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