"...know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:3-4
Due to weather issues, I couldn't get downtown this week until Monday evening. I arrived at the Jack in the Box a little too early to get started. I had wanted to start down near the skid row area and pick up where I left off last week. So I waited in my car for a little while in the parking lot. There had been a man standing by the front door of the restaurant and I figured he was hitting people up for help as they came in or went out. After a short time he came over to the car and talked to me. I guess it was time to get started regardless of what my plan was or not. I had some crackers and bananas in my car and gave him some of them along with a bottle of water as I walked in, promising him something better when I came out. While I waited inside, he eventually came inside to use the restroom, just about the time the burgers were ready. I gave him a couple of them. His name was Larry and he was originally from New Orleans, but had been out here for thirty years by now. He was diabetic. I prayed with him inside the Jack in the Box by the door before leaving him.
Most of the next hour and a half was spent driving to some of the regular spots where I usually see homeless folks, but like last week they were hard to find. I drove over to Lincoln Park and was wondering what happened to Cesar, who I hadn't seen in a long time and there he was at the corner of N. Main and Mission Rd begging from the people stopped at the signal. He still doesn't speak much English, so there has never been much conversation between us. Back in the downtown area, I saw Willie close to the skid row area. I've never seen him that close to that area. He didn't recognise me at first in the car I'm in now. He was wanting to know when we would be having a barbecue again (Aren't we all?).
Well I pretty much stayed in the area just south of skid row for the rest of the trip. Last fall when I was focusing on this area, there was a couple staying on Wall St every time I would go down there. Their names were Deena and Edward. Well, Monday I saw Edward but not Deena. I asked where she was and he mumbled something about her "having to take care of some stuff". I didn't see her there last week when I drove by either. Just down the block a ways from Edward I met Charles. He was much more welcoming and appreciated the food even though he only had one tooth. He said he could recognize a real christian by the warmth generated in his heart when he spoke to them. He also wanted to know if I was from the South. Shortly before leaving I was stopped at a signal and an emergency vehicle was approaching from behind me with it's siren blaring. I decided to just turn right and avoid it. As I drove around the block, I found a man named Bobby pushing his cart. I asked him if he needed some food and when he said yes I said, "Well let me give you some before they come and take us away" (in reference to the siren's blaring). We both giggled over that one. Bobby was more than welcoming of the prayer too. Well, with one burger left, (I think they gave me an extra one at the Jack in the Box) I gave it away to a woman named Tisha who was just down the street from Bobby. She looked and sounded very hardened from spending a long time on the street.
Life on the street there where I was finishing up, was beginning to shape up about the way I expected it to. That's kind of why I was waiting in the parking lot of the Jack in the Box before getting started. As night begins to fall, people are staking out their 'spot' for the night. People are easier to find and help. If they are going to bed hungry, as many are, they are very receptive to help at this time as well as being open to being prayed for. I had been able to help several others between Willie and Edward at this time. It's a great opportunity to show God's kindness and love to them.
So you may be wondering why I quoted the verse at the beginning. Not every trip and certainly not every encounter is memorable. In fact, this trip was about as non-descript as they come. However, I have learned that through the 'average' trips, you built up a relationship with some of these people, that enables you to have some credibility later. That credibility as a person who cares about them, becomes the opportunity to share the deeper issues of faith that really have the lasting impact that we're looking and praying for. For now, it may be just a chance meeting. Next time or the next time after that the relationship may begin. --Until that week. John
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Downtown 3/18/2012-Last trip of winter
But this will be your chance to tell about your faith. --Luke 21:13
This was a verse I heard two messages on in about 24 hours since Sunday morning. Although, both men speaking on it had a slightly different perspective and intent, both views were stunning in the application to what happened on this trip. I was really looking forward to this trip when I woke up (I'm back to working nights). Since it is daylight savings time again, I can go late on Sunday afternoon and still get some quality daytime hours in before it gets dark. Also, it had been very cold the last few days and I was sure the need downtown would be great. However, because it was so cold many of the homeless had found shelter somewhere other than the normal places where I find them (at least that was my guess). I had bought some burgers when I got down there, but struggled the first hour and a half finding people. I did end up tracking down a few 'regulars', one was Allan. He actually put two words together in response to the question of whether he wanted some water or not. "Water, yeah." That's a long conversation for him. But overall, the trip was pretty uneventful until the last 10 or 15 minutes or so. It was getting kind of late. The sun had gone down, but it was still light out. I decided to try going down to the area where I went last fall where I met people living in the doorways of shops on Wall St near 7th. I was driving up to a corner to go around the block when I saw a man walking up to the corner right where I was. I had the window down on the passenger side and called out to him asking if he needed some food. He immediately came over to the car and said, "Yes, thank you. God bless you." His name was Pablo and while I reached over to give him some bottled water another man came up behind him, asking if I had some food for him too. His name was Juan. Well, they both received food and water and then the first man, Pablo, seeing some blankets in the back of my car asked if I had one for him. I answered "Sure, but let me pull around the corner and park." I was still stopped at the corner and I needed to get out of the way of traffic. So I pulled around the corner and got out and gave him a blanket. I was still in a red zone, so I couldn't stay there for long either. Well Pablo, received his blanket, he had one but it had gotten wet in all the rain we had over the last couple of days. He left and I had to pull the car up the street about 20 feet to get out of the red zone. After doing that, I was looking through my remaining bags to see how many burgers I had left to give out. As I was counting up the last of them (I had four left), I noticed a man under a blanket on the sidewalk just opposite from where I was parked. He had pulled the blanket back and was looking at me. I still had the window down. Now when I had first pulled up to this spot I noticed the blanket and could see that someone was under it. I even felt a small quiet prompting that said, "Help that person." Part of the etiquette of the street is that you typically don't roust people who are totally covered up under their blanket. But now this guy had pulled back the blanket and was looking at me. "Hey, do you need some food?" I called out. He quickly answered, yes and came over to the car. When he got up, I noticed that someone else was under the blanket too. I gave him the four remaining burgers and asked if he needed some water too. He told me I was a 'lifesaver'. I asked him if he needed any socks or clothes and he said yes to that too. I told him to go ahead and take the food back to his spot and come on back and we'd look through the clothes I had in the back. It turned out his name was Ralph and he was 'living' there with his wife and mother on the street. I gave him two more blankets, a couple of pairs of shoes, sweaters and some caps too. Whatever he needed I gave. Before leaving him I asked if I could pray for him and he was obviously moved at the offer. When I put my arm around his shoulders he laid his head on my shoulder. I told him, "The One who carried the cross, is the One who will carry you through these difficult times." It was as though Jesus was standing right there with us.
So what does the verse above have to do with this. Well, the two perspectives pointed out, first how a testimony can be about what you once were and how you are now transformed, but also what you are believing God for now. I had been looking forward to this trip so much and was just about to give up at it being fruitful when I felt led to go down by the skid row area. I was looking for God to come through and turn this trip into a memorable one and here in about 15 minutes an unbelievable turn of events occurred. Secondly, the 'testimony' happens when you're out among nonbelievers and you are there as a witness for Jesus. The 'Great Commission' of Matthew 28 states that "I will be with you always" and is in the context of taking His message out into the world. That's when His power is on display. What a lesson. What an incredible 15 minutes it was. --Until next week. --John
This was a verse I heard two messages on in about 24 hours since Sunday morning. Although, both men speaking on it had a slightly different perspective and intent, both views were stunning in the application to what happened on this trip. I was really looking forward to this trip when I woke up (I'm back to working nights). Since it is daylight savings time again, I can go late on Sunday afternoon and still get some quality daytime hours in before it gets dark. Also, it had been very cold the last few days and I was sure the need downtown would be great. However, because it was so cold many of the homeless had found shelter somewhere other than the normal places where I find them (at least that was my guess). I had bought some burgers when I got down there, but struggled the first hour and a half finding people. I did end up tracking down a few 'regulars', one was Allan. He actually put two words together in response to the question of whether he wanted some water or not. "Water, yeah." That's a long conversation for him. But overall, the trip was pretty uneventful until the last 10 or 15 minutes or so. It was getting kind of late. The sun had gone down, but it was still light out. I decided to try going down to the area where I went last fall where I met people living in the doorways of shops on Wall St near 7th. I was driving up to a corner to go around the block when I saw a man walking up to the corner right where I was. I had the window down on the passenger side and called out to him asking if he needed some food. He immediately came over to the car and said, "Yes, thank you. God bless you." His name was Pablo and while I reached over to give him some bottled water another man came up behind him, asking if I had some food for him too. His name was Juan. Well, they both received food and water and then the first man, Pablo, seeing some blankets in the back of my car asked if I had one for him. I answered "Sure, but let me pull around the corner and park." I was still stopped at the corner and I needed to get out of the way of traffic. So I pulled around the corner and got out and gave him a blanket. I was still in a red zone, so I couldn't stay there for long either. Well Pablo, received his blanket, he had one but it had gotten wet in all the rain we had over the last couple of days. He left and I had to pull the car up the street about 20 feet to get out of the red zone. After doing that, I was looking through my remaining bags to see how many burgers I had left to give out. As I was counting up the last of them (I had four left), I noticed a man under a blanket on the sidewalk just opposite from where I was parked. He had pulled the blanket back and was looking at me. I still had the window down. Now when I had first pulled up to this spot I noticed the blanket and could see that someone was under it. I even felt a small quiet prompting that said, "Help that person." Part of the etiquette of the street is that you typically don't roust people who are totally covered up under their blanket. But now this guy had pulled back the blanket and was looking at me. "Hey, do you need some food?" I called out. He quickly answered, yes and came over to the car. When he got up, I noticed that someone else was under the blanket too. I gave him the four remaining burgers and asked if he needed some water too. He told me I was a 'lifesaver'. I asked him if he needed any socks or clothes and he said yes to that too. I told him to go ahead and take the food back to his spot and come on back and we'd look through the clothes I had in the back. It turned out his name was Ralph and he was 'living' there with his wife and mother on the street. I gave him two more blankets, a couple of pairs of shoes, sweaters and some caps too. Whatever he needed I gave. Before leaving him I asked if I could pray for him and he was obviously moved at the offer. When I put my arm around his shoulders he laid his head on my shoulder. I told him, "The One who carried the cross, is the One who will carry you through these difficult times." It was as though Jesus was standing right there with us.
So what does the verse above have to do with this. Well, the two perspectives pointed out, first how a testimony can be about what you once were and how you are now transformed, but also what you are believing God for now. I had been looking forward to this trip so much and was just about to give up at it being fruitful when I felt led to go down by the skid row area. I was looking for God to come through and turn this trip into a memorable one and here in about 15 minutes an unbelievable turn of events occurred. Secondly, the 'testimony' happens when you're out among nonbelievers and you are there as a witness for Jesus. The 'Great Commission' of Matthew 28 states that "I will be with you always" and is in the context of taking His message out into the world. That's when His power is on display. What a lesson. What an incredible 15 minutes it was. --Until next week. --John
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Downtown 3/6/2012
[Sometimes] we forget that there is no victory without a battle, no testimony without a test and no miracle without an impossible circumstance. God leads us in triumph by leading us into battles, tests and impossibilities!" ---Kris Vallotton from his book "Spirit Wars"
We often are looking for the easy way out, the level road and the path of least resistance. Yet life had a habit of throwing us curves and pot holes. When I arrived downtown at the Jack in the Box yesterday, John Stokes was greeting people at the door (that's his normal 'mo' for obtaining food). He told me he was so glad to see me because he had lost everything again to the city workers who came by where he lived and took everything away. Starting over again is a fairly regular occurrance to most homeless folks. Losing your stuff to other homeless people or city workers/law enforcement is simply the way life is on the street. When John told me this my immediate reaction was "not again" as if it was his fault. He told me they had even taken the last gallon jug of water I gave him and he hadn't even opened it up yet. As soon as I felt this irritation about his situation I immediately felt like Peter after he denied knowing Jesus. How could I be so heartless. What if God dealt out mercy and forgiveness to me, the way I wanted John Stokes to somehow "earn" the next batch of stuff I was about to give him. If I am to be the 'ambassador' of God to these people, I'd better change my attitude in a hurry. The bible, particularly in the Old Testament, continually reminds us not to abuse the poor. It doesn't give any reasons or conditions for being poor, it just says to help the poor period. After giving John some clothes and a blanket, he asked me to pray for him before I left. I looked at John and saw the frail poor elderly man that he is and was thankful for the privilege of being asked to pray for him. How often do I ask God for forgiveness over the same issues time after time.
I started driving over to a spot under the I-10 freeway by San Pedro St. and saw a man named David begging on the street corner. That corner is also the freeway offramp. He limped over to me when I offered him some burgers. He was from Florida. He was dirty and unshaven and grateful for the help. So just across the street and under the freeway from David I was hoping to find Mark. When I pulled up there was someone all bundled up and lying on the ground under the freeway, but it wasn't Mark. It turned out to be a woman by the name of Gail. I wasn't really clear on where she was from, but she had only been in this spot since the night before. She was very appreciative of the help. I parked and opened the trunk because she indicated she could use some socks. While going through the trunk a man pushing a shopping cart passed by and without speaking motioned to me that he could use some help to. Now I had already prayed with Gail before this man, whose name was Gijermo, came by. He saw the clothes in the car and was looking for some help with that. I asked if he needed some food. When he said yes, Gail offered to give him one of her burgers. She didn't know that I had more in the car. I told her to keep hers and gave Gijermo two more and some water too. He ended up receiving a blanket, jeans and socks too. Now he spoke Spanish (he was from Cuba) and understood very little English. However, he knew when I started praying for him and bowed his head. I've learned to begin prayers for Spanish speaking people with the words "El Senor" which means "The Lord". After he left, Gail was still standing with me by the trunk. It was as though she didn't want me to leave, she seemed very lonely. I asked if there was anything special that I could pray for her about. She said, "A pot of gold." I was a little surprised by that and asked her to repeat it. When I prayed for her again, I asked for God's presence in leading her through this difficult time in her life. I acknowledged that God's presence is more valuable that gold because gold only takes care of a few problems this life has, but not the loneliness and despair that she was feeling now. It was a very moving moment and I hated to have to leave her alone. I told her over the next few days to look for Mark. He would be a good companion for her in the area.
Just a few streets down from where Gail was, I saw a man with a shopping cart picking up stuff in the middle of a small street off Washington Blvd. It was Wall St. and it runs all the way downtown to the skid row area and by the police station where I try to park when I'm down there. Anyway, where this man was, was between 16th and Washington Blvd. When I pulled up by him I offered him some food which he accepted quickly and then he asked me if I noticed how clean the street was. I told him I did and then he wanted to know, "Do you know who cleaned it up?" I told him, "Well, I think you did, didn't you?" I complimented him on how well it looked. He was proud of the job he had done. It shows just how much these folks want to be valued as people of worth. Yes, many live their lives in despair and hopelessness, but not all of them. His name was Masio, and he was walking with a spring in his step when I left him.
After prayer-walking down Cloud Nine Alley I drove towards the skid row area. I found two men, one on 14th St and the other on 14th Pl who were very hungry and couldn't believe their good fortune when I offered them some food and water. Their names were Bill and Steve. I drove back up a couple of streets to the alley where I met Willie and Lee a couple of weeks ago. I had driven past there earlier, but some trucks were in the alley making it impossible to get through. The alley was clear now and I saw Willie and James and gave away the last two burgers I had. Two weeks ago, when I saw Lee in this alley he told me something that has stuck with me. He told me that this area (the one where I primarily worked in this morning) seems to have a 'hold' on the homeless people living there and it won't let them out. What he was saying was that the forces of darkness (the New Testament calls them powers and principalities) keep these people locked in to the area. It was a stunning statement to me. I'm committed to bring light and hope to this dark place. --Until next week. John
We often are looking for the easy way out, the level road and the path of least resistance. Yet life had a habit of throwing us curves and pot holes. When I arrived downtown at the Jack in the Box yesterday, John Stokes was greeting people at the door (that's his normal 'mo' for obtaining food). He told me he was so glad to see me because he had lost everything again to the city workers who came by where he lived and took everything away. Starting over again is a fairly regular occurrance to most homeless folks. Losing your stuff to other homeless people or city workers/law enforcement is simply the way life is on the street. When John told me this my immediate reaction was "not again" as if it was his fault. He told me they had even taken the last gallon jug of water I gave him and he hadn't even opened it up yet. As soon as I felt this irritation about his situation I immediately felt like Peter after he denied knowing Jesus. How could I be so heartless. What if God dealt out mercy and forgiveness to me, the way I wanted John Stokes to somehow "earn" the next batch of stuff I was about to give him. If I am to be the 'ambassador' of God to these people, I'd better change my attitude in a hurry. The bible, particularly in the Old Testament, continually reminds us not to abuse the poor. It doesn't give any reasons or conditions for being poor, it just says to help the poor period. After giving John some clothes and a blanket, he asked me to pray for him before I left. I looked at John and saw the frail poor elderly man that he is and was thankful for the privilege of being asked to pray for him. How often do I ask God for forgiveness over the same issues time after time.
I started driving over to a spot under the I-10 freeway by San Pedro St. and saw a man named David begging on the street corner. That corner is also the freeway offramp. He limped over to me when I offered him some burgers. He was from Florida. He was dirty and unshaven and grateful for the help. So just across the street and under the freeway from David I was hoping to find Mark. When I pulled up there was someone all bundled up and lying on the ground under the freeway, but it wasn't Mark. It turned out to be a woman by the name of Gail. I wasn't really clear on where she was from, but she had only been in this spot since the night before. She was very appreciative of the help. I parked and opened the trunk because she indicated she could use some socks. While going through the trunk a man pushing a shopping cart passed by and without speaking motioned to me that he could use some help to. Now I had already prayed with Gail before this man, whose name was Gijermo, came by. He saw the clothes in the car and was looking for some help with that. I asked if he needed some food. When he said yes, Gail offered to give him one of her burgers. She didn't know that I had more in the car. I told her to keep hers and gave Gijermo two more and some water too. He ended up receiving a blanket, jeans and socks too. Now he spoke Spanish (he was from Cuba) and understood very little English. However, he knew when I started praying for him and bowed his head. I've learned to begin prayers for Spanish speaking people with the words "El Senor" which means "The Lord". After he left, Gail was still standing with me by the trunk. It was as though she didn't want me to leave, she seemed very lonely. I asked if there was anything special that I could pray for her about. She said, "A pot of gold." I was a little surprised by that and asked her to repeat it. When I prayed for her again, I asked for God's presence in leading her through this difficult time in her life. I acknowledged that God's presence is more valuable that gold because gold only takes care of a few problems this life has, but not the loneliness and despair that she was feeling now. It was a very moving moment and I hated to have to leave her alone. I told her over the next few days to look for Mark. He would be a good companion for her in the area.
Just a few streets down from where Gail was, I saw a man with a shopping cart picking up stuff in the middle of a small street off Washington Blvd. It was Wall St. and it runs all the way downtown to the skid row area and by the police station where I try to park when I'm down there. Anyway, where this man was, was between 16th and Washington Blvd. When I pulled up by him I offered him some food which he accepted quickly and then he asked me if I noticed how clean the street was. I told him I did and then he wanted to know, "Do you know who cleaned it up?" I told him, "Well, I think you did, didn't you?" I complimented him on how well it looked. He was proud of the job he had done. It shows just how much these folks want to be valued as people of worth. Yes, many live their lives in despair and hopelessness, but not all of them. His name was Masio, and he was walking with a spring in his step when I left him.
After prayer-walking down Cloud Nine Alley I drove towards the skid row area. I found two men, one on 14th St and the other on 14th Pl who were very hungry and couldn't believe their good fortune when I offered them some food and water. Their names were Bill and Steve. I drove back up a couple of streets to the alley where I met Willie and Lee a couple of weeks ago. I had driven past there earlier, but some trucks were in the alley making it impossible to get through. The alley was clear now and I saw Willie and James and gave away the last two burgers I had. Two weeks ago, when I saw Lee in this alley he told me something that has stuck with me. He told me that this area (the one where I primarily worked in this morning) seems to have a 'hold' on the homeless people living there and it won't let them out. What he was saying was that the forces of darkness (the New Testament calls them powers and principalities) keep these people locked in to the area. It was a stunning statement to me. I'm committed to bring light and hope to this dark place. --Until next week. John
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