Monday, December 9, 2013

Downtown 12/8/2013

"I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." ---John 10:10b

"Preach the word!  Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." --2 Timothy 4:2

Yesterday's trip taught me a deeper understanding of each of these scriptures.  When I first arrived I drove around to a few different locations, not seeing anyone, before finding Dave behind the auto parts store.  He was the only one there during the time I stayed with him, although I left food and water for Derek too.  We talked for probably thirty minutes about a variety of things and people we both knew.  Dave is from the Pine Bluff, Arkansas area and I have family from that area too, so we have a special connection.  Dave is 67 years old and has somewhat of  a business opportunity through his family, but cannot raise the initial money needed to get started.  He told me in past years he helped a couple of his brothers get going and now that he needs the help it's not there.  He told me he has prayed about this and wanted to know why nothing's happened.  It took quite awhile of talking to him to finally identify his brothers lack of assistance, but when he did I told him that should be the target of his prayers (for God to work on their hearts) and also, that if they were in this business, he may have to start at an entry level position until he 'earned' their belief in his ability to repay them.  I told him that prayer was his most valuable tool at this point, but that it isn't a magic potent and it usually takes time to see results.  He wasn't real excited about his prospects when I left, most people aren't when they realize that part of prayer is persevering through the times when it seems as though God is silent.This job issue is part of a greater issue of the homelessness and all it's ramifications that prey on the minds of these men daily.  The hopelessness that they feel and then uselessness that comes with it, makes it easy to see how this mental cycle leads so many to find temporary relief through substance abuse.

I helped several other men before finding a couple of men on a side street off 14th Pl.  I didn't get their names and the encounter went far less than the way I wanted it to go.  I'd say when I left them I was troubled on a couple of fronts.  So what happened?  I pulled up to these guys on my way to McArthur Park.  I had a couple of sandwiches left to give out which I offered to them.  What they really wanted was money.  In fact, one of them suggested the amount of $10.00.  Now I've had people ask me for money many times.  I usually don't give out any because I don't come equipped to give out money.  The two sandwiches cost a little over $2.50 apiece and I told them they would last them through the night, but they were insistent on the money.  I had to tell them two or three times that I had none to give them.  Finally, I drove away.  I'm sure they had some choice words for me after I left.  Oh, by the way, they took the sandwiches in the end (what a surprise huh?)  So one of the reasons I was troubled was that I did have ten bucks on me and I have given money out before, though not that much.  I usually tell people who object to giving money to homeless people that $5.00 isn't going to make or break you, so what difference does it make if you 'lose' it by giving it away.  I accept the fact that I will get used by people in this ministry. It goes with the turf.  I guess what irritated me the most was their rejection of what I was offering.  So a scripture came to mind that showed me God's perspective on this.  Now I've had people reject me and what I bring them before and it's always troubling.  So I looked up the verse that came to mind when I got home and found it in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.  I can tell you that if it's in the Sermon on the Mount it's pretty important stuff to learn and understand.  So here it is in Matthew 5:43-47:

You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy', but I say to you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you what reward have you.  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?  Do not even the tax collectors do so?  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your father in heaven is perfect.

So my initial thought was God sends the sun and rain (good things) on the just as well as the unjust.  So everyone benefits from Gods general and basic blessings.  So these two men benefited from the basic 'blessing' of giving food away to the needy.  But, instead of being thankful they were unthankful for what they were offered and demanded even more.  How often do I have this same attitude with God?  And over what issues?  I've think I've understood more of the bible by serving the poor than I ever actually learned in a bible study!  However, studying the bible certainly lays the groundwork for the understanding of the situations I'm encountering.   The above verses also point out that there will be people who will use me, but this is just what the Father experiences on a daily basis.  Makes you wonder how many people 'used' Jesus to get healed.  Anyway, after this encounter I prayed my way over to McArthur Park.

By the time I got there it was near dark and very cold.  The verse at the top about preaching in season and out of season applied here.  Because of the temperatures, not too many people were around still.  Of the small group of Christians preaching the man, Rene' showed up after I got there.  He told me he had just come from work.  The two older women preached first.  Rene' and I were last.  After I finished I talked with Rene' and the two younger girls, who I found out are 17 and 15 yrs old.  The older one spoke fluent English and told me that plenty of people around there, particularly the homeless people, definitely understand English.  We had a group prayer while the two older women were intently talking to some man who had walked up earlier and were giving us some trouble.  They were talking in Spanish so I couldn't follow what was going on, but the two young girls said he seemed to be 'disturbed' about something.  Well, we said our goodbyes and I look forward to seeing them next week. --Until then.  John    

Monday, December 2, 2013

Downtown 12/1/2013

"Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  The Father is a merciful God, who always gives us comfort.  He comforts us when we are in trouble, so that we can share that same comfort with others in trouble."  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Not last week's trip, but on the two previous trips I met a man named Derek who was living in the alley behind the auto parts store on Washington Blvd.  Last week I ran out of food before I got to him, so this week I went there first.  When I pulled up I saw Dave, who was previously staying with Willie on Wall St.  I hadn't seen Dave since the last BBQ in October (nor Willie either).  Yesterday, Derek was there and he was very happy to see me and I found out through Dave that Derek's dad is a man who goes by the name of Peacock whom I've met and helped before too.  I don't remember what he looks like without seeing him, but I do remember helping a man in the past with that name.  In talking with Derek and asking about his 'prospects' for getting off the street he said he was working to get a job in the oil refinery business.  I guess he's worked in that field before (Derek is older that I thought he was, he's 43).  I prayed with Derek specifically that he could find the right contacts and help to getting some work.  There was another man there named Larry who I've seen before too.  I prayed with them all and let them look through the clothes in the back of the car.  I helped some others, Antonio & Leticia and Lee & Thomas, a man named Robert who was near where Antonio and Leticia were, but the most memorable man of the day was Kevin on 14th Pl.

Kevin was pushing a cart with just a very few things in it. Now I may have helped Kevin before, he looked vaguely familiar.  When he told me his name was Kevin I told him my full name, because Kevin is my middle name, he then told me his full name, Kevin James Rogers, and he said it proudly I might add.  Kevin is 51 years old and comes from the South Central Los Angeles area.  We talked for quite a while about stuff we used to do as kids growing up in that area.  After I told him where I grew up, he said as kids they used to ride their bikes down El Segundo Blvd to the beaches.  That was something I used to do too in junior high when I was in the junior lifeguard program at Manhattan Beach during the summers.  I told him those two summers of junior high were 67' and 68'.  During the summer of 1967 I vividly remembered stopping on my bike on one of the small streets of Manhattan Beach and hearing the Doors song 'Light my fire', blaring on someone's radio (that's the year the song came out).  I knew at the time it was a moment to remember.  Kevin totally identified with it.  When we were looking through the back of the car he saw some shoes and asked if I had any 11 1/2's.  I said the only thing I had close to that size were the 12's that I was wearing.  So I gave them to him.  He had been wearing some 10 1/2' size tennis shoes that obviously didn't fit and must have been painful to walk in.  The side part of the heels were stretched way out of shape.  He couldn't believe I was offering him my shoes.  I think he was about to tear-up when he had them on and his feet felt so much better and then he looked down and saw me in my socks with a big smile on my face.  Luckily, his socks appeared to be in good shape, because I was all out of them.  I took his picture, but I'm still having problems moving the pictures from my phone to my computer.  One of these days I'll have to just post a bunch of pictures of all the cool people and stuff I've seen this year.  I prayed with Kevin and we must have hugged  two or three times.  It was a very special encounter.

So after this I went on down to McArthur Park via 7th and Columbia St and the "I am Legion" sign.  (Yes, I had to go get another pair of shoes on the way down there).  When I got to the park there was no place to park on the west side, so I parked on the north side close to the east end and then walked towards 7th and Alvarado.  The little Spanish speaking evangelistic group from last week was there again and as I listened to them I began praying for the hearts of the people milling around.  There were four people, three women and one man who were in this speaking group.  The man was preaching at the time.  They asked if I'd like to speak again and I told them if they wanted me to I would.  But first each one of them spoke except for the youngest girl.  During that time I kept praying behind them and eventually, a man named Salbador came walking up.  He was maybe 25 or 30 years old and from the Spanish speaking evangelistic group on the other side of the park.  He said he liked to come by and give support to this group since we're all "on the same team".  He asked me if I wanted to speak too.  I said "Sure, I'm just not sure how many people will understand my English here."  He told me, probably 40-50% of the people there can understand English and that eventually some people will come just to hear me speaking.  He told me, "I want you to be speaking here every Sunday!"  So it was three months ago that I started adding this stop as part of my downtown ministry.  I had no idea when I started what to expect, in fact, I was a little overwhelmed thinking I didn't really fit in here in this Spanish speaking area.  I did know, however, that language is no barrier to God, and if need be He would provide someone to interpret for me like he did at the church on Cloud Nine Alley three years ago.  Anyway, I did preach for a few minutes and after I finished Salbador brought another man over to the group who was ready to give his life to Jesus.  I know it couldn't have been from me speaking, because I don't think this guy could speak any English.  But.....I had been praying for people's hearts while the others were speaking......  So last week Joe, the policeman, told me there are three gangs whose turf borders this park.  Joe doesn't know about the fourth gang.....Gang Jesus!  His turf covers the whole earth. --Until next time. John


Monday, November 25, 2013

Downtown 11/24/2013

"So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave,"Suddenly a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"  And he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword.  I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."  Then the LORD said to him:....(18) Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him." --1 Kings 19:13-15a,18

"Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phillipians 2:9-10

If you've been wondering where I've been, rest assured, I've been making trips downtown every week, I just haven't had time to write about them for one reason or another.  A week ago I even went on a Saturday instead of Sunday.  I remember this because I got a parking ticket.  You don't have to feed the parking meters on Sundays, but you do on Saturdays (bummer).  So the last blog I wrote was for the BBQ (Oct 20) I did for my friends living under the freeway at Wall St between Washington and 16th streets.  It was a couple of weeks before the end of daylight savings time.  Since that time I've made the trips and helped lots of people, but nothing truly special happened that was particularly noteworthy to write about.  There were a few homeless men I met and helped who were sleeping or sitting on sidewalks or in alleys alone that I always feel privileged to help.  In fact, one of them named Derek I just now thought of and I realize I forgot to go by yesterday where he's been staying.  I had stopped to help him the last couple of weeks.  He's staying behind the auto parts store on Washington Blvd.  Yesterday, was actually a pretty full trip and when I suddenly realized I was out of food, I ended up going to the Jack in the Box to cover three more guys I met towards the end.  I had purchased 10 big deli sandwiches and a bunch of bottles of water and in three stops I was out of food.  The first stop was with Antonio and Leticia.  The last two weeks, Antonio hasn't been there.  Leticia told me he was around, but was gone for the day both times.  I was glad to see that he was back with her yesterday.  I had been given a small hooded light-weight tarp from a friend at work before last week's trip.  When Leticia saw it in the car she asked if she could have it.  With all the rain last week, it was perfect timing for her.  I'm going to try and buy about twenty or thirty of them for the winter this year.  Next I stopped over by the BBQ spot.  The last three weeks Dave and Willie haven't been there and so I didn't stop, but I stopped on the other side of the street yesterday.  Lee was there and he told me that Dave's stuff had been stolen a time or two so he's moved on and Willie decided to move on too.  Paul was there yesterday and after he and Lee looked through the clothes he told me about someone living on 17th St.  I drove on over there and saw some homeless folks, but they were sitting in chairs by their tent and seemed to be doing OK on food.  I kept driving east weaving my way down side streets until I was about fifty feet before the stop sign at Central Ave.  A woman had just turned the corner and was pushing her shopping cart down the street right in front of me.  I grabbed a sandwich and held it out the window, which initially seemed to startle her, but when she saw what I had she looked up in the sky and said, "Thank you Jesus".  After giving her some water bottles I got out of the car and opened the back up so she could sort through the clothes.  She was so happy and thankful for the opportunity.  She went by the name of Lenny.  I don't know how long ago it happened, but it must have been years ago, she told me she had been pushed out a window and was badly injured.  Her hips and legs had been broken, her jaw was broken (she had no teeth).  She pointed to a couple of indentations on both sides of her jaw where she said screws had been put in to hold it together.  Yet, she was thankful to God that she was still alive and able to enjoy life.  She said it was "meant to be that I came this way today".  Apparently, she didn't take that route very often, in fact, I don't take that street to much anymore either.  But, remember Paul had me looking for someone on 17th and that's why I was there too.  So after taking her picture and praying with her, I got back in the car and two more men came up who remembered me and asked if I had any hamburgers.  I told them I had sandwiches today and gave them both one, then they asked, "Are you going to pray for us?"  After I prayed with them, another woman was walking by.  She was not homeless (I could tell by the way she was dressed), but she wasn't well off either.  Her name was April.  She told me where she lived in a very low rent place by the produce district and said she only had enough money to buy a muffin (which she had in her hand).  So now, with one of my sandwiches and the muffin she actually had a full meal.  We talked for a while together and I prayed with her too.  When we were about finished talking two more men were walking by.  One of them noticed and remembered me.  They came over to the car and it was then I realized I was out of sandwiches, April and gotten the last one.  She was still nearby and offered to give it up for them (remember she had the muffin), but I told her, "No, I'll go get something to cover these guys."  One of these two men's name was Solo.  I know I've mentioned his name before in these blogs, but it's been at least a year and a half since I saw him the last time.  You wouldn't believe how happy and excited he was that I remembered his name!  Well, I told Solo and his buddy Larry, that I'd go over to the Jack in the Box and I'd be back.  They told me where they'd be and I took off.  As I was going through the drive-thru, I decided I'd get three large burgers and I'd have one with them while we talked.  When I got over to where they were there was a third guy there by the name of Peter.  So they all got to eat (and they ate the burgers right then too).  They all got to go through the clothes and in the back of the car.  I asked them how they got through the rain from last week (I think it was Wednesday that it really poured rain out here).  I prayed with the three of them asking God to protect and provide for them.  I'm sure I'll see them again.

So now I was out of food and the second part of the trip begins.  You will remember I used to prayer-walk down Cloud 9 Alley (no one lives in that alley anymore) and even Skid Row.  But, the last 2 or 3 months I've been focusing on the 7th and Alvarado area and McArthur Park.  This used to be called the West Lake District.  It was 3:45 p.m when I left downtown and headed over there.  First I stopped in front of the shop door on 7th and Columbia St where the sign "I am Legion" appears.  I mentioned in my blog on Oct. 6th that this phrase appears only in the new testament and in the story of the man possessed with demons who lived in a cemetery.  Jesus cast out the demons (The man said his name was Legion because he was filled with many many demons) and they entered a herd of pigs and ran off a cliff and drowned in the Sea of Galilee.  So for anyone to purposely paint this on something is very intentional and not a good sign (no pun intended).  So I first stopped by and prayed on the corner where this sign appears and then drove on down to the park.  As I drove by the park I saw three police cars stopped and they were picking up shopping carts that some of the homeless people had there.  I drove around to the far west side and parked (this is where I got the ticket last week).  There was a group of people in that southwest corner who had set up chairs and were preaching the gospel in Spanish.  Some of them smiled and nodded to me as I walked by when they saw I had a bible in my hand.  I approached one of the policemen who was working on the shopping cart detail.  I told him about my experience a couple of months ago seeing the street fight right there where we were standing.  He told me, "Yes, that happens sometimes."  When I asked if it was gang related he told me that there are three gangs whose turf borders the park and they sometimes get into it.  I introduced myself to the officer and told him that I started coming down here after that incident to pray for people.  He said, "Well, this area needs a lot of prayer!"   He told me his name was Joe and I told him I'd be praying for him and his buddies too.  He then told me, "We need a lot of prayer too!"  I walked on down to the east end of the park.  There was another small group of about 6 people who had a microphone and a small speaker and were preaching the gospel in Spanish.  I then noticed a statue that I hadn't seen before a short distance away in that corner of the park.  Apparently, it was dedicated the day before to a Monsignor Oscar Romero from El Salvador.  From what I gathered from the plaques he was killed in the 80's which was a very turbulent time in Central America.  A lot of Central Americans migrated to this area during that time.  I took some pictures and then started walking back towards where the small group was preaching.  I saw a man standing by himself reading what appeared to be a bible, but in Hebrew.  I asked him if he was reading the same book I was reading (I held up my bible).  He told me how much better the bible was in it's original language.  His name was Ramon Reyes and he was from Puerto Rico.  We talked for quite awhile (there was a small language barrier, but we did OK) and he told me that the small group preaching there were Pentecostals.  Although he was not part of their group he talked with them and they gave me their microphone and I was given the opportunity to speak for a while to the people.  I didn't speak too long, only about five minutes or so and I have no idea how many people standing around could even understand English, but I was happy to take the opportunity.  I spoke briefly on Luke 15, one of my favorite chapters in the bible, and stressed the point that one's past does not disqualify you from the kingdom of heaven and that Jesus wants and loves you.  I ended by praying for them.  After I was finished, I wandered back over to the sidewalk by the bus bench.  There were a couple of men sitting there and one of them started a conversation with me.  He spoke enough English for us to communicate.  He seemed to have a christian background, although he didn't claim to be with any of the people there, he just was asking me questions and about how and why I ended up there.  His name was Jordan Nelson and the other man's name was Juan.  Before leaving I prayed with both of them.  I started walking back down to the other end of the park where my car was.  The group of people that were having the service when I first got there were gone by now, although there was one man sitting on a bus bench waiting for the bus.  He had a guitar case and apparently he was with that group.  I recognized him from the week before when I was walking back to my car.  We had made eye contact then and we recognized each other last night (it was now dark out).  He never did tell me his name, but said he was with Pastor Hector who I'm assuming leads the group of Christians in that corner of the park.  This man told me about their commitment to reclaim this turf for Christ.  He told me about some very disturbing and violent things that have happened while they have held services there, but they believed this is now 'holy ground' and they are committed to persevering and preaching the gospel in this area.  He said it is of the utmost importance due to the amount of violence and evil in the area.

A couple blogs ago I mentioned that I had been praying that God would use me as a weapon of light in a dark place.  Well, I'm finding out that this is indeed a 'dark place'.  I'm also finding out that others are praying for this area too and are willing to be used for this harvest field.  Jesus said in Luke 10:2-3, "He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.  Go on you way.  See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves."    Well, I think I have found the 'turf', now I must work on my 'light' and the gifting to be used here.    Please pray for me to be used here.  --Until next time.  John

PS.  I had been a little distracted when I walked around the park area.  I realized I had my cell phone, but had forgotten my wallet in the car.  When I got back to my car and was unlocking the door I saw I had left the window down on the back passenger door.  My wallet was still there though.  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!

Monday, October 21, 2013

10/20-Last BBQ of 2013

                                            You are enthroned above
                                                       the heavens,
                                          The earth and all creation,
                                             bow down before you,
                                                  You are crowned 
                                            with strength and glory, 
                                             the angels crying glory
                                                  All surround you
                                             Forever you will stand
                                          Your kingdom has no end
                                        Oh Holy God I stay amazed
                                           You are so much more
                                          than words can ever say
                                 Oh Holy God, I pour out my praise
                                                   on the One 
                                       who never ceases to amaze
    ---Stay Amazed, written by Jamie Birkenfield, Klaus Kuehn, Robert Quintana                                                                                                                                                                             

Last week I was only able to pass through downtown after a long trip up north.  I stopped by the McArthur Park area and prayed in front of the "I am Legion" doorway.  It was dark by the time I had gotten there.  I took a couple of pictures of the door itself, but neither of them came out.  I only had a couple of encounters with homeless people in that area, one wanted some change while I was looking in a map book in my car and the other was a woman standing on the median asking for change at Bixley and 8th St.  The first one was a man who never bent over low enough for me to see his face and the other thanked me for even acknowledging her.  I had given out most all the change to the first guy and had almost nothing left to give her.  I then remembered I had a can of "meals ready to eat" to give her.  After helping her I drove over to 'my area' looking for some of the folks I usually see, but didn't see anyone I knew.  I had told them a few weeks back that we would do a BBQ soon and the next week (this last weekend) would be the time, but most everyone was already gone to bed.  It was 8 pm and dark by this time.  This weekend and next weekend are the last two weekends of daylight savings time, so the available weekends to do a BBQ are about to come to an end this year.  So yesterday was the day, whether anyone was there on Wall St or not.  If no one was on Wall St, I'd find another place, but I had been praying all week and things turned out well.

When I first pulled up the street I saw one of the guys sitting on the sidewalk under the freeway, he called out  to me and I called back and asked him if he was ready for a BBQ.  He said, "Are you barbecuing today?", when I answered yes he was overjoyed.  There was a young man named Mario (he told me he was 24 yrs old) who was riding around that street on a bicycle who asked me what I was talking about.  He thought I came by to tell them where there was going to be one in the area, but didn't know that I was going to do one right there.  He was pretty happy too and helped me unload all the stuff in the car.  Throughout the day he was quite helpful to me.

Dave and Willie, whose stuff is a little ways further up the street were there, Willie and Eddie who work at the recycling place across the street, Mario, Paul, Louis and several others (I have trouble remembering all their names even though I recognize them) were there.  A more few people who passed by joined in.  It was a great day.  There was a young woman with a very small dog who passed by, we invited her to join us, but she didn't.  The story was she had been at the clinic on the corner and had been physically abused.  I guess it's understandable that she wouldn't want to hang around with 'all these men' that she didn't know.  I'm sure she just wanted to get away from there as quickly as possible.

My most memorable moment of the day was inviting a passerby by the name of Vernon who had stayed to eat with us to join about four or five of us in a prayer circle which he did.  I prayed with those in the circle and when I ended the prayer Mario was running up to us because he wanted to get into the prayer circle and be part of it with us.  Can you believe it?  Yes I was AMAZED.  It may not have been the 'fire coming down from heaven', but it was definitely the kingdom of heaven right there and everyone was enjoying a wonderful time.  All the food was cooked and given out and Mario and Paul helped me pack up the car before leaving.  It was a wonderful day.  I hope I am able to do it again next year.  Until next time--John

Here's the link to the song above:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Cfo8atJPo



 

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Downtown 10/6/2013

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations....and remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." --Matthew 28:19a,20b

One of my personal prayers in recent months has been that God would use me as His weapon of choice in a dark place.  With a street ministry, one realizes quickly that greater spiritual gifts are needed and to that end I have been praying 1 Corinthians 14:1, which says, "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy."  In this verse, the word prophecy doesn't necessarily mean 'foretelling the future', but speaking the word of God (yes, you could say preaching I guess).  A few weeks ago, as this ministry has taken me into new areas I have become acutely aware that I need greater gifting for spiritual warfare.  I have recently established friendships with pastors who are pursuing similar paths for the enhancement of their ministries, although none are street ministries that I know of.  Remember, this is framed in the context of me being used as His light in dark places.  I really didn't know what this might look like, but it's beginning to take shape.  So far I'm really just feeling my way around and don't know exactly how this will go down, but I can tell you the tension is slowly building.  All I can tell you now is what has happened and some of the conversations I've had with people who are familiar with the McArthur Park area.  You can form your own opinions. 

I didn't write about the trip last week (Sept 29th) because, initially, I didn't think anything 'special' happened worth writing about.  As often happens though, something occurred during the trip that stuck in my mind and it's significance grew as the days passed.  I had helped some of the homeless people on that trip that I have seen a lot of lately and again this last Sunday too.  After giving out all the food with clothes and water and praying for peoples needs I headed down to McArthur Park.  

So on Sunday/29th I was driving westbound on 7th Ave towards the Park and was about a mile to a half a mile from Alvarado St.  It was about 5:30 pm and getting close to sunset.  I was looking from side to side at the people on the sidewalks when I happened to notice a roll-up door on the south side of the street.  On this roll-up door were the words, "I am Legion."  Now this was not spray-painted on, but intentionally, in big block letters painted on this door.  These words, as most of you know, are in the New Testament in one place and that is where Jesus is confronted by a demon-possessed man living in a cemetary.  The phrase meant that the man was filled with many demons and Jesus cast them out and into a herd of pigs which subsequently ran off a cliff and drowned.  I thought to myself, why would ANYONE ever want this painted on the side of their building.  Why would anyone, especially knowing the significance of this, want to identify with this statement.  I decided I'd prayer-walk in front of this store on my way home.  I went on to the park and prayer-walked there, but for some reason, had absolutely no interactions with anyone.  When I left the park and drove home I somehow, 'forgot' all about it because I was troubled that I hadn't talked to anyone.  I had even purposely walked right in front of a group of 10 or so young Latino men hoping they would say something to me about why I was there, but it was as if I was invisible to everyone.  Anyway, about three or four days later I happened to mention seeing this 'Legion' sign to a Christian friend of mine.  I told him where I had seen the sign and he told me that a few years back, before he became a Christian, he and his wife were walking around this same area.  He knew the area very well, and I'm guessing what he was about to tell me occurred 15 to 20 years ago.  He and his wife happened to walk into a 'store' on 7th about a block or so from Alvarado St and McArthur Park.  There are many many small stores lining the streets in this area and this particular store was a 'witchcraft' store as he described it.  Maybe, it was a psychic reader or tarot card place I don't really know.  Anyway, when they went in there the store owner told my friend (remember he was not a Christian at the time), I can help you, but I can't help her (pointing to his wife who was a Christian).  He said, "She has two angels standing by her."    Well, by now I'm beginning to get an idea of what's going on in this area.  Remember, a month or so ago when I first noticed this area, it was because of a street fight that occurred there with about twenty men fighting in the street.  This last Sunday when I drove into this area, there was something going on where they had streets just north of 7th blocked off from the downtown area all the way to just west of McArthur Park.  Traffic on 7th was bumper to bumper.  I had a friend of mine in a hospital at Vermont and Sunset which is not too far from here so I  thought I'd go and visit him and come back through there on my way home.  I visited with my friend for about an hour and a half from 5:30-7 pm and then drove down Vermont to 7th and took it across town.  It was dark by now, but I did see the Legion sign on the door again.  It is at 7th and Columbia St.  There was also a Spanish speaking storefront church a couple of blocks away (with a service going on).  I had promised to visit Maurice and Elisha (a homeless couple I'm friends with) Sunday and wanted to get by their place before it got too late so I didn't stop on 7th Sunday, although I looked intently for a store that might be the one my friend had told me about, but since that was 15 or 20 years ago, it may have moved by now.  I did see one store (Psychic shop) on Vermont on my way to the hospital.

So Monday (yesterday) I was at UCI medical center all day and was talking to a technician who was taking my blood pressure and temperature all day.  I had never talked with her before and found out that she was from Central America and when she came here in the early 80's she lived in this 7th and Alvarado area.  She told me the area is totally gang infested and being a woman doesn't even like to get out of the car in that area anymore.  Needless to say, she doesn't live there anymore either.

Once again, there isn't much to tell right now, I've just written about what I've seen and some conversations I've had with people who have spent time in this area.  When I started writing the blog for this trip I said I had been praying that I would be used as God's weapon of choice in a dark place.  Well, I think I've found a dark place.  So far nothing has happened.  A few weeks ago I said in one of the blogs, "It's kind of exciting to NOT have a clue of what to expect, but know that something will happen and to be ready."  I still don't know what to expect, but I praying and working on being ready when the time comes.     

I'll end with this quote from Isaiah 58:11

"The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail."

--Until next time.  John

Monday, September 23, 2013

Downtown 9/22/2013

"Don't brag about your wisdom or strength or wealth, if you feel you must brag, then have enough sense to brag about worshiping me the Lord.  What I like best is showing kindness, justice, and mercy to everyone on earth."  Jeremiah 9:23b-24

After missing last week's trip due to scheduling issues, I was looking forward to going this week.  I have really been having problems walking of late, but was determined to not let this interfere.  I have been challenged to use praise (of God) as a weapon in the face of obstacles, so I left home praising God and praying for victory in his harvest field.  I am still looking for a break-through at McArthur Park and that is where the struggles with walking are the greatest.

When I arrived downtown I was greeted by three homeless Latino men on a small side street near Los Angeles St and 16th.  Their names were Jaime, Jose and Paco.  Paco seemed to be the leader of the group and the one who spoke the most English.  He told me they were from Mexico and had been up here for 3 years.  He told me he struggles with a drinking problem.  Today they were hungry and very appreciative of the help.  They were overwhelmed at the opportunity to look through the clothes in the back of the car.  Paco told me I was an angel sent from God and kissed my hand.  That's the fourth time that has happened and it's a humbling experience each time.  When the four of us prayed he told Jose to remove his cap.  It moves me each time the amount of respect these folks have for the things of God.  There was another man named Jose who was standing near the corner about 20 yards away.  Paco called him over and he was helped too.  This Jose didn't speak any English, but I prayed with him anyway.  There was one other man just around the corner on 16th St.  I called out to him from the car, but he refused to look at me even though he was only a few feet away.  After a few attempts to get his attention he finally pulled his shirt up to cover his face.  I took the hint.

 Next I drove over to Trinity St and saw Antonio, Leticia and Felipe.  Alex wasn't there and they haven't seen him for a couple of weeks now.  I had given Alex and his friend the phone number for a contact that deals with Spanish speaking people when I saw them the last time.  I'm hoping they received help from them.  I was kind of hoping they would all hang around together so I could do a mini BBQ just for them sometime.  Well, we'll have to see if they return.

When I finished there I drove around the block to Wall St.  Outside of Willie, Dave and a friend of theirs I hadn't met before, Joseph, there weren't very many other people there compared to the large crowd that's been there recently.  Paul and Guillermo came by, but the place was surprisingly quiet.  I gave out the last of the food, prayed with them and headed over to McArthur Park.

When I got over there, unbelievably there was a parking place available and since it was Sunday I didn't even have to put change in the meter, although I would gladly have paid a couple of dollars to be able to park this close.  So I grabbed my bible and started walking in the park.  I walked a hundred yards or so to a street light in the park that had a concrete tub around it and sat down.  I rested there for a while and read my bible and kind of looked at the people laying on the grass nearby.  There was a group of a dozen or so twenty-something Latino men 20 or 30 feet away and a few parents with their little ones enjoying the late afternoon sunshine in the park.  Pretty much everyone kept to themselves including me.  I walked a little further close to the corner of 7th and Alvarado and sat down on a concrete retaining wall.  There was a group of men talking loudly nearby, but I didn't pay too much attention to them.  I was reading my bible when one of those men came by and asked me if I wanted to purchase his bicycle for $15.00.  I politely declined. He then asked if I had a dollar as he was in a 'difficult situation'.  Now keep in mind that I had been praying for an opportunity to talk with someone down here and now all of the sudden a man walks up and says, in short, "I'm in a difficult situation."  I'm thinking to myself, "Is this the opportunity God is providing me?"  (Sometimes I have to be hit over the head to see things)  I told the man, his name was Peter, that I really didn't have any money, but that I would pray for him.  I stood up and leaned over to him and while I was putting my hand on his shoulder he said, "No, you don't have to pray for me."  At this point, there was no stopping me and I just started praying for him and his "difficult situation". When I finished praying, he then wanted to start talking and asked me where I worked and stuff like that.  He reached his left hand out to shake my hand and I shook it.  He showed me his right hand and said it had been injured.  We talked a little more before he left.  It wasn't until I was driving home that I thought about the missed opportunity to have prayed for healing in his hand.  What a witness that would have been to the people standing around!  I think that would be the definition of a break-through!  Well, I'm still just getting started in this ministry at the park. I'll keep praising God and praying for victory in His harvest field and we will see what great things God will do.--Until next time.  John

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Downtown 9/8/2013

Some Pharisees asked Jesus when God's kingdom would come.  He answered, "God's kingdom isn't something you can see.  There is no use saying, "Look!  Here it is" or "Look!  There it is.  God's kingdom is here with you."  -Luke 17:20-21

Since I hadn't seen John Stokes is three weeks or so I decided to check-in with him and see how he was doing.  For the first time in awhile he was by himself.  He was very happy to see me and bounced up and came over to the car.  I guess he was down to a single dollar and no food, so as he told me when I was leaving, "You're right on time, as always!"  He still hasn't gotten any action on his Social Security issue and it would appear as though he's resigned to having to wait two more years (until he's 67) before he can start receiving those benefits.  I'm going to try and make a few phone calls and see what I can find out.  Maybe, the issue is him being able to prove how old he really is.  We had a good visit and when I asked about Angelina (I had seen her with him the last couple of times) he told me she was pregnant and he hadn't seen her in a week or so.  So along with her insecurity issues, she's now pregnant.  The last time I saw them they were both so hungry they ate all the food I gave them while I was talking with them.  I guess it's easy to understand John's comment when I left, "You're right on time, as always!"

I drove a couple of blocks away and found Maurice and a man named Clay hanging out with him.  Elishia had gone on to Texas a couple of weeks ago and apparently, got into some trouble with the law.  Maurice has been trying to find out what happened and get down there himself, but she mistakenly took his bus ticket with her when she left.  I made some phone calls and found out where she was, so he's got a game plan now and should be leaving for Texas this week sometime.  We prayed together for healing in their relationship and resolution to her situation.

Since I didn't get a chance to stop and see Antonio and Leticia last week I started driving over to where I usually see them on Trinity St.  I drove down an alley off 16th and saw them slowly walking towards me in that alley.  Antonio was looking through piles of trash (I'm not sure what for since he didn't have a shopping cart to collect things) and Leticia was 10 yards or so behind him.  When I got to her and reached out through the car window for her hand, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.  I think they were both very hungry and thirsty and I had come if not 'right on time', then 'just in time'.  I had a yellow soccer jersey in the back of the car that I made sure Antonio received.  He held it up to check the size against his body and it put a smile on his face.  I asked if Alex was around and Antonio said he was, but I didn't see him when I got on down to Trinity St.  They both got food, water and some clothes, we prayed and I left them better off than when I found them.  How blessed it is to give to these people.

OK, so I'm only around the block from the big group on Wall St, so I headed over there and received another warm welcome from all the folks there.  There's one guy there who lives in an old RV and has shoulder length gray hair with a leather cowboy hat.  He always tells me how glad he is to see me and how happy it makes him feel when I pray with him.  Another man, Dave, has been bugging me for about a month for a pair of pants size 40.  The closest I had was pair of jeans size 38 that I had put aside to give to him.  He put the jeans on with a white T-shirt I had and said everything fit.  I teased Willie about the way he looked with a blanket wrapped around him in the summer-time heat.  Now at this point a couple of young men came over to the car.  They have been around here for awhile and the most tactful way to describe them is that they act like orphan children.  I was introduced to this concept by some missionaries who rescue orphan kids living on the streets and at trash dumps.  These kids have to 'watch out for themselves' and take whatever they can get however they can get it.  After they've been taken in, it usually takes awhile before they realize they don't have to live that way, that they are now somebody's kids and they will be taken care of.  Sometimes it takes a few days, for others a couple of weeks and for others even longer before they realize they don't have to fight for their own survival.  This is the difference between the orphan mentality and the adopted child mentality.  It also applies to our understanding of our place in Christ.  Are we orphans (doing things in our own strength) or 'heirs to the throne with Christ' (allowing Him in His power to work through us).  It makes a big difference in your attitude and your prayer life.  Anyway, I had been given three pairs of size 12 shoes recently and had them in the car.  One pair was brand new and was in a separate bag and the other two were used and in another bag.  Well, one of these men asked if I had any 11 1/2's.  I said I didn't, but the closest I had was some size 12's.  He showed me his worn-out shoes that had some holes in the toes, like they weren't quite big enough.  So I got out the two pairs in the one bag and let him pick one.  The other man that was with him grabbed the other pair even though he didn't wear shoes anywhere close to that size.  Now another man had come up and he needed size twelves also (his feet were definitely that size), but the one man had taken the other pair.  So the one man who really needed that size backed off and said, "OK, even though you don't wear that size, go ahead and take them."  I kind of signaled to him that I had him covered and gave him the pair of new shoes in the other bag.  I didn't take them out, but just put them in his shopping cart. It was at this point that he told me what happened to him after I prayed with him last week.  He had come by after I had given out all the food, but I did have some water left and I gave him a couple of bottles and prayed for him.  He told me that he, "felt something happen" when I prayed for him and that the next two people he saw that evening bought him some food.  He said, "I just wanted you to know what happened, because I felt something when you prayed for me."  Well, that was pretty cool and I thanked him for sharing that with me.  Then I showed him what was in the bag in his shopping cart.  I told him later, "You see, if you're patient, things will work out better than you imagined."  When I prayed for the 'big group' I explained to them that I 'try and bring the Kingdom of Heaven with me when I come down there.  That when they see me I want the 'peace that surpasses all understanding' to come upon them and I want them to feel the release of tension and that a pleasant and  happy atmosphere exists while I'm there if only for a short time.  However, if they continue to live in this kingdom with the mind of Christ the next day, when I'm not around, and the problems and pressures of this world are biting at their heels, then they can walk in this presence (kingdom) everyday."  I should add that I didn't say this until Dave (who had received his pants, shirts, food and water) said, "OK, John, hit me!"  That was the signal for me to start preaching and praying for them.  What an honor to be asked to speak to this group.

Well, I left there and went down to McArthur Park.  I got there later than usual and I absolutely couldn't find a place to park.  There seemed to be some festival going on in the park.  I found out later it was Mexican Independence Day (I thought that was May 5th), but apparently they celebrate Sept 8th too.  I drove around the park area for 15 -20 minutes looking for a parking place but had no luck.  So, I'll try again next time.  I knew there would be obstacles to this phase of ministry and that's fine, I expected it.  I'm not sure who said it (I think it was Bill Johnson from Bethel Church in Redding, CA), but I ran across something I had written down that said, "It's foolish to think you're going to coast into your destiny."  How true.  Until next time. --John             

 


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Labor Day downtown-9/2/2013

"An ancient sage sent his son to a Bible teacher.  When the boy returned, his father asked him, 'What did you learn?' The son told him, 'All the subject matter'.

'This is nothing,' the father replied. 'Go and learn more'.

The son returned one year later.  This time he boasted of having learned other disciplines.  The father still wasn't satisfied and sent him back to the school another time.  This time when the son returned his face shone.  The father embraced him.  'You knew theology before.  Now you know God'."

--Richard Wurmbrand from his book Alone with God.  Written from solitary confinement in a Romanian prison in the 1950's.

May your face shine today with a love that draws others to our Saviour.

It has been another hot week in Southern California with reports saying another hot week ahead of us before any cooling trend will occur.  Monday, being the Labor Day holiday, gave me an extra day to make a trip with it feeling like a Sunday evening (low traffic volumes and a slower pace than a weekday).  My first encounter was with a man named Dee in an alley off 14th St.  It was right about 4 pm and he was pretty happy to receive the help and prayer.  I remember commenting to him that I often would go down there in the mornings, but I think it's better for folks if I go in the late afternoon/evening because then they don't go to sleep hungry.  He nodded in agreement, however, a case could be made that alleviating hunger whenever its occurring is better period!

After driving down a couple of other alleys and finding no one I drove over to a small alley under the I-10 freeway off San Pedro and 16th St.  It's the path I usually take to get to Trinity St where Antonio, Leticia and Alex live.  As I pulled into this alley I saw one of the Willies that I know.  In fact, when I met this Willie the first time it was right there a couple of years ago.  His name is Willie Brown Jr.  He is one of the folks living under the freeway on Wall St.  He had his shopping cart with him containing a couple of empty 5 gallon water bottles that he was seeking to fill up.  He was so happy to see me.  He told me that everyone at the 'camp' under the freeway where he stays is angry and yelling at each other and he just had to get away for awhile.  I told him its probably because of the heat that's got everyone all stressed out. He told me everyone over there has been asking about me, wondering if I was going to be coming by.  They probably were expecting me on Sunday and when I didn't show up were wondering what happened.  I gave him some ice cold water and asked if he needed any clothes.  He thanked me and said whatever I had to give him he would take.  He apologized for smelling so bad and for having beer on his breath.  I told him I didn't mind or care how he smelled, I was there to help.  For the next fifteen minutes or so we had the most heart to heart conversation I had had with anyone in a while.  Sometimes you meet up with someone who is so discouraged that they are ready and willing to just spill their heart out to you.  Of course, it helps if they know you and feel at ease talking to you, that you're not going to judge them and tell them what to do, but are willing to first, just listen to their heart.  Willie said he wondered why God allowed him to exist in this cesspool of a life that he lived. He pointed around to the dirt and debris all around us at that time.  He said "Sometimes I'd rather be that dirt than be me!"  He was disgusted with his life and the direction of it and sometimes just wanted it to be over.  It was at this point that I needed to gently remind Willie of something we all know, but forget at times like this.  It's that there are people with lots of money and yet, they too are miserable.  It turned out it was something he was well aware of because he had seen it first hand.  He told me he had been around wealthy people in the entertainment industry and had seen their lives up close.  He agreed that money didn't guarantee happiness.  I reminded him that Jesus came that we would have an 'abundant' life and that the kind of abundance that Jesus talked about was far different and more real than the abundance that the world seeks after.  He then said to me that some of the stories in the bible just seemed impossible to him.  I said, "Remember, with God all things are possible.  He's God that's why it's possible ."  Every once in a while Willie would punctuate his unhappiness with profanity and then say he was sorry for using that language or once again apologize for the way he smelled.  I told him that didn't matter to me at all and, in fact, I was totally cool with him talking and being just like he is.  I told him about Jesus being with some "outcasts" in Luke 15.  I said, "Do you remember the story of the prodigal son?"  He admitted to me that he really didn't know the bible very well, so I briefly told him the story, that a man had two sons and the younger one wanted to receive his inheritance right then, before the father died and go off and live somewhere else.  Shockingly, the father agreed and gave the son his money and he left.  Like most all young people who receive too much money too fast he blew it all and ended up destitute.  The son then decided the servants in his father's house were better off than he was so he thought he'd go back and ask his father if he could live with him as a servant since he didn't deserve to be treated like a son anymore.  I told Willie, that the father was overjoyed with the son's return and not only welcomed him back, but threw a party to boot."  Well, I told this story to Willie simply so I could show him the first verse in that chapter that tells us the reason Jesus told the story to begin with.  And that was that Jesus had been talking to group of "outcasts", just like Willie had been feeling, then the 'religious leaders' got after Jesus for even talking to these people.  I said, "Look, Jesus would 'touch' lepers (this was strictly forbidden in that day), talk with prostitutes and other outcasts.  The religious people would never talk to these people, but Jesus looked at them "as people of worth"  and he wouldn't let others stop him from meeting and talking with them.  I told Willie, "I love coming down here and hanging with you guys and doing what I can to help out.  I just try and bring the Kingdom of Heaven down to you guys even if its just for a little while."  He told me what everyone where he lives thinks about me, "We love you.  You are Jesus."  Well, I was kinda floored by that statement and realized I must be starting to reflect Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 11:1.  Well, we talked for a little while longer until it was time for me to go, when I said, "Well, you know what happens now don't you?  I've got to pray for you before I go."  So standing directly in front of Willie with both of my hands on his shoulders I started to pray for him.  He again, apologized for smelling the way he did and I again told him not to worry.  I prayed for Willie to feel God's presence in his life and look for the "real" abundance that he possesses.  Willie is a great guy, enjoyable to be with and always appreciative when I've seen him.  I'll continue to pray for his situation.  Unfortunately, I didn't think of it until I was coming home that he seems like a good candidate for the Dream Center's training program.  What I found out when I visited them two weeks ago was that they have a one year training program that totally immerses you in bible study and a Christian culture and then works with you at the end of that time to find a place in society to live and work.  It is just the thing for someone who is fed-up with their lifestyle and ready to commit to this kind of a program.  Next week, I'll start talking to Willie about it.  I think he's ready.

I drove over to Wall St where the rest of his group lives.  It was quite a homecoming.  There are two groups of people living on both sides of that street.  The other Willie that I've known for 4 years and Dave and EJ were on one side and the group where Willie Brown lives are down the street a little ways.  I parked in front of where Willie and Dave were then I walked back to the other group specifically to tell the two women living there that I had some women's clothes with me if they wanted to look through them.  It wasn't too long before I had quite a group around the car and I was giving out food, cold bottles of water and clothes to everyone.  They were all very happy and I got to talk individually with most everyone.  Then when the opportunity was just right I said, "Let me pray for you guys before you go."  Everyone gathered around and we put our arms around each other (there must have been about 10 or 12 people) and I prayed with them. It was a Divine moment and totally cool.  I stayed there about thirty minutes talking and enjoying the company of these folks.  It's interesting how my life's experiences come into play in a group like this.  So many of these people are transplants from the mid-west and are surprised to hear that I have spent so much time there.  Another amazing thing is how people respond to little snippets of scripture.  One of the women who came over was Sandra.  For some reason, she mentioned the words in scripture where it says, "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."  She had been assaulted a while back and that morning someone had taken her shopping cart with all her stuff in it.  I said, "Oh, you're quoting Psalm 23.  You know I quoted something from that Psalm a few months ago myself," and explained what had happened.  She responded with a lot of interest in what had happened to me at the time.  It proves the point that Jesus made in Matthew 10:19 when it says, "When they hand you over, don't worry about how or what you are to say, for it will be given to you in that hour what you are to say."  It has been an amazing journey that has brought me to the streets of Los Angeles with words that speak life to these people.  I cherish every moment.

As I left this group I asked for their prayers for the next group I'm beginning to work with.  That group is the folks down at 7th and Alvarado St.  This is a new area for me to prayer-walk through and begin to build relationships.  Luckily, since it was a holiday, I was able to find a place to park a couple of blocks away for the hour that I spent at McArthur Park.  This time I took my Bible with me and it had the desired affect.  Two couples spotted me with it and I was able to speak with them.  I prayed with another woman too.  It is a small step, but it will lead to where God wants me to go.  It's kind of exciting to NOT have a clue of what to expect, but know that something will happen and to be ready.  --Until next time. John        






Monday, August 26, 2013

Downtown 8/25/2013

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.  And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." --Hebrews 13:15-16

In yesterday's church service the message was about worship and praise in the context of being spiritual warfare.  I'd don't think I had ever seriously considered worship and warfare together in quite this way, although I've heard the idea expressed before. Hebrews 13:15 was one of the verses used in the message, but when I read the next verse this morning, well, I had to include it too.  Anyway, more about this message later....

It was another hot day in Southern California.  Temperatures in the mid to upper 90's around here.  It was difficult to sleep during the day(after working all night), so after 3 or 4 hours I just got up.  I was pretty excited about Sunday's trip because I felt I was being led to a different direction/adventure today.  I finished getting everything together for the trip and arrived downtown at about 5:15 pm.  Once again, like last week, I drove to the small alley where I saw Rico and Miguel a couple of weeks ago, but they weren't there.  I had given Rico the address of the Dream Center that day, I hope she found some stabilizing help there or somewhere else.

So I drove over to Trinity St and there I found Antonio, Leticia and Julio and then another man by the name of Bruce showed up. Remember I hadn't seen Leticia the last two trips, but she was there Sunday.  Also, Alex who was down the block a hundred yards or so had a friend with him by the name of Victor.  Victor spoke a little more English than Alex so it helped greatly him being there.  Alex referred to him as his "cousin", although he said they technically weren't related.  I had given Alex the address and phone# for the Dream Center last week.  He didn't go there (it would be quite a lengthy walk), but he did see a Dream Center truck driving by earlier in the week.  I told them that there is a food bank on Paloma St and Washington Blvd.  Perhaps, that could be where the truck was going.  Without mentioning the name of the founder of the Dream Center, Victor said he had heard Matthew Barnett speak a couple of times, probably at the Angelus Temple.  I was amazed that he knew who he was.  Just so that you know who he is, here is a partial quote from his recent blog on June 3 this year...

"I remember the first day I ran a bus to bring the homeless to church.  I also remember the first mass exodus.  I was told that bringing the homeless to church on a Sunday would be ministry suicide.  The church demographic would not attend a church like this.  Temporarily, we paid the price.  Nineteen years later it's been the key to consistent growth.....No matter how big the church gets, no matter how many services we have, if we don't fight for the homeless and suffering we've missed the point."

Well of course, I couldn't agree more.  After praying with everyone on Trinity St I drove around the block to Wall St.  This is the site of last month's BBQ and where a bunch of people now live.  In fact, I only had four burgers left after Trinity St, so the main draw was a trunk full of clothes.  Also, I gave someone a toothbrush and toothpaste, and I must have had four or five others asking for them too.  Luckily, I had enough for the ones asking, but I'll have to bring some more next week.  One side of the street is where Willie, Dave and now Larry (who sleeps in his van) live.  The other side of the street there are about 6 others living, including Louis, another Willie, Tom, Joe and some others whose names I haven't memorized yet.  I must have given out 75% of the clothes I had with me.  Willie and Dave wanted to know if I was doing the next BBQ next week!  I had told them we would have another one soon. Now I had to tell them we'd have to wait until after my schedule changes back to days at the end of next month.  Before I left, I walked back across the street under the freeway where the other group was staying.  As I walked up, I'll never forget the 'other' Willie had toothpaste dripping from his mouth (he was in the midst of brushing) as I told them sometime in early October we would have another BBQ.  I lifted up my arms towards them as if to give them a group embrace and gave them a parting prayer and blessing.  On two streets and one block, all the food, most all of the clothes and all but three bottles of water were given out.  "Lord, please bless me with more of your resources to help these people."  Now as to the next adventure....

Let's go back to the church service Sunday morning.  During the worship and praise time (also called the singing part by some people) there was a woman, about thirty-ish I'm guessing and looked like Aretha Franklin or Ella Fitzgerald at a similar age.  And man could this gal sing!  She didn't take a back seat to those two in the singing department.  I didn't get the name of the song because I was pretty mesmerized by it, but one of the lines in the song was, "I'm pouring out my praise to you."  I went on youtube to try and get the song name, but the songs that came up weren't the one I heard.  Anyway, as I'm listening to this woman singing this song and realizing that her 'gift' is obviously a voice that can sing well and inspire others in worship and praise I was suddenly "hit" with the question, "What gift do I have that I am using to bring praise and worship to God?  Then the next thing that comes to mind is the sight last week at 7th and Alvarado where I witnessed the street fight with about twenty guys fighting in the middle of the street.  For this 'old white dude from the suburbs' that wasn't a sight I will soon forget.  I realized my 'gift' is one-on-one personal relationships.  I now knew what I was supposed to do.  Go down there Sunday, get out of the car and walk around!  What was I supposed to do?  I didn't know really.  Try and talk to people and bring what I bring to that relationship.  Obviously, it would be apparent that I'm not from that 'hood'.  Maybe that would be something I could use to an advantage.  Anyway, I was pretty excited about the prospects (this added to me being unable to sleep I'm sure).  So now with the 'normal' part of the trip done, I headed down to 7th and Alvarado.

  
So the signal in the background is 7th and Alvarado, the foreground is right where the fighting occurred last week and at about the exact same time as last week.


This is the park directly to the left of the first picture.  Through those trees there are lots of people as well as street vendors selling food, drinks and all kinds of stuff on the sidewalks of Alvarado St.  Hundreds of people are milling around on the streets there and throughout the park.  The park is actually pretty big and just driving around it took some time.  There is a sidewalk that circles the 'lake' and fountain area that I walked around.  Below is a picture from the other side of the lake.


Behind where I took this picture is another section of the park and I saw two large groups of people gathered.  I didn't know what was going on there, but they both seemed to be some kind of organized thing.  So it was quite a walk and I had to rest about two thirds of the way around it (my health is not anywhere near what it once was).  There wasn't any place to park on the streets around the park itself.  There is also an underground metro link station on Alvarado St in the background of the first picture.  I found a 10 minute parking lot on the street behind that picture.  So I was kind of leery about leaving my car there and only intended to leave it for about that long, but I kept walking and ended up walking all around the lake and my car was still there when I got back.  I'll try and find a more suitable place to park next week. So that's the first obstacle, where to park.  The next thing is English is not exactly the primary language spoken here.  However, you may recall the church on Cloud Nine Alley.  I had started prayer-walking on Sept 19, 2010 down Cloud Nine Alley.  Six weeks later, a church was planted in an empty warehouse building and I'm standing in it speaking to the congregation (Blog Nov. 1, 2010).  The congregation was Spanish speaking and the pastor brought someone up to interpret for me.  It is one of my most cherished memories of this ministry.  So I shouldn't consider language as an impossible barrier.  After all, I'm sure there are many around this park area that speak English.  But we will see.  I also remember when I was talking to the guys at the Dream Center last week.  They said that Matthew Barnett, on the 15th anniversary of the Center decided to spend a night on skid row.  He was discouraged from doing this (isn't that what everyone's initial reaction is to anything adventurous?).  He ended up taking his bible with him and when people saw his bible they kept coming up to him asking him to pray for them!  That was going to be my plan Sunday, but when I first left my car I didn't intend to be gone that long and then when I got back to it-it was time to go.  So next week that's the plan after I scout out a new place to park the car.  Be praying for this new opportunity.  I've been praying that I could be God's weapon of choice to a spiritually dark place.  I've now received my assignment.  This week is the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" march in Washington DC. I guess I have a dream too!--Until next time.  John

PS.  Remember you can click on the photos to make them bigger.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Downtown 8/18/2013

"Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." -Isaiah 65:24

I made a beeline straight to the alley where I saw Rico and Miguel last week, however, I didn't see them or anyone else there.  I was hoping to find out if they contacted the Dream Center or not.  I ended up going there (to the Dream Center) at the end of Sunday's trip.  I'm starting to learn something about how the Center functions as well as some of it's many outreaches. There is even a guy who daily goes out and serves people (gives food and stuff) to people living under freeways etc.  Sounds familiar, huh?  The name of that outreach is "Under the Bridge".  I got the email address of the guy who runs it and am hoping to find out what he does with people who are recently  homeless and need some help getting off the streets.  I saw a video a couple of weeks ago of the founder of the Dream Center.  His name is Matthew Barnett.  In the video he tells the story of how things began and one of the turning points was a night where he went to a location in Echo Park around midnight.  Echo Park, for those not familiar with this area, is the area right near Dodger Stadium.  That night he saw the police arresting gang members for various violations and God spoke to him about establishing a place where these people could get help to change the direction in their life.  In addition to that he felt God asking him if he was willing to give up his own dreams of pastoring a 'big church' like most pastors want and instead do something for these people that he saw being arrested that night.  Ironically, he has ended up having the big church, but the path was by way of establishing this Center.  The Center is the old Queen of Angels Hospital, a landmark location in Los Angeles, about two miles from downtown.  On my way there I drove up Alvarado St.  At around 7th I was stopped waiting for the signal to change when I noticed a commotion west of the intersection.  I was stopped a few cars back from the intersection and couldn't see what was going on, but everyone standing on the corners of the sidewalks were looking west down the street.  This street and the surrounding streets are filled with storefront retail stores and the place was packed with pedestrians.  It was about 7 pm.  There is a park on one of the corners.  As I pulled through the intersection I saw what the commotion was.  There must have been twenty men fighting in the middle of the street (most likely gangs).  Police sirens could be heard on the way to break-up the disturbance.  I can only imagine that this was something similar to what Matthew saw that night years ago.  When you think about the direction of the lives of those men involved, it's heartbreaking to think of the lost potential.  Then again, I see it on a one-on-one level each week when I serve the people where I go. At the Center, I was given a list where people can go to receive help from various outreaches in the downtown area.   I'm hoping to start incorporating this into the help I give out each week.

One of the men I saw yesterday was Alex.  I've seen him several times in the last couple of months.  Yesterday, he was reading his bible on the sidewalk on Trinity St.  He was happy to see me and we talked about what he was reading.  His bible is in Spanish and we struggle a little with the language barrier.  However, I asked him what book he was reading and he pointed in his bible to Isaiah chapter 40.  So I got out my bible and he showed me where he was reading and he read it to me (in Spanish while I followed along in my English bible).  Later, I told him about the Dream Center and gave him the address and phone number.  Next week I'll give him some of the places on the list of outreach programs.  I hope we can find a place for him before the cold weather starts.  So after giving Alex the usual food and water and some shirts I left some cans of food for him to save for Monday.  He was overwhelmed with joy over that.  I really really like this guy.  I pray things will work out well for him.

Up the street from Alex was Antonio and Julio.  I haven't seen Leticia the last two times I've seen Antonio.
Both times he's simply said, "She's not back yet."   Although both men were happy to see me, Julio seemed particularly happy.  I think he's pretty lonely and just needs a friend (don't we all?).

After that I drove around the block to Wall St.  I haven't seen Willie since the BBQ last month.  I've driven by a few times, but no one on his side of the street was there.  Yesterday, not only was Willie there, but Dave Parker who I haven't seen since the BBQ last October.  He had been staying in a location where it was impossible to park the car nearby.  When I opened up the back of the car so they could look through the clothes, that brought everyone from the other side of the street over.  Louis and a few others from the BBQ last month came over and a lot of clothes were given out.  I got to pray individually with just about everyone.  It was a pretty cool time with these folks.  In a month or so, I'll be switching back to working days and will have Sundays off.  So I told them we'd do another BBQ in October.

One last encounter I wanted to mention.  It was actually the first guy I saw Sunday.  He was walking down San Pedro I think and he had the look of being homeless and hungry.  His name was Alphonzo.  After passing some food and water to him through the window he said, "Dios la bendigo" (God bless you in Spanish).  Luckily, I'm familiar with this is Spanish or I wouldn't have known what he said.  How blessed I was to have helped him.  I felt like God had specifically pointed this man out for me to help.

Before I finish this entry, I wanted to comment on the verse I opened with.  It's one of my favorite verses in the book of Isaiah and is centered on God being able and willing to provide for us in advance.  I have been praying that I would eventually be able to do more than just provide temporary relief to the people I meet downtown.  There will always be a need for the temporary relief I give.  Some of the homeless will, no doubt, always live on the street, however, my heart goes out to those who I can see that just "don't belong" there and don't want to be there.  Some have adopted life on the street as a lifestyle and aren't too concerned with finding a way out or have long ago given up on finding a way out.  Others who haven't lived this way for very long and are still hoping to find their way back into society deserve whatever help and direction I can give them.  It's to this end that I looked into what help the Dream Center can provide.  We'll see where this leads.  I'll keep you posted. --Until next time. John          

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Downtown 8/11/2013

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." --Ephesians 2:10

What a blessed trip this was.  I happened to be talking with a friend of mine on the way into Los Angeles.  When I got there and was ready to start reaching out to people needing help, I asked my friend to be praying that I would reach people that really needed help.  Within minutes of hanging up, I met Andre, sitting on the sidewalk next to his shopping cart on 15th St near Broadway.  After helping him with some food and water and then praying with him I started driving east down 16th St.  As I got a couple of blocks past Los Angeles St I saw a man laying down on the sidewalk.  I had already passed that street so I had to circle back around which probably took almost five minutes.  As I approached that street I remembered a very small alley just west of that small street that you can reach that small street from.  I have only driven down that alley once before and that was 4 months ago or so.  I remember it because I drove down it from the other direction and  this alley is so narrow that it's barely wide enough to drive your car down it.  What made it memorable then was a dog with the biggest head I've seen in awhile got up and started towards me from behind a chain link fence.  It looked like a pit bull....I kept driving that day.  Today I thought I'd come from the other side so the dog, if it was there was on the other side of the car.  As I passed that spot where the dog was, a woman and a young man (maybe he was twenty, but I doubt it) came out from a hole in the chain link fence from the building next to where the dog had been.  I didn't recognize the woman at first, but she recognized me.  Her name was Rico and she remembered me from when I helped her with some clothes in an alley about 3 miles east of there and several months ago.  That day I found her looking through clothes that had been dumped in a dirt alley.  That day as I pulled up to her I asked if she wanted to go through the clothes I had in the back of my car.  I remember her telling me about her situation that day and that she would rather be homeless than to be at home and get beaten up by her boyfriend.  I asked her today if she had ever gone back to him.  She said, "No way!"  I was proud of her and should have told her so, but I think all I said was "Good."  I let them both go through the clothes in the car and gave them some food and water.  I asked Rico if they were staying next to the building behind the chain link fence where they had come out from, but she said, "No, we stay next to a dumpster around the corner (near where I had seen the man laying down originally).  I took a picture of it as I drove on out.  However, I asked Rico if she had ever heard of the Dream Center.  When she said she hadn't, I googled the address and gave it too them.  I told her they could get help there and these people would help them get on the road to self sufficiency.  I'm going to keep checking back with them.  I so much want her to find a safe place to live.  We had a group prayer before I left them.  So do you think it was just by chance that I had to drive around the block and come up that alley just as they were climbing through the hole in the fence?  The picture below is where they stay at night.  I wouldn't be surprised if they sleep behind the dumpster so no one will notice them if they drive or walk by.  And the man I had originally seen laying down on the sidewalk?  His name was Adolfo and yes I helped and prayed with him too.

Before getting too far down 16th St, I found Johnny.  I had helped him a couple months back and at the time he identified himself by the name of "Joker", until it came time to pray for him, then he wanted me to know (and pray for him) by the name of Johnny.  I also remember at the time he was going through a dumpster that was right behind a Pentecostal Church on Washington Blvd.  And they were having a service there at the time too!  I drove on over to Trinity St to look for Antonio and Leticia.  I only found Antonio.  He said Leticia hadn't gotten back yet (from wherever it is that they go during the day).  It was a little earlier than usual for me to see them.  The last man I saw was named Mario and he was on Washington Blvd next to his shopping cart.  He was hungry (as everyone I met today was) and thanked me several times for the help.

After Mario, all the food was gone.  I wished I had had more to give out.  I think all the food was gone in less than an hour and I got to pray with just about everyone.  This is why I love making these trips on Sundays, the people who need help are easier to find and its easier to talk with them.  I had missed going last Sunday, but went down on Wednesday, four days ago, in the early afternoon.  That's a very difficult time to go, but still people need help during the weekdays too.  I remember vividly, the last person I helped Wednesday was a young girl of about 16 or 17 years old.  She seemed way to young to be alone and she had absolutely nothing with her.  No bag of clothes or anything.  Her name was the same as my wife's name and she was barely older than my daughter.  I kept thinking, "She is somebody's little girl."  I need to get into a working relationship with places like the Dream Center so I can get people that I meet on the street that are so vulnerable some help.  Pray for me that I can find people who will help.  Until next time. --John  

Monday, July 29, 2013

Downtown 7/28/2013

"Are not two sparrows sold for penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  And even the hairs of your head are all counted.  So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows." ---Matthew 10:29-30

I don't remember exactly where I saw it yesterday, but in one of the intersections I passed through I saw the remains of a bird that had recently died there.  The verse above came to mind immediately and it's implication that God cares about the details of our lives.  When I think about the people that I just "happen" to meet or decide to look for it almost seems like it was meant to be before hand.  While trying not to get into the topic of determinism or predestination, I'll just describe how this trip went, so here it is....

I guess I should begin with saying that I hadn't gotten a block away from home when I realized I didn't have my phone with me and had to turnaround and go back to get it (remember that's our camera nowadays too). When I finally got down there I drove around for quite awhile before finding a couple and a man (separately) on the west side of Alameda sitting in the shade of buildings along that street.  I couldn't park at either spot, so I just passed food through the window.  They were too far from the missions to be staying or eating there for the night and I'm not sure they were really destitute, but they were definitely homeless Sunday night.  So perhaps, they were at least able to save whatever resources they had for another day.

So I finally made it over to Trinity St where Antonio and Leticia live.  I hadn't gone by there last week and Leticia reminded me about it.  She told me they didn't eat that day!  When I pulled up yesterday there was
another man with them who I've helped before, his name is Carlos.  Carlos is on the left, with Leticia and Antonio on the right.  The second photo are the steps where I see Leticia and Antonio every week.  I took that photo while they were looking at the clothes in my car.  Antonio was needing some shoes (size 9) and I had a pair of 9 1/2's.  I'm not sure if they were men's or women's size.  I'll find out next week I guess.  When we had finished talking, Leticia said, "Pray!"  It was almost like a command but, I'm more than happy to oblige.  A little further up the road a young man named Alex was sitting on the sidewalk.  I have seen him several times recently on this same street near them.  I drove on down and helped him too.  I hadn't given him any clothes before and he didn't take much.  He had a sleeping bag and another bag with personal belongings but I think he want to keep things light for traveling purposes.  I prayed with him and he told me he even had a bible too.  He is a very polite and nice man to me.  I'll have to get to know him better and find out what his story is.
So I met another man named Oscar walking in an alley behind some buildings off Washington Blvd.  I had driven down that alley because there was a Latino Pentecostal Church on the corner that was open.  I heard music coming from it.  Anyway, that was the last of the hamburgers and I was trying to decide whether or not to just drive home at this point.  I had driven (and prayed) down Cloud Nine Alley and had driven around the skid row area already, yet it seemed too early to leave just yet, so I decided to go over to where Maurice and Elisha live on 8th St off Alameda.  I hopped on the freeway where I was and drove down the two or three exits and got off at Alameda.  There was a homeless man named Mark standing on the freeway exit asking for help.  I gave him a can of food and we chatted briefly as I waited for the light to change.  I drove on down to 8th St and saw Maurice and Elisha.  When I first started seeing them a couple of months back they were trying to get to Texas.  Well, it looks like they are going to take a bus there this week.  It was about 7 p.m. at this point and Elisha was in tears thinking that they might have left without seeing me one more time.  To think that I almost didn't go by there because I was out of hamburgers would have been a huge missed opportunity.  I gave them my phone number so they could keep in touch with me when they get situated.  They are moving to the Dallas area, I think that is where she is from.  Remember she's pregnant and they have an opportunity to move into some kind of housing there.

  It's been an absolute pleasure to have known these two people and I will miss them greatly.  I remember a few weeks back, I had bought some burgers for the trip and an extra one for me to eat on my way into town.  Apparently, I had dripped some ketchup on my chin (not an unusual occurrence to anyone who knows me!).  Anyway, I didn't know it and when I got there and gave them their burgers and started talking to them they eventually told me about it.  They said they were embarrassed to tell me.  I told them, "Are you kidding?  We're family, you can tell me anything!"  And that's they way I feel towards them. We had a group hug while I took the last opportunity to pray with them about a safe trip, landing in a good place and Elisha's pregnancy.  I'm praying all goes well, I'll miss them both.

"Not a sparrow falls..."  When I think about the people God provided for through yesterday's trip, people living off the beaten path, in alleys on small side streets under freeways it amazes me.  If you look in the background of the picture above you see absolutely no one, no cars, nothing on the streets.  Yet God knows where these people are and doesn't just send food, but friends to them too.  He's awesome.  I'm reminded of something Richard Stearns, CEO of World Vision, said in his book "The Hole in the Gospel".  He said, and I'm quoting loosely here, "I'd hate to think that someone suffered because I refused to be obedient to God's call."  Being obedient yesterday, literally spread joy to these people.  --Until next time.  John

PS.  Remember how I just happened to remember to go back and get my phone?  Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to take these pictures!!!  If you click on the picture once, it gets bigger, and then twice and it's real big.