he looked in the bag he saw the loaf of bread and commented, "I can't use that loaf of bread!" I asked him, "You can't use it?" He said something to the effect that he was homeless and needed to 'travel light'. I noticed he had a shopping cart a few feet away and said, "Is that yours?" He said it was, but that he didn't take it everywhere with him (it was empty and laying on it's side). He said sometimes he needed to get on a bus and couldn't take a lot of stuff with him. He proceeded to take the other food items out of the bag commenting that he could use them and gave the loaf of bread back to me. Now this isn't the first time someone refused my help. After all this time, I can generally recognize those that really need the help from those that don't. The people living close to the missions usually are somewhat reluctant to take the kind of help I have or flat out don't want it. B.B. was kind of on the fringe of the missions area and that is where I usually get people who are 'picky' about what I have to give them. Usually, I get somewhat irritated when this happens. I try to keep my conversation with the person respectful knowing they may have issues with the general public (people always telling them to move on, etc.) and I try not to take it personally. However, whenever I get a refusal I do feel kind of bummed out about it. Today was no exception initially. I took the loaf of bread back and said goodbye and drove on. Inside I was thinking, "Well, he could have at least accepted the help, said thanks and if he didn't need it give it to someone else around him that did need it." That is when I received the 'lesson'. I was immediately reminded of the parable of the 'Great Banquet' (Matt 22:1-10 and Luke 14:15-24) and how the invitees to the banquet came up with excuses to not attend. The parable is a picture of God's gift of eternal life through His son and how people snub their nose at the offer and come up with all kinds of excuses to not accept this great gift from Him. I thought about how this must really hurt God after all He went through sacrificing His son. Furthermore, I felt personally convicted about how I don't appreciate enough the gifts, talents and blessings He has given me and instead look at other blessings and giftings I see and would "rather have" instead of being happy with what He has given me. Wow, Lord please forgive me.
I guess one of the reasons this encounter stuck out so much is because the first three people I met with before him were hungry. Cesear, by Lincoln Park, immediately took the bag of food and started eating out of it right away. He obviously hadn't had anything to eat today, maybe even yesterday too. David, who was in front of the McDonald's at 7th and Alameda commented, "Boy, I can sure use the water. God bless you." Imagine being hungry and thirsty and standing on the sidewalk next to a McDonalds knowing you have no money to buy anything. Then there was Billy from Arkansas. I had pulled into a gas station (my car was running on gas fumes) and he was standing on the curb. He walked up and asked for some change. I told him I had some food and water which he gladly accepted. I noticed he was wearing sandals and didn't have many possesions with him. I'm guessing he was in his thirties. I ended up giving him a blanket, shoes and a couple pairs of new socks. As I was leaving he was putting the shoes and socks on. He had asked me if I was going towards Sacramento. There are trucks going into that gas station so maybe he can get a ride with one of them. After enountering B.B. I found Mike a couple streets over on Central going through trash cans. Yeah, he was happy to receive the bag of food and some water too.
I drove south towards the I-10 and saw someone I hadn't seen in about a year. I saw this person all bundled up on the sidewalk on 17th near Central and the freeway entrance. They had written a small sign on a piece of cardboard asking for food or change. I thought it was some homeless man asleep so I got out and brought a bag of food over to him. When I got close it turned out to be Mary who I first encountered on the other side of the freeway holding a homeless sign a year ago last December. I told her I hadn't seen her in a long time and asked how she was doing. She commented that she had been 'all around the area'. I asked if she needed anything and she asked if I had another blanket. She had a small one that she was using as a pillow when I drove up. As I write this it is 11:30 p.m. Monday night. I'm sure she is wrapped up in that blanket right now. My guess is she's probably still cold, although warmer than she was last night. One can only imagine her stories of survival and what she's had to go through in the last 13 months. Please pray for Mary. After leaving her I remembered I had a pair of womens gloves in the car. I drove back and gave them to her. I'm sure she's a lot better off tonight than last night.
Well, I couldn't leave without checking on Arturo from last week. He was the man sleeping in the grass by the freeway who said he didn't know God and was OK having nothing. He didn't seem too happy when we talked last week although we left on good terms. I was somewhat surprised to find him in exactly the same spot today. This time when he saw me he sat up and greeted me with a big smile and said he still had some bread left over from last week. He thanked me for stopping and helping him again this week. I said, "I told you I'd check in on you." He asked where I come from and I told him I live about 25 miles away. I was glad to see Arturo again and hope we can build a relationship. I didn't want to 'pressure' him with any long conversation today. My only desire was to show him that I was committed to his well-being and was asking nothing in return. With brief helpful encounters initially, he will probably open up more to me as time goes on. Hopefully, he will stay in the area where I can find him again. By the way, Arturo got the loaf of bread that B.B. turned down. I had an extra can of soup to put with it. Funny how God can work things out like that, isn't it? All in all, every encounter I had except B.B. was with someone who desperately needed help. It's such a privilege to be there to help these people in their time of need. I learned today in helping the homeless to always be thankful for what God has given you. --Until next week. John