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