Because of your great mercy, I come to your house, Lord, and am filled with wonder as I bow down to worship at your holy temple. You do what is right and I ask you to guide me. Make your teaching clear...---Psalm 5:7-8a.
Sorry I was unable to get a blog out last week. I had to work Sunday the 2nd and ended up making the trip downtown on Monday the 3rd. With all the stuff I had to keep up with the next couple of days, I just couldn't get the blog out. Luckily, since Monday was the Labor Day holiday, it was pretty much like going down on a Sunday. Yesterday's trip (the 9th) was a good trip. I met with most of the people on the alley off Hooper St where I'll be doing the barbecue at the end of the month (the 30th). It appears as though I've hit a time or a season where my closest homeless friends have stayed in the one location and have looked forward to seeing me as much as I look forward to seeing them. Yesterday, when I showed up I ended up sitting on the hood of my car for probably 30-40 minutes just talking with everyone. I left the trunk of the car open and let them have access to whatever it was they needed; clothes, food and water. It has been so hot here lately that the cold water is one of their favorite things. So the usual gang of Tara, Willie, Dave, and Chris were there. Champagne showed up and a couple others came by but they didn't stay long. Still it was a very enjoyable and satisfying time. I told them I think I'm going to bring some potato salad to the next barbecue. I don't think any of them have had any in a long time. Willie wants me to bring the Jalapeno sausages that I brought to the one last October (he still talks about how he loved those). Please start praying for the barbecue. The plan is for it to be Sunday the 30th at 4:00pm.
Before seeing the barbecue group, I went down to skid row. As I prayer-walked the area, I was specifically looking for someone to pray with. I met Zachariah who was sitting in a wheelchair at sixth and San Julian. He was looking for a meal from me, I was looking for someone to pray with from him. Zach was a big man and said he had gout in his legs. They seemed swollen. He was wanting me to get him some fried chicken at the store he was parked in front of. We talked for a while about the recent changes there on skid row. The police don't let people camp out there on that side of the street until 6:30pm. By 7a.m. you have to be up and out of your tent or you will lose it and end up in jail. I told Zach I would come back and bring him a meal. When I returned after visiting my friends in the alley, I found Zach still waiting for me. He was thankful for the two burgers and the bottle of cold water. He got one meal, I got two opportunities to pray with him. He asked why it took me so long to come back, so I told him about some of the other places I go to to help people. I hadn't told him what I do down there when I first saw him. I'll start looking for him now, he shouldn't be too hard to spot, although he told me he was going to check into a hospital later.
Before leaving I drove by the small street off 9th and Wall St where I started the burgers and doorways ministry. I only had two burgers left and a few bottles of water. I gave them all out, but a couple of people who I had helped on previous trips on that street were a little bummed out that I was out of burgers. I gave out some cans of ravioli and spagetti, but they still seemed disappointed. I'll have to start there the next time when I have more food to give out. --Until next time. John
PS. I have been getting readers to this blog from all over the world. I would love to hear from you and how this blog is of interest. Please feel free to send a comment if you want to. Thanks John
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment