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