Downtown 3/27/2011

When I first arrived downtown, it looked like it might rain a little bit, but luckily it never did. I saw Ron again under the 4th Street bridge. This Sunday he was pushing a shopping cart about to do some recycling. He told me, "I don't make any money recycling when it rains." The reason behind this is that there are fewer people out when it rains, so there is less trash (ie. recyclables) to collect. I heard that complaint more than once Sunday. I was happy to finally see Willie on Olympic Blvd just east of Alameda. He was pushing his cart and had few recyclables and very few possessions in it. The last couple of times I've seen Willie he hasn't been with Tara Lee or any of the other people he usually hangs with. Apparently, there's been a falling out among them. I was able to not only help Willie with some food and water but also some shirts, a pair of jeans and some socks. He needed a pair of shoes, but I just didn't have any his size. Willie gave me a general idea of where he's been staying and I'll have to keep watching for him. He seems very lonely these days. I was glad we were able to spend some time in prayer together.
When I left Willie I drove to the end of that same block and saw Alan who I hadn't seen since the end of last summer. He looked exactly the same with a full beard and the same green overcoat. I doubt if he's bathed since I saw him last. I called out to him, "Alan is that you?" and he looked up and over at me and I'm sure I saw a smile on his face. I asked how he'd been doing in all the rain, but all I got was a shrug of his shoulders and a slight nod of his head, as if to say, "I've made it through another winter." Alan doesn't talk to anyone, but I was sure glad to see him and I think he was glad to see me. I've wondered what's happened to him the last month or so because I haven't seen him around. I'm glad to know he's OK.
Before ending up down on skid row I was able to help four other men. During this time I don't think I've ever seen as many people digging in trash cans and some, in fact, eating out of them. One man's name was Richard. He had found a plastic thing that fast food places will put a sandwich or a salad in and he was eating the leftovers. I've encountered Richard before and he has never accepted help from me and Sunday was no different even though he was eating out of a trash can. Another man looking for food in a trash can was a man named Jeremiah who I remembered from about 5 weeks ago. At the time I saw him then, I commented that I didn't think he was in his right mind. Sunday confirmed my suspicions that he is mentally ill, however, he did accept the help as did a couple of others on that same block.
The lasting impression of Sunday's trip was seeing a man sitting on the sidewalk on the corner of Los Angeles St and 7th Ave. He was sitting with his back up against a pillar of the building on that corner. His face was deformed. Where his right eye should have been was covered in discolored skin. Something about his mouth and lips didn't quite look right either. I knew right away I had to find a place to park and get back to this man. I parked again in front of the police station and grabbed a bag with a couple of cans of food and some packs of cookies and started walking the couple of blocks back to where this man was. When I got there I noticed he had a clear plastic cup with some money that he had collected from the people passing by. I walked up and said, "Hey, this is for you." and handed him the bag. I asked what his name was and he told me his name was Jerry. I noticed his right hand was bandaged up and wished I had brought some socks with me to give him too. I asked if he usually can be found around in this area and he told me yes. I told him I'd start looking for him again when I come down there. When he answered he sounded not only completely coherent but relatively happy and upbeat too. There were a lot of people walking around on that corner and a private conversation was pretty much impossible, but next time I'm going to just sit down next to Jerry and take the time to get to know him. I'm looking forward to telling him that God loves him and I do too. Until next week. --John