Downtown 2/6/2012

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh." --Luke 6:20-21

This was part of the text used in Sunday morning's message at church. It is Luke's parallel version of Matthew's famous Sermon on the Mount passage (Matt 5:3-10). Whenever I read or hear these types of passages in the Bible, I see the faces and names and the alleys where people that I know who are poor and hungry live. Today, even the phrase above about those "who weep" came to mind as I saw one the people I first met downtown on these trips a couple of years ago. His name is John Mellon and for the last year or so he as been cohabitating with a woman named Dawn. When I asked about her today he said she had left him. It had been three months since she left and he was devastated. He told me he had been unable, so far, to get her off his mind. Everywhere he went people would ask about her (like I did) and so many places and things would remind him of her that life was one continual sad day. Well, we've all been there before and can identify with his hurt feelings. Part of the time I spent with him today was just letting him blow off steam with someone who was safe to talk to. Like I said, John was one of the first people I got to know downtown. He was also one of the very few people who originally refused my offer to pray for them. However, when he was with Dawn that changed and I was able to pray with both of them several times. Today, was the first time I prayed with just the two of us. Sometimes when we are in a situation like his our minds get 'stuck' and fixated on our loss and it is only with new experiences and acquaintances that get us moving forward again. This is what I asked God to do for John. I found John in a location that I'd never seen him in before. I'll watch for him in the weeks to come. I remember the first time I met up with him after he hooked up with Dawn. He was so excited and happy. Please pray now, for his broken heart.

Shortly before Christmas I met a man named Mark living under the freeway by Central Ave. I had seen him a couple of weeks in a row and then from Christmas Day on I haven't seen him....until today. He was just about in the same spot as before and sitting with a couple of young Latino men. Mark is African American, yet he knows enough Spanish to converse with these men and he was able to tell them about me and let them know that I am there to help people just like them. One of the men was Jaime Hernandez and the other I only got the last name of Lopez. Mark told me that he had given up ever seeing me again, although he admitted that he had just been thinking of me when I pulled up. Mark is a pretty good sized guy and wears size 13 shoes. He was ecstatic when I pulled out a brand new pair of size 13's. I was able to provide shoes and socks for all three men, and warm clothing and a couple of blankets for them too. I also had three caps with ear covers and some gloves for each of them too. When I prayed for them I just held out my hands towards them and started praying. All three of them reached up to hold my hands while I prayed. His Holy Presence was there and I was blessed.

The last couple of men I was able to help with food and water were Ron from Michigan and Jorge. I then headed over to Cloud Nine Alley and one of my old friends Ray was back there. He had been in jail for the last 90 days on a parole violation. I was out of hamburgers, but I did have some cheese crackers left and some water. All the stuff he had in his 'place' was gone. He had only been back since last Wednesday. I gave him some socks and a couple of t-shirts too. It was good to see him again. The Bible passage above talks about the 'poor' being blessed. These homeless people are people of worth. I am blessed to know them. Until next week. John