Downtown 1/29/2012

To my loved one--"When you pray to me, I will listen. When you look for me you will find me." --- This week's note, included in each bag of food given out. It is a paraphrase of Jeremiah 29:12

Most of the people I look for to help are usually alone. I like to include a short personal note like the one above with each bag of food so that after the food is gone, they have something left to think about. I've given out copies of the Gospel of John, Guideposts, and other literature with a spiritual content in an attempt to point the way to Jesus Christ. I know that however the encounter went, they will be left with something that they can reflect on after I'm gone and after the food is gone.

The first guy I met this week was Robert from Oakland. I had helped him out a couple of weeks ago while I was looking for Mark. Yesterday, Robert was in about the same place Mark used to hang out under the I-10 freeway. He told me he hadn't seen Mark in a while now. In the course of talking to Robert I found out he doesn't receive any kind of government assistance. One of the issues he has is he doesn't have any kind of identification either. That is a big hurdle to overcome for most of the homeless. Whether their ID or driver's license was lost or stolen, getting a new one requires a lot of paperwork and waiting to get a replacement. I've seen Robert a few times now within a couple of blocks of where he was yesterday. He had four old worn-out (and dirty) blankets. He was OK with them, but I was able to help him out with some new shoes and socks and a couple of shirts. He told me the nights have been pretty cold lately. Fortunately, I had been given a supply of gloves and a cap with ear flaps. Before leaving I prayed specifically about Robert's ID issues and for just a general blessing and protection. I think Sunday night was going to be a lot better for him.

Remember back in the 80's there used to be a guy with the crazy Afro hair-do that was rainbow colored? He used to beat on a tamborine and would hold up a John 3:16 sign at all the football games on TV? Well, yesterday I helped a guy from Chicago with a Mohawk wig that was rainbow colored! No tamborine and no John 3:16 sign though. You do see some crazy things downtown. Right before rainbow man I was driving through the parking lot of an industrial area. Brandon from New York was sitting on the steps of one of the buildings. I think he was sitting there because he wasn't visible from the street. I think he was probably trying to keep a low profile and not be seen. He didn't look to pleased when I pulled up next to where he was, but when I asked him if he needed some food he perked-up in a hurry. He was very young, like maybe 20 or 21 years old. He had on a Syracuse sweatshirt and said that's where he was from. I asked him if he was pulling for New York in the Super Bowl next week. He said he was and was hoping to be able to find a place to watch it. We didn't talk too long, so I don't know how he ended up out here. I'll save that conversation for the next time.

A little over a year ago on Halloween, you may recall my encounter with three men where I ended up giving a quick Bible lesson in the street on Romans 1:21 at their request. I remember being shocked when all three of them pulled out Bibles. They were just coming from a church service that evening. Their names were Billy, James and Will. Billy and James moved on to Pasadena a few months later, but Will stayed in an alley around the corner from where I first met them. I have seen him every once in a while and yesterday I saw him again. He told me that he and another man named Willie are looking to pool their money together and get a place to stay. He told me that life on the street is wearing him out and he wants out. He just turned 54 last week. They hope to make it happen in March. I'll be praying for them.

Six weeks ago I met a young man named Melvin sitting on the dock of a cold storage warehouse on the corner of 10th and Stanford. He was a young man of about 20 years old. He's out on parole and has no place to go. He has stayed away from the skid row area because he's been beaten up there and as he says, "I don't fight very well." I hadn't seen him since the time I met him, but have looked for him ever since. As I was driving down 14th street I happened to pass by a man trying to be inconspicuous in the corner of a parking lot. I passed by and noticed a man there, but didn't really see who it was. I turned around and drove back and pulled up right next to him. When I was able to look him in the eyes I was happy to see that it was Melvin. Yes, he remembered me too. He told me he had been arrested for staying on that loading dock because it was private property. Talk about kicking a man when he's down. He told me his parole officer said it was OK for him to stay in the spot where I saw him yesterday. He has to move on during the day though. I know others have stayed in that same area also, in fact, we talked about a couple of them that I've seen and he's seen too. I think he said his parole ends in March. I hope they can be of more assistance then than they've been so far. As it gets closer to dusk, the area right there just west of 14th and Central becomes a favorite area for homeless people to spend the night. It's far enough away from the craziness of skid row at night, but within walking distance if you want to get a meal or two during the day. Just down the street from Melvin was another man pushing a shopping cart named Willie. A lot of the men this far away from skid row just stay away from that area completely. Willie is one of them, and yes he was really happy to receive the bag of food.

Speaking of skid row, when I was prayer-walking on 6th, I noticed a crowd of people around the back of an SUV. I had parked in front of the police station and a man was standing there eating some food on a plate. I commented to him that the food looked pretty good and he pointed to the SUV (his mouth was full of food). As I crossed the street and saw the car and the crowd I noticed the spray painted metal housing on some electrical power box. I took the picture because of the spray

painted comment and the whole setting behind it. The picture on the left is what's behind the spary painted sign. It is the crowd of people around the SUV and on down the street is the Midnight Mission. At the corner and across the street at the end of the block an Asian Church serves a meal every Sunday evening (rain or shine and it was going on as this picture was taken). Amid the darkness, you'll always see points of light if you look for them. If you don't see them, then you'll just have to be one! --Until next week. John

Downtown 1/24/2012

Tuesday was a day of relief for most of the homeless folks downtown. After suffering through a lot of rain on Monday the sun was finally out on Tuesday. Although it wasn't the warmest day, it was certainly warmer than Sunday and Monday. I started out going over to Lincoln Park and found Tony and Deborah. Tony told me their 'stuff' got soaked over the last two days. They seemed to be OK although I was a little surprised Deborah didn't come over to the car. I have to remember that people probably aren't recognizing me yet in this 'new' car (it's a ten year old Saturn). I asked if they had seen Phillip and Nancy recently, but Tony said they hadn't seen them in quite a while. Anyway, they were draping their blankets over their shopping carts in an attempt to dry them out. After leaving them I headed back into town and drove by Stanford and 10th to see if Melvin, the kid I found the week before Christmas was around. Being a weekday, that area was really packed with cars and especially trucks and he was nowhere to be found, even in the alleys in the surrounding area. So I headed over to the alley where I had the barbecue a few months ago. Kenny, who was at the barbecue, was there. He was pretty happy to see me. He had been recycling and had few cans and bottles, but not enough to get much yet. You can imagine how happy he was to get a bag of food that had a couple of sandwiches in it. I asked if he needed any socks and he indicated he did. He made a comment about David getting the last size 12 shoes that I had and he was wearing some 14's that made his feet slide around (he wore 12's). I told him he was in luck that I had some 12's today and gave him a pair. I probably should have asked him to give me the 14's, but I didn't think about it at the time. I asked him about where some of the others were and he told me some of them were hanging out around Paloma and Washington Blvd. by a food bank. I went over there and saw some homeless 'housing' set up, but didn't actually see anyone. I usually don't try and roust people out of their boxes or tents, especially, if it looks like there are several people living near each other on the same block. I have helped people on that street before that were standing outside their 'place'. I did see a couple of businesses that appeared to be food warehouses. I'll have to ask around next time and see which one is a food bank and just exactly what is it that they do.

I'd have to say my best encounter of the day was the next one with a man named Ernest. He was sleeping on the sidewalk at Paloma and 14th. I don't think he was really asleep, but he was probably trying to. By now it was almost noon and he was in the shade, so it was quite cool where he was. When I walked up to him with the bag of food he answered right away that he was hungry and when I asked if he needed socks he said yes to that too. He then asked something a little strange. He asked if I had any slippers because his feet had blisters on them and he was having a hard time walking in his shoes. He didn't say whether his shoes fit or not, I guess I should have asked, but I just happened to have some open toed sandals that he thought would work out just fine. We talked for a while (he was already eating one of the sandwiches from the bag of food) and I found out he was from Inglewood, which is a city near where I grew up. We talked about going to the forum to see concerts and the Lakers back in the day. I told him I haven't gone to see anything at Staples Center yet, because it's just out of my price range. He told me he hadn't been to anything there yet either (and for the same reason too). It was really cool to pray for Ernest before I left him. He told me he stays pretty much in that area all the time. I'll keep looking in on him in the weeks ahead.

Before leaving downtown I saw Alan and Jackie. Alan was sitting on the curb on Olympic Blvd. I think he might have been eating something, but you can never help Alan enough. When I asked him if his Christmas was OK he actually answered, "Yeah". That is a long conversation for Alan! Jackie was at her normal spot by the I-10 and Los Angeles St. Yesterday, she looked totally worn-out. The homeless lifestyle these people live is never very conducive to rest during these winter months. Between sleeping out in the cold and trying to scrape up enough money through panhandling and/or recycling makes these months particularly difficult. Add into that anything that you might have that's in the least bit valuable will be a target for other homeless people to steal from you and your problems are now compounded.

When I was prayer-walking in the skid row area I noticed a couple of new store front churches on San Pedro St. by 5th St. One was called Potters House and I think the pastor's name was Hong. Music was coming out of that place and next to it was a banner that said "Meals on Jesus" with another sign that said "5 breads and 2 (and then christian fish sign)". There were a bunch of people gathered around there and I think they were about to serve a meal. I'll be praying for their success in the area. Until next week. --John

Downtown-1/16/2012 on Martin Luther King Day

The first question that the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But the Good Samaritan...reversed the question, "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?" ---Martin Luther king, Jr from a speech April 3, 1968 (the night before his assasination).

I began a blog back in August with this quote. It seemed appropriate to use it today, being Martin Luther King Day. It is one of my favorite all-time quotes and it encapsulates the message of Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan. You will probably never know how difficult it can be to make these trips downtown sometimes. We all lead busy lives and it's easy to let other things get in the way or to use the "I'm tired card" and just stay home. But two things always seem to win out over the myriad of excuses to not go. The first is the message found in the quote above. What will happen to these people if I don't go. More than likely, the answer is they will remain hungry or hungry and cold. I can't save the world, but I can relieve hunger and cold for a few people and pray with them too. The other thing that comes up is, "What will I miss out on?" I began this ministry to 'be where God was working'. When we make ourselves available for His use, then He will use us and that is always an adventure. Some trips are more adventurous than others to be sure, but you never know what's ahead. You can use the analogy of quality time and quantity of time. Given enough quantity (opportunity) will eventually generate quality experiences.

Today I was given quite a surprise by John Stokes. I was down to my last bag of food and since I hadn't seen John since Christmas Day and since he is by himself again I decided to stop and see him. He was laying down but quickly got up when he saw me. When he came over to the car and we started talking I asked him if he knew what day it was. He said, "Monday". I said, "Yeah, but do you know it's Martin Luther King Day?" He said "No, I didn't know that." That's when he told me that back in the early 60's he marched with Martin Luther King, Ralph Abernathy and Jessie Jackson in Selma, Alabama. I don't know how many people from that era are left who can make that claim. I knew John was from the Atlanta, Georgia area and I was certainly glad I stopped to see him today or I might never have known this. I'm proud to know him and call him my friend.

Well, that was my good fortune today, but along the way I was able to help 5 other people who desperately needed help too. The first was Dorothy. I don't see her to often, in fact, only twice before and today she looked even more worn-out than usual. She was glad to get the food. I also saw Dalton today. I haven't seen him in a few months either and today I found him near where I usually do, but he was sitting down on the sidewalk in the sun light trying to get warm. He had on a jacket and was half asleep when I walked up to him. I gave him some food and a blanket. Mary I saw on Christmas Day. I haven't been able to get much of a conversation going with her yet. She didn't want me to pray with her the last time and I didn't push it today. It will happen when she's ready and I'm OK with that. I just haven't been able to figure her out yet. She sits on the corner at 16th St near Hill St. She has a suitcase and a small chair that she sits on. She appears to be waiting for someone or something to happen, but she's been there now for 2 or 3 months. I don't know what to think of her situation. I'll keep praying that she will open up and talk with me sometime.

A couple of weeks prior to Christmas I met a man named Mark who was living under the freeway at Central and 16th. I tried to find him on Christmas Day, but didn't see him. I looked for him there today and around the corner on 17th St, but still didn't find him. However, I did find Rick from Oakland who knows Mark. He told me that Mark was out recycling. I gave Rick a bag of food and told him to tell Mark I said 'Hello' and that I'd keep looking for him next week. I also had met a young man named Melvin the week before Christmas that I also tried to find on Christmas Day but without success. I was even having trouble finding the corner building where I first saw him. Today I found the location at Stanford and 10th, but he wasn't there today either. That didn't really surprise me, because today is a weekday and that building is a cold storage warehouse that is in use. I'll have to try looking on another Sunday some time.

No trip is complete without an encounter by the Jack in the Box. Today it was a man named Kevin Oneal who was from Arkansas. He had a bicycle and was hitting up people coming out of the Jack in the Box for change. I noticed he seemed to be in quite a lot of back pain. He said he had some vertebrae/disc problems with his back and it was really painful. I didn't have anything for the pain, but gave him a bag of food, which should enable him to get off his bike and his feet. Hopefully, that will give his back some relief too. Yes, we talked about our Arkansas connection and he thanked me for praying with him and giving him the food.

Well, that was today's trip. Six encounters and six people helped. Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan was in response to a question by a religious man of his day which was, "Who is my neighbor?" Five of the six people today I've helped before. Some I've helped only a couple of times and others several times. They all live 25 miles away from me. I say this because some who read this blog don't live in this country and may not know the terrain. I still think of these people as friends and neighbors. I wouldn't want to think tonight about what would they be doing if I hadn't stopped by. I'm sure Dalton is wrapped up in his new blanket as I write this. That is a comfort to know. --Until next week. John